Welcome to our final event of 2021, the Future of Ecommerce: Black Friday Cyber Monday! Our esteemed speakers joined in on this two-day event to share their top tips for having a successful holiday season year over year, starting with this year’s Black Friday.
The holiday season can be tough to get right, but with help from these speakers, you’ll be well-equipped to do well not only this year, but for years to come. There’s no time like the present, so don’t wait. Start watching now and don’t forget to book your forever free Tech Stack consultation with EcommerceTech.
A talk by Chris Snyder, Senior Community Manager, Shopify
Overview: Are you ready for the biggest shopping holiday of the year? Come join us as we prepare for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. You’ll learn how to plan and prepare your store for holiday traffic. Be prepared for this year’s BFCM by understanding what to expect, how to implement key strategies, and how to set yourself up for a successful holiday selling season.
In addition to some BCFM best practices, tips and tricks, Chris will:
Special Offer: Get Shopify’s podcast and photo studio for $50 each
Summary: With the global pandemic still going strong in many places, Ecommerce experts have every reason to believe that shopping trends from last year are carrying into the 2021 holiday season. In fact, one out of 6 shoppers has already completed their holiday shopping by now due to concern about potential shortages. And if you want to have a chance of capturing the interest of those other five, you’ll want to keep these tips in mind:
A talk by Jon Tucker, CEO, HelpFlow
Overview: Most stores think of live chat as a customer service cost center, but it can also be a massive conversion driver to recover a big chunk of checkout abandonments and drive even more conversions earlier in the purchase flow.
In this talk, Jon Tucker from HelpFlow shares the strategies they’ve used to drive nearly $100M in live chat revenue for a wide range of stores, including:
Special Offer: Download the BFCM blueprint: https://helpflow.net/BFCM2021
Summary: Succeeding on Black Friday is HARD. It’s difficult to drive good traffic, and what traffic you DO drive is expensive. What’s more, 50 percent of checkouts tend to abandon, and many of those abandonments happen really deep in the checkout process. Luckily, if you’re able to predict abandons BEFORE they happen, you can save a lot of these potential customers. Here are a few strategies that can help:
A talk by Maura Woodman, Product Manager, Rewind
Overview: SaaS platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce may not have an “undo button” for stores to use, but there’s still a way for you to protect your data, online store, and bottom line. Maura Woodman from Rewind shares how in this Black Friday session.
Summary: All it takes are a few seconds for a business to lose all its data. Following that are hours, days, and even weeks of effort to try to fix the broken pieces, and too often, it’s impossible to restore everything completely. Luckily, though, there are six steps you can take to mitigate the risk of data loss and prevent complete shutdowns from happening in the future.
Contact Maura: [email protected]
A talk by Yasmin Nozari, Co-Founder, COO, Peel
Overview: Where does your current Black Friday Cyber Monday plan stand? What does the data say, and how are you using that data to drive your plan for the 2021 holiday season and beyond? If your answer to those questions is any iteration of “I’m not sure”, don’t worry. Yasmin from Peel has the secret to answering those questions and executing a data-driven BFCM plan.
Summary: When business owners thinking of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we typically think of the high customer acquisition costs these holidays are known for. But what many merchants DON’T think about are their current customers. There’s a lot you can do with the data you already have on customers to encourage them to come back and make a purchase during the holidays.
A talk by Brian Whalley, Co-founder, Wonderment
Overview: Looking to get control of your shipping process? Meet Wonderment. Wonderment enables you to bring your shipping data to the other platforms you use to communicate with customers and run your business. Watch this session to learn how Wonderment can help you see dramatically fewer Where Is My Order (WISMO) tickets this holiday season and beyond.
Summary: Stores that communicate with their customers see dramatically fewer WISMO tickets. That’s why an important goal is to proactively solve shipping problems before they become an issue for your consumers. Wonderment enables you to do that. Wonderment is a shipping platform that helps you get ahead of post-purchase questions regarding order status and order support. Their tool enables you to:
A talk by Brigitta Ruha, Partnerships & Marketing Manager, Recart
Overview: Last year’s Black Friday was like no other, but 2021 also presents a unique set of challenges for brands and eCommerce sites like you.
So to help you prepare for the first mobile-first holiday season we’ve ever seen, Recart’s Brigitta Ruha shares the 3 messaging tactics that fast-growing brands deploy to generate more sales and maximize their revenue per visitor on mobile.
Ready to make this season your best ever?
Special Offer: https://recart.com/playbooks/sms-guide
Summary: Consumers sheltering in place during the winter surge of COVID-19 last year didn’t stop shopping — instead, they turned to online and mobile channels, subverted expectations about convenience, and looked for a great digital experience and a stronger connection with retailers. With those expectations only expected to grow this holiday season, it’s important that you alter the ways you interact with customers to follow the shift. These three tactics can help you do that:
A talk by Kristina Muntean, Strategic Partnerships, Gorgias
Overview: Brands upped their eCommerce game in 2020, striving to meet the expectations of a consumer base in search of the right Black Friday deal while stuck at home.
Nothing beats personalization for that, and in a digital world full of brands all vying for revenue and growth, personalized customer experiences have become even more important.
Check out this session to learn how to step up and adapt your brands multichannel and personalization customer experiences in a post-pandemic hybrid experience.
Summary: With digital expectations higher than ever this year, retailers are focused on getting the most out of BFCM by investing in new experiences that support repeat purchases and customer communication. Personalization has been shown to drive repeat purchases, brand loyalty, and conversion, which is why it’s such an important part of the customer journey. Here are a few ways to do it correctly:
A talk by Gints Gailis, Growth Hacker, Confect
Overview: What’s a successful Black Friday campaign look like to you? Gints Gailis from Confect shares his vision and tips for Ecommerce and Retail brands looking to reach new heights with their revenue this holiday season, including:
Summary: With all this talk about Black Friday, it’s important to remember that the holiday season isn’t tied up in just that one day. There are multiple days that merchants can focus their campaigns on to drive traffic. Regardless of which day or days you choose to aim your marketing efforts at, it’s important to keep these six tips in mind:
A talk by Wayne Richard, Partner & COO, Bean Ninjas
Overview: If you’re an Ecommerce business looking to scale past 7 figures, look to Bean Ninjas as your go-to accounting firm. Wayne Richard shares how Bean Ninjas enables merchants to gain control over the why, where, and how they spend their time in this Black Friday showcase.
Summary: 90% of Ecommerce startups fail as a result of inadequate cash-flow, poor product-market fit, and the wrong team in place to grow and scale their business. Understanding each of these factors, though, and being proactive in dealing with them can help you experience the success you’re looking for. Bean Ninjas has a solution no matter which of these owner categories you fall into:
A talk by Greg Zakowicz, Director of Content, Omnisend
Overview: When it comes to increasing your holiday email marketing sales, there is no silver bullet. Ecommerce brands need to understand what matters to shoppers, when to send their campaigns, which tactics are most effective, how to overcome the changes presented by iOS 15, and how to put it all together. This session sheds some yule-tide light on each of these topics and gives you the who, what, when, why, and how of using email and SMS benchmarks to increase your email marketing sales.
Summary: 95% of all automated orders on Black Friday and 91% of all automated orders on Cyber Monday tend to happen because of three automated message types. Can you guess what they are and why they work? We’ll give you a hint:
Unfortunately, when it comes to increasing your holiday email marketing sales, there is no silver bullet. Look at the data you have on your customers — what do they care about? Use under-utilized channels like SMS and Web push messages to cut through the noise, make contact with your customers, and find out.
A talk by Valentin Radu, CEO and Founder, Omniconvert
Overview: Running a successful BFCM campaign isn’t just about acquiring new customers. It’s also about enticing and taking care of the customers you already have, because without those customers, you’re losing out on countless revenue opportunities. Valentin Radu shares how to harness those opportunities and leverage your existing customers in this session.
Summary: What are you currently doing to take care of your customers? We’re not talking about new ones. We mean the ones who’ve purchased from you before. Without those customers, you’re losing out on countless revenue opportunities, so here’s how to leverage them for Black Friday:
A talk by Anna Tillotson, Founder, House of Cart
Overview: With BFCM right around the corner, now is the time to start planning your marketing campaigns and optimizing your website to win big this year. The pandemic has shifted more consumer spending online and away from physical stores, further increasing the revenue potential for brands. So you should expect the busiest BFCM yet — but are you ready for it?
Watch this session to find out.
Summary: Not giving up when it gets hard and knowing the best ways to improve your business are so vital to your success, especially when it comes to the holiday season. And as with any good campaign, preparation is key. Here are some of the top tips to effectively prepare for BFCM:
A talk by Kunle Campbell, Podcast Host, Acquisition Entrepreneur, Advisor, Speaker, 2x eCommerce
Overview: What strategies do you use to get your existing customers excited about new products? Do you give your customers a reason to revisit your website after they make their first purchase? Check out this session with 2x Ecommerce’s Kunle Campbell to find out the most underrated and overlooked strategic growth initiative and how to take advantage of it this holiday season.
Summary: Product optimization is the most underrated and overlooked strategic growth initiative for Ecommerce businesses. It delivers sales growth through product innovation and gives your existing customers more of a reason to revisit your website. To bring your customers’ attention to these new products is your next problem. Here’s how to do it this Black Friday.
A talk by Zeze Peters, CEO and Founder, Beam City DNA
Overview: 2020 was a disappointing year for shoppers, but there are still some actions you can take to make up for last year and skyrocket sales and profits using AI AND your the data you’ve already collected.
Summary: 2020 may have been disappointing, but 2021 doesn’t have to be. There are 7 strategies you can employ to make up for last year and skyrocket your Black Friday/Cyber Monday profits this holiday season. Here’s a sneak peak at what they are:
A talk by Richard Hill and Helen Rankin, CEO and Founder, eComOne and Managing Director, CheekyWipes
Overview: They say necessity is the mother of invention, and that’s the truth with reusable-focused brand CheekyWipes. Now 13 years old, this company was founded with a special purpose: to make using washable wipes as easy as using disposable ones. They’ve not only done that, but have also succeeded in adding a number of other reusable solutions to their product lineup. Check out this session to learn how they did it.
Summary: From necessary invention to successful business, CheekyWipes is now 13, the same number you’ll find in a baker’s dozen. Founder Helen Rankin has had eczema since she was a child and couldn’t use disposable baby wipes when she had her son. From there, she set out on a mission to change the baby wipes industry one reusable wipe at a time. The biggest lessons she’s learned since then?
A talk by Nik Filos, Head of Growth, Storypop
Overview: Customers tend to stay loyal and pay more money to brands that use storytelling, but do you know why? Storypop’s Nik Filos shares the playbook on how and where to deliver your stories to increase brand awareness and capture new customers, as well as the 5 main reasons WHY customers value storytelling in the brands they support, in this exciting session.
Summary: There are 5 major reasons why people tend to stay loyal and pay more money to brands that use storytelling in their business efforts. Why storytelling? Neuroscience research shows that stories tend to trigger the release of Dopamine, Oxytocin, and Endorphins in people’s brains. Those hormones then help with establishing relationships with customers, primarily because human memory is story-based, and those stories help add meaning to the decisions we make. How do you leverage storytelling? Here’s the proven framework:
A talk by Ty Givens, CEO, The Workforce Pro
Overview: Are backlogs preventable? The short answer is sometimes, but what matters most is seeing a backlog before it happens, knowing what you’ll do when it occurs, and obviously, getting out of it. Learn how to get out of your backlog and prevent one from happening in the future in this session.
Summary: The Workforce Pro’s busy season is the top of the calendar year because it’s following the holidays and the infamous holiday backlog. In fact, most of their clients come in with a days or weeks long wait time and by the time they’re done, those clients are answering tickets in real time.
So what’s the secret to preventing a backlog?
A talk by Kurt Elster, Senior Ecommerce Consultant, Ethercycle
Overview: Join Kurt Elster as he examines the mobile experience of brands just like yours and offers insights into what they’re doing well and what they could improve upon. Don’t forget to also check him out on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast.
Summary: Live website teardowns with Kurt Elster are always an experience, and this session is no exception. Two brands received the patented Elster advice for improving their websites, one of them for the third event in a row! These are just a few of the knowledge bombs Kurt shared:
A talk by Katya Allison, Director of Content, GRIN
Overview: Adding influencers to your BFCM marketing campaigns can be a great move, but only if it’s done correctly. Doing so requires planning and preparation, as well as a clearly defined strategy for accomplishing your goals with each campaign. Grin’s Katya Allison shares how to do each of these things and more.
Summary: An influencer is a person with the ability to influence their community to try, to buy, or to learn more by creating content that engages that community. When combined with traditional marketing campaigns, an influencer that truly fits in with your brand can make all the difference. First, though, you need to prepare for your campaign. Here’s how that looks throughout the year:
A talk by Kiril Kirilov, CEO and Co-founder, Rush
Overview: Tired of endless email chains asking about the status of your customer’s order? With its automated, State-Of-Art Shipment Tracking, Rush helps you generate more revenue and increase retention. They automate the shipment tracking process on all fronts so you never have to worry about losing customers again. Check out this session to learn how.
Summary: Neglecting your customer once the purchase is completed is LOSING you money. 75% of shoppers state that clear communication is key to a good delivery experience, while 38% expect to be notified immediately in the event of an issue. But with the expectation for this BFCM season being a delay on 20% of all packages, what can you do? Start using Rush. Here’s what they do:
A talk by Lauren Ladra, Director of Partnerships, TrustedSite
Overview: Join TrustedSite’s Director of Partnerships, Lauren Ladra as she discusses the best practices for building trust and increasing conversions on your website this holiday season. You’ll learn how to address the needs of new visitors to make the most of your holiday traffic and will walk away with 5 trust-building tips to help give shoppers the confidence to complete their purchases, to minimize friction in the checkout funnel, and to increase conversions.
Summary: The entire digital landscape has changed dramatically since the start of the pandemic, and that’s only expected to continue. As of today, 92% of consumers are concerned about shopping on unfamiliar sites. This means the onus is on merchants to start building trust with potential customers sooner, rather than later. Here are a few things you can do.
A talk by Cat Yardley, Account Manager, ShoppingGives
Overview: The new generation of consumers is buying with their values and voting with their wallets, and there’s no time where that’s more true than during the holiday season. Cat Yardley from ShoppingGives shares why that’s the case and how to implement a successful holiday
Summary: As of this year, retailers are spending over $20B in digital advertising to acquire and retain generational
A talk by Tomasz Sadowski, CEO, Opinew
Overview: Having no reviews isn’t going to give customers confidence to buy from you. In fact, it’s more likely to turn customers OFF from buying from you if you have no reviews shown on your website, regardless of whether reviews are available on sites like Amazon or eBay. So what can you do? Tomasz Sadowski from Opinew shares the secret to migrating your Amazon and eBay reviews to boost your social proof on Shopify, as well as the best locations to place reviews on your site to garner higher conversion rates. Watch now to avoid missing out.
Summary: If you’ve been selling on Amazon or eBay for a while and have just shifted your attention to Shopify, we have some good news for you. You don’t have to start from scratch with your reviews. There’s actually a way to MIGRATE your reviews from Amazon and eBay to instantly boost your social proof on Shopify. Here’s why that social proof is important and how to showcase it effectively:
