Retention Chronicles

Ross Martin, President of Known Agency and General Partner of Lunch Partners, joins Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles and Head of Marketing at Malomo, to discuss his journey in marketing. Known, an integrated agency ranked third by Ad Age combines research, creativity, and innovation, working with clients like Shake Shack and TikTok. Ross highlighted their unique approach, such as using AI to identify relevant Reddit conversations for Shake Shack. He also shared insights from Lunch Partners, emphasizing the importance of resilience and heart in founders. Ross praised Mikmak for connecting legacy brands with social commerce, showcasing the power of AI and consumer intelligence in driving business outcomes.

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Ted Galperin, Partner and Head of Retail at Mythology, and Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles & Head of Marketing at Malomo, discuss crafting immersive design. Ted’s work on the American Girl store in Dallas emphasizes the challenge of fitting a large experience into a 5,000-square-foot space. Key elements include a life-size dollhouse, a premium salon, and a cafe with a doll-sized door. Galperin also highlighted the importance of nostalgia in modern retail, citing examples like Vacation Sunscreen and Olipop. He shared insights on Warby Parker's retail strategy, focusing on creating a library-like atmosphere to enhance the customer experience. Additionally, he discussed the Sonos store in Soho, which used sound-attenuated pods to showcase the product's audio quality effectively.

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40:17: Retail as Marketing and Awareness Tool

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles and Head of Marketing at Malomo, is joined by SeaMonster Studios’ Wes Buckwalter, Creative Director and CEO, and Deneb Pulsipher, Web Developer and Accessibility Specialist. Wes shares the company's origins and evolution into a full-service agency offering branding, graphic design, and compliance. Deneb, previously a high school English teacher, transitioned into web development, focusing on accessibility for ecommerce brands. They discuss the importance of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance, emphasizing the need for accessible websites to retain customers and avoid lawsuits. They highlight common issues like alternative text for images and text in images, and the benefits of compliance for SEO and user experience.

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43:52 Common Accessibility Issues and Solutions For Ecommerce Brands

Mariah Parsons, Head of Marketing at Malomo and Host of Retention Chronicles, and Jen Gray, SVP of Marketing at Recharge, discuss the importance of subscriptions in the Shopify ecosystem. Jen, who transitioned from big tech to Recharge, emphasizes the value of subscriptions in powering consumer routines and driving predictable revenue. They highlight the shift from a goods and services economy to a routine economy, where DTC brands focus on embedding products into daily lives. Jen shares insights on product diversification, such as Casper's transition to a sleep company, and the importance of product positioning and consumer behavior. They also discuss the benefits of subscriptions, including higher customer lifetime value (LTV) and the need for personalized, flexible subscription plans. Recharge is launching the Tomorrow Brand Challenge to support subscription growth, offering $1 million in prizes to three winners.

Chris Miller, Co-Founder & CRO of Flaunt Loyalty, and Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles & Head of Marketing at Malomo, discuss the importance of dynamic loyalty programs for Shopify merchants. Chris highlights Flaunt Loyalty's unique service & software model, which includes designing, implementing, and managing loyalty programs to grow LTV and profits. They emphasize the need for ongoing optimization and strategic alignment with marketing campaigns. Chris shares examples like Barefaced's Mother's Day campaign, which integrated loyalty rewards into existing promotions. They also explore the balance between subscription perks and loyalty programs, stressing the importance of personalized rewards and gamification elements like badges and leaderboards to enhance customer engagement and retention.

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Maria Hatzistefanis, CEO and Founder of Rodial, discussed her journey from beauty writing in Greece to launching her skincare brand (Rodial) with Host of Retention Chronicles, Mariah Parsons. Maria highlighted the importance of unique ingredients and targeted treatments, such as Rodial’s Snake Serum and Dragon's Blood hyaluronic acid, to stand out on shelves. Rodial's success includes availability in 35 countries and 3,000 luxury stores. Hatzistefanis emphasized the role of influencers in customer acquisition and the strategic use of paid media, particularly on Instagram and Meta. She also shared her experiences with filming on Dragon's Den and her motivational books, which aim to inspire entrepreneurs.

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47:10 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Mariah Parsons, Head of Marketing at Malomo and Host of Retention Chronicles and Noah Tucker, Founder & CEO of Social Snowball, discuss the evolution of affiliate marketing and its impact on e-commerce. Social Snowball, with 2,200 merchants, focuses on influencer and micro-influencer partnerships, addressing the shortcomings of legacy affiliate platforms. They highlight the importance of clear communication and incentive structures, particularly during high-traffic periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Noah emphasizes the need for influencers to frequently post branded content to ensure audience conversion. They also touch on the dynamic of the e-commerce influencer B2B community, noting its high school-like nature but overall supportive nature.

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40:50 B2B Ecommerce Influencer Community and Social Media Presence

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles Podcast & Head of Marketing at Malomo, and Kit Henseleit, Global Operations Manager at Custom Neon, Founder at Clouding Over, discussed the unique challenges and opportunities of operating in the signage industry and the differences between B2B and B2C marketing. They emphasized the importance of creativity, flexibility, and building strong relationships with clients to deliver customized solutions. They also discussed the challenges of expanding a business globally and shared strategies for retaining customers in the hospitality industry. Additionally, they shared their experiences in scaling a custom neon sign business while balancing customer expectations and business growth, highlighting the importance of setting clear expectations and providing proactive communication.

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38:02 Customer retention strategies and Black Friday planning

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles & Head of Marketing at Malomo, and Lindsay Baylor, Senior Director of Customer Care & DEIB at Kendra Scott, discussed the importance of leveraging technology and diversity initiatives to improve customer service at Kendra Scott. They emphasized the value of creating an online experience that is easy for new customers to adapt to, and the need for a comprehensive view of the customer journey. Mariah Parsons and Lyndsay Baylor also discussed the importance of integrating customer data from various sources to create personalized experiences, and the challenges of connecting data from online and in-store interactions. Finally, Mariah Parsons and Lyndsay Baylor discussed the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fashion and jewelry industries, and the need for brands to be intentional and authentic in their approach to diversity and inclusion.

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39:53 Customer inclusivity and diversity in product development

Mariah Parsons, Host of Retention Chronicles, and Bob Verlaat, Co-Founder of Dore & Rose and Hears, discussed their experiences launching and scaling e-commerce brands, emphasizing the importance of having a clear vision, solid business plan, and strong support system. Mariah highlighted the value of taking calculated risks and learning from failures, while Bob stressed the need to maintain quality and customer satisfaction as the brand scales. Bob added their perspective on launching multiple brands and incorporating user-generated content in advertising. The group discussed factors to consider when launching a product, the role of artists and influencers, approaches to launching and retaining customers, and the challenges they faced in a saturated market. They emphasized the importance of problem-solving, educating consumers, providing a seamless customer experience, and scaling while maintaining passion and caring attitude.

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