Process To Ecom Profits Podcast

Marketing your product to your right consumers is a complex situation. Strategy and knowledge is something that is needed to be successful during this marketing milestone in a seller's success. Krista Neher joins us today and shares her wealth of knowledge about this concept and gives some great insider aspects that are going to help you improve your marketing. Links Mentioned: Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comKrista Neher-Bootcampdigital.com/Linkedin: @kristaneher Skip To:00:56: Can you tell us about yourself?02:57: What would you tell someone with zero digital marketing experience and want to expand?05:34: Do you consult with people around building strategy or have a course to recommend?05:58: Digital Marketing that actually works. Krista’s Book. 10:35: Engagement is a good metric. Right? (Engagement is a horrible metric)13:00: Media Spend and Divide it by our Revenue, Do you think this is a good metric? Are there other Metrics you might recommend? (More bang for your buck)16:30: Facebook’s Case study brings some light to the concept. 18:01: What would you recommend for brand awareness?20:49: What would you say to people that said Facebook doesn't work? (IOS Update)22:47: Do you recommend that people invest in SEO? A way to achieve that without a SEO expert. 27:06: What other advice would you give someone that is talking about it being their last year on amazon? 

The Power of Scarcity. In this episode we talk with PDH author Mindy Weinstein about her new book. What is scarcity, what are the types that can be applied to our business and how to use it ethically. We also go into the effect that it has on customers, the physiological impact, how it can help when they are overthinking and finally, how FOMO is closely related to scarcity. 00:15 Drs Mindy’s introduction00:45 Mindy’s new book “The Power of Scarcity”01:10 What made you want to write about Scarcity?01:50 Scarcity is the most powerful influence tactic.03:15 What are some of the teaching points from your book that can be applied to the business world?04:30 Four types of scarcity04:55 Supply related06:30 Demand related07:30 Time related07:58 Limited edition09:10 Do the examples also apply to services?10:15 Not all scarcity gives customers a good impression10:45 Scarcity needs to be ethical12:30 Scarcity is informing the customer13:50 How can we create scarify on our own products?17:20 Is there a type of scarcity that works best for your client base?21:25 Scarcity can help people that are overthinking24:40 Effect of special days like Prime Day, Black Friday Sales, Cyber Monday25:15 Competition, a side effect of scarcity26:25 Feeling of excitement27:25 Scarcity done well29:00 Creating some distance with yourself and scarcity29:55 Scarcity and FOMO34:25 How to order the book?35:15 What would be the one piece of advice you would give now that we are entering Q4 if you have a physical product?

Taking care of your future is important. As entrepreneurs we get caught up making sure that our business is doing well and we are staying profitable but sometimes we forget that we need to take care of our future selves. Today we have Anna Popke on the show and we get to learn her secrets of success post business making sure that we retire properly. Links Mentioned: Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comAnna Popke- Skip To:00:37: Cindy, do you want to introduce our guest?03:43: What are some of the things that people should be thinking to prepare for the future while trying to run a business?09:00: This is just an extension of paying yourself right?10:45: Do you have advice for someone that explains it as I'm betting on myself to make sure that my future self is taken care of?15:52: We have stuff in our past that can be used as ammunition when talking to folks like this.16:54: Take your money outside your business and find ways to invest. 19:00: What is the burden on the employer offering benefits to employees?20:00: Differences in the retirement plans. The different IRA’s24:35: When does the size of your company change the benefits and retirement plans?27:45: Does a person's age become a factor and are these factors something you help them think about when it comes to retirement or emergencies?29:30: What do you say to folks to feel better about their changes with the stock market?

Starting your own business is hard enough. Probably one of the hardest things that someone does in their entire life. The last thing entrepreneurs want to worry about is the concept of payroll.Missy from Gusto has joined us today and elaborates on all the benefits and perks her company offers like contractor payments, simple plans for startup companies, and even HR programs for larger businesses.Links Mentioned: Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comMizzy- Gusto.com (Click Button Learn More)Skip To:02:50: Gusto brings connectivity between all platforms that companies use, putting all payroll into one simple platform. 03:35: What products does Gusto have that helps the beginning entrepreneur?03:47: The contractor only plan, allowing companies to pay contractors with one platform.04:59: Can you tell us what the cost is for the contractor only plan?06:04: The simple plan, for those companies that are just starting out.07:22: Can you talk about the automatic pilot feature of Gusto?09:23: Would international accessibility of payroll be beneficial to you?09:46: Does the program address the issue of state regulations for payments?10:27: Are you seeing success with companies having happier contractors when using Gusto?11:48: What are some things that Gusto can help small businesses as they start to grow? How does that benefit program work?14:15: Do a lot of clients use the workers comp option within Gusto?15:45: Can you talk about your retirement plans? (Guideline)17:10: With Guideline itself does each business have the opportunity to select the funds that they are going to be participating in? 19:50: What does Gusto offer businesses that are needing more of an HR presence?22:52: It's possible to move in and out of the high end HR plans, can you describe this better for us?26:25: What is your vision for Gusto? Where do you see it going?

 Burn out is the one thing that every entrepreneur faces as they continue to grow their business over several years. In today's episode, we sit down with Susie to discuss how creativity can be used to help breakthrough burn out. We also discussed her upcoming book that is utilizing creativity as an entrepreneur. Links Mentioned:Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comSusie - Inovationandcreativityinstitute.comSkip To:01:20: Susie’s Book Buoyant a guide to becoming wildly successful as an entrepreneur.  01:39: Susie’s Program Sketchbook Entrepreneur Master Class teaches the skills to avoid burnout. 03:17: What about your entrepreneurial journey stuck out to you? What did you learn and grow from during that time?06:52: Can you expand on the Liberation Quadrant.11:00: Can you notice the caution zone? (Where you are comfortable)12:34: Make sure to look out for the seedlings that bloom as burn out later.13:18: So how do you know that you are there? Is there a way to tell before you burn out?15:18: What does the World of burn out look like?18:15: Can you Talk about the 5 M’s and why they set us up for feeling more expansive in our day?18:32: Susie describes the Fight of Flight Mode in correlation to the burnout aspect.25:40: End of Description of 5 M’s 26:44: What are techniques used by entrepreneurs to wake themselves up? (Pattern Interrupt)28:33: Awareness of boundaries is important and becomes more accessible after Susie's teachings. 32:22: Burnout decreases access to the Prefrontal Cortex of the executive functioning part of our brain.33:45 Cindy’s anecdote.35:00: Susie, can you tell us how to order the book and release date?

Taxes are a headache. Especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. Today we get the privilege of talking with Wendy Barlin, a phenomenal tax strategist and subject matter expert of the tax world. We discuss concepts like planning for your tax season, the difference between a tax preparer and a tax strategist, the most common missed deductions, and much more. Wendy talks about the ideas of ensuring you love your company, treating it like it's your own, and understanding that you must have the right entity when it comes to your taxes. We also discuss her book (That’s Deductible) which shares multiple strategies and concepts in the world of taxes and entrepreneurship. Links Mentioned: Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comWendy Barlin - Wendybarlin.com/aboutprofit.comSkip To:02:00: When is the best time to sit down with your tax advisor to plan the rest of your year?05:45: How much do you need to be prepared before sitting down to discuss a tax strategy?08:00: What should you be looking for in a tax strategist?09:30: What is the difference between a tax preparer and a tax strategist?12:00:  What is the biggest mistake that you see?14:22: What are the most common missed deductions?17:14: What tips can you recommend for people relying on debt to keep their business in operation?22:45: What are you seeing with the market right now and business sales? What should people be considering as they are starting to think about exiting in the next year?25:18 Becoming an employee of your company after you sell your company. 28:10: Do you have any guidance for individuals that are just starting out?32:00: Have the correct entity.33:15: When can meals be a tax deduction?35:12: What is the minimum amount for needing a receipt?36:16: Mention of Wendy’s Book (That's Deductible)

It used to be that having the right keywords and launch strategy was enough on Amazon.   As the Amazon marketplace matures, creative work plays a bigger and bigger role in the success of product launches and overall advertising performance.  Cyndi interviews Nate and Hector of Marketplace Blueprint on how they integrate creative optimization to improve overall ad performance.  Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comNate Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comHector - MarketplaceBlueprint.comJump to Sections:2:40 - How to determine if a product needs new creative work? We look at the detail page and Unit/Session percentage, similar to the conversion rate.  3:50 Marketplace Blueprint’s process to get started with creative work. We look at existing copy looking for keywords in use, product features, and selling points, making sure it follows amazon’s preferred structure and is written with easy-to-understand language. We then move to keyword research to ensure the product is listed for the keywords relevant to its type. We always optimize for mobile, create infographics and add as many pictures and videos about the product as we have available.6:00 Is there a significant difference between mobile and browser traffic to amazon? At least 50% of traffic comes from mobile, but it varies for each product. This data is found in the business reports on every seller account.7:44 Which metrics are monitored to make sure a product succeeds? Unit/Session percentage is important, as well as all advertising data such as conversion rate, ACOS, impression, clicks, Click Through Rate, etc. When advertising relevant keywords to a product, but these are not converting, we look at the creative side and detail page to try to identify why the product is not converting. There is a science but also an art to this.10:55 Does overhauling a listing means changing the direction of the ads? Not necessarily unless the product itself is changing the segment of consumers.13:25 Do you think brand owners know their target audience or do you need to show them? Initially, they know their target audience, which is the basic starting point. Down the road, content and optimization happen based on data and research. 15:00 Who would be ready to become a client of Marketplace Blueprint? We usually take clients with existing sales because we like to make data-based decisions. New product launches tend to be the most complicated, especially if they are new to the category; products with no existing traffic take the longest to pick up because they need to go through all stages from awareness to conversion. This is a great example of why Amazon is different from Google; people don’t search for solutions to problems on Amazon but search for the product they want to purchase.17:00 how to evaluate if your products are a good fit for Amazon. We would look at their product group and use tools to evaluate the search volume of their top keywords. We look at the competitive landscape to evaluate whether they are a good fit.19:40 What is the relationship between inventory levels and advertising spending? Having good communication between inventory levels and advertising is essential. Amazon will continue to advertise products in transit, and delivery times are often affected by inventory levels which directly impact conversion rates and drive up advertising costs.25:00 How did the pandemic affect the advertising on amazon? We didn’t see any direct changes to the advertising side. Amazon is very restrictive of the content they allow and are protective of un-sustained claims.26.40 Are you seeing any trends that are happening in the business? Not really, we have clients in different industries 

If you are only selling on Amazon or if you are selling on your website, you need to understand CRO and how it can help you increase your overall conversion rates and ad performance.   You may have heard about A/B testing; however, Khalid shares many other things you can test and consider when looking at your conversion performance for e-commerce.  Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comKhalid Saleh- Invesp Jump To:01:00 What is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?04:41 If you started on Amazon, you might not have heard of CRO before.  As the platform evolves, buyer expectations have been raised. 10:24 CRO is more than just button colors and title optimization.  You want to consider off-page influences that could affect your conversion rate. 13:24 What is the process when working with a CRO specialist?16:26 How much time do you need to gather data for a good CRO strategy?20:25 What trends have you been seeing with CRO post-pandemic?26:00 How can off-page factors impact your CRO on and off Amazon?30:14 Where do you recommend people start looking at CRO versus traffic when trying to increase sales on your Shopify store?36:00 What is a good conversion rate for Amazon vs Shopify?

In this episode, Jeremy from Bookskeep shares what you need to be thinking about as you prepare to sell or consider selling your Amazon business.  Jeremy shares what he has seen has helped clients get better offers and close deals faster.   Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comJump To:01:45 - What are the clients going through when preparing to sell 03:30 – Understanding the profitability without the extra stuff that may help the business owners with their taxes 06:01 – Things that are critical to the business operations and can be considered ad backs 06:30 – Valuation of business  07:56 – Financial Statements 10: 15 – Good insight into what time of the year is the best time to start the process 12:00 – PPC 16:00 – Confidence in Numbers 19:05 – Data 21:20 – Market 23:14 – Inventory 27: 05 – Cool books versus Cash books 30:55 – having a clean set of books 33:06 – Start getting educated about what that process looks like 35:15 – Saving money on bookkeeping 42: 35 – Making sure you have your trademark filed 44:08 – Investing in your trademark 

There is one place you need to make sure that you buy your UPC if you want to sell on Amazon, and that is GS1.   In this episode, we will go through what GS1 is, the basics of UPCs and barcodes, and how to avoid potential issues with your GTINs on Amazon. GS1 has recently revamped its pricing so that GS1 barcodes are less expensive for smaller sellers with less than ten products. Links Mentioned:GS1 WebsiteGS1 Barcode estimatorGS1 YouTube pageCyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comJump To:02:00 How has the pandemic affected the number and type of businesses purchasing UPCs?03:28 What is a GTIN (Global Trade Identifying Number), and is that number universal only in the US or globally?05:39 Why can’t I just buy discounted UPCs from eBay since they are so much less expensive?08:08 How do the prefixes work on Amazon so people can understand why Amazon sometimes kicks back errors when listing with some GS1 GTINs?11:03 Why are the prices for GTINs so much more expensive on GS1 than eBay's recycled codes?14:38 How can the products from GS1 help you with shipping and carton labels?  15:00 What is GS1’s data hub, and how can it help you better keep track of your GTINs?17:09 What is the thing new companies should know before they purchase their UPCs?18:39 If you have many product variations, how many GTINs do I need to purchase?21:00 What about GTINs exceptions on Amazon, does that impact how many GTINs I need to purchase?22:48 Now that GS1 has allowed for individual barcode purchases, what trends have you seen around UPC purchases over the last few years?25:00 What is the difference between an EIN versus UPC GTIN?26:30 What do you need to know about what name to register with GS1?27:51 What is GTIN hijacking, and how can it cause an error for my GS1 purchased barcode?

Rising shipping costs, supply chain issues, and shaking consumer confidence can deeply impact your Amazon business.  In this episode, Cyndi and Robyn take a deep dive into how inflation affects Amazon businesses.  Also, what you can to ensure you best weather this recent inflation storm. Links MentionedCyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comSkip to:  00:50 - How inflation is impacting sellers 02:15 - Ways to manage your finances better 04:10 - Fundamental to the Flow of Products and the Flow of money with your money 05:45 - Profitability and Advertising costs 08:50 - What affects the supply chain 11:15 - Taking out loans for business 13:20 - Price Competitiveness 19:00 – Advertising 26:00 – Ways to Reduce your Complexity 30:25 – Involving Employees 33:50 – Identifying things that help your team members feel engage in their work

Anthony shares how they have quickly grown a brand that has avid followers and a very quick rise in total revenues.  They focused on just one platform and one product and have used that focus to find healthy market share in a very competitive space.  Anthony shares some of the choices they made that he thinks made the biggest difference in their successful launch. Links MentionedCyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comAnthony at Manmadebrand.com01:00 How did four guys from finance start a DTC underwear company?07:50 How did you set up roles with four partners to work well together?10:45 How did they ensure that everyone had enough savings until the business could support payroll?15:54 How have supply chain issues impacted your business?21:00 What product research or focus group testing did you do before launching your product?27:32 What are you doing for your customer journey to help build brand affinity and re-orders?41:32 FMF: Forecasting for Q4

Often Robyn will have potential clients come to her frustrated.  They feel like they followed all of the best practices and still, their listing is not selling on Amazon. In this episode, Cyndi and Robyn go through some of the specific metrics you should be looking for. Having a great listing is no longer enough, now you need to make sure you are also causing the conversions needed to rank well for your most important keyword phrases. Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.com Search Engine Journal Article "Why Aren’t My Products Selling On Amazon?" Skip To: 01:25 Proper Use of Keywords 02:36 How to do a proper keyword research 08:30 Write a compelling copy 10:44 Spend time in knowing your customer 11:47 What is indexing and its importance 13:51 Are images important? 17:24 How to make sure you are getting good reviews?  18:38 What is the Amazon Vine Program? 20:28 Product Testing Overview 22:53 Traffic Problem vs. Conversion Problem 27:00 How many keywords need to show up on page one? 28:59 Setting ad to success 

This is part two of our episode with Navah Hopkins.  Navah shares from her experience as digital marketing and advertising expert on what you need to know before you start your ad campaigns off Amazon.   Navah shares thoughts on minimum budgets, creative requirements, and even using an agency versus software to run your search and social media campaigns off Amazon. This is the second part of a two-part interview.  Links MentionedCyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comNavah Hopkins- Navah Hopkins.com01:00 Why Google Shopping campaigns have been doing so well lately? 03:36 How much should you budget for your off Amazon advertising? 05:30 What do you need to know before starting ads on or off Amazon? 06:52 Will moving off Amazon give you more control over your sales and advertising? 10:14 How much creative is involved in off-Amazon ads? 16:19 At what budget should you use and agency vs. software? 21:00 What do you need to know before reaching out to an agency or freelancer to run your off Amazon ads? 

Have you ever wanted to ask one of the foremost experts in the Google and Facebook advertising space about what you need to know before taking your Amazon products to your own website?  Navah is world-renowned for her extensive knowledge of advertising off Amazon, including on Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Instagram, and more.   Navah will share with us what you need to know about advertising off Amazon so that you can increase your profitability and strengthen your overall strategy. This is the first part of a two-part interview.  Links MentionedCyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comNavah Hopkins- Navah Hopkins.comJump To:01:30 Introduction to Navah and her background03:58 What do you need to know before you approach paid search off Amazon?06:44 Understanding the importance of product feeds for Google and Microsoft.07:51 Understanding assessing margins for your ads. 12:48 Options for products that have thinner margins. 14:15  Understanding timelines for launching advertising campaigns. 17:36 Considering Amazon fees when reviewing TROAS and ROAS for ads across platforms18:42 How to investigate CPC’s for your most relevant keywords.21:00 Understanding audience targeting.23:10 Changes in remarketing off with advertising off Amazon

Running a physical product business is cash flow intensive.  After auditing hundreds of sets of books, Cyndi Thomason shares how understanding and managing your gross margin is essential to keeping your Amazon or eCommerce business healthy.  Learn exactly what gross margin percentage Cyndi sees healthy online business owners have and how to increase your gross margin and cash flow. Links Mentioned:Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comGross Profit Margins and Financial HealthWhy Gross Margin is the Bottom Line for Ecommerce Sellers01:05 What is gross margin and how does it impact scaling?04:55 What is the minimum gross margin Cyndi recommends for e-commerce businesses08:16  What can someone do if their margins are lower than 30%?13:22 How using cash method accounting can hide potential gross margin issues.15:20 How reviewing your books regularly can help you identify potential issues early.18:00 Understanding the importance of reconciling inventory regularly.20:30 What should you do if you expect you might have an issue with your gross margin?28:00 The importance of taking a paycheck from your Amazon business. 31:35 Five Minute Fix: When should you start to prepare for your peak season?

In this episode, Ash explains his journey into TikTok advertising and gives us some insight on why and how you should use this platform to grow your brand and expand your advertising strategy. 2:14 Creative ways for advertising and different approaches to build brands6:03 Determining key metrics, language, and target audience by testing ads8:12 Substituting focus groups with social media engagement testing10:38 How to approach social media advertising on TikTok15:06 How to make TikTok work for your brand17:28 Outsource or make your own TikTok videos?21:48 How much time and cost do TikTok videos require?24:42 Where to find tactics for getting into TikTok advertising videos27:03 Beginners need to publish and iterate to grow on TikTok28:23 Metrics or Engagement, what to focus on?30:06 Sales and data tracking32:04 No one likes to be on camera36:25 Five Minute Fix: AB testing for Amazon listings

Colin Dougherty of Camskins shares with us his journey of growing his brand over the last few years.   Colin shares what has played the biggest role in his ability to grow his company and overall revenue and profitability.   Links Mentioned:Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comColin Dougherty- Camskins1:21 About the Camskins Story05:08 What was the most unexpected roadblock in ramping up an e-commerce brand? 07:24 How the changes to Facebook have impacted media buying for Amazon.10:30 Influencer marketing vs. paid media to drive growth- which has been performing best.12:30 How did your previous experience help you grow your business?14:07 What helped you to realize the importance of understanding your numbers?20:00 How Colin focuses on customer LTV (Lifetime Value) can increase his organization's overall profitability and growth.21:50 Discussing some of the mental challenges of growing an eCommerce business.33:20 Managing customer lifecycle products and product obsoletion. 39:56 FMF- Understanding Click Through Rate for Advertising on Amazon

Cyndi and Robyn share about their journeys of starting businesses as mothers.  Cyndi is the author of “Motherhood, Apple Pie, and all that Happy Horsesh*t- Business is Personal.” Balancing being a mother and a business owner isn’t always easy, but it is possible to do both and live a healthy life with both a healthy home and business life. Links Mentioned:Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comMotherhood, Apple Pie, and all that Happy Horseshit on Amazon1:56- What causes Cyndi to think about starting her own business?3:54- Think about outsourcing the parts of your business you don’t enjoy or are not good at. 5:26- There is research that if you spend 20% of your time on something that really fulfills you, you can be in a position to love what you do!8:56 Balance is bullsh*t; why work-life balance is nonsense.15:34 Building a social support system.17:09 Creating a sacred space.23:42 Comparison is the thief of joy, not comparing your progress to others. Be clear on your true mission.29:23 About Cyndi’s new book!

In this episode, Dan Saunders, the inhouse Amazon Manager for Black and Decker UK shares his experiences transitioning from an agency working as in-house talent.  Dan and Robyn discuss when to bring in an agency or hire in-house and when it could be a good move to take an in-house position for another company.   Links Mentioned:Cyndi Thomason - Bookskeep.comRobyn Johnson - Marketplaceblueprint.comDan Saunders -  @DanSaunders865:04 Moving from the agency mindset to working in-house for one company7:53 Working with smaller companies vs. bigger brands10:32 Differences between managing your own account vs. handling several client accounts12:19 Advantages of having an agency background when moving to an in-house position13:50 Hiring an agency vs bringing someone in-house to handle your Amazon business21:43 Tips for small to medium size companies coming into Amazon and how to maximize what agencies offer them.25:35 Setting expectations and establishing metrics that are important for your company28:37 Adapting to new Amazon advertising and optimization strategies33:29 Dan´s tips when looking for an Agency38:45 Making the move from an agency to in house40:34 Amazon is its own unique ecosystem   45:31 Five Minute Fix: Price Elasticity on Amazon