Are you afraid? You should be. April 2024 Newsletter

• Achieving profitability is getting harder
• Generating traffic is more complicated
• Competitors are multiplying like bunnies
• Funding is more expensive and less available
• And on and on and on

We hear people lament that the easy days are behind us. Others question whether it’s even possible to be successful in today’s e-commerce environment.

So what are you supposed to do?

Throw more money into ads and pray that something changes? Raise prices and cross your fingers that’ll turn the ship around? Jump from one tactic to the next with the hope that this next hack will change everything?

That’s where brand comes in.

Last month we got clear about what brand isn’t. But what IS brand? And why does it matter if you want to build a successful business in today's environment?

Brand is what people think about your business and how you make them feel.

This means you must know who those people are and the emotion and experiences you’re tapping into.

When you’re trying to drive growth, your automatic response (if you're like most people) is to cast a wider net. Your impulse is wrong.

Instead, get super specific about who your customers are. What are their goals, dreams, and fears (a.k.a. psychographics)? How can you help them solve those?

But Emma, I thought we were talking about brand, and now you’re telling me to get clear about who my customers are?

Yes, exactly.

Your customers define who your brand is. If you’re not clear about who you’re aiming to serve, none of the rest matters.

When there’s alignment between your brand identity and your target audience, magic happens. Think:

The Farmer’s Dog
Liquid Death
e.l.f.
Manscaped
Dude Wipes

In the subject line of this email, I asked you if you were afraid. And then I told you that you should be. This wasn’t just a bit of clickbait. It was a challenge.

To build an unbeatable brand, you have to be brave.

Are you brave enough to take the risk of getting clear about who you really want to serve? To narrow down that target customer group from anyone that could potentially be interested in what you’re selling to the specific group who will be delighted?

It’s scary to draw the line between who is and isn't your customer. But if you aspire to go the distance, you must get clear about who you want to be as a brand, and who your customers are.

Tune in next month to learn how.

By the way, if you're wondering whether your Amazon listings are locked and loaded for Prime Day, and optimized to convert your dream customers, just fill out this form, and we'll gladly take a look and provide you with some feedback.​

And now, onto this month’s roundup:

Latest Videos: 

New videos drop every week! Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any knowledge bombs:

• Brand NEW: Secret 7-Step Branding Formula + Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez case study
• Do you have what it takes to make enemies?
• This Is How Smart Brands turn mistakes into millions
• Amazon listing optimization secrets from analyzing 8000 listings

Current Read: 

Relying on tactics to grow your business is dangerous business. You can be killing it on Meta, until your ads break. You can set your prices low and sell like hot cakes until Amazon raises their fees and ruins your profitability. Your best chance of weathering the ever-changing world of business requires a strong grasp of the fundamentals. If you want a good primer (which you should), I’d highly recommend you give this a read.

Move Over Magic Mouse: 

I’ve been struggling with serious arm pain, tingling, and discomfort for many moons. Stretching and massage don’t cut it. Swearing off electronics would be ideal, but sadly unrealistic. Someone recommended this reimagined mouse to me years ago, and I just dug it back out. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s MUCH better than my Apple mouse. Just note that this will take some getting used to.

Next Week in New York?: 

Are you attending the Seller Velocity Conference May 1-2? Let me know! If you don’t have a ticket yet, it’s not too late.

Recent Blog Posts:

• Follow these strategies to take your market research to the next level.

• Boost profitability with a simple shift.

(Virtually) Out and About:

• Join us Thursday to unlock new levels of PPC efficiency and profitability
• Secret sales weapon for e-commerce success episode is packed with golden nuggets.
• Check out this podcast to get a peep behind the curtain of my newest project.
• Sharing some of my biggest lessons from the last 8 years in business.
• Need an engaging speaker for your upcoming event or podcast? Let’s chat!