Lauren Hannifan

Todays Blinkist offering was Never Split The Difference. Tallulah and I had a frosty walk early this morning whilst exploring power negotiation. I actually have the book written by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz and read it some years ago but it was fabulous getting a refresh! This is why I love to start the day with a #Blink, new skills or refreshing old ones it’s a little shot of knowledge. What are you reading or listening to right now? #NeverSplitTheDifference ___________________________________ Hi 👋 I'm Michelle, let’s talk if you need some serious marketing muscle. Marketing, Brand, Leadership, Strategy, Coaching and Board Advisory are all my thing, if you want to hear more make sure you follow me and double click the 🔔 on my profile!

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🚨 It’s officially Cyber Month 🚨 Who’s already making a play for consumers’ share of wallet this Black Friday season? Here’s the latest in early deals ⤵ 📺 Currys plc are kicking off early with savings on top brands like Ninja, Dyson, LG Electronics, and Samsung Electronics. 💄 Boots UK are rolling out discounts across categories, from beauty and fragrance to electricals and gifts—earlier than ever! 🔌 Dyson, ahead of the pack, have launch with Black Friday deals on popular items like vacuums, air purifiers, and high-end hair stylers. ⌚ Argos are offering 20% off clothing & toys and big discounts electronic brands like Garmin, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and more. 📱 John Lewis & Partners have launched offers on tech and fragrance (random?) with iPads and Apple Watches starting from £199. 🐻 The Very Group are also competing with up to 30% off toys and tech for those early bird shoppers. Which brands are you keeping an eye on this Cyber Month? 🛍 

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We love to see our clients win! → Fastest growing skincare brand in the UK. → Made the Sunday Times Hundred 2024 list. → Only skincare brand to make the cut. I’m revealing the exact strategy we implemented for the brand ⬇️ 1️⃣ Brand Audit - Competitors - Current performance creative - Customer feedback & reviews - Brand tone, personas, positioning This formed the basis for our → Creative strategy → The production of native assets for performance channels 2️⃣ Implemented performance-focused creative strategy and production Began our schedule of content output across: - Segmented high-prod, UGC, and design ads - Segmented personas/angles into each creative type - Developed key concepts with an 80/20 split of data-driven frameworks mixed in with big swings 3️⃣ Results-oriented, USP driven statics The product gave us lots to work with. → Clear USPs → Providing customers with a solution → For transforming their skin and confidence We tested across these angles to produce static concepts. 4️⃣ High-prod founder's story The founder has a powerful origin story, we leaned into this authenticity. → Packaged it up → Into strong, polished assets → That built trust and drove significant ROI Sales is effective storytelling. 5️⃣ Test → learn → iterate → scale Using ad account best practices of: - Consolidated structure (low % in learning) - Isolated creative testing (for clear data and learnings) - High volume of inputs - Leveraging ASC The results? ✅ Consistently driving incremental improvements. ✅ MoM efficient and profitable new customer growth. p.s. Shoutout to Nic Taylor and the team for hitting these milestones!

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The more I watch these wonderful Christmas ads the more I’m reminded that they're performance campaigns, not brand.   The ads are designed to reach in-market shoppers across a 5-week window in order to deliver short term sales. That’s the textbook definition of ‘performance’.     I don't say this as an insult, I say it as a compliment. It shows that performance marketing can use emotion and storytelling just as much as brand. That it’s possible to do both, at once.   Which begs the questions, do we really need to keep separating band and performance - or are these definitions just getting in the way of good integrated marketing?   

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I'm hoping I can get some feedback from those of you who work client side in eCommerce. My view is that we are emerging from the bottom of a cycle in eCommerce in the UK, largely driven by the economy. We are likely to have a new government in place early July. What is going to be important to you as an eCommerce leader? Deploying new tech you might have been wanting to use? Keeping spend tight? Putting more into marketing? Understanding attribution? New marketing channels? Something else? If I can get some ideas I'll turn it into a poll Tagging the mighty: Lesley Gregory David Thompson-Jones Laura Keir Dan Beckles

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🛎 Our Latest Mini Blog is out now!! 🛎 Packed with the latest news, information and Amazon gossip, grab a brew, sit back and enjoy! #ventureforge #amazonexperts #amazonagency #amazongrowth #amazonstrategy #amazonseller #amazonvendor #amazonchargebacks

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Imagine what it could be worth to you to enter talks with beauty retailers or investors who instantly get what your brand is all about I’ve seen how clarity around your beauty brand’s unique value Can propel it to its next level of growth For many of the beauty brand founders I work with Starting their brand was never about the money But there’s an ROI on the work we do to improve their brand clarity, differentiation, and presence These are my two favorite thought pieces on the topic: 📈 Forbes: How strong branding impacts customer acquisition, retention, and commands higher price points: https://bit.ly/44JObDY 📈 McKinsey & Company: How a strong brand strategy boosts creativity in marketing which correlates to brands that consistently outperform the market: https://bit.ly/44Tc1gL 📈 What’s fascinating in McKinsey & Company’s data is how strong brands hit an inflection point of outsized growth in their 10th-year Building an icon is a long-term play and getting the foundations right counts #beauty #skincare #cosmetics #beautybusiness #beautyindustry

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You and your Performance Marketing Agency work so hard to achieve a seamless pre-click experience on Google Shopping & Meta... You then just sit and think that the traffic driven by that seamless pre-click experience should convert on its own... ❌ Wrong ❌ After clicking an ad, your traffic lands on an impersonalised PDP which: 😪 takes 6 - 8 secs to load. People are impatient these days. If nothing is showing up on their phone screen after clicking an ad, they just bounce back to Google Shopping and buy from your competitors. 👁 doesn't allow you to show similar/ best-selling products at first glance above the fold. If people are new to your brand or are just casually browsing on Google Shopping, they are just gonna go back to Google Shopping if the original product doesn't interest them. 👯‍♀️ looks the same for all your different traffic coming from different paid media channels for different product categories! KIABI understood the importance of personalisation during the post-click phases and increased their ROAS by 21% with the help of Dataiads! #PPC #performancemarketing #growthmarketing #paidmedia #search #googleshopping #SEA #SEM

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Building trust is about being consistent, recognisable and authentic. Given the undeniable value that consumers place on consistent and professional branding in their emails, it is reassuring to see that 96.04% of marketers see the potential of using email signatures as a cost-effective way to engage with customers and prospects. Based on surveying over 1000 marketers across the United States, our research shows that adding professional email signatures to your marketing strategy builds brand trust, enhances customer engagement, and drives revenue. It’s a simple yet powerful way to increase demand and drive your ROI. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your business email into a demand channel. Thank you to the American Marketing Association for featuring our research. #marketing #brand #emailsignature https://lnkd.in/g-bj2RBG

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Strange outcome from a meeting today. Large UK Bricks & Morta Retailer + Ecommerce Presented Hellihub to help with BI on the Google Shopping platform. IT Director - was surprisingly excited and wanted to step forward - will seek a budget from the board next week. Head of Ecommerce - After IT Director leaves the meeting. "You're not going to get your Shopify app installed as it will take my job, so please don't follow up". Is this a positive thing? #shopify #shopifystore #financedirectors

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With Q4 coming your discounting strategy is a more important topic than ever… Come find out what your fellow DTC brand owners and marketing experts are planning this year!

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Did you know 2 in 3 consumers say mail gets their undivided attention? Our report, ‘The Attention Advantage’, written by WARC is packed with stats and insights to help your brand stand out. ➡️

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Did you know 2 in 3 consumers say mail gets their undivided attention? Our report, ‘The Attention Advantage’, written by WARC is packed with stats and insights to help your brand stand out. ➡️

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Exciting news! 🎉 Underground Ecom will be speaking at Nosto's Connect Day LDN event on July 3rd. 🗓️ Our Head of Client Success & Partnerships, Glenn Cookson, will be taking the stage at Nosto's Connect Day LDN event, alongside a powerhouse lineup of industry leaders. This intensive half-day session will cover the latest strategies for optimizing the entire customer journey. You'll walk away with practical insights on: ⤷ Prepping for peak season ⤷ Dominating customer segmentation ⤷ Driving unstoppable repeat business We're ready to reveal our proven retention marketing tactics that have fueled over 9-figures in annual revenue for top DTC brands. If you're serious about growth, this event is non-negotiable. Supercharge your day with breakfast, absorb industry-dominating content, and establish connections with the sharpest minds in ecommerce. Secure your spot now: https://lnkd.in/eypD4WVK Get ready to level up.

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This week's content nuggets... Fresh drop of the finest content bits that may be useful to you and your business. Particular highlight is Corporate Emotional Intelligence book, essential read for anyone in leadership. Podcast: Engaged Ecommerce Paul Rogers from Vervaunt gives a smashing 360 view of the opportunities and challenges for ecommerce businesses here. Everything from CDPs to measurement, and the vitality of Shopify are covered. Check here: https://lnkd.in/eFg89YB8 Book: Corporate Emotional Intelligence  Been rereading Gareth Chick’s book on quite simply, being human in a corporate world. More important than ever to humanize our work spaces. Check here: https://lnkd.in/ea-2Se-k Documentary: Together - Treble Winners Although I support Arsenal, I was enthralled by this doc about Man City’s season last year. Pep is a master in high performance culture building. The cohesiveness between players and staff is phenomenal. His communication style around wins, and losses, is fascinating to watch. Check here: https://lnkd.in/ePk8qr2u Record: The Streets - Turn The Page (Overmono Remix) The iconic opener to one of the greatest albums of all time, Original Pirate Material, gets a wicked remix kick from these production wizards. A beauty. Check here: https://lnkd.in/eXRAafrq TikTok: £5k TikTok Shop Conversions Luxe Collective Fashion have shown it’s not just low price point items selling on TikTok Shop this past week, selling luxury items by going Live. Check here: https://lnkd.in/ekq_wbhA #ecommerce #tiktok #book #leadership

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Fascinating insights on the evolving landscape of social media spending... According to Marketing Week, global spending on social media advertising is projected to hit a whopping £200 billion in 2024. This article delves deep into the driving forces behind this surge and what it means for marketers worldwide. Key takeaways: 📈 The meteoric rise of social platforms as advertising channels. - Even Meta alone is ontrack to surpass TV advertising revenue. 💡 Strategies to maximize ROI in this competitive space. - Social ads are easier to track than TV, with clicks, web analytics, and conversion rates, this is another reason why marketing professionals may lean towards social ads as they can quantify their impact on sales. 🔍 Understanding shifting consumer behaviors and preferences. - Time spent on social platforms has increased by 50% since 2014, from an average daily consumption of 95 minutes to 152 minutes in 2024. Are people watching TV or are they now scrolling TikTok and Instagram? As a Talent Partner at mustard covering the marketing & design sector, I'm interested to hear how big of a part do advertisements play in your agency's budget spend for the year? https://lnkd.in/e378UCYm #SocialMediaMarketing #DigitalAdvertising #MarketingTrends #BusinessInsights

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🚨🔥🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Exciting news! Two of my clients are hiring: 🌟 Ecom Lead at TRIP 🌟 Head of Growth at Rise & Fall 🌟 Ecom Lead at Rise & Fall 💰 Tag someone stellar in the comments to bag a £1000 referral fee. ⏩ Links in comments to apply. --- 🥤 About TRIP: Named the 4th fastest growing company in Britain for two consecutive years by The Sunday Times, and recognised as the fastest FMCG brand by The Grocer. TRIP is a trailblazer in the CBD category, leading wellness trends with innovative products. 🛌 About Rise & Fall: As one of the fastest-growing startups in the UK, we are expanding internationally. With over 100,000 products shipped and revenue tripling last year, we are doubling it again this year. Offering luxury clothing and homewares at unbeatable prices, we aim to revolutionise the retail industry by connecting customers directly with top manufacturers. #Hiring #JobOpportunity #Ecommerce #Growth #Luxury #Wellness #Retail #JoinUs

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I've worked on 60 Black Friday campaigns (yes, sixty 😳). Here’s a FREE cheat sheet that’s helped brands: 1. Maximise sales in Q4 2. Navigate sky-high CPMs 3. Squeeze every bit of value out of their ad spend Inside, you’ll get: ✅ Mobile optimisation tricks ✅ CRO hacks that actually work ✅ Proven techniques to boost conversions ✅ Real-world strategies for surviving the Black Friday chaos ✅ Urgency tactics that drive clicks (without annoying customers). Plus: 💫 Bonus tips on holiday ad creative 💫 Insights on what NOT to do this season 💫 A checklist for last-minute Black Friday prep Want to see it? Just: 1️⃣ Follow Jalpesh Patel on LinkedIn 2️⃣ Comment ‘BF GUIDE’ And I’ll zap you over the link! Let’s make this your best Black Friday yet. 🚀✨

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As we mentioned in one of our newsletters last month, some brands pulled back on 🏳️‍🌈 Pride campaigns for 2024. We were encouraged to read this piece from The Drum with some insights from brands suggesting that last year's backlash from Right Wing Conservatives over Bud Light's partnership with Trans Influencer Dylan Mulvaney wasn't the only reason there was a reduction in Pride campaign visibility this year ( full article 🔗 in comments):    1) Most brands they spoke with did activate pride campaigns this year but they used less PR to promote them in an effort to show support rather than exploit Pride for profit.  2) LGBTQ+ marketing is now always on rather than just activating in Pride month.  3) Legal teams are now at the center of planning and have made it much more difficult to get sign off.  4) Brands are using LGBTQ+ content creators rather than above the line Pride activities.  5) Brands are focusing more on supporting Pride internally rather than externally."    While we love the 🎉 exuberance and focused impact often associated with Pride campaigns, we'd love to hear what you think, as a customer or as a marketing professional. How would you like brands to celebrate Pride in the future?     #pride #lgbtqia #marketing #creativeagency   Link to this piece: https://lnkd.in/edfkUrwS

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