Running Successful Ecommerce Promotions

The psychology behind CTAs that convert: (5 lessons from billions of emails sent) Your CTA (Call-to-Action) isn’t just a button or a link. It’s the moment where all your effort pays off. But here’s the truth: Most CTAs fail because they don’t consider the psychology behind what drives someone to click. Here are 5 CTA strategies I’ve tested that consistently drive higher conversions (and why they work): 1. Make the action feel easy: Instead of: “Complete Your Registration” I tested: “Get Started in 60 Seconds” Why this works: People avoid tasks that feel time-consuming or overwhelming. A CTA that emphasizes speed and simplicity lowers resistance. 2. Use urgency to create momentum: Instead of: “Sign Up for the Sale” I tested: “Ends Tonight: Claim Your 50% Off” Why this works: A deadline taps into FOMO (fear of missing out), pushing people to act now instead of “later.” 3. Highlight a benefit, not a feature: Instead of: “Learn More” I tested: “See How We Boosted Revenue by 27%” Why this works: People don’t want to “learn”. They want outcomes. A benefit-focused CTA paints a clear picture of the value they’ll receive. 4. Be specific, not generic: Instead of: “Click Here” I tested: “Download Your Free Email Template” Why this works: Clarity builds trust. When someone knows exactly what they’ll get, they’re far more likely to click. 5. Match your CTA to their stage in the journey: Instead of: “Buy Now” on a first touchpoint I tested: “Get a Free Demo” Why this works: Asking for too much, too soon, feels pushy. Tailoring your CTA to where the customer is in their decision-making process creates a smoother path to conversion. --- The Big Lesson: Your CTA shouldn’t be an afterthought. It’s the bridge between interest and action. Small tweaks like emphasizing speed, clarity, or outcomes can make a massive difference. What’s the best-performing CTA you’ve tested? Drop it in the comments.

Unpopular opinion: The affiliate-only influencer model is broken 🚫 I keep seeing brands say: "We only work on affiliate/commission basis with influencers." Here's why that's a recipe for mediocre results: What actually happens with affiliate-only:  → Only creators who can't get paid deals say yes → (And there's usually a reason they can't get paid deals...) → You get deprioritized the moment a paying client comes along → Black Friday? Good luck getting cut-through when everyone's promoting everything → You lose creative control and usage rights → No approval process for content quality The reality check: The creators producing quality content that actually converts? They're getting paid upfront by your competitors. Our approach: Some upfront payment + performance bonus = aligned incentives + quality control + committed creators. Yes, it requires more investment. But you get: ✅ Right of approval on content ✅ Usage rights for paid ads ✅ Priority treatment from creators ✅ Strategic partnership, not transactional relationship Bottom line: If you want premium results, you can't expect them from bargain-basement terms. The best creators know their worth. Do you know yours? What's your experience with affiliate vs. paid influencer partnerships? #InfluencerMarketing #CreatorEconomy #MarketingStrategy #ROI

A messy social-to-site transition loses Gen Alpha in seconds. One broken link. One slow load. One clunky checkout page. That's all it takes to lose them. This generation expects digital perfection. They were born into seamless experiences. Instant gratification. Zero friction. Social content and websites can't feel like separate worlds anymore. Every click needs to flow naturally into the next. Your brand voice on TikTok must match your checkout page. Your Instagram aesthetic must match your product listings. Your load times must match their scrolling speed. The digital landscape for Gen Alpha: - Seamless transitions - Consistent visuals - Lightning-fast loads - Fluid navigation - Matching tone across platforms Brands often focus on creating viral social content. But the journey after the click matters just as much. Strong social presence means nothing if your site feels disconnected. Perfect product pages mean nothing if the path there feels broken.

What’s Working for You? (How you can test to see if you are right!) One common method to find out which product offering Or which email outreach style is doing better Is to perform an A/B Test. The premise of the test is simple Obtain feedback or observe behaviors of customers That are exposed to either product A or product B And see if there is a clear difference in preferences. Let us consider the example of Marketing LLC Who wanted to see which email style was resonating more With their potential clients. After conducting required background research On their Ideal Client Profile (ICP), They decided to test their email styles using the A/B Testing method. We sent out 300 emails of Style A to one group And 300 emails of Style B to another group. The groups were randomly selected from their ICP list And the content of the emails was very similar. The subject line and first two sentences of the emails were different. Observation & Proportions: -         100 or 33% of Style A emails were opened. -         120 or 40% of Style B emails were opened. -         Total or joint open rate was 220 out of 600 or 37% Clearly the numbers show that Style B had a higher rate of opening. However, it is essential to test this statistically before deciding Whether to go with Style B or Style A for sending future emails to ICPs. We can use a Test of Proportions at a 95% confidence level To ensure that Style B is better, using statistical significance. Actual Test: * Joint p* = 0.37 * Std. Error Sp = sqrt((0.37 x 0.63/300) = 0.03 * Test Z-value = (0.4 – 0.33)/0.03 = 2.33 * 95% Z-value = 1.96 (this is a very important and constant critical value) Since the Test Z-value is greater than 1.96, we can now conclude with 95% confidence that: Emails sent using Style B, were doing better. Actionable Insights from A/B Testing: 1. Deep Dive: Analyze the elements of Style B that contributed to the higher open rates. This could include the subject line, tone, or specific keywords. 2. Limit Variables: When conducting A/B tests, focus on one or two variables at a time to isolate the impact of each change. 3. Scale Up: Increase volume of emails following Style B to further validate the results & reach a larger audience within your ICP. 4. Content Quality: Ensure that the content of the email is compelling & relevant. An opened email is just the first step; the content must result in engagement and conversions. 5. Continuous Testing: Regularly perform A/B tests to keep refining your email strategies. Market dynamics & customer preferences can change over time. 6. Segmentation: Segment ICP further to tailor email styles to different sub-groups, for personalization & relevance. 7. Feedback Loop: Collect feedback from recipients to understand their preferences & pain points, to improve future email campaigns. #PostItStatistics #DataScience Follow Dr. Kruti or Analytics TX, LLC on LinkedIn (Click "Book an Appointment" to register for the workshop!)

One of the most common A/B testing questions is: how long should I run my experiment? 🗓 The answer is. . . ⬇ It depends! Although a frustrating response, “it depends” is actually based on specific, measurable criteria. Here’s the 5 factors to consider: 1️⃣ CALCULATE REQUIRED SAMPLE SIZE Calculate your required sample size before starting the test! Doing so helps you determine the: ✅ Traffic required for trustworthy test results ✅ Duration you need to run the test to meet sample requirements For most tests, “Ronny’s Rule” (Ron Kohavi) recommends a minimum of 125,000 visitors per variant, based on realistic 2-5% MDE, at a standard power of 80% with an alpha of 5%. 2️⃣ ALIGN TO SALES CYCLES Align your tests with your sales cycles to capture behavior changes across typical purchase timelines. Every company will have different sales cycles. Know what yours is and adjust your testing timeframe accordingly. 3️⃣ CONSIDER SEASONAL FACTORS Holidays like #BlackFriday and #CyberMonday impact buying behavior, often altering consumer choices and, consequently, skewing data. Consider waiting to test or extending the testing timeframe to smooth out data anomalies. 4️⃣ TAKE WEEKEND BLIPS INTO ACCOUNT To balance weekend effects, run tests for at least two weeks to capture a full cycle of weekday and weekend traffic activity. 5️⃣ AVOID DATA DRIFT While 2 weeks is the minimum you should consider running a test -- even if you reach statistical significance much sooner -- you shouldn't let a test run too long. How long is too long? Most stats experts agree, between 6-8 weeks is the maximum length a test should run. Anything longer, the data may start to become muddied. The one caveat is: you should always run your test to reach the required pre-calculated sample size. If that timeframe is much longer than 8 weeks, question if you really should be testing. 💡 SUMARY AND REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE In short, aim to run your study for 2-6 weeks. Here's a real-life example showing why. Had this client ended their test early -- before 2 weeks -- they would have missed out, significantly, thinking the variant was a loser when in fact, it became the winner. Questions? Thoughts? Comments? Reach out! #abtesting #optimization #experimentation

You probably track result metrics. But do you track the levers behind them? Everyone wants to grow key metrics: AOV, LTV, etc. However, most dashboards stop there. They show what happened, not what to fix. Here’s what you should be managing: → AOV ↳ Average Discount ↳ Cross-sell Success Rate → Gross Profit ↳ COGS ↳ Net Return Impact → Conversion Rate ↳ Add-to-Cart Rate ↳ Checkout Completion Rate → CAC ↳ Product Page View Rate ↳ Ads CTR → Repeat Purchase Rate ↳ Time Between Purchases ↳ Email Click Rate → CSAT ↳ On-Time Delivery Rate ↳ Ticket Resolution Time → Organic Traffic ↳ Coverage Issues ↳ Keyword Rankings No one grows AOV by watching AOV. And growth comes from managing what’s underneath. This cheat sheet is a reminder: If you want to grow this… manage that. 📌 Save this. Share it with your team. Which of these levers do you track today?

I analyzed 100+ loyalty programs in the last 30 days. Most brands still run loyalty like it’s 2009: Earn points, get a discount, repeat. The top 10%? They’re using loyalty to change behavior- not just reward it. If I were Head of Loyalty at a $10B+ brand today, here’s exactly what I’d do to build a program that drives LTV, repeat purchases, and real retention: 1. Stop Giving Away Loyalty - Make Them Pay for It Costco, RH, Barnes & Noble. When customers pay upfront, they buy in - literally and psychologically. Forget free points. Paid memberships = commitment, retention, higher LTV and emotional sunk cost. 2. Make Loyalty Required, Not Optional - Integrate Directly into Payments Starbucks preloads!!! When rewards are embedded in how people pay, behavior shifts faster, and for longer. This is probably the biggest opportunity in loyalty right now. 3. Forget Delayed Points - Instant Gratification is More Important Immediate dopamine beats theoretical future savings. Slow accumulation = slow engagement. Instant offers = repeat behavior. The 2nd purchase matters more than the 10th. 4. Make Loyalty Emotional, Not Transactional REI, North Face, Sephora. Customers want to belong, not just save. Identity, community, and shared values are outperforming cashbacks and discounts in driving long-term loyalty. Loyalty isn’t just a discount strategy, it’s a brand strategy. 5. Invest in Status + Experiences, not Generic Perks This isn't just theory – with companies like Rapha and Lululemon offering loyalty members exclusive product drops, community events and behind-the-scenes experiences. Lean into waitlists and exclusive product drops. Less financial. More status + psychological “being in the club.” 6. Reward Engagement, Not Just Transactions MoxieLash, Pacifica, Lucy & Yak. UGC. Reviews. Referrals. Loyalty now means participation. The modern flywheel starts before checkout - and lasts far beyond it. ~~ Bottom line? If your loyalty program is still playing a game from 15 years ago, your customers are going to find better options. Today, the best brands in 2025 aren’t just rewarding loyalty- they're engineering it. PS: We analyzed 100+ programs across QSR, retail, travel, and fintech. Next week I’ll share the Top 30 loyalty programs leading the way. Stay tuned🙏

Way too many e-commerce brands run bare-minimum loyalty programs that don't move the needle. Points. Discounts. It gets old quick. Your top 10% of customers likely drive 40-65% of your profit. But are you treating them like the VIPs they are? Or just sending them the same generic emails as everyone else? Brands that are crushing it right now are building tiered VIP ecosystems that transform transactional shoppers into high-LTV brand advocates. Speaking from 4+ years of experience, I’ve learned a few things that actually work: --> Early access drops that make top customers feel like insiders --> Exclusive product variants unavailable to regular customers --> Private Slack/Discord communities connecting your best customers --> Physical gifts that arrive unexpectedly (not just on birthdays) --> VIP-only virtual events with your founder/designers Data doesn't lie. Well-designed VIP programs consistently deliver 3-5x ROI compared to acquisition campaigns. These programs also cost dramatically less than constantly chasing new customers. Stop treating loyalty like a cost center using discounts, and start treating it like the profit driver it should be, like leveraging experiences, exclusivity, or building relationships. Your competitors are leaving millions on the table with lackluster VIP strategies. The opportunity is massive for brands willing to invest in their best customers the right way. Who's doing VIP programming exceptionally well in your category? Curious to hear some examples.

What is more important to revenue and bottom-line growth? Customer acquisition or customer retention? The answer: customer retention! Specifically, customer retention through value maximization! 🎯 In eCommerce, maximizing the value of each transaction is key - for both the brand and the customer. ⛳️ And, one of the most effective ways to maximize value, is  Product Bundling, i.e bundling complimentary or relevant products together, to be sold as one! Product bundling not only increases the Average Order Value (AOV) of a transaction but also increases the internalized relevancy of a brand to a consumer, driving repeat store visits and purchases. This is how product bundling can be effectively offered in eCommerce: 🔥 Best-Seller Bundles → Sell More of What Already Works Apple does this perfectly. The iPhone alone is great, but when it is bundled with AirPods and AppleCare, customers spend more, without much hesitation. 💡 Complementary Bundles → Pairing Products That Make Sense Skincare brands like @DrunkElephant offer routine-based bundles—cleanser, serum, and moisturizer—boosting both AOV and customer experience. 🎯 Subscription Bundles → Locking in Repeat Revenue Brands like @Huel and @AthleticGreens bundle their products into discounted subscription plans, increasing retention while ensuring customers never run out of their favorite products. I’ve seen firsthand how brands using the Appstle Bundles & Discounts app grow their AOV by 30-50%—without slashing margins! Bundling isn’t just about selling more; it’s about making buying easier for your customers. And when you do that, they buy more, stay longer, and keep coming back. 🚀 If you want to boost your eCommerce sales and AOV in 2025, start bundling your products now. #Appstle #customerretention #walletshare #subscriptions #memberships #loyalty #bundling #shopify #shopifyplus

One of the biggest UX insights we discovered this year? We stopped thinking about "checkout" as a single moment. Instead, we started breaking down our cart experience into distinct “moments”. And that has changed everything. Here are the 5 moments that can drive your AOV 🆙 Brands tend to think about checkout like this: Add to cart → Payment → Done But there are actually 5 points in the process where you can connect with shoppers and increase purchase intent. They are: 1. The Cart Dance 2. The Trust Check 3. The Investment Window 4. The Celebration Gap 5. The Confirmation Page  Each needs its own tactics and attention… Moment #1: The Cart Dance 💃  This isn't just "items in a basket." It's when customers start mentally committing to the purchase. We leverage this moment with →  • Free shipping threshold progress bars • Upsell recommendations based on cart items  • Free Gift With Purchase tiers to promote higher AOV Moment #2: The Trust Check ✅  Before entering payment info at the cart step, customers subconsciously do a final trust assessment. We've seen success with →  • Money-back guarantee badges • "Join 250,000+ customers" social proof • Product-specific reviews Moment #3: The Investment Window 💳 This is when your customer’s wallet is literally out. Meaning when they're MOST receptive to relevant offers. We focus on seamless one-click experiences →  • Relevant product add-ons • Easy cart upsells • Simple payment flow Moment #4: The Celebration Gap 🎉  It's easy to waste the space between "Submit Order" and "Thank You." But we turned this into a revenue generator →  • Sequenced 1-click post-purchase offers • Time-sensitive bonus deals • Urgency and scarcity messaging Moment #5: The Confirmation Page 🎉  Most brands treat their thank you page as the end, but we turned it into another opportunity. We use this space for →  • Premium Network Offers that drive incremental profit • Other product recommendations • Social proof from happy customers We built all this with AfterSell by Rokt's no-code solution. They help us painlessly test and optimize different tactics for each moment without the hassle of custom development. That’s how we were able to put our checkout customization into overdrive this year. Okay, but does all this actually work? Yup →   • +$7.50 higher AOV • Network Offers earn an average of +$0.50 per order • Each "moment" generating incremental revenue we were missing before So stop thinking about "checkout optimization" and start thinking about "moment optimization." Each stage of the journey is a unique psychological state. Treat it that way and you’ll open up new opportunities to delight your customers and increase your AOV.