Product and Marketing Strategies

Stop lumping your customers into broad categories like age and income. You're missing out on the secret sauce—occasion-based segmentation. Your thrifty weekday customer is the same guy ordering an extravagant pizza and Cola combo on Saturday night. People don't change; the occasion does. Tailor your marketing strategy to occasions, not stereotypes. Imagine a restaurant pushing cheap rice bowls Monday to Friday and going full-throttle with pricey pizza ads on weekends. We did this with Swiggy - two of the brands in my portfolio were Homely (an affordable homestyle meal brand) and The Bowl Company (a premium meal brand). We realised our consumers were pretty much the same people - young professionals who ordered Homely during the weekdays to eat home-style food that was ‘safe’ for the stomach,  and The Bowl Company on weekends for splurging and partying. Switch to occasion-based segmentation, and you won't just see higher sales—you'll understand the fluidity of consumer behaviour like never before. It's not just smart marketing; it's respecting the complexity of your customer. #marketing #marketresearch #business

Email still delivers strong ROI. What’s changed is how leading teams are using it. Here are 7 modern and practical email strategies you can use now and into 2026. 📩 1. AI-Driven Decisioning An example is “next best offer.” Use real-time, historical, and behavioral data to determine the most relevant content, offer, or CTA. Instead of sending the same message to everyone, tools like Movable Ink personalize content based on what users have or haven’t done. 📈 2. Product-Led Lifecycle Messaging Trigger emails based on what users do inside your product. If someone signs up but doesn’t activate, send a reminder. If they complete onboarding but skip a key feature, follow up. Email becomes part of the product experience. 🧱 3. Modular Templates + Guard Rails Stop building emails from scratch. Modular templates let teams assemble emails using approved, no-code blocks. Platforms like Knak help you move faster while staying on brand and rendering correctly across devices. 👁️🗨️ 4. Inbox Retargeting & Re-engagement If someone opens and scrolls but doesn’t click, you can adjust the next email. These behavioral signals help guide follow-ups. A scrolled-but-no-click email may call for a stronger CTA or tighter copy. 🧪 5. Automated Experimentation Go beyond A/B tests. Today’s tools can test dozens or even hundreds of variations at once, subject lines, images, layouts, and more. Platforms like OfferFit by Braze optimize automatically to drive better performance. ⏱ 6. Real-Time Triggers Send the right message the moment someone takes action, like signing up or abandoning a cart. It only works if your data flows smoothly and your systems are well-integrated, but the results are worth the effort. 💰 7. Revenue-Based Measurement Connect email to pipeline and revenue. If your data and attribution are in place, you can measure how nurture programs or product launches actually impact the business. Which do you think is most effective? What would you add? PS: Be sure to check out Knak to scale your email efforts, link in the comments. via Nick Donaldson #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #email

After sending over a billion emails for 600+ brands… here are my 7 top tips for selecting the right audience. You can have the best email creative in the world — but if it lands in the wrong inbox, it won’t convert. Audience is everything. Here’s what we’ve learned at esbconnect after years of powering customer acquisition for brands like Tails.com | B Corp , AA Insurance and ASOS.com : 1. Target by behaviour, not just demographics Look for people who open, click, and act. Intent beats age and gender every time. 2. But… don’t always go for the obvious behaviour When Tails.com wanted to reach new pet owners, you'd assume targeting people engaging with pet brands would outperform, right? Wrong. They were being over-targeted. Instead, we found higher conversion by targeting segments engaging with health, home and subscription offers — less crowded and more curious. 3. Test broad, then narrow Start wide to understand what actually performs — then double down. Too niche too soon and you lose scale and surprise wins. 4. Layer in recency Someone who interacted with an email yesterday is more likely to convert than someone who did 3 weeks ago. Recency = relevance. 5. Don’t ignore ‘non-buyers’ Sometimes your best audience is one that’s never bought from the category — yet. Think curious, not converted. 6. Think beyond income — target by contextual wealth We’ve seen clients waste budget by targeting £100k+ earners assuming they’re affluent. But some of the wealthiest people are those on modest incomes with low outgoings — think high equity, long-term property owners with few financial ties. 7. Make it locally relevant A £1m house in London doesn’t signal the same wealth as it does in Scotland or Wales. Tailor your audience selection to geography and cost of living — precision wins. Audience strategy isn’t guesswork. It’s data, nuance, and constant testing. Want help finding your best segments? We’ve got 17 million opted-in UK profiles and years of experience to test with.

If your customers need a dictionary, a google search and a couple of phone calls to understand your process, we’ve got a problem. Leaders in regulated industries - like healthcare, banking, insurance and the others often sacrifice customer experiences at the altar of stringent compliance norms. Forms, procedures, and long processes become the standard. Jargons and tech talk get thrown around like confetti. Eventually it leaves customers feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and helpless. When complexity becomes the default, customer relationships suffer. That's why we often see that as soon as a new entrant simplifies things, it triggers a big exodus of even loyal customers of existing brands towards the new option. Sometimes it happens quietly without a whimper. And as brand owners, if we end up noticing it too late, it hits growth, market share and profitability. Regulated industries can, and should create effortless customer experiences. Ease is not about bypassing compliance. It is about designing customer journeys that respect regulations while remaining: ✅ clear, ✅ empathetic, and ✅ straightforward. Here are THREE things I advise my clients who run a compliance-heavy business: 👉🏼 Make simplicity in communication non-negotiable. Replace jargon-filled language with clear, simple explanations. Start with the assumption that your customer does not understand a word of the compliances. The onus is always on you to make it easier to understand. 👉🏼 Proactivity goes a long way. Clarify expectations upfront. Explain the process upfront. Provide guidance and support upfront. This reduces customer effort, eliminates uncertainty and helps smooth sailing through compliance-related processes. 👉🏼 Infuse empathy into every interaction. Train teams to prioritize empathy. Train them on understanding customer perspectives and emotions. Train them to take ownership of the entire customer journey and not just a link in the chain. If you look at it now, these are three very simple things which I'm sure you already know in probably different contexts. But try applying it cohesively and consistently in the context of making your customer's life easy. That's when the magic happens! 🔮 P.S. Tag a company that went above and beyond to make a seemingly complicated task easy for you. Let's give them a shout out today! #CustomerExperience #CustomerDelight #Leadership #CustomerCentricity

AI-Driven Email Strategies to Level Up Your Outreach 1. Micro-Segmentation for Ultra-Targeted Outreach Use AI to create hyper-specific audience segments based on detailed behaviors. → Tailor campaigns for groups like "early adopters" or "repeat referrers." → Send timely messages based on actions like multiple clicks on a pricing page. 2. Real-Time Audience Mood Detection AI analyzes sentiment, allowing you to adjust tone and timing based on audience mood. → Adjust email tone—enthusiastic for engaged users, reassuring for hesitant ones. → Optimize send times based on emotional data. 3. Proactive Customer Retention Strategies AI predicts churn and triggers personalized win-back emails for at-risk customers. → Set up automated campaigns to re-engage disengaged users. → Create retention paths based on individual user behavior. 4. Enhanced Accessibility for Inclusive Marketing AI ensures email content is accessible, catering to visually impaired readers. → Auto-generate alt text and optimize emails for screen readers. 5. Intent Prediction for Pre-Sales Nurturing AI predicts user intent, delivering nurturing content at the right time. → Tailor content—case studies for researchers, trials for near-conversions. → Map engagement history to predict future content needs. 6. Zero-Party Data Collection through AI-Enhanced Surveys AI-powered surveys help collect valuable zero-party data, improving personalization. → Customize survey prompts based on user behavior. → Ask context-relevant questions to encourage thoughtful responses. 7. Automated Compliance Management AI ensures your campaigns stay compliant with GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other regulations. → Track consent preferences and manage opt-outs automatically. → Get alerts for potential compliance issues. 8. Real-Time Personalization within Email Content AI enables live content updates within emails, making them more relevant. → Update product recommendations based on user actions. → Use weather or location-based triggers to make emails timely. 9. Hyper-Responsive Customer Feedback Integration AI integrates real-time feedback into your outreach strategy. → Adjust campaigns instantly based on recipient responses. → Retarget users based on their feedback to address needs directly. 10. AI-Driven Journey Builder for Hyper-Personalized Sequences Use AI to craft adaptive email journeys that respond to user actions. → Personalize paths based on prior interactions. → Re-engage users who drop off with targeted follow-ups. Want to supercharge your email outreach? AI makes it possible! #AI #EmailMarketing #SalesAutomation #Personalization #CustomerEngagement

If you're not thinking about direct mail in 2025, you're losing out on perhaps the biggest opportunity in marketing. The mailbox is becoming the new inbox. It sounds old school, I know. But brands are seeing real results from direct mail. While a great email might get a 20% open rate, a well-timed postcard or offer in the mail lands directly in the hands of your customer. No spam folders. No competition with 100 other brands. Here’s how smart Amazon brands are winning with direct mail: 1️⃣ Inserts with irresistible offers For example, a Nespresso pod company includes a QR code in their packaging offering a free espresso cup. Customers scan, claim their gift, and BOOM, the brand now has their name, email, and address for future marketing. 2️⃣ Warranties Electronic brands on Amazon have a unique opportunity for customer data. Many use inserts to push warranties for their products. Same premise as above: scan, register, and give the company your info. 3️⃣ Once you have their data, keep reaching out. A clothing brand I bought from sent me a postcard with a personal note from the CEO and a 30% discount for my next order. It stood out, and I actually paid attention. How many marketing offers do you still get in your mailbox? Not as many as you did 5 or 10 years ago? Exactly. That’s why this approach works. It’s unexpected, tangible, and trusted. Direct mail is low competition, high impact

50% of India's richest consumers live where most brands aren't even looking! Recent data shows: 📍 Only 22% of India’s richest live in metros 📍 Rural super-rich households are growing 14.2% annually vs 10.6% in urban India These buyers have real purchasing power, often from high-income households with non-salaried sources. Most importantly, they have stronger brand loyalty and are less price sensitive once convinced of value. Here’s how you can change your strategies to reach this audience: 1. Audit your buyer location data deeply: Segment by order value, repeat rate, and product category to find hidden high-LTV (lifetime value) pockets. 2. Localize messaging with nuance: Customers in Bhopal or Patna don’t want diluted versions of urban ads. They want relevance, without being stereotyped. Highlight aspirations rooted in success, growth, and pride. Bring on-ground insights into your campaign briefs. 3. Invest in vernacular and regional creator ecosystems: Collaborate with creators in languages like Marathi, Tamil, and Bhojpuri for cultural fluency. And transcreate with regional references that feel native. So, stop treating tier 2/3 cities as “emerging”. Instead treat them as central to your business. Are you targeting rural India? #RuralIndia #LuxuryRetail #D2CIndia #BrandGrowth

Whenever someone says “email marketing is dead”, I quietly smile because the numbers speak for themselves. Email is still one of the highest-ROI channels in marketing. Honestly, email isn’t just alive, it’s evolving faster than ever. From static newsletters to interactive email experiences, you can click, swipe, tap, and buy without leaving the inbox. Here’s some more email marketing propaganda you shouldn’t fall for: 1. “Your emails don’t perform because they’re NOT perfectly designed.” Performance comes from relevance and engagement. An interactive quiz, poll, or embedded form will beat the prettiest static design every time because it prompts people to take action. 2. “Sending daily drives higher engagement.” Frequency means nothing without value. The best send schedule is the one where every email gives people a reason to click, explore, or buy, whether it's sent daily or once in a while 3. “Educate first, sell LATER.” If your product genuinely solves a problem, showing how it works through your email can be both teaching and selling. 4. “Warming up your domain fixes deliverability.”  Deliverability is about trust, not just expensive tools or one-off tactics. Consistent engagement, relevant content, and respecting your audience are what keep you in the inbox. 5. “Open rates are the ultimate metric.” The highest-ROI emails today don’t just get opened, they get acted on. Clicks, swipes, form fills, purchases. An open without action is just a vanity stat. The brands winning today are turning the inbox into an interactive, action-driven channel that moves revenue, not just pixels. What’s one “email rule” you’ve broken and seen better results?

Forget age, income, and location when developing your next marketing campaign. Tap into the mind of your customer. ➠ Demographics tell you who buys.  ⇰ Psychographics tell you why they buy. Let's break it down: Demographics: Age, gender, income, education Psychographics: Values, beliefs, aspirations, lifestyle Example: ➠ Demographic: 35-year-old male, $100K income, urban dweller ⇰ Psychographic: Adventure seeker, values experiences over possessions, aspires to be seen as a trendsetter Here's why psychographics matter: 1. Deeper Connection: You're speaking to desires, not data points 2. Better Targeting: Find your tribe across demographic lines 3. Higher Conversion: Address the 'why' behind the buy Back in the day I did a project for a watch brand. A luxury watch brand was targeting "males, 40-60, $150K+ income". Sales were flat. We shifted to target status-conscious professionals who view time as their most valuable asset. 80% of content became about time management, work-life balance, and the psychology of success. Sales jumped 45% in one quarter. We were no longer selling watches. Just like Apple doesn't sell computers or phones. I call this the "Chameleon Strategy" - adapting your content to blend perfectly with your audience's aspirations. People buy identities, not just products. Want to master the marketing behind why they buy. Send me a message. Let’s talk. #TheLinkedInBlackBelt

Gen Z doesn’t hate insurance. They’re just not sold on how it’s being offered. It’s not that they don’t care about planning ahead. It’s that the way insurance is presented doesn’t feel relevant to them. Here’s what’s getting in the way: 1. The messaging feels out of touch. “Secure your future” isn’t relatable when they’re focused on managing monthly rent. Try something like: “What if your phone breaks and you can’t work for a few days?” 2. The process feels unnecessarily complicated. Too many steps. Too much paperwork. If it’s harder than ordering food or booking a cab, they’re likely to drop off. 3. The language is too technical. Terms like “deductible” or “annuity” don’t land. Clear, simple language works better, like explaining it to a friend over coffee. 4. Fear-based selling isn’t effective. They’ve grown up in uncertain times. What works better is showing how insurance can offer peace of mind, not panic. 5. Their lives don’t follow a fixed path. Many are freelancers, creators, or switching careers. They need flexible plans that reflect that, not just ones built for 9-to-5 routines. 6. They do their research. If there are no reviews or your website feels outdated, it raises doubts. 7. Values influence decisions. They care about things like mental health, sustainability, and how a brand shows up. They’re more likely to choose brands that align with those values. 8. They expect clarity. If something feels hidden or vague, trust is lost. Break down the costs. Be upfront. At the end of the day, it’s not the product they have a problem with. It’s how it’s being explained and delivered. Make it clear, relevant, and easy, and they’ll listen.