Welcome to another episode of the Ecom Ops podcast! Today, we have the pleasure of hosting Liz Stack, the Senior Brand Manager at Yotpo and a passionate advocate for women in e-commerce. Liz shares her journey, the mission behind Yotpo, and her involvement with the amazing Women in E-Commerce community. Get ready for an inspiring conversation filled with insights and success stories.
About
Liz Stack is the Senior Brand Manager at Yotpo and a dynamic leader in the e-commerce space. With a background in both the arts and political science, Liz has navigated her career through the fashion industry and into technology, where she now excels at Yotpo. She leads two significant communities: a user community with over 1,700 customers and an industry community boasting over 4,000 women in eCommerce. Liz’s innovative strategies and dedication to fostering inclusivity are evident in her management of an accelerator program that supports 20 Black and Indigenous-owned brands annually.
Beyond her role at Yotpo, Liz is known for her ability to create engaging digital and in-person events, drawing in thousands of participants. She has successfully developed and implemented workflows and onboarding processes for over 80 team members using monday.com, demonstrating her exceptional organizational skills and commitment to operational excellence. Liz’s work shows her expertise in brand management and her passion for empowering others within the e-commerce industry.
Yotpo is a leading eCommerce retention marketing platform, renowned for its data-driven solutions that help brands build lasting customer relationships. Serving notable clients such as Steve Madden, Princess Polly, Brooklinen, and Morrocanoil, Yotpo offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including reviews, visual user-generated content (UGC), loyalty programs, referrals, SMS marketing, email campaigns, and subscription services. The platform’s robust integrations with Google, Instagram, and major eCommerce platforms ensure seamless marketing operations for its users.
Recognized as a Forbes Cloud 100 company, Yotpo is dedicated to empowering brands to enhance their direct-to-consumer business through captivating customer experiences. With offices in New York, London, Sydney, and Tel Aviv, Yotpo’s global team collaborates to deliver exceptional service and innovative solutions. The company’s mission is to drive growth for eCommerce brands by fostering loyalty and creating meaningful connections with their customers.
The Key Takeaways
From Art to E-Commerce: Liz Stack’s Journey
- Navigating the Path to Yotpo
Liz’s journey to Yotpo is both unique and inspiring. With a background in art and political science, she found herself in the fashion industry before transitioning to technology. Her desire to dig deeper into the world of business led her to Yotpo, where she now plays a crucial role in helping brands foster better relationships with their customers.
- The Mission of Yotpo
At Yotpo, the mission is clear: to help brands communicate effectively with their customers and support marketers in showcasing their brand values. Liz shares how this mission is embodied within the company, making it a dynamic and exciting place to work.
The Amazing Women in E-Commerce Community
- The Birth of a Community
While Liz is not the founder of the Women in E-Commerce community, her stewardship has been vital in its growth. This community, created through an ideation competition at Yotpo, aims to bring strong female voices to the forefront of e-commerce and support the next generation of women in business. With a significant give-back component, the community has donated over $160,000 to Girls Inc., helping young women entering STEM and technology fields.
- Success Stories and Impact
The community has seen incredible success stories, from brands like Moonshot Snacks being acquired by Patagonia Provisions to Pecan Valley securing a deal with Whole Foods. These successes highlight the power of community and support within the e-commerce space.
Key Metrics and Marketing Tactics
- Measuring Success
Liz emphasizes the importance of key metrics in measuring the success of marketing campaigns. From tracking MQLs and forum fills to analyzing open rates and click-through rates, understanding these metrics is crucial for any marketer.
- Innovative Digital Marketing Tactics
One innovative tactic Liz highlights is the power of organic social media. By inspiring and activating employees to share campaigns and brand stories, Yotpo has seen significant engagement and even influenced potential hires. This approach showcases the potential of organic social as a powerful marketing channel.
The Role of Automation and Integration
- Tools and Strategies
Liz shares her reliance on HubSpot for marketing automation and highlights the importance of integrations in providing seamless customer experiences. Yotpo’s partnerships, such as with Triple Whale, have enabled their customers to access and utilize data more effectively.
- The Value of UGC
User-generated content (UGC) plays a critical role in brand credibility. Liz discusses the need for authentic UGC and advises against using platforms to hire fake UGC creators. Building genuine relationships with customers and encouraging organic content creation is key.
Expanding Direct-to-Consumer Sales
- Understanding the Customer Journey
Liz advises e-commerce brands to visualize and understand their customer journey, ensuring their technology supports delivering a seamless and personalized experience. Segmenting customers and delivering the right message at the right time is crucial for success.
- Common Mistakes in Building Loyalty
A common mistake brands make is poor segmentation, leading to irrelevant messaging. Liz also warns against clickbait tactics and emphasizes the importance of clear, honest communication with customers.
Final Insights and Takeaways
- The Importance of Community and Connection
Liz’s career has been shaped by the incredible people she has worked with at Yotpo. From creative marketing strategies to building authentic customer relationships, Liz’s insights highlight the importance of community and connection in driving e-commerce success.
- Parting Advice for E-Commerce Brands
Liz’s final advice for e-commerce brands looking to expand their direct-to-consumer sales is to prioritize understanding their customers and ensuring their technology and communication strategies support delivering a personalized experience.
Liked What You’ve Heard?
Thank you for joining us for this insightful episode with Liz Stack. We hope you enjoyed learning about her journey, Yotpo’s mission, and the power of community in e-commerce. Don’t forget to subscribe, ring the bell on YouTube, and leave a review. See you next time!
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The No.1 eCom Operations hack
“Your SMS channel is not for everyone… You must segment and understand who the person that you’re texting is. And number two is that the content you put in your emails should not be the same content in your SMS.”
