Today’s marketers, eCommerce traders, and retailers are facing huge challenges to keep their customers buying, as well as to acquire profitable new customers. Even now that inflation is coming under control, consumers and business buyers alike remain cautious.
This is why, together with our event sponsors Whistl and Neural Edge, we have brought together a roster of expert speakers who will offer solutions, insights and great ideas to give your business a boost. You can expect a relaxed, friendly and welcoming day in the company of others who are keen to gain inspiration and practical tips. With plenty of time for asking questions and having deeper conversations, making new contacts and finding out how others are faring, it’ll be a most rewarding day.
Brands attending include: Cosyfeet, Farm Toys Online, Greenscents, International Dance Supplies, Kettlewell Colours, Otter House, Red Paddle Co & Wilton Bradley.
Venue: The Castle Hotel, Taunton, TA1 1NF
A limited number of chargeable parking spaces are available at the hotel on a first-come-first-served basis, click here to see nearby car parks.
Event timings: Registration from 9.30am – 3.30pm
Rates: Places for retailers are complimentary
Suppliers are welcome to attend for a rate of £49 per place with a maximum of 1 per company.
All rates are subject to VAT at the prevailing rate and all bookings are considered final. Click to view our Booking Terms & Conditions.
If you have any questions or would like to sponsor this event please call 0208 092 5227 or email us
Confirmed Speakers
Ben Barnes
10 Must-Ask Questions to Maximise Your Marketing Results & Uncovering the Power of AI & Chat GPT in Marketing - What Should You Consider?
Ben is Co-Founder & Managing Director at Neural Edge.
Glen Richardson
Making marketplaces work for your business
Glen Richardson is an eCommerce, marketing and technology specialist with 23 years of online experience. He is the former Chief Omnichannel Officer of The Range and led their marketing, eCommerce, fulfilment and customer services. Before The Range, Glen was the CMO of Ideal World, Create and Craft and Fruugo. He's now the Chair of Go Craft and Director of Exceedity, a scale-up advisory firm.
Allie Oldham
Recruiting Customers in 2023
Allie is a Multichannel Marketing Consultant and former Marketing Director, Scotts & Co.
Luke Green
Riding the crest of the wave
Luke is Head of eCommerce at Red Paddle Co.
Simon O'Mahony
Recruiting Customers in 2023
Simon is a highly experienced marketing director who has worked for some of the UK's largest B2B brands - Screwfix, Nisbets, Toolstation.
David Fanous
The five whys and five rules of successful fulfilment outsourcing
David Fanous is Managing Director of Whistl Fulfilment South West.
Jonathan Alder
How your brand can drive your success in 2023
Jonathan is Managing Director at Alder and Alder.
Garry Taylor
The five whys and five rules of successful fulfilment outsourcing
Garry is a Business Unit Leader at Whistl Fulfilment South West.
Clive Gilbert
When B2B meets D2C
Clive is European Managing Director at International Dance Supplies
Sessions
Welcome & Introduction
10 Must-Ask Questions to Maximise Your Marketing Results
Using data to inform your decision-making is essential for eCommerce digital marketing success. In this 30-minute session, we’ll be sharing the 10 metrics you should be tracking, how you can find that data and how to set a benchmark for success.
We’ll start by taking a broader look at where data comes from and how you can access key digital insights about your business. From here, we’ll share the 10 key metrics we consider to be the golden metrics for eCommerce digital marketing and how to find that information across different platforms.
Finally, we’ll discuss the benefits and practicalities of setting objectives and benchmarks so that you can maximise marketing results with a data-driven approach.
How your brand can drive your success in 2023
This session is for any company that wants to make an impact in 2023. It will look at the role that brand can play in driving business success, and the opportunities you have to influence that process.
It will offer some practical advice on how you can reach new customers, looking at the five factors that influence customer behaviour. By exploring each in turn, you will understand their impact on your customers, and which are most relevant to your success.
The session will address the key challenges facing businesses in the next 12 months, so you understand how your brand can give you a competitive advantage in 2023.
The five whys and five rules of successful fulfilment outsourcing
5 whys
- Typical reasons for outsourcing – why & when it makes sense
- What a fulfilment supplier can bring to the relationship
- What outsourcing achieves for retailers in terms of improving customer service
- Other benefits that may not be immediately apparent – savings on shipping (for example)
- Flexibility (managing peaks and troughs)
5 rules
- Treat the fulfilment relationship as a true partnership
- Communicate clearly and meet regularly – preferably on site
- Be clear and realistic about your expectations and agree service levels and reporting
- Ensure processes are as uniform as possible
- Share the benefits of efficiencies
When B2B meets D2C
IDS is Europe’s largest wholesale dancewear supplier and it also sells direct to consumer. In this session, Clive will share how the business is reviving post pandemic and why this is B2B with a difference…
Lunch & Networking
Recruiting Customers in 2023
The past few years have had a great impact on customer sentiment. Many are choosing to abandon impulse shopping out of necessity. Even the most loyal customers are buying less and less often. Yet whilst consumers may be buying less, they are keener than ever to buy wisely. In this session, Allie and Simon will discuss key customer recruitment and retention considerations for these less certain times.
Riding the crest of the wave
As most in the South West are fully aware, paddle boarding is one of the primary activities that is enjoying strong growth not just here but around the world. Devon based Red Paddle Co is well placed to meet this demand. It is the world’s number one inflatable SUP brand and, in this session, Luke will share the secrets behind the company’s success.
Savvy Circle 1: Uncovering the Power of AI & Chat GPT in Marketing - What Should You Consider?
We’ll give you a practical guide to using generative AI tools in your eCommerce business.
Generative AI can be used for a range of marketing tasks, from keyword and competitor research to writing blog posts and product descriptions.
Chat CPT is one of the best-known generative AI tools that can be used for this, and we’ll show you the exact prompts we use to produce credible and useful outputs in seconds that would normally take hours!
Savvy Circle 2: Picking the right partner to support your end to end logistics requirements
Choosing the right fulfilment partner is crucial and during this discussion, David and Garry will share their expertise to ensure you make the right decisions for your business.
Making marketplaces work for your business
These days there are dozens of online marketplaces you could consider using to generate new streams of customers. Whether it is to test if there is sufficient demand in selected overseas markets in the least complex way or to sell more of your products closer to home. Finding a fruitful channel for selling off over-stocks and/or returned goods, via the likes of eBay, is certainly leading in the popularity stakes as we focus on reducing landfill. For strong brands, securing an online concession on another retailer’s online store for an edit of your range can reap dividends but watch your margins! Here we consider how marketplaces fit into the channel mix and the key considerations to factor in, not least the fees levied by marketplace operators.
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