This podcast conversation featured Laura Bull, Digital Marketing Manager at Gusto. She discussed the messaging used to drive sales for Gusto, a recipe box delivery service. It was noted that the messaging used to get people interested in the product is different from what drives them to purchase it.

Usability, anxiety and motivation all play a role in getting people excited about recipe boxes and then converting them into customers. Three main sources of ideas are used for CRO: customer interviews and surveys, moderated user testing, and behavioral data. The conversation also discussed the importance of balancing quick wins with bigger optimization tasks when it comes to marketing.

Finally, it was noted that copywriting can have a dramatic positive impact on conversion rate if it makes people feel like they are part of something which increases trust and confidence in the product. This podcast conversation discussed the use of social proof to increase conversions on a website.

It was suggested that data be used in other areas of the website and tested direct mail campaigns or insert heavy tactics to encourage referrals from neighbors. Additionally, an example was given from a few years ago where postcards with maps showing the closest car for a competitor to Zipcar were used and saw great results.

The conversation then shifted to understanding what motivates people when it comes to localization, such as the community aspect and social proof. CRO was discussed as being essentially problem solving and can be used for both acquisition and retention purposes. An example was given of a subscription business that has dedicated teams for both acquisition and retention, with each team using data-driven approaches to increase engagement from customers.

Strategies for customer acquisition and retention were also discussed, such as testing different discount structures over the course of a year or offering free trials with or without credit card.

Finally, it was concluded that creating an engaging customer journey that tells a story is important in order to make customers feel something about the product they are buying. In this podcast conversation, Laura discussed the importance of social proof in e-commerce marketing.

She highlighted how social proof is often incorrectly linked to reviews and that there are many other forms of social proof that can be used, such as media coverage, number of followers on social media, or in the case of Gusto, how many people near you are also ordering and part of that community.

Laura also discussed the importance of usability and customer excitement for a product as well as conversion rate optimization and adding positive friction to increase trust in a brand.

Lastly, she touched on the long copy vs short copy argument emphasizing quality over quantity for customer engagement. She recommended Data Studio and Facebook Ads Library as useful tools for marketers and invited listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn.