Friday, November 22, 2024

5 Critical Mistakes Brands Make When Expanding to Amazon.

Table of Contents:

1. The Honeymoon Phase 🌙

2. Running Ads When Launching on Amazon 💰

3. Launching Your Full Catalog 📚

4. Getting Reviews 📝

5. Optimizing Your Amazon Listing 🔍

**The Secrets to Expanding Your Brand Successfully on Amazon** 🚀

When it comes to expanding your brand to Amazon, there are a few critical mistakes that can make or break your success. As an experienced Amazon seller and advertising agency owner, I’ve seen it all – the triumphs and the tragedies. In this comprehensive guide, I’m going to share the five deadly mistakes that brands often make, and provide you with the strategies to overcome them. 🌙 **The Honeymoon Phase**

The first and perhaps most important mistake is not understanding the “honeymoon phase” on Amazon. This is the initial 30-45 days after launching your product, where Amazon is still learning whether your offering is a winner or a dud. During this time, Amazon may give your new product an unfair advantage, placing it at the top of search results, even if you have far fewer reviews than your competitors. The key is to take full advantage of this honeymoon phase. You want to drive as many sales as possible during this critical window, so that Amazon sees your product as a top performer worthy of maintaining that prime real estate. This may mean spending heavily on ads or leveraging your existing audience to drive traffic to your new Amazon listing. The goal is to establish strong sales velocity, even if it’s not immediately profitable. Once you’ve proven your product’s worth, Amazon will reward you with better organic rankings. 💰 **Running Ads When Launching on Amazon**

The second deadly mistake is not running ads from the very beginning. Some brands think they can simply list their product on Amazon and the sales will start rolling in. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Without ad spend to drive traffic to your listing, you’re not only missing out on potential sales, but you’re also jeopardizing your honeymoon phase. Amazon needs to see that your product is in demand, and ads are the best way to generate that initial traction. Even if you’re focused on building up your reviews or optimizing your conversion rate, you still need to be running ads. Otherwise, no one will even find your listing, let alone convert. Make ad spend a top priority from day one. 📚 **Launching Your Full Catalog**

The third mistake is trying to launch your entire product catalog on Amazon at once. When you first start selling on the platform, Amazon only allows you to send a limited amount of inventory, typically around 1,000 units. Instead of spreading your resources across multiple products, focus on launching just your best-seller. Dedicate your entire marketing budget to driving sales and reviews for that one product during the critical honeymoon phase. Once you’ve established a strong foothold, you can then gradually expand your catalog. Trying to launch too many products at once will dilute your efforts and prevent you from maximizing the benefits of that initial honeymoon period. Start small, learn from your mistakes, and then scale up. 📝 **Getting Reviews**

Reviews are the lifeblood of any successful Amazon listing. The fourth deadly mistake is not prioritizing review generation from the very beginning. Customers rely heavily on reviews to make purchasing decisions, and if your product has significantly fewer reviews than your competitors, you’re going to struggle to convert. There’s no easy, foolproof way to get reviews without violating Amazon’s terms of service. The best approach is to simply ask your customers for reviews, either through automated email campaigns or by personally reaching out to your network. You can’t incentivize positive reviews, but you can make the process as seamless as possible. Don’t be afraid to get scrappy. When I launched my MMA nutrition brand, I personally reached out to every single person I knew who worked out, asking them to buy the product and leave a review. It was a lot of hustle, but it paid off in the long run. 🔍 **Optimizing Your Amazon Listing**

The final deadly mistake is not optimizing your Amazon listing for the way customers actually shop on the platform. It’s not enough to just have good keywords and bullet points – you need to think about the entire customer experience. When shoppers land on your listing, the first things they notice are the main image, the price, and the reviews. These elements need to be compelling and differentiate your product from the competition. Your images, in particular, should do the heavy lifting in terms of communicating your product’s key features and benefits. Beyond that, focus on creating an immersive A+ content experience that really sells the customer on why your product is the best solution to their problem. Remember, many shoppers will make their purchasing decision based on the listing alone, without ever reading the full product description. Avoid these five deadly mistakes, and you’ll be well on your way to successfully expanding your brand on Amazon. It’s a challenging platform, but with the right strategies in place, the rewards can be substantial. Good luck! Highlights: – Understand the “honeymoon phase” on Amazon and maximize sales during this critical 30-45 day window

– Run ads from day one to drive traffic and traction for your new listing

– Focus on launching just your best-selling product initially, rather than your full catalog

– Prioritize review generation through ethical, white-hat tactics

– Optimize your listing for the way Amazon shoppers make purchasing decisions FAQs: Q: How long does the “honeymoon phase” last on Amazon?

A: The honeymoon phase typically lasts for the first 30-45 days after launching a new product on Amazon. Q: Can I incentivize positive reviews on Amazon?

A: No, incentivizing positive reviews is against Amazon’s terms of service. The only way to ethically get reviews is to simply ask your customers to leave an Honest review.

Q: How much inventory should I send to Amazon when launching a new product? A: When you first start selling on Amazon, the platform will only allow you to send around 1,000 units of inventory. It’s best to focus on launching just your best-selling product during this initial phase.

Q: Do I need to run ads on Amazon from the very beginning? A: Yes, running ads is crucial to driving traffic and traction for your new Amazon listing, especially during the critical honeymoon phase. Without ad spend, your product is unlikely to gain visibility or sales.

Resources: – https://www.voc.ai/product/ai-chatbot