🚨 Don't Get Left Behind…

What you’ll find in this week’s newsletter:

• 🤦‍♂️ Don’t Get Left Behind… [True Story]

• 🗞️ Latest Amazon News and Updates

• ✅ 3 of My Favorite Marketing Tricks

• 🚨 Trump Tariffs Are Coming - Here’s What to do!

• 🔥 The State of The Amazon Seller - End of 2024

If you’re worried about the looming Trump tariffs, Don’t miss the Tariff Terminator Bootcamp happening this week!

It’s a one a hour a day, 3 day bootcamp to teach you everything you need to know about tariffs… and stop making the #1 mistake sellers that are costing them thousands.

🚨🚨🚨Sign up here

😱 DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND… [True Story] 

Humans don’t naturally embrace change.

Most people aren’t early adopters—they’re followers, and some are even stragglers.

Only a few people are innovators, those who see an opportunity and jump on it early.

I saw this first hand with Amazon.

Back in 2013, 2014, and 2015, a small group of people saw the potential with programs like Amazing Selling Machine.

They understood what could be done and jumped in early.

As the years went on—2016, 2017, 2018—the followers came.

By 2020, during COVID, we started seeing the late adopters come on board.

By then, it had become much harder to break in.

The ones who succeed now are those who truly understand the game and adapt to the changes.

Those who don’t?

They struggle to survive.

This isn’t new.

Change has always impacted industries.

My dad was in the shoe industry back in the 70s and 80s.

At the time, hundreds of thousands of people worked in that field.

Then one day, it all shifted.

Factories moved overseas to places like China and Taiwan, wiping out jobs.

Nobody saw it coming.

What happened next?

Smart businesses adapted.

Those old factories?

Many of them were converted into luxury lofts.

They found a way to pivot and survive in a completely changed world.

It’s the same story with music.

When I was growing up, we had records—45s and 33s.

Then it shifted to eight-tracks, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, and even laser discs.

Who would’ve thought one day it’d all be on an iPhone or stored in the cloud?

The companies and musicians that didn’t adapt were left behind.

The point is, we’ve seen major shifts before, but right now, we’re standing at the edge of the biggest change since fire.

AI is going to completely transform the world.

Nobody knows exactly where it’s heading, but if you don’t understand even the basics, you’ll be left out.

I think about this when I see my dad trying to make a simple Skype call.

He’s got an iPhone, but even after I set him up, we only talk using audio—not video.

He always says, “I’m too old for this,” but I know he could do it if he wanted to.

Are we going to let AI pass us by the same way?

Even as someone in my sixties, I’m asking myself:

How can I adapt?

How can I make AI work for my business?

How can I use it to improve my sales?

Change isn’t easy, but it’s necessary.

Those who embrace it will thrive.

Those who resist will struggle.

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

— Norm

🗞️ AMAZON NEWS & UPDATES 🗞️

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE BEARD GUY?

Can you find Norm in the picture below? Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see the answer!

3 OF MY FAVORITE MARKETING TRICKS

1. Avoid “landing page words”

Unlock, unleash, exceed, empower, supercharge… AKA Chatgpt words.

Real people don't use them.

2. Want a number to feel bigger?

Use a bigger timeframe.

3. The chocolate that goes viral every day

Tabs makes “sex chocolate”.

Last month they sold half a million worth.

Oliver is the founder. A 21-year-old college kid from New York.

There's one thing Tabs do ridiculously well:

They have several hundred videos with one million views.

The secret? Sheer output.

“No one knows what the algo is going to like. So don't look for the needle in the haystack. Cop the whole haystack, you'll get the needle.”

Oliver's got thirty creators on retainer. Each with different Tabs accounts. Each making 1-3 videos / day which get reposted as Shorts, Pins, Reels, etc.

Every day one-hundred Tabs videos hit different pockets of the web. It's a Walter White-scale operation. And it works.

One viral video is luck.

One-hundred is design.

What about the actual videos?

Well, they're ten seconds long, made by actual TikTokers, and crucially look nothing like ads.

No CTAs, no big logo. The goal is curiosity, not clarity.

“Let em feel like they discover us, not the other way around.”

Most experts would have told him “Grow one brand account. Make PPC ads. Add a clear CTA”

Well, he's done precisely the opposite of all that: hundreds of brand accounts, UGC content, no CTAs.

WHAT YOU MISSED LAST WEEK!

Trump Tariffs Are Coming… How Amazon Sellers Can Avoid Disaster in 2024!

Here’s 10 Takeaways From This Episode:

1. Diversify Your Supply Chain:

   • Contact 3-5 manufacturers outside China through platforms like Alibaba or trade expos. Request pricing and lead times to compare options.

2. Audit Your Product Portfolio for Profit Margins:

   • Discontinue low-margin items and focus on high-margin ones. Use tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout to calculate the profitability of each product.

3. Stock Up on Key Inventory Pre-Tariff:

   • Identify top-selling SKUs, calculate 2-3 months of additional stock, and budget for increased storage costs to avoid overstocking. Building inventory before tariffs go into effect offers a short-term buffer against cost increases.

4. Consult a Customs Broker for HTS Reclassification:

   • Engage a licensed customs broker to review your current classifications and explore reclassification opportunities for cost savings.

5. Renegotiate Supplier Terms for Tariff Adjustments:

   • Negotiate contracts with clauses that address tariffs, securing bulk discounts or shared cost responsibilities. Suppliers may be open to sharing tariff burdens or locking in pre-tariff pricing.

6. Apply for Tariff Exclusions:

   • Review your product category against the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) exclusion lists and apply with the help of a trade specialist.

7. Streamline Freight Costs to Offset Tariffs:

   • Compare freight forwarders for competitive rates. Group shipments or use LCL (less-than-container load) options to maximize cost-effectiveness.

8. Adjust Pricing Strategically:

   • Analyze competitors’ pricing to determine feasibility. Test small price increases (e.g., 3-5%) to gauge customer response before applying across your catalog.

9. Expand Nearshoring or Domestic Production:

   • Research U.S.-based or Mexican suppliers for high-volume products. Start with small pilot runs to test costs and quality.

10. Enhance Compliance to Avoid Additional Penalties:

    • Hire a compliance consultant to review your product documentation, labeling, and safety certifications to ensure they meet updated standards. Stricter regulatory enforcement alongside tariffs can lead to additional fines or suspensions.

Watch the full episode here

😱 THE STATE OF THE AMAZON SELLER 2024

The Amazon seller world is always shifting, and Jungle Scout’s State of the Amazon Seller 2024 report has some eye-opening insights.

Here’s what caught my attention:

1. Omnichannel Expansion:
   Sellers aren’t sticking to just one platform anymore.

   • 60% are expanding to places like Shopify and Walmart.

   • TikTok Shop? It’s becoming the new growth hotspot.

2. AI is Changing the Game:
   Nearly half of sellers are using AI tools to make life easier—whether it’s streamlining operations or spotting opportunities they’d have missed. Want to know how? The report dives in.

3. Profitability Trends:
   Sellers are thriving, with strong profit margins. Curious about the strategies driving these results? The answers are all in the report.

4. Top-Selling Categories:
   Home & Kitchen is still a favorite, but other categories are making waves. Want to spot the next big niche? Check out the report.

5. Sourcing Shifts:
   The global sourcing game is changing. New countries are stepping up as key suppliers. The report has all the details.

If you want the full picture—emerging trends, top challenges, and actionable strategies—you’ll find it all in the State of the Amazon Seller 2024 report.

[Download the Full Report by Jungle Scout Here]

FIX YOUR BRAND WITH THESE TIPS!

Here are 5 TIPS from this episode!

1. Focus on Emotional Branding: Avoid treating marketing as merely transactional. Instead, create a brand that evokes emotions, like trust, excitement, or nostalgia, as emotions drive long-term loyalty and purchasing decisions.

2. Address Pain Points with Real Solutions: Identify pain points from competitors' negative reviews and use that feedback to create targeted ads and products. For example, Smirnoff’s campaign highlighted vodka’s odorlessness, solving the issue of noticeable alcohol breath.

3. Develop a Brand Story: Ensure your brand name and logo have meaning. For instance, "Dragonfish" symbolizes resilience and strength, which enhances brand identity and emotional connection with the audience.

4. Test Marketing Ideas with Tools Like AI: Use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) to brainstorm ad ideas, branding concepts, or slogans. This saves time and provides a variety of creative directions quickly and efficiently.

5. Use Two-Second Messaging: Your ad or content must convey its relevance in two seconds. Use striking imagery or taglines that immediately connect with the audience’s needs or desires, such as an ad showing a dirty airport floor to promote baby-changing stations.

🚨 Watch the full episode here

MARK DOWN THESE EVENTS! 

Amazing Days

Apr 28 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Starting at €99

MDS Inspire

Mar 24 - Las Vegas - $1495

Prosper Show

Mar 25 - 27 - Las Vegas - Starting $399

→ FULL CALENDAR ←

And that’s it, Beardos!

P.S. Make sure you don’t miss any updates by joining our community here.

See you next Monday!

- Norm

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