💰 THIS RULE CHANGED MY BUSINESS!

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

• 💰 This Simple Rule Changed My Business… [True Story]

• 🌎 Top Amazon News and Updates

• 🚨 Sneaky Fee Policy Changes

• 🚀 The Underrated Power of Press Releases

• 🔍 30 Badass Amazon Seller States

• 😱 Insane Luxury Marketing Strategies

 💰 THIS SIMPLE RULE CHANGED MY BUSINESS - [TRUE STORY] 

Back when I had my company in Tampa, I went out one night with a friend to one of the local bars.

It was a casual evening—nothing out of the ordinary—until I went up to grab a couple of drinks at the bar.

There was an older gentleman standing there, puffing on a cigar.

He glanced back at me and, almost out of nowhere, asked, “Hey, are you a cigar smoker?”

I told him I was, and that sparked a conversation that lasted well into the early morning hours.

At some point during our chat, he reached into his right pocket and handed me a cigar.

Naturally, I was curious, so I asked him about it.

That’s when he told me something I’ll never forget.

He said, “Son, I don’t waste good cigars on people who don’t appreciate them.

In my right pocket, I keep my premium cigars—those are for people who truly know and enjoy cigars.

In my left pocket, I keep the no-name cigars for anyone else, like first-timers or folks who just want to try it while they’re having a drink.

I learned to stop wasting good cigars on people who wouldn’t know the difference.”

As we got deeper into the conversation, he shared something incredible: he was the nephew of Dick and Mac McDonald, the true founders of McDonald’s.

I was talking to the real Ronald McDonald!

He had even worked in their very first store.

It was a fascinating insight into his family history and the values that shaped him.

What struck me wasn’t just the practicality of his cigar method, but the level of thought he put into making those decisions.

Over the years, that moment turned into a friendship, and to this day, I follow his method.

When I meet someone who enjoys cigars, I ask them a few questions before deciding which one to offer.

It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference.

Business Lesson: Be intentional about your business relationships.

 Not all customers or connections are the same.

In business, you need to know your audience—whether it’s your clients, your employees, or your partners.

It’s all about making intentional, thoughtful decisions to build lasting relationships.

Tailoring your approach to the people who truly value what you’re offering ensures that your resources, time, and energy go to those who will appreciate and respect them.

Amazon Seller Lesson: Know your buyers.

Just like the cigar connoisseur with his two pockets, you need to know your audience and tailor your product offerings and listings to meet their needs.

If you’re selling a premium product, emphasize the quality, benefits, and exclusivity.

If you’re targeting a broader, less experienced audience, adjust your approach to meet their expectations.

Not every buyer is the same, and recognizing this can help you build trust and loyalty while maximizing your sales.

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

— Norm

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🗞️ AMAZON NEWS & UPDATES 🗞️

🚨 SNEAKY AMAZON FEE POLICY CHANGE

Full credit to Vanessa Hung. Read in depth post on Linkedin → here

What this mean:

✅ Lower fees for large bulky-size products – Expect an average $0.58 per unit reduction on inbound placement fees for minimally split shipments (Effective January 15th, 2025).

❌ Partial shipment splits, which allowed sellers to send to fewer inbound locations than the standard Amazon-optimized shipment split at a reduced fee, are going away for standard-size products.

🗞️ THE UNDERRATED POWER OF PRESS RELEASES FOR ECOMMERCE SELLERS

If you're an eCommerce seller looking for an edge, you might be overlooking one of the most powerful (and under-utilized) marketing tools out there: press releases. They’re not just for big corporations or breaking news stories—press releases can drive traffic, improve your brand authority, and enhance your SEO strategy in ways that few other tactics can.

Why Press Releases Matter

1. Google Loves Fresh, Quality Content – Google’s algorithms thrive on fresh and unique content. Regularly publishing well-written press releases on reputable sites signals to search engines that your brand is active, relevant, and worthy of attention.

2. Boost Your Authority with Google’s E.E.A.T. – Google’s E.E.A.T. (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) framework values content from credible sources. By distributing press releases through established networks, your brand will be seen on high-authority websites, reinforcing your credibility in the eyes of both customers and search engines.

3. Enhance Your SEO – Quality press releases contain strategic keywords, brand mentions, and backlinks that strengthen your website’s search engine rankings. The more visibility your press release gets, the more Google takes notice. Additionally, you can easily geo-target your press release to reach specific local audiences.

4. Drive Traffic & Sales – A press release can get picked up by media outlets, blogs, and industry sites, sending targeted traffic to your store.

Manage Your Expectations

While press releases offer numerous benefits, it's important to manage expectations. Many anticipate a surge of direct traffic following a press release, but the primary advantage lies in dominating relevant keywords on Google and enhancing your brand's online presence. The true power of press releases is in building long-term authority and visibility, rather than expecting traffic spikes.

How Often Should You Publish?

While a single press release can make an impact, consistency is key. I recommend publishing at least once a month, but for brands serious about visibility and SEO, three times a month is ideal. Frequent press releases keep your brand in the conversation, continuously reinforcing your authority and relevance.

The Bottom Line

Press releases remain an untapped goldmine for eCommerce sellers. They fuel SEO, establish authority, and give your brand valuable exposure—all while aligning with Google's hunger for quality content. If you’re not using them regularly, now’s the time to start.

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!

30 BADASS AMAZON SELLER STATS FOR 2025

Full credit to Nick Penev. See full post → here

👀Amazon Sellers at a Glance

9.7 million sellers have registered on Amazon.
The United States leads with 1.1 million sellers (37.82% of all Amazon sellers).
82% of sellers use FBA to streamline logistics.
61% of Amazon’s sales in Q4 2024 came from third-party sellers.
58% of sellers turn a profit within the first year.
52% of sellers generate at least $1,000 per month in sales.

🌍 Amazon Marketplace Dominance

🇺🇸The U.S. is Amazon’s largest market, accounting for 79% of marketplace share.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom: 18%
🇩🇪 Germany & 🇫🇷 France: 12% each

👤 Amazon Seller Demographics
67% of sellers are male, while 30% are female.
33% of sellers are between 25-34 years old.
37% are employed full-time, while 22% work primarily in e-commerce.

📈 Sales & Revenue Statistics
61% of Amazon’s total sales in Q1 2024 came from third-party sellers.
26% of sellers sell just one product.
62% of sellers price products between $16-$50.
52% of sellers make over $1,000/month, and 19% exceed $10,000/month.
47% of sellers have lifetime sales under $25,000, but 5% exceed $1 million.

💰 Investments & Advertising Trends
74% of sellers spend over $1,000 to launch their Amazon business.
81% fund their business with personal savings.
47% of sellers spend less than $500/month on advertising.
71% of sellers use Facebook Ads, followed by 62% on Instagram and 32% on TikTok.

⚠️ Challenges & Future Plans 
38% of sellers cite rising ad costs as a major challenge.
37% struggle with increasing shipping costs.
48% of sellers use AI to optimize listings and marketing content.
70% aim to improve financial management in 2024.

🚨 WHAT YOU MISSED LAST WEEK!

🔥 Amazon Ads Are Bleeding Your Profits - Here's What to Do!

Here’s Takeaways From This Episode:

1. Use Brand Analytics Search Query Performance – Identify your top 10-25 market keywords to track weekly. Remove brand names and focus on highly relevant search terms that indicate buyer intent.

2. Refine Your Keyword Strategy with Product Opportunity Explorer – Use Amazon’s Product Opportunity Explorer to find new relevant keywords, especially those competitors rank for, and validate them using click share and conversion share data.

3. Track Click & Purchase Share Over Time – Use Brand Analytics to monitor trends in your click share and purchase share. If your share is declining, reassess pricing, product images, and ad strategies.

4. Leverage Sponsored Brand Video Ads – Invest in video ads as they are growing in effectiveness and can scale profitably. Even simple, clear videos are converting well.

5. Be Strategic About Bid Adjustments – Use Ad Rank data to avoid overspending on top-of-search placements when you're already ranking high. Lower bids can still get you valuable clicks in “rest of search” placements.

6. Optimize for Amazon’s New Ad-Heavy Search Results – Organic search is shrinking due to new ad placements and widgets. If you’re not strategically using ads, you’re likely losing visibility.

7. Use Sponsored Ad Widgets to Your Advantage – Amazon has replaced organic placements with sponsored top-rated items, previously viewed items, and similar product ads. Adjust bids to capitalize on these cost-effective placements.

8. Monitor External Traffic Impact on Rankings – Amazon rewards off-platform traffic, but its main benefit is not penalizing conversion rates for external visitors. Use Amazon Attribution to track effectiveness.

9. Explore B2B Ad Placements for More Sales – B2B placements often have lower ACoS and higher order values. Check B2B performance in Sponsored Products and increase bids if it performs well.

10. Know When NOT to Spend on Ads – Not all ad placements are profitable. Use click share vs. conversion share analysis to determine if you're overspending on non-converting terms.

🚨 Watch this week’s LIVE episode here at 12 pm ET on Wednesday

🚀 CATCH UP WITH THE MARKETING MISFITS!

Here are my favorite TIPS from this episode!

1. Use Guerrilla Marketing to Build Perceived Popularity: When launching Red Bull, the founder hired people to place empty cans in trash bins and streets around London, creating the illusion that everyone was drinking it. Brands can apply this tactic by making their product appear in demand before it actually is.

2. Position Your Product as a Lifestyle Statement: Liquid Death turned water—a basic commodity—into a rebellious, rock-and-roll lifestyle brand simply through edgy branding, a unique name, and a strong slogan (“Murder Your Thirst”). Instead of selling just a product, sell a persona people want to be associated with.

3. Leverage Scarcity to Boost Demand: Exclusive luxury brands like Birkin control supply and even destroy imperfect products instead of discounting them, keeping demand and prices high. Apply this to your brand by creating limited-edition releases or VIP-only access to increase desirability.

4. Offer Free Content Instead of Buying Ads: Red Bull created and funded extreme sports events, then provided the footage to TV stations for free. This gave them full control over their branding while getting free exposure. Brands today can replicate this by producing free educational or entertainment content instead of relying solely on paid ads.

5. Find Your Tribe and Ignore the Rest: Liquid Death wasn’t made for everyone—it was made for an edgy, counter-culture audience, and they leaned in hard. The lesson? You don’t need everyone to like you—just your ideal audience. Be bold, and don’t water down your brand to please everyone.

   🚨 Watch the full episode here

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And that’s it, Beardos!

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See you next Monday!

- Norm

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