Methodology
Retain, Measure, Grow: how I grow online shops
I use the same method on every project, adapted to the store. Three pillars define where to act, and a staged process defines how.
In short
My methodology rests on three pillars: Retain customers through email and SMS, Measure with reliable tracking and GDPR-ready consent, and Grow with paid media and offers judged on margin. Every project moves through diagnosis, a prioritised plan, implementation and ongoing review. The goal is higher profit and customer value, not just more sales volume.
The three pillars
Every recommendation I make fits under one of these pillars.
Retain
Making more of customers who have already bought, through email and SMS flows, segmentation and post-purchase communication.
Measure
Making sure orders, revenue and sales sources are measured consistently, with valid consent.
Grow
Investing in acquisition and promotions only when margin and customer value justify it.
Why I nearly always start with measurement
The pillars are listed in this order, but in practice the first step is usually Measure. Without reliable data there is no way of knowing whether a retention flow works or a campaign is profitable.
Once measurement is stable, Retain tends to deliver results with less spend, because it works with customers who already trust the store. Grow then scales what is already working.
The process, step by step
Every project goes through these stages, with clear deliverables at each one.
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Diagnosis
A review of the store, tracking, automations, campaigns and the sales data available.
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Prioritised plan
A roadmap with actions ranked by impact and effort, owners and deadlines, organised around the three pillars.
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Implementation
Setting up tracking, consent, flows and campaigns, either myself or together with your team.
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Validation
Testing events, flows and conversions before and after launch to make sure everything works as intended.
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Ongoing review
Regular reviews of results, adjusted priorities and documentation so the store becomes more self-sufficient.
Metrics I usually track
I agree the metrics with each store, but these appear in almost every project.
- Contribution margin after ad spend
- Customer lifetime value (LTV)
- Repeat purchase rate and time between orders
- Revenue attributed to email and SMS
- New customer acquisition cost
- Consistency between measured and recorded sales
Apply the method to your store
On a discovery call we'll identify which pillar holds the biggest opportunity for your store right now.