The Profipoly Quest: Maya’s Story

Published March 23-April 1, 2024

Notes:

This story has been written with the help of ChatGPT and Claude.
The story is about eCommerce but applicable to every digital business
While the story is about a “profitless” company, it also applies to profitable companies who can grow their profits to be come a “Profipoly”
Most images generated via ChatGPT

A New Beginning

Maya perched at the edge of her new, yet unpersonalised desk, the soft hum of the office blending with the whirl of her thoughts. Today, her journey at A1Books had begun not with the fanfare of introductions but with the sobering reality of its financial health—or lack thereof. She had just finished her first meeting with her boss, the CEO of A1Books. The news was not good. The omnichannel retailer had just seen another “profitless” quarter. The figures were stark, the challenge monumental, but within Maya, a spark of optimism flickered, undeterred by the storm clouds gathering overhead.

Maya gathered her thoughts as she looked around her modest office. Though small, it had a sweeping view of the city that inspired her. This was her chance to make a real impact.

Her mind traced back over the twists and turns that had led a small-town girl here. She wasn’t born into marketing or business. As a child, Maya found escape in the local library. Surrounded by books, her imagination took flight. She soon realised though that imagination was only the beginning – execution was everything.

In college, Maya combined her love of stories and communication by studying marketing. Her professors took note of her relentless work ethic and innovative ideas. She landed her first job at a struggling beauty products retailer. Within a few years, she had revolutionised their marketing department and helped fuel rapid growth.

Word of her talents spread quickly in the industry. She had now spent over a decade in marketing, she had earned her stripes in an arena where innovation was the only constant. Her path was paved with successful campaigns and strategic overhauls that breathed new life into flagging brands. Maya thrived on challenges; they were the crucibles in which her best work was forged. The more daunting the obstacle, the brighter her resolve burned. It was this unshakeable belief in turning tides, this love for the thrill of the chase, that had defined her career.

When the call came from A1 Books, she felt it was the perfect fit. This wasn’t just another company – this was a beloved institution in dire straits. Also, A1Books presented a novel frontier — her first foray into a domain that straddled the tangible warmth of offline stores and the boundless potential of online commerce. It was this unique blend, coupled with her lifelong affair with the written word, that had drawn her to the venerable retailer.

As Maya gazed out at the skyline, she knew this would be her greatest challenge yet. The department she inherited, a marketing behemoth guzzling 15% of revenues, was a beast she was eager to tame. Her mind raced with strategies, from streamlining operations to injecting innovation into their marketing efforts. She envisioned a future where A1Books not only survived but thrived, setting a new standard for the industry.

Maya’s optimism was not the naiveté of the untested but the confidence of a seasoned veteran. She had faced down challenges before, each time emerging wiser and more adept. This time would be no different. With a blend of digital savvy, a deep-seated love for books, and an indomitable spirit, Maya was ready to steer A1Books into a new era of profitable growth. The journey ahead was fraught with uncertainty, but for Maya, the path to sustained profitability was not just a goal—it was a mission. Failure was not an option. She was ready to embark on the “Profipoly Quest.”

First Thing

The one thing that set Maya apart from others in her industry was her entrepreneurial mindset. Her husband was an entrepreneur who had seen a few successes but many failures. She had lived through those ups and downs with him and learnt a lot along the way. Mountains beyond mountains. Compass, not a map. Worldbuilding and storytelling. Bullets before cannonballs. And most importantly, fall in love with the problem, not the solution.

She understood that to navigate A1Books through its tumultuous seas, she needed to harness the lessons from her personal life. Drawing on the resilience and adaptability she had cultivated, Maya approached the task with a blend of analytical rigour and creative thinking. She knew that the path to revival wasn’t just about cutting costs or ramping up sales – it was about reimagining the customer experience and building a brand that resonated with readers in a digital age.

She had to first understand the profit killers in the business. She decided to focus on digital. This was the future. The pandemic had hastened the shift to digital. Even though foot traffic in stores had normalised, she knew the future of A1Books lay in eCommerce and that was also her strength.

As she dug deep into the data, she saw that everyone else in the digital value chain – the ad networks, the cloud vendors, the marketplaces – was making money. But A1Books was not. Gradually the profit killers came into focus. While overall online revenues still rose modestly, virtually all gains were consumed by expanding marketing costs. The swelling vortex of digital marketing was simultaneously their greatest opportunity and biggest cost centre.

The one equation that stood out for her was: Hi CAC (customer acquisition cost) + Lo CLV (customer lifetime value) = Profitless. The equation was merciless but obvious – high digital customer acquisition costs coupled with low customer lifetime value equalled the profit drought plaguing A1Books. In their scramble to stay relevant amid shifting reader preferences, they were overpaying to attract online customers and not generating enough revenue from them. Maya saw this was the crux – substantial investments to lure online users but paltry efforts to deeply engage them. She knew from her past experiences that the path to creating a profipoly required completely rethinking how they created fulfilling experiences that bred loyalty, not just chasing growth at all costs. This was the core problem. This is the first thing she had to solve.

Armed with these insights, Maya finally felt the entrepreneurial passion that fuelled her career reignite. She had fallen in love with the problem facing A1Books. She had to flip the equation: Hi CLV and Lo CAC. The next thing she needed do was to narrow down the profit killers.

Three Threats

Within a couple of weeks, Maya with her team had distilled the profit killers into three buckets.

The first was marketing waste. 80% of the digital budget was being spent on new customer acquisition, and just 10% on CRM (customer relationship management, or retention). [The remaining 10% was for branding.] On closer analysis, it became clear that half of the adtech budget was being wasted on wrong acquisition and reacquisition. While the marketing team had tried multiple strategies to improve ROAS (return on ad spend), none had yielded lasting results. The 3-year growth in CAGR for CAC was close to 100%. The breakeven point had shifted drastically; where previously securing a single order was sufficient to break even, it now required three orders from the same customer to achieve the same financial equilibrium. This trend had ensnared the company in a detrimental cycle: an increasing amount of capital was being poured into purchasing traffic through online auctions in a desperate bid to fuel growth, a goal that was becoming increasingly elusive and challenging to attain.

This in-depth analysis laid bare the harsh realities of their current marketing strategy, setting the stage for Maya to spearhead a transformative approach. Her objective was clear: to break free from this unsustainable cycle and devise a strategy that would not only optimise marketing spend but also enhance customer engagement and loyalty, thereby paving the way for a more profitable and sustainable future for A1Books.

The second problem was funnel friction. From engagement to conversion to retention, the drop-offs at each stage of the customer journey were shockingly high. Attention recession resulted in disengaged customers. Without customers opening and acting on push messages, it was impossible to get them to the website and app. For the ones who did come, the drop-off rates were high, with a low single digit rate of conversion. And then there was the problem of dormancy and churn. All this increased the pressure to keep the new customer acquisition spigot on. In addition, the unidentified visitors to the website were as high as 90%. Without knowing the person visiting, it was not possible to do any personalisation. In short, Maya realised that both the martech and adtech funnels were broken.

As Maya wrote in her memo to her team, “The multifaceted challenges that disrupt the customer journey highlight a cyclic pattern of inefficiency where the failure to effectively engage, convert, and retain customers necessitates an unsustainable reliance on continuous customer acquisition. This cycle not only exhausts marketing resources but also overlooks the intrinsic value and potential longevity of customer relationships, ultimately impinging on the brand’s growth trajectory and profitability. How can we create frictionless funnels?”

The third profit killer Maya identified was poor data. Because of the various tech solutions being used, data was siloed. Maya showed a message from a friend who had been addressed as “Mr.” and “Mr./Ms.” in two different messages – despite having enrolled in A1Books’ loyalty program. There was also missing data – they were not collecting enough information about customers’ interests. While some of it was being derived from the clickstream, Maya wondered, “Why not ask what they like?” Apparently, this had not occurred to anyone in the “tech-savvy” department! And finally, there was the problem of unused data. Something as obvious as using a customer’s search history on the website and app was not being used to offer recommendations.

Undertaking a transition from a data-poor to a data-rich environment was imperative for the team. In an era where digital consumers expect and appreciate personalised interactions, the reliance on generic, one-size-fits-all campaigns was increasingly becoming a relic of the past. Maya envisioned a future where data-driven insights would empower A1Books to craft experiences that resonated with every individual, thereby fostering loyalty and driving profitability.

The moment had arrived for a transformative shift. Maya recognised the imperative for her team to shed outdated practices and embrace the evolving landscape of marketing. It was a period of renewal, where antiquated methods had to be relinquished in favour of innovative approaches. Leveraging her network of industry allies and collaborating closely with forward-thinking vendors, Maya orchestrated the creation of a strategy foundry – a dynamic workshop designed to forge the future of A1Books’ marketing endeavours through collaboration, creativity, and cutting-edge techniques. This initiative was set to become the incubator in which the new marketing paradigm for A1Books would be meticulously crafted and refined.

Strategy Foundry

Maya stood confidently before the diverse assembly of minds at the Strategy Foundry, her voice imbued with a blend of gratitude and determination. “As I mark my first month with A1Books, I’d like to extend my sincere appreciation for the diligence and commitment everyone has shown in uncovering the critical challenges that confront us—namely, marketing waste, funnel friction, and poor data. These issues have been eroding our CLV while unnecessarily elevating our Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC), directly impacting our bottom line.”

She paused, allowing her words to resonate, then said, “Our agenda for the coming three days is ambitious yet imperative. We aim to collectively devise a strategic blueprint that will not only mitigate AdWaste but also channel these resources into bolstering our brand’s profitability. Our goal is clear: to steer A1Books towards a trajectory of exponential forever profitable growth, a profipoly.”

Maya’s gaze swept across the room, engaging her audience as she delved deeper, “Historically, marketing has undergone three significant evolutions—branding, adtech, and martech—all with a laser focus on growth. However, the oversight has been a lack of emphasis on profitable growth, often relegating financial health to the realms of the CEO and CFO. It’s time for a paradigm shift. Envision ‘profipoly’ as the fourth wave in marketing, a strategic pivot that aims to make marketing the rainmaker for profits. We will amplify our profit margins by over 1000 basis points. We will do this by growing our revenues by 50% and transitioning from a state of breakeven (profitless) to one of robust profitability (profitable) and, ultimately, to achieving a monopolistic share of profits in our sector (profipoly).”

With a sense of purpose, Maya outlined the workshop’s objectives, ” We are gathered here to do three things. First, we need to unlearn and learn. Marketing has evolved; we have not. We need to rethink the foundation principles of this new era of “profipoly marketing.” We also need to bust some myths and ensure we track a new set of metrics. Second, we need to innovate and breakthrough. We will be wowed by three leaps that are coming which can help solve the problems we face. Third, we will plan and act. create a 90-day action plan to transform A1Books, a roadmap that will catalyse A1Books’ metamorphosis.”

Maya continued, “Remember these words by Fred Reichheld: “There is only one way to grow a business profitably. You make sure your customers are treated so well that they come back for more and bring their friends.” Let’s commence the Profipoly Quest—our collective journey towards redefining marketing and securing A1Books’ position as an industry leader in profitable growth. The stage is set, the goals are defined—let the journey of innovation and transformation begin!”

Her voice steady yet imbued with a hint of excitement, Maya went on. “There’s something more I need to share. As of today, my role as the Chief Marketing Officer of A1Books comes to an end.” A hush fell over the room, the weight of her words hanging in the air. Then, with a knowing smile and a spark in her eyes, she announced, “From this moment forward, consider me the Chief Profits Officer.” Her declaration was met with a moment of stunned silence, quickly followed by a wave of applause that filled the room, resonating with enthusiasm and approval for the new path she was charting.

Day 1

The agenda for the first day was “Unlearn and Learn”. The focus was around understanding new ideas in marketing. Maya led the way in explaining the power law of marketing: 20% customers account for 60% revenue and 200% of profits. The question the team discussed: how well does A1Books know who these customers are? There was a presentation on the work done by Peter Fader on calculating CLV (customer lifetime value). The idea of “Velvet Rope Marketing” and creating a separate SBU for these customers was also discussed.

Next up was a presentation on how to rethink customer segmentation. The BRTLNG framework was presented:

Best and Rest (for existing customers), with Best being the top 20%, and Rest being the other 40-50% who account for a significant chunk of revenues.
Test and Left (for exiting customers), who have become dormant (the bottom 30-40%) or churned. These are customers who eventually get retargeted via Adtech, resulting in a AdWaste because there is an existing communication channel available to them.
Next and Guest (for entering customers), who are the new customers. “Next” customers are prospects yet to engage with the brand and will probably be acquired via Adtech, while “Guest” customers are anonymous visitors to the brand’s platforms who come organically.

Another interesting concept presented was the EnCoRe triad – Engagement, Conversion, Retention. Linked to the funnel, it as a combination of three key metrics:

Engagement: the percentage of contacted consumers who engaged in the last three months
Conversion: the percentage of all visitors who made a transaction in the past three months
Retention: the percentage of customers who made more than one transaction, serving as a crucial health check for martech

The team was exposed to a whole new vocabulary as an introduction to Martech 2.0:

Inbox Commerce: Transfers the commerce experience directly into consumers’ inboxes, enhancing profitability by fostering a seamless shopping experience and reducing reliance on new customer acquisition.
BCG (Best Customer Genome): A comprehensive data profile of a brand’s best customers to inform targeted marketing strategies and personalise customer experiences.
Email 2.0: Enhanced by AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), it provides interactive and dynamic content within emails, enabling direct transactions and improved engagement.
Atomic Rewards: Micro-incentives for in-mail actions that drive customer engagement and behavioural shifts, creating a gamified experience within the inbox.
Large Customer Model (LCM): A predictive analytics framework that mirrors the capability of Large Language Models (LLMs) by forecasting the next actions in a customer’s journey, thereby revolutionising the way businesses engage with and anticipate the needs of their customers. The key is to aggregate all the customer data in a single repository.
Digital Twins: A technological concept that creates a virtual replica of customers by leveraging their data and behaviour, along with insights from similar “Best” customers, to predict and nudge them along their buying journey, ensuring personalisation and a deeper understanding of customer paths in the digital and physical worlds.
Earned Growth: This term is about growth achieved through customer retention and word-of-mouth, rather than through paid marketing efforts.
Profipoly Score: A set of metrics for tracking a business’s progress on its journey towards exponential and perpetual profitability, serving as an indicator of a company’s ability to maximise its share of the profit pool within an industry.
Progency: A product-led agency that combines product and agency characteristics to drive performance-based outcomes in martech.

Then came a session about busting myths and some long-held beliefs in marketing, followed by a detailed discussion on a new set of metrics and milestones to track the coming journey.

As the first day of the Strategy Foundry drew to a close, Maya stood before the team, a sense of accomplishment evident in her demeanour. “Today,” she began, her voice reflecting the intensity of the day’s discussions, “we embarked on a journey not just of discovery, but of redefinition. We’ve challenged ourselves to ‘Unlearn and Learn,’ to embrace the paradigms that will shape the future of A1Books. Understanding the power law of marketing and recognising our ‘Best’ customers is just the beginning. Our discussions on the BRTLNG framework, the EnCoRe triad, and the innovative concepts of Martech 2.0 have set the stage for a transformative path ahead.”

She paused, letting her words sink in. “Tomorrow, we build on this foundation. We take the insights, the ideas, and the challenges we’ve uncovered today, and we start crafting our roadmap. A roadmap not just for A1Books, but for each of us, as architects of change. The Profipoly Quest is not just about profitability; it’s about reimagining our relationship with our customers, our data, and our market. Let’s carry forward the energy, the curiosity, and the commitment we’ve shown today. Together, we are not just transforming A1Books; we are setting a new standard for what it means to be truly customer-centric in the digital age.”

With a final encouraging nod, Maya concluded, “Thank you for your dedication and insights today. Rest up; tomorrow, there is lot more to come.” The room, buzzing with the day’s revelations and the promise of tomorrow, broke into a round of appreciative applause, signalling not just the end of the day but the beginning of a new chapter for A1Books.

Day 2

Day 2 carried on with the energy of Day 1. The theme was “Innovate and Breakthrough.” Maya began the day with a short talk on the importance of innovation and absorbing new ideas. Doing business the old way would not lead to different outcomes. To solve CAC, they needed to think about CLV – this itself was big shift in the frame of reference. Maya then introduced the three breakthroughs: Martech 2.0 Unistack, Channels 2.0, and Progency Partnership. She worked with her vendor partners for each of these three breakthroughs.

The first vendor explained the shift from Martech 1.0 to Martech 2.0. “Martech 1.0 has been focused on engagement and retention. You, like many other digital businesses, have integrated a variety of point solutions to get your job done. Martech 2.0 changes the game. Built on the idea of a “unified stack”, its singular focus is on creating a single predictive view of every customer. The Unistack is focused on three primary tracks: inbox commerce, predicting next best action, and maximising lifetime value. Among other things, it combines catalog data with customer data to ensure sharper recommendations, and uses AI to enrich the catalog. The Unistack eliminates the data silos to build a 360^o view of every customer. The Martech 2.0 Unistack is the foundation for the profipoly that A1Books wants to build.”

The second vendor discussed Channels 2.0. “So far, all the channels that you know and use have been primarily 1-way: push. They have been inundated with brand communications leading to “Attention Recession” – most messages are ignored. This has pushed marketers to spend even more on adtech. This is about to change. A reinvention of an existing channel and a new channel promise to transform ecommerce.” The vendor then went on to show the power of Email 2.0 and WhatsApp: how the interactivity embedded in the channels with other innovations (Atomic Rewards, AI, Action Ads) could reduce the funnel frictions that impede consumer journeys. These “magical” demos threw up a wide range of possibilities. Suddenly, the future shown bright.

The third vendor discussed the Progency idea. “As a martech SaaS vendor, we are redefining our role to be more than just platform providers; we’re your profit partners. Our Progency model merges the strategic agility of an agency with the innovative power of a SaaS product, aimed at propelling your brand towards exponential profitability. We are entrenched in your marketing strategy, applying data-driven insights and real-time optimisations to enhance every customer interaction and magnify your revenue growth. We are here to tackle your toughest challenges—from smoothing out funnel frictions to amplifying engagement—through our integrated platform. Our commitment goes beyond technological implementation; it’s about delivering impactful, measurable results. By partnering with us, you gain a strategic ally, a force multiplier in your quest to establish a profipoly. Together, we’ll transcend the usual vendor-client relationship to script a success story marked by shared goals and mutual triumphs.”

As Day 2 of the Strategy Foundry concluded, Maya reflected on the progress with a sense of fulfillment. “Today, we didn’t just walk through the door of innovation; we broke it down,” she enthused. “Our discussions have illuminated the path forward. We’ve recognised that clinging to old business models won’t change our outcomes. It’s clear now that our approach to CAC can only be revolutionised by reevaluating CLV—this shift in perspective is monumental.”

She continued, “We’ve been introduced to three pivotal breakthroughs today: the Martech 2.0 Unistack, Channels 2.0, and the Progency Partnership. Each presents a leap forward in our industry. We’ve seen how Martech 2.0 is redefining engagement, moving us from fragmented solutions to a unified stack that offers a predictive customer view, aimed at enhancing lifetime value.”

“The potential of Channels 2.0 is particularly striking,” Maya added. “We’ve been shown that channels like Email 2.0 and WhatsApp aren’t just for pushing content – they’re gateways to interactive and personalised customer experiences. And our Progency partners? They’re no longer vendors; they’re our co-strategists in profit-making, combining SaaS efficiency with agency innovation.”

Maya then gave a preview on what was to come. “As we look to Day 3, our focus shifts from vision to execution. It’s time for execution. We’ll take our newfound knowledge and shape it into actionable strategies. We’re not just planning for the next quarter; we’re architecting the future of A1Books. Tomorrow, we put pen to paper, fingers to keyboards, and ideas into action. We’re turning our profipoly dream into a tangible roadmap to success.”

Day 3 – 1

On the dawn of Day 3, “Plan and Act” was emblazoned as the mantra of the day, signifying more than just a phase in the Strategy Foundry; it was the pinnacle of the past month’s relentless pursuit to carve a future for A1Books, one driven by data, innovation, and most importantly—action. Maya, with a steady resolve, galvanised the assembly into three focused groups, each corresponding to a critical segment within the BRTLNG framework: the Best and Rest (BR), who are the brand’s current core and occasional customers; the Test and Left (TL), the dormant and churned users; and the Next and Guest (NG), the newly acquired prospects and organic newcomers.

Maya’s message to the teams was clear and inspiring: “As we enter this pivotal stage, your groups hold the essence of A1Books’ transformation. The BR team will harness the loyalty of our most valuable customers, the TL team will re-engage those we’ve lost touch with, and the NG team will captivate and convert newcomers into our next loyalists. I expect each team to emerge with a detailed, action-oriented 30-60-90 day plan. This blueprint will not only be your guide but will also serve as a commitment – a promise to our customers and ourselves that we’re evolving, relentlessly pushing towards profitability and growth. Let’s blend boldness with discipline, creativity with analytics, and as always, keep our customers at the heart of every strategy. Together, we will write the next chapter of A1Books—one where every page resonates with the success of our collective efforts.”

With this, the foundry of ideas was fired up, as teams huddled and debated strategies. A tangible sense of anticipation was in the air for the actionable roadmap that would unfold. Maya’s vision for a rejuvenated, profitable A1Books was on the cusp of becoming a reality.

A few hours later, each of the three teams was ready with its presentation. Maya asked the NG team to go first, in keeping with the start of the customer journey, followed by the BR and TL teams. Each team leader summarised their plans.

NG Team

Our focus is on collecting zero-party data from unidentified prospects and reducing the rising cost of customer acquisition. Our big ideas are clear:

Create First-touch Hotlines: We’re reimagining the first touchpoint. It’s about incentivising email ID sharing with engaging experiences, not just discounts. We’ll use Email 2.0’s interactivity and gamification for ongoing engagement, with microns providing daily content that forms habits and collects zero-party data to tailor personal journeys. We will get this done within the first 30 days.
Near-Zero Acquisition Cost: By leveraging the BCG (Best Customer Genome), we hope to bring down wrong acquisition. We also propose creating a referral system focused on our Best customers because “best beget best”! Plus, we’re bringing in-store experiences into the digital realm with QR codes that connect our physical and online worlds – this way we can identify customers when then walk in rather than when they are the checkout counter. We will get the first two ideas done within 60 days, with the QR codes implementation in 90 days.

By doing this, we are hoping to substantially reduce the AdWaste on wrong acquisition and reacquisition. After all, prevention (via martech) is better than cure (via adtech)!

Day 3 – 2

BR Team

We have taken inspiration from an idea first proposed by CK Prahalad many years ago: N=1, R=G, which suggests that value creation in business should be focused on the uniqueness of each individual customer (N=1) while leveraging resources from across the globe (R=G). This concept emphasises personalisation and customisation at the individual level, rather than mass production or one-size-fits-all solutions.

In the realm of martech, this idea is incredibly relevant. Martech can facilitate the creation of a “segment of one,” where each customer’s interactions are so uniquely tailored that they feel like the sole focus of the company’s marketing efforts. With the wealth of data available and the advanced analytics at our disposal, we can now understand and cater to individual preferences, behaviours, and needs with unprecedented precision. Adapting Prahalad’s concept to modern marketing technology, “R=G” can evolve into “D=G” where D represents Data. This signifies that we should harness global data to understand and serve each customer uniquely.

With this goal of using data for personalisation for a segment of one, I am thrilled to present our strategy that targets the heart of our conversion challenge. Our problem is clear: we have a narrowing conversion funnel where at every stage, from identified databases to loyal customers, we encounter friction. For instance, only 3% of visitors to our property end up making a purchase.

The Big Idea we’re rallying behind is the Martech 2.0 Unistack. This isn’t just a tool; it’s a revolution. We’re talking about transforming engagement by bringing searching, browsing, shopping, and payments into our repertoire with Channels 2.0 like Email and WhatsApp. The goal is to move the conversion funnel closer to the customer, making every touchpoint an opportunity for transactions.

Imagine emails where every subject line has an Atomic Reward, where interactivity isn’t an afterthought—it’s at the forefront of every body and footer. These dynamic, engaging footers become the “content envelope” that complements the “ad,” making every message a potential conversion.

But it doesn’t stop at engagement. We’re refining the search, browse, and recommendation experiences. Our focus is on hyper-relevance and personalisation at each stage, across all channels. We’re implementing merchandising triggers and strategic nudges on journeys within our website and app. And for an added boost, we’re considering Action Ads in Email 2.0 footers for extra monetisation.

Retention is our crowning jewel. We’re elevating our approach with Velvet Rope Marketing, creating an aura of exclusivity and ease for our Best Customers. We’re not just rewarding loyalty; we’re defining it with differentiated experiences that offer unparalleled exclusivity, access, and ease.

In summary, the Martech 2.0 Unistack is our way forward. It’s an innovative blend of engagement, conversion, and retention strategies that will narrow the gap from browser to buyer and turn shoppers into lifelong loyalists.

From a timeline perspective: Unichannel and Channels 2.0 in 30 days, Inbox Commerce and VRM (with a separate SBU for the Best) in 60 days, and the full Unistack in 90 days.

Day 3 – 3

TL Team

It’s clear that we’ve been facing a significant challenge: nearly a quarter of our marketing budget has been sinking into the quicksand of reacquisition. We’ve been stuck in a loop, chasing after non-engaged, non-buying ‘One and Done’.

But today, I present to you a strategy that pivots away from this wasteful cycle – our Big Idea: Acquire Only Once; Position Email 2.0 as a Reactivation Channel. We’re transforming our email from just another owned media to a formidable channel for performance marketing. This isn’t just about sending out emails; it’s about mastering the art of re-engagement and conversion.

With the dormant and churned base, our three-fold mission Email 2.0 is simple yet ambitious. First, we ensure that our recipients are compelled to open our emails—not just once, but consistently. Second, we aim for repeated engagement, striving for that crucial second and third open. And third, we drive them towards conversion, completing the journey from prospect to purchaser.

To achieve this, we’re partnering with a Progency Partner, stepping into a bold era of pay-for- performance. This collaboration offers us a quick start with no downside and the promise of a better ROAS compared to traditional paid media channels.

Our goal is to not just reach out to our “once” customers, but to bring them back, keep them engaged, and make every interaction count. We will become A1Books’ “free money” generators!

Our 30-60-90 plan: stop reacquisition, begin engagement with the Progency Partner, and build hotlines so customers never churn.

Conclusion

As the final hours of Day 3 waned, Maya stood before the gathered teams, her eyes scanning the room filled with anticipation. “Today,” she began, her voice a steady beacon, “we turned insights into strategies, and strategies into actionable plans. Each team – BR, TL, and NG – has laid out a path that’s not just bold but achievable. We have dissected our challenges and crafted solutions that will not only redefine our marketing landscape but will also revolutionise our customer engagement.”

She paused, ensuring every word resonated within the walls of the room. “The BR team has embraced the Martech 2.0 Unistack, transforming our engagement methods and redefining personalisation. The TL team, you’ve reimagined Email 2.0 as a reactivation tool, shifting the paradigm from acquisition to meaningful re-engagement. And the NG team, your strategies to leverage zero-party data and first-touch hotlines have set the stage for a new era of customer interaction.”

Maya’s eyes shone with the reflection of A1Books’ future. “As we step into tomorrow, it’s not just another day – it’s the beginning of our journey towards building A1Books as a profipoly. The road ahead is paved with the plans we’ve laid here. Every message sent, every ad targeted, and every interaction personalised carries with it our ambition, our passion, and our commitment to growth.”

She raised her hand, capturing the essence of the moment. “It’s time to act. To execute with precision, to measure with accuracy, and to adapt with agility. You’ve been armed with the tools, the knowledge, and the strategies. Now, I ask you to bring your creativity, your dedication, and your courage to every task ahead. Let’s not just meet our targets; let’s exceed them. Let’s not just chase profitability; let’s define it on our terms. Together, we will build the A1Books of tomorrow.”

A wave of applause rose, mirroring the crescendo of Maya’s words, and as it subsided, the teams dispersed, not just with a sense of purpose but with a clear vision of the road ahead.

Metamorphosis

Two years had passed since Maya’s Strategy Foundry. This time, the whole organisation had come together – in-person and virtually. A1Books’ CEO had called for an all-hands meet. As the gathered crowd of A1Books’ employees hushed, the CEO stood, his presence commanding the room with an air of solemnity mixed with pride. “Colleagues, partners, friends,” he began, his voice filled with warmth, “this year has been nothing short of a metamorphosis for A1Books. I stand before you, eager to share the fruits of our collective labour. It’s with immense pride I announce that this year has been our most profitable ever. Also, our customer satisfaction has soared to new heights. This is your victory; a testament to the innovation and dedication you’ve all shown. The success of our Profipoly Quest by taming CAC and increasing CLV, our tackle of the data-friction-waste triad, the adept implementation of the BRTLNG framework, and the seamless integration of Martech 2.0 Unistack, Channels 2.0, and the Progency partnership have not gone unnoticed. Our efforts have propelled A1Books to be honoured as the Best Company of the Year.”

The audience erupted into applause, a standing ovation that echoed the CEO’s enthusiasm. Smiles, cheers, and the palpable sense of shared achievement filled the room.

The CEO raised his hands, signalling for quiet. “Yet, with every end comes a new beginning,” he continued. “Today marks not just a milestone but also a transition. I will be stepping down – I have had a long journey, and it is time for me to give back. I will be passing the torch, leaving the next phase of this incredible journey in hands I trust. Maya, your Chief Profits Officer, will step up as your new Chief Executive Officer. Her vision, her drive, and her unwavering commitment have been pivotal to our triumphs. Please join me in welcoming her to this new role. The future is bright, and under Maya’s leadership, I am confident that our ascent will continue. Maya, the stage and A1Books is yours.”

The cheer that followed was more than celebratory; it was the sound of an era beginning. As the applause settled, Maya stepped up, her face alight with both the gravity and the excitement of the moment.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice steady, her eyes scanning the sea of faces before her. “This honour is not mine alone; it belongs to each of you. You’ve turned plans into reality, challenges into opportunities, and a vision into an award-winning outcome. As your new CEO, I am ready to embark on this continuous journey of growth, learning, and leadership. Together, we’ve scaled mountains, but the horizon is vast, and many more peaks await. Let’s embrace this new chapter with the same courage, innovation, and unity that brought us here. To each of you, I offer my deepest gratitude. To A1Books, I promise my utmost dedication.”

She paused, holding back her emotions, and continued: “As we stand on the brink of a new chapter for A1Books, let us remember some of the great quests in history – Amundsen’s daring voyage to the South Pole, the triumphant ascent of Everest by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, and the awe-inspiring moon landing of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin — each a testament to the human spirit’s resolve and teamwork; it is with this same indomitable spirit that we embark on our Profipoly journey, charting our course, not by the stars, but by the unwavering light of our shared vision and ambition. The Profipoly Quest continues, and together, we will reach unprecedented heights. Thank you, let’s make the future ours.”

The crowd stood as one. With another round of applause, Maya’s tenure as CEO of A1Books began – a new chapter for her and A1Books, rich with promise and potential.

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