In this EcomCrew Podcast episode, Daniel and I delve deep into the world of email marketing and retention marketing in the e-commerce industry. We share our their experiences and insights on why email marketing remains an essential tool for businesses, despite predictions of its decline.   We also touch on the importance of building community and trust with customers, and show successful examples of companies using email and SMS marketing effectively, as well as the potential of loyalty programs to drive business growth.   Timestamps: Intro - 00:00 Daniel's e-commerce and email marketing journey - 01:14 Email's continued effectiveness despite claims of its decline - 04:05 The rise and fall of Messenger chatbots - 06:06 Differences between consumer and business owner email inboxes - 07:26 Decreasing open rates in MailChimp's report - 08:35 Generating revenue through trust and community-building content emails - 10:19 Engaging customers with community photos, tips, and tricks - 11:11 Good email marketing's impact on small businesses - 14:36 A lack of good e-commerce email marketing examples - 16:16 Measuring time between first, second, and third orders - 20:37 The potential of SMS marketing - 22:41 Generating additional revenue through loyalty programs - 26:29 Learning from big brands with effective loyalty programs - 33:55   Email marketing has proven to be a powerful tool in the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce.   It is crucial for businesses to create engaging content and focus on building trust, community, and lasting relationships with their customers. With that being said, companies should also concentrate on customer retention and repeat purchases by leveraging effective email and SMS marketing strategies and implementing well-designed loyalty programs.    Successful loyalty programs not only boost customer engagement and sales but can also significantly raise the company's valuation. Businesses should look to learn from the successes of established brands with effective loyalty programs and adapt their strategies accordingly.   I want to thank Daniel for taking time out of his busy schedule to discuss the landscape and future of email marketing.    If you want to know more about Daniel and his business, check out the links on his site and his podcast below.  Budai Media  The Ecom Show Podcast Lastly, don’t forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoyed this episode.   Until the next one, happy selling!