🟣 What Cristiano Ronaldo Can Teach You About Crushing Q4

Table of Contents

• Shopify's Q2 2024: Strong Numbers and a Surprise S …

• Countdown to Q4: 102 Days to Black FridayYour Ulti …

• Resources and Virtual Event to Help You Crush this …

• How Loop Earplugs Runs 5,000+ Meta Ads with a $4M+ …

• Amazon & TikTok: What’s the Deal?

• Leading Causes of Death in the US (2019-2023)

• Cristiano Ronaldo’s Secret Weapon: Emotional Flexi …

COMMERCE MACROTRENDS

Shopify's Q2 2024: Strong Numbers and a Surprise Star

Shopify just dropped some stellar Q2 results, showcasing impressive growth across key metrics. The company reported a Gross Merchant Volume (GMV) of $56 billion, up 17% year-over-year, and a Gross Payments Volume (GPV) of $41.1 billion, a whopping 39% increase. Their revenue also climbed to $2 billion, marking a 21% growth.

Subscription Solutions contributed $563 million (+27% Y/Y), while Merchant Solutions added $1.5 billion (+19% Y/Y) to the mix.

But the real story? Shopify Payments. Often overshadowed by overall revenue and GMV, Shopify Payments is becoming a vital pillar of Shopify's ecosystem. Processing $41.1 billion in transactions this quarter, it now powers 50% of Shopify’s GPV, thanks largely to Shop Pay, which sped through $16 billion in GMV, up 45% from last year.

With over 118 million registered users and 23 million monthly active users, Shopify Payments isn't just growing—it's redefining the checkout experience for merchants and consumers alike.

COMMERCE TIPS

Countdown to Q4: 102 Days to Black Friday
Your Ultimate Strategy Guide

We’re in mid-August, and as of today, August 13th, we’re exactly 102 days away from Black Friday. That’s not much time! Planning starts now, with execution kicking off in September. Over the years, I’ve helped numerous 8-figure brands drive Q4 revenue, and here’s what I’ve learned:

There are three layers to successful execution:

1. Audience Building

2. Ads

3. Messaging

1. Audience Building

This is all about pixel generation—across Meta, Google, TikTok, Snap, Pinterest, and native ads like Outbrain. Your pixel list should peak over the next three months. Buy cheaper, targeted traffic now through October, because CPMs will ramp up as we approach BFCM. Remember, BFCM is a retargeting event.

But don’t just stop at buying media from Meta, Google, etc. Now is the time to leverage TikTok Shop. If you’re not already on TikTok Shop, get started immediately—it can take 4-12 weeks to set up, depending on your business category. Start creating organic content to build traction, establish your profile, and create social proof on your product cards before BFCM. Collaborate with influencers to drive more traffic and pixel data.

Leading up to BFCM your focus should be on generating brand awareness outside of traditional ad accounts. This includes influencer seeding, TikTok Shop, and viral marketing campaigns. Set a monthly video views target that you intend to triple or even quadruple by BFCM. The idea is simple: during the high CPM time in Q4, your ads will primarily convert people who already know about your brand (retargeting), making the ad spend more efficient.

Who can help you execute this? Your media buyer or agency. Ensure all your desired pixels are fixed on your website and tracking events properly.

2. Ads

80% of the ads you’ll be running pre-Q4 are bottom-of-funnel ads designed to harvest conversions. Static image ads are the best performers: 80% of your ad inventory on Meta should be static images. I prefer running a single offer rather than multiple offers to simplify the funnel and maximize conversions.

Consider expanding your reach by using the TikTok affiliate network to build relationships, content, and sales. This is crucial to leverage during BFCM. Also, don’t overlook YouTube’s Shopping Platform—recently integrated with Shopify. It’s an underutilized channel with significant potential, especially for creating long-form content that converts.

Start your campaigns earlier to secure a share of the wallet before the big rush.

3. Messaging

Most of your sales will occur after a messaging event—whether it’s an email, SMS, or even a comment-to-DM interaction on Instagram. Make sure your email flows are adapted to BFCM with shorter delay times, and that your SMS flows are active. Comment-to-DM flows on IG are huge right now, so leverage them.

Collaborating with an influencer and executing on your account will drive more bottom-of-funnel sales. It all comes down to your content and offer. For example, consider running limited-edition product drops exclusive to BFCM. This strategy drives FOMO and creates a sense of urgency among your audience.

Wrap Up

To recap:

1. Always Have a Plan B: Prepare for logistical surprises.

2. Upgrade Your Funnels: Make sure every funnel in your business is optimized for scale.

3. Expect Higher Ad Costs: But outsmart them with better conversion rates, AOV, and LTV.

4. Outsmart Your Competition: Focus on emotional, heart-driven messaging.

5. Prepare for a Changed World: Tailor your campaigns to the current economic and political climate.

Start Early, Stay Ahead: The brands that win in Q4 are those that begin their prep early and execute flawlessly. The clock is ticking, get your Q4 strategy in place now. Reach out to me if you need any strategic help with planning.

Resources and Virtual Event to Help You Crush this Q4 and BFCM

I will be updating this list weekly

How Loop Earplugs Runs 5,000+ Meta Ads with a $4M+ Monthly Budget

$100M+ Belgian brand Loop Earplugs (big-ups Europe) is making serious waves with over 5,000 live Meta ads and a $4M+ monthly spend. Their creative testing is on point, with 66% of their ads focusing on static images, from AI-generated assets to Hero Statics. Loop’s ability to cater to diverse audiences, like festival-goers and those with sensory sensitivities, has been key to their success. Want to see how it’s done?

Check out Dara Denney’s TikTok breakdown below - it’s a must-follow for any marketer!

@daradenney

Loop is one of my favorite brands to track for their Meta Ads creative strategy. They have a huge budget, I’d estimate around $4 million p... See more

Amazon & TikTok: What’s the Deal?

Amazon and TikTok just teamed up, and it’s a big deal for e-commerce. Here’s the quick scoop:

• New Shopping Experience: TikTok users can now shop Amazon products directly within the app. This means more eyes on your products.

• Social Commerce Revolution: TikTok isn’t just for dancing anymore—it’s a direct sales channel. Viral content could drive serious sales.

• Data Goldmine: Amazon’s shopper data + TikTok’s trend insights = smarter targeting for your ads.

Why It Matters: If you’re selling on Amazon, this partnership could open up huge opportunities. Get creative with your TikTok content and ride the wave.

HEALTH IS WEALTH

Leading Causes of Death in the US (2019-2023)

1. Cause-of-Death Analysis: The data reflect the underlying causes responsible for initiating the fatal sequence of events.

2. Consistent Leaders: Heart disease and cancer have held steady as the top two leading causes of death throughout this period.

3. Heart Disease Trends: Heart disease rates saw a slight overall increase of 0.4% from 2019 to 2023, with more pronounced spikes during the pandemic years.

4. Cancer Mortality: The cancer death rate has generally declined, except for a brief uptick in 2021. This highlights the multifaceted nature of cancer, with various types showing different trends and responses to treatments.

Takeaway:

• Cancer Complexity: Cancer remains a complex health challenge, with its many forms exhibiting varied behaviors and outcomes, making it a multifaceted issue in public health.

• Heart Disease Contributors: On the other hand, heart disease can often be linked to core risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and lack of physical activity. Addressing these underlying issues is key to reducing heart disease mortality.

MINDSET OF WINNERS

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Secret Weapon: Emotional Flexibility 🧠

Ronaldo’s greatness isn’t just in his feet—it’s in his head. His ability to shake off mistakes and focus on the next play is what sets him apart. Here’s how you can channel your inner Ronaldo:

→ Acknowledge mistakes, but don’t dwell. Learn, let go, and move on.

→ Refocus fast: Shift your mind to the next action. A quick breath can reset your game.

→ Positive self-talk: Replace negativity with affirmations. Remind yourself of your strengths.

→ Daily mental reps: Train your mind like Ronaldo trains his body. Consistency builds resilience.

Want to dive deeper? I posted about this on LinkedIn - inspired by this IG post. Master these strategies, and you’ll be dominating in no time—just like CR7.