Grasp The Amazon Ecosystem And Motivate Buy-In

 

October 17, 2024

SEATTLE – As a Prosper Show speaker earlier this year, Seattle-based Ashlee Earl, manager, Client Success, talked with attendees about gaining buy-in from internal stakeholders who may not fully grasp the complexities of the Amazon ecosystem. With only five weeks until Black Friday, Prosper Show sat down with Earl (pictured here at Prosper Show 2024 in Las Vegas) to talk about ways to boost cooperation among team members.

Prosper Show: What specifics in the Amazon business should leaders focus on to gain buy-in?
Ashlee Earl: First is educating your audience. This is critical to ensure stakeholders understand what is happening so that you can connect the dots on why trust should be applied. Next is knowing your audience. What do they care about? What part of the business do they look at most frequently and how does that pertain to the topic at hand? These questions can help your audience understand the concepts.

Third is communication, especially around resource allocation. In the Amazon ecosystem being upfront on what is needed from a dollar, people, and time allotment standpoint is critical. Being clear on resource allocation builds trust so that stakeholders feel confident in their investment. Finally, data-backed decisions leverage internal or third-party data to bolster trust in your Amazon strategy. We are so lucky in e-commerce that painting a story with data is possible, so leverage that to your benefit. All of these will help build trust whether your stakeholder is an internal executive, a brand owner, or partner.

Prosper Show: How would you describe the “Amazon Way”?
Earl: Amazon continues to launch new betas and programs that are customer-obsessed. This includes fast shipping and efficient customer returns. Instead of being negative about Amazon’s ever-evolving systems, see it as a fun challenge to continue positioning the business to work with Amazon. It may not always make sense for the business to align with Amazon, but this shift in mindset keeps us focused.

Prosper Show: What’s your advertising philosophy in a nutshell?
Earl: There is a consistent conversation in the Amazon advertising space around how much budget is enough or which ad types are most beneficial. The most important part of this process is showcasing how advertising aligns with a company’s long term vision. Invest now.

Prosper Show: Any words of inspiration for sellers looking to make a final sprint to the holiday season?
Earl: Stay agile and look outside of your lens of focus. There is so much to learn from other categories and industries during these deal days that you can apply next year. Broaden your perspective and increase your competitiveness beyond your current market.

Ashlee Earl’s journey in e-commerce has included launching her own products, joining an A-Z agency, managing the e-commerce team for a leading electronics company—to now where she strategizes retail media for brands and agencies.