Starting the Year Strong: Here Are 3 Practical Steps for Q1 (and beyond)

We’re already one month into the new year, but it’s definitely not too late to apply these suggestions to your Q1 strategy. Here’s our shortlist of three practical steps you should be taking this first quarter to fortify your growth mindset for 2024.

Take action for Google and Yahoo's new e-mail sender requirements

Since February of this year, Google and Yahoo’s new sender requirements have come into effect. We know that navigating e-mail regulations can be complex, but by keeping these sender requirements up to date in Klaviyo, you’ll avoid deliverability issues throughout the year. Luckily, Klaviyo has broken down these new requirements into simple, actionable steps that can also be taken by non-technical team members.

Not sure if your team has already taken care of this? Start here:

• Verify that your account meets new sender requirements
• And explore Klaviyo’s guide

Need help? Our team of Klaviyo experts can help you make the changes needed.

Align with your team and partners on the year ahead

Communication is key for a successful team, so make sure everyone involved knows what the plan is for the year ahead. Planning is, therefore, something you need to commit to, without feeling restricted or overwhelmed.

An omnichannel calendar is the way to do this. It provides a comprehensive overview of crucial drops, sales, and key events throughout the year. The nature of e-commerce (and life in general) is that things change constantly and we can’t control everything. But even adding a placeholder of expected ETAs will improve communication and align expectations with your team. Involve your different teams, from production and logistics to marketing, to make sure you’re covering all ground.

In our experience, many brand owners focus on long-term vision, while their teams and partners are often left out of short-term plans. Sharing your vision and setting concrete milestones in an omnichannel calendar boosts productivity and efficiency, driving growth.

Martina, Head of Operations at NSL

Take time to learn from last year

Looking back is as important as looking forward. Take time to evaluate valuable insights from your 2023 e-commerce and marketing data. And most importantly, take action from your learnings! If you’re a fashion e-commerce brand, you should be delving into metrics such as:

• What products are increasing your return rates?
• What are the most common return reasons?

• What styles are performing best?
• What styles are not performing well?

• Are you seeing organic growth in a specific region?
• Where would you like to expand geographically?

This is another example of a decision where data leads the way, helping you set marketing spending budgets and priorities.

The list goes on! The main point is: that as an e-commerce brand, data can help make business decisions across the company. If you haven’t made this a part of your decision-making process yet, this is your sign to take action.

Read more about e-commerce data in our recent article by Bram Verleur (Head of Data): An introduction to fashion and e-commerce data: How it’s different and why it matters

Is this something we can help you with?

At Not Selling Liquid, we build, manage and grow the digital presence of fashion brands. Having worked with several fashion brands over the years, our team created an omni-channel calendar structure which has proven to provide all stakeholders involved with a clear satellite view of how a strategy comes to life in different campaigns and moments throughout the year.

If you’re interested in hearing more about how we can work together to plan your business strategy across all digital channels, get in touch with our team at new@notsellingliquid.com.