From Ads to Action: Building a Smarter Ecommerce Funnel with Aaron Orendorff

Welcome to our DTC Next Ecommerce Growth Virtual Summit Series where we are recapping all of the goodness from our big-time event. Miss the show? Catch the replay here and get the hottest tips from the top ecommerce pros in the industry along with an exclusive gift!

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Don’t have time to watch? Get the full recap below:

Let’s talk funnels. No, not the kind you pour beer into at a party. The kind that turns your ecommerce ads into actual sales. 

Did you know that 44% of DTC businesses lose customers between clicking an ad and completing a purchase? Yeah, let that sink in.

The problem most likely isn’t your ads…they’re probably fire. The problem is what happens after the click. 

Lucky for you, Aaron Orendorff, VP of Growth at FERMÀT and all-around ecommerce guru, shared some epic insights on how to fix this. 

Spoiler: it’s not about doing more, it’s about doing better. 

Stop Overthinking Email and SMS

Raise your hand if you’ve ever spent hours mapping out intricate email and SMS flows that overlap, interlock, and feel more like a Rube Goldberg machine than a marketing strategy. 

Yeah, Aaron Orendorff says it’s time to let that go.

What’s the Real Problem?

Here’s the truth bomb – your customers aren’t paying attention to your communication strategy as much as you think. 

Nobody’s sitting there thinking, “Wow, that welcome email perfectly led into that SMS. A+.”

Instead of obsessing over every trigger, overlap, and sequence, simplify your approach:

• Send emails and SMS simultaneously. No need to stagger them.
• Focus on engagement rates, especially for SMS (since it’s pricier).
• Cut users out of flows as soon as they take the desired action.

The goal? 

Deliver your message, get them to act, and move on. No fancy choreography required.

Align Ads with the Post-Click Experience

What happens after someone clicks your ad is just as important as the ad itself. 

Too many brands crush it with creative (see our book of 101 DTC Meta Ads), only to lose momentum when customers hit a generic landing page.

Make the Transition Seamless

Your ad’s promise should carry through every step of the funnel – from landing page to checkout. Aaron Orendorff broke it down with some killer examples:

• True Classic nails it with their “Buy More, Save More” campaign. The same message flows seamlessly from ad to landing page, to product pages, and even the cart, complete with upsells that mirror the offer.
• Fresh Clean Threads uses custom landing pages tailored to specific audiences, like a women’s line that won’t disrupt their main male-focused site. Bonus points for their holiday gifting campaign that turned “women shopping for men” into an art form.

Why It Works

Consistency builds trust. 

If your ad says “Bundle and Save” but your landing page makes customers hunt for the deal, they’re gone. 

As Orendorff notes, match your messaging, offers, and visuals every step of the way, and you’ll see your conversion rates soar.

Focus Before You FOMO

Shiny object syndrome is real, especially in ecommerce. There’s always a new tool, tactic, or trend promising to revolutionize your business. 

Aaron Orendorff’s advice? Chill.

Here’s the Plan

• Document, don’t act. Hear a cool idea? Write it down, take screenshots, and let it sit for a week.
• Evaluate before sharing. Ask yourself: Does this idea align with my current strategy? Is it worth pursuing, or just distracting?
• Double down on what’s working. Instead of chasing the next big thing, focus on improving what’s already delivering results.

Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t adding something new. It’s simply refining what you’ve already got.

Seal the Deal: Turn Your Funnel Into a Sales Machine

Building a smarter ecommerce funnel doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel. As Aaron Orendorff says, it’s about simplifying, aligning, and staying focused:

• Ditch the overcomplicated email and SMS flows.
• Align your ads with a seamless post-click experience.
• Avoid distraction by refining your existing strategies.

Remember, it’s not about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things better. 

Now, get out there and start building a funnel that turns clicks into cash.

Ready to see how Customers.ai can help? Start your free trial today and get 500 free contacts!

Important Next Steps

• See what targeted outbound marketing is all about. Capture and engage your first 500 website visitor leads with Customers.ai X-Ray website visitor identification for free.
• Talk and learn about sales outreach automation with other growth enthusiasts. Join Customers.ai Island, our Facebook group of 40K marketers and entrepreneurs who are ready to support you.
• Advance your marketing performance with Sales Outreach School, a free tutorial and training area for sales pros and marketers.