The eCommerce Marketing Podcast walks you through everything that goes into ecommerce marketing — from inbound marketing to paid advertising to conversions. Learn the strategies top marketing experts use to grow their businesses.
In this episode of the e-commerce marketing podcast, host Arlen Robinson speaks with Isra Al-Rari, an expert in email marketing and deliverability. They discuss the evolution of email marketing, common mistakes brands make, and the importance of personalization and customer retention strategies. Isra shares her journey from e-commerce store owner to email marketing specialist, emphasizing the need for brands to focus on first-time customer profitability and creating engaging email content that drives action. The conversation highlights the significance of understanding customer behavior and data to enhance email marketing effectiveness.
Key Episode Takeaways:
- Email marketing is a vital communication channel that is not going away.
- Brands often treat emails like magazine catalogs, which is a mistake.
- Effective email marketing requires a balance of copy and imagery.
- Personalization should be based on customer data and behavior, not just names.
- First-time customer profitability is crucial for sustainable growth.
- Creating milestones for customers can enhance retention.
- E-commerce brands should offer more free products to retain customers.
- Email marketing should focus on retention, not just revenue generation.
- Understanding customer behavior is key to effective email campaigns.
- Brands need to unify their marketing strategies for better growth.
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Past guests on the ecommerce marketing podcast include Neil Patel, Nemo Chu, Luke Lintz, Luke Carthy, Amber Armstrong, Kris Ruby and many more.
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Israa Alrawi is an eCommerce Email Marketing and Deliverability expert specializing in helping bootstrapped DTC businesses scale profitably through growth and retention strategies. As the founder of The Winbox, she leverages her expertise to drive significant revenue increases and build strong customer relationships. Outside of work, Israa is a mother of four who enjoys reading, the beach, and her newfound hobby of pickling and gardening.
In this episode, she shares key insights on mastering email deliverability in 2025, how brands can increase retention, and why outdated email marketing strategies no longer cut it.
Key Topics Discussed
- The impact of new Gmail and Yahoo rules on email deliverability in 2025.
- How businesses can protect their email reputation amid increasing bot activity.
- Why eCommerce brands must rethink email marketing beyond a revenue channel.
- The common mistakes businesses make with email design and copy.
- Personalization: How modern brands can go beyond just using a customer’s name.
- The role of email vs. SMS—should brands see them as competitors or complementary tools?
- Scaling beyond the 30% email revenue benchmark: Strategies for long-term growth.
- How brands can break free from the discount-driven sales cycle.
Time Stamps
[00:01] – Introduction to Israa Alrawi and The Winbox.
[01:19] – How Israa transitioned from running an eCommerce store to specializing in email deliverability.
[04:50] – Is email marketing still relevant, or is it being replaced by SMS and other channels?
[07:11] – How Gmail and Yahoo are shifting email regulations for better user experience.
[09:16] – The biggest mistake eCommerce brands make with email marketing.
[14:19] – How much copy is too much? Finding the right balance in email content.
[19:45] – The evolution of personalization: Why it’s more than just adding a first name.
[23:58] – Scaling beyond 30% email revenue: Why first-time customer profitability is key.
[27:45] – Retention strategies: How brands can use milestones to keep customers engaged.
[29:55] – Fun fact: Israa is a pickling connoisseur and loves learning about everything!
[31:09] – Where to connect with Israa and learn more about The Winbox.
Guest Contact Information
Website: The Winbox
LinkedIn: Israa Alrawi
Instagram: @The_Winbox
Twitter: @Israa_TheWinbox
Listen to the full episode to discover expert strategies on optimizing email deliverability and retention for long-term eCommerce success!
