Josh Orr

Retailers, if you’re just here to sell products, you’re missing the point. Anyone can sell on Amazon. Story-driven brands go deeper, they connect products to real moments in their customers’ lives. Stop chasing transactions and start creating connection.

Is your website talking about you, or your customer? Your customer doesn’t visit to learn about your story. They come to feel understood. Talk less about who you are and more about what they’re experiencing. Your brand doesn’t need to be louder, it needs to be relatable.

Feeling stretched thin across every platform? You’re not alone. Most retailers post everywhere but stand out nowhere. The goal isn’t to be everywhere, it’s to be effective somewhere. Focus where your customers engage because depth beats width every time.

What you focus on grows. When your mind fixates on what you don’t want (mistakes, problems, fears), that’s exactly what you attract. Shift your focus toward what you do want. Feed your brain direction, not doubt. Focus creates momentum. Make sure yours points forward.

Retailers, your visuals might look good, but do they inspire anyone? The strongest brands don’t just show what they sell. They show who their customer wants to be. When your imagery reflects aspiration, not just reality, you stop selling products and start shaping identity.

Your email list might be the most powerful thing you own. Every other platform can change the rules overnight, Google, Meta, TikTok. But your list? That’s yours. It’s the one channel you control. Build it, nurture it, protect it. Control the connection, not just the clicks.

Retailers, when someone lands on your site, do they instantly feel, “This is for me”? Your imagery should reflect who your customer wants to be, and your copy should sound like their thoughts. When people feel seen, they don’t just shop, they stay.

Want to boost your online visibility? Start with the basics most people skip. You don’t need a full SEO overhaul, just optimize your homepage, key collections, and top products. Clarity beats complexity. Sometimes growth isn’t about more, it’s about smarter.

The goal of your email isn’t to sell, it’s to get opened. Before anyone clicks “buy,” they have to click open. Your subject line is the front door to their attention. Use curiosity, personality, and value. Great emails don’t start with selling, they start with connection.

Retailers, your products aren’t the story, your customer is. The strongest brands don’t lead with what they sell, they lead with who they serve. When your content reflects your customer’s life, you stop selling products and start building connection. Lead with people.

Are you letting UPS decide your content plan? Many retailers post whatever shows up in the latest shipment. But new arrivals aren’t a strategy. In-store, you start with the customer, not yourself. Your marketing should too. Less “look what we got,” more “we see you.”

Here’s the truth: you’re probably not emailing enough. Sending one email a month, or even one a week, leaves connection and sales on the table. Going into Q4, inboxes will be packed. Consistency isn’t spam, it’s how you stay top of mind when others are competing for attention.

Your customer isn’t you, and that changes everything. You might think email is annoying, but they don’t. They love your brand, they just hate bad email. Send value, not noise. Done right, email becomes one of the most effective tools to grow your business.

Retailers, how clearly can you answer this: What do you sell, and who do you sell it to? As AI shifts how people shop, clarity has never mattered more. The brands that know exactly who they serve and why will be the ones showing up. In the age of AI, clarity is your edge.

Retailers, do you know exactly who your brand serves? Trying to be everything to everyone leaves you connecting with no one. The more specific you are about your perfect customer, the more your brand feels built for them. That’s what creates loyalty.

Retailers, what if traffic isn’t actually your biggest problem? Driving people to a site that doesn’t reflect your brand won’t grow sales. The real win is making your website feel like the in-store experience customers already love. That’s when traffic starts to convert.

Google isn’t ranking you. It’s ranking trust. SEO isn’t just about keywords, it’s about helping Google look good. If your site creates a great experience for the person searching, Google notices. That’s when it starts to send people your way. Focus on trust. That’s what ranks.

Struggling to keep good team members? Here’s why. It’s not always pay or policies. If work feels purely transactional, effort will match the paycheck. People want purpose. Cast a vision beyond the task list, and they’ll bring ownership, loyalty, and commitment you can’t buy.

The golden age of social? It’s over. Story views are down. Follower count barely matters. Algorithms now show what they think users want, not who they follow. But attention isn’t gone. It’s just earned differently now. The brands that win create for connection, not just content.

Here’s a mistake I see all the time. In-store, your experience is dialed in. But online? Too often it’s just products with no real brand. Growth doesn’t come from posting more, it comes from translating the experience people already love into a space they can access anywhere.