View Transcript
Webinar Transcript: Stack and Strategies to Engage the Omnichannel Customer
Speakers:
- Josh Francia, Chief Growth Officer, Blueshift
- Shannon Delaney, CMO, James Allen
Introduction: How James Allen Blends Innovation and Personalization
Josh Francia: Welcome, everybody. I’m Josh Francia, Chief Growth Officer at Blueshift. Today, I’m joined by Shannon Delaney, CMO of JamesAllen.com. We’re excited to discuss how marketers can build smarter stacks and effective strategies to engage omnichannel customers.
Shannon Delaney: Thanks for having me. I’ve been with James Allen for about six years. We’re the fastest growing retailer in the bridal space, focused on using technology to deliver a transparent and stress free experience—everything from 360 degree diamond display technology to virtual ring try ons. In 2017, we joined Signet Jewelers, which has opened the door for more activations and local partnerships.
How CMOs Choose the Right Marketing Stack
Josh Francia: CMOs are constantly bombarded by MarTech vendors. How do you decide what to add to your stack?
Shannon Delaney: Every addition stems from a gap we identify. We evaluate each partner on their value to our business, customer impact, and how seamlessly they integrate. We aim for balance—we don’t want a bloated stack, but we also don’t rely solely on monolithic platforms.
Josh Francia: So it’s about finding a middle ground—few best in breed tools that integrate well and don’t overburden your team?
Shannon Delaney: Exactly. We go for partners that do a core area well and let us build around that with complementary tools.
Moving from Traditional to Activation Marketing
Josh Francia: Technology doesn’t drive value unless you have the right strategy. How have you shifted from traditional to activation based marketing?
Shannon Delaney: We focus on consistency and personalization. That means capturing signals at every digital touchpoint—what they’re browsing, where they came from—and using those insights to deliver the right message, product, or offer at the right time.
Josh Francia: So you’re using real time data to meet customers where they are, whether it’s in an email, app, or website?
Shannon Delaney: Yes. If someone browses white gold, solitaire rings, I’m not sending them yellow gold options. Our campaigns reflect customer preferences.
Measuring Personalization and Its Business Impact
Josh Francia: Personalization sounds great in theory, but how do you measure its impact?
Shannon Delaney: We look at open rates, click throughs, time on site, and ultimately conversions. If personalization is working, those metrics should go up. If not, something’s off.
Josh Francia: And have you seen real lift?
Shannon Delaney: Absolutely. From onsite activity to campaign origin, we use all of it. For example, someone coming from a Facebook campaign about tennis bracelets gets a different follow up than someone browsing engagement rings.
Creating Long Term Engagement Between Transactions
Josh Francia: Jewelry is a considered purchase. How do you stay top of mind between long buying cycles?
Shannon Delaney: We focus on educational content—how to clean your ring, care plans, and anniversary gift guides. We also send content relevant to life moments, like five or ten year anniversaries, and offer unique discounts tied to those milestones.
Josh Francia: That makes a lot of sense. Instead of being pushy, you’re nurturing with value.
Shannon Delaney: Exactly. A customer who just bought an engagement ring doesn’t want another diamond pitch next week. But tips, guides, and meaningful content? That builds the relationship.
The Future of Omnichannel Marketing and the CMO Role
Josh Francia: Looking ahead, how should future CMOs think about engaging omnichannel customers?
Shannon Delaney: It’s all about personalization across touchpoints, not just one channel. But it has to feel authentic and use data responsibly. With rising concerns over data privacy, CMOs will need to do more with less. That means smarter segmentation, predictive tools, and genuine value exchanges.
Josh Francia: Great point. The best brands show customers that data is used to improve their experience. When that happens, people want to be remembered.
Shannon Delaney: Exactly. If you deliver value, they’ll say, “Please don’t forget me.”
Final Thoughts
Josh Francia: Shannon, thank you so much for sharing your insights. From stack selection to long term loyalty, there’s so much CMOs can learn from your team’s approach.
Shannon Delaney: Thank you. It’s been great talking through all of this.
Josh Francia: And thanks to everyone for joining us at eTail. We hope this session gave you valuable takeaways to engage today’s omnichannel customer more effectively.