Amazon Prime Day Happened, Now What? Maximize Your Post-Prime Day Gains

Amazon Prime Day is a whirlwind, a massive sales event that captures everyone's attention. But for brands, the work shouldn’t stop when the deals end. Many businesses mistakenly view Prime Day as a standalone sprint, neglecting the marathon that follows. 

If you're not strategizing for the "after," you're likely leaving money on the table. At Blue Wheel, we believe the real opportunity lies in converting those new Amazon Prime Day shoppers into loyal, long-term customers.

Why Post-Prime Day Focus is Crucial for eCommerce

It's easy to get caught up in the immediate buzz and sales figures of Prime Day. However, if you’re seeing it as an isolated event, you miss a significant chance for sustained growth. Brands typically see a 10-30% surge in New-To-Brand (NTB) customers during Amazon Prime Day, based on our work with various clients. The key is to capitalize on this influx and nurture these new relationships.

Blue Wheel's Point of View: Retain and Conquer

Our core philosophy is simple: Amazon Prime Day isn't just about the sales you make during the event, but the customers you retain afterward. We aim to help brands convert those first-time Prime Day purchasers into repeat buyers, boosting their evergreen business.

Blue Wheel expert recommendations for post-Prime Day optimization are rooted in a thorough understanding of Amazon's ecosystem. Here are specific actions that brands in the Beauty, Home Goods, Apparel & Footwear, CPG & Grocery, and Health & Fitness categories, among others, can take immediately.

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Our Post-Prime Day Approach: A Two-Phase Strategy

After Amazon Prime Day, you should analyze your sales performance and prepare for upcoming tentpole events. Identify which tactics worked well, which ones you want to include in the future, and focus on areas for improvement. 

Keep an eye on your competitors and examine what they are during in this period. By refining your approach now, you can boost your sales forecasts for the next major sales event.

We break down the post-Prime Day strategy into two critical phases:

Phase 1: 30-60 Days Post-Prime Day

This period is all about nurturing recent gains and optimizing current performance.

Total Brand Strategy

• Leverage Brand-Tailored Promotions: Implement specific promotions designed to re-engage Amazon Prime Day buyers.
• Utilize AMC Reports: Dive into Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) data with reports like:

1. Gateway ASIN: Identify which products brought new customers to your brand.
2. Frequency: Understand purchasing patterns.
3. Purchase Affinity: Discover what else customers bought.
4. Path to Purchase: Map out customer journeys.
5. Time to Conversion: Inform future lead-in strategies.

Search Advertising Tactics and Reports

• Optimize Keyword Bidding: Identify and adjust or pause keywords with high wasted ad spend.
• Analyze Hourly Conversion Data: Use hourly conversion reports from Prime Day to inform budget allocation for future events.
• Implement Retargeting: Stay top-of-mind for consumers who viewed products during Prime Day but didn't convert, using targeted search ads.

DSP (Demand-Side Platform) Tactics and Reports

• Retarget Listing Abandoners: Similar to search, use DSP to re-engage users who abandoned product listings.
• Diversify Creative: Use different ad creatives than those in your Sponsored Display campaigns to keep messaging fresh.
• Review Creative Performance: Analyze creative reports to understand which ad types performed best for each tactic.

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Phase 2: 60+ Days Post-Prime Day (Prime Big Deals Days/Cyber 5 Prep)

This phase shifts focus to preparing for the next major sales events, leveraging Prime Day insights.

Brand Strategy

• Prime Day Deal Analysis: Review conversion rates and overall sales lift from Prime Day deals, cross-referencing with New-to-Brand (NTB) and Gateway ASIN reports to inform product selection for future promotions.
• Build Targeted Audiences via AMC: Create and target audiences of Prime Day purchasers who haven't made a subsequent purchase.

Search Advertising

• Non-Brand Keyword Focus: Increase focus on non-brand keywords, using Amazon Prime Day data on high-engagement keywords and audiences.
• Top-of-Search Prioritization: Prioritize top-of-search placements for brand terms associated with products slated for upcoming deals.

DSP (Demand-Side Platform)

• Awareness and Consideration: Utilize DSP for awareness and consideration campaigns to drive brand searches ahead of the event.
• Look-Alike Audiences: Leverage AMC to create look-alike audiences based on Prime Day purchasers.
• Expand Reach with Exposure Audiences: Create exposed vs. non-exposed audiences within your category to broaden reach during tentpole events.
• Target Discount-Only Shoppers: Create audiences of consumers who primarily purchase during discount moments. Target them during lead-in for events like Prime Big Deals Day or Cyber 5, and then strategically shift budgets to convert them to full-price purchasing in the first half of the following year.

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The Impact on eCommerce Overall: Product Lifecycle and Discounting

Knowing your products and customers is crucial to making the most of your post-Prime Day strategic efforts. You need to:

• Identify First-Purchase Products: Know which products are most likely to be a customer's initial purchase; this insight should guide your discounting strategy.
• Understand Your Product's Lifecycle: Know how long it takes for customers to repurchase your main revenue-generating items. This helps inform retargeting after the event.  

Next Steps: Act Fast for Prime Big Deals Days

The clock is ticking! The submission deadline for the upcoming Prime Big Deals Days is August 7th. Brands need to begin their preparation immediately to finalize their promotional items and establish their lead-in strategies. 

A Stratably survey of 60 consumer brands post-Prime Day revealed that top-performing brands used multi-channel strategies and urgency tactics like stacked promotions and off-Amazon traffic. Brands that review their Amazon Prime Day performance, adjust tactics, and align teams will be better positioned for Prime Big Deal Days and Cyber 5.

At Blue Wheel, we're actively implementing post-Prime Day strategies with our clients to drive real results and boost their brand presence. Our tailored approach ensures that each client receives the individualized attention and expertise they need to succeed on Amazon.

Ready to transform your brand? Connect with us today and discover how we can help you every step of the way.