In this episode, Scott, Nathan, Gaby, and Ibra dive deep into how to build a smarter marketing calendar for 2026. We tackle why so many brands default to discounting—and how to break that habit with better planning and more creative inputs.

Highlights from the conversation:

• Why early calendars failed: too many sales, no commercial KPIs

• Offers aren’t just discounts—they’re friction reducers

• Creative quality often drives the need for discounts

• How to map financial targets to calendar moments

• The ideal number of revenue peaks (hint: it’s not one)

• How to find underutilised moments and category white space

• Why brand birthdays, bundles, and overstock clearances can outperform

We also explore how to layer brand, seasonal, and cultural events into your planning without relying solely on paid media. If you’re relying on Q4 to hit your numbers, this one’s for you.

Get the latest updates, best practices, and PROVEN eCommerce strategies every day. Subscribe here: ‪@bluesensedigital‬

Blue Sense is a global eCommerce consulting firm that partners with founders & operators to tackle their biggest growth challenges.

Our YouTube channel is dedicated to sharing our most effective marketing strategies to help you achieve your business goals.

If you’re an 8 or 9 figure retailer looking for deeper creative insight or performance insight grounded in real finance reach out today.

⬇️️ You can find us here ⬇️️:

Website: https://www.bluesensedigital.com.au/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/bluesensedigital/

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/blue-sense-digital/

#googleads #facebookads #digitalmarketing #ecommercetips #shopify

Scott and Nathan sit down with Angus from MKTG to make clear predictions for eCommerce in 2026.

Key themes discussed:
• Why organic content will be more important than paid in 2026
• The real role of influencers versus in house creators
• Why AI lowers the floor but does not raise the ceiling
• What happens to agencies as media buying gets commoditised
• When in house teams make sense and when they do not
• Why finance led marketing is still rare and still a moat
• Which brands will win and which will struggle next year
• Why retail, community, and real world experiences are coming back

We also dig into hiring mistakes, ego driven decisions, why most founders struggle to recruit great talent, and how the best brands blend agencies, in house teams, and external perspective rather than picking sides.

If you're scaling a 7, 8, or 9 figure brand and thinking about where to focus in 2026, this episode lays out the reality without the hype.

⸻

Get the latest updates, best practices, and PROVEN eCommerce strategies every day. Subscribe here: ‪@bluesensedigital‬

⸻

Blue Sense is a global eCommerce consulting firm that partners with founders & operators to tackle their biggest growth challenges.

Our YouTube channel is dedicated to sharing our most effective marketing strategies to help you achieve your business goals.

⸻

If you’re an 8 or 9 figure retailer looking for deeper creative insight or performance insight grounded in real finance reach out today.

⬇️️ You can find us here ⬇️️:
Website: https://www.bluesensedigital.com.au/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/bluesensedigital/
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/blue-sense-digital/

Find Angus here:
Website: https://www.mktgemails.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anguscowan/
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/mktg-emails/

#googleads #facebookads #digitalmarketing #ecommercetips #shopify

In this episode, Scott and Nathan unpack why Q1 feels so difficult and how brands can create momentum instead of blaming seasonality.

We cover:

• Why demand drops and returns spike after Black Friday

• Messaging and offers that work when customers feel wallet fatigue

• How to use Q1 as the highest-signal creative testing window

• Media buying shifts that rebuild the funnel for Feb and March

• How simple product launches or campaigns can create artificial revenue peaks

A fast overview of how to plan Q1 with stronger creative, better forecasting and a marketing calendar that doesn’t rely on constant discounting.

Links:

Website: https://www.bluesensedigital.com.au/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/bluesensedigital/

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/blue-sense-digital/