In this episode, we’re joined by James from Boring Marketing to dig into how smart DTC marketers are actually using AI - not just to move faster, but to build more efficient systems and workflows.

We talk about how AI can support content systems and internal processes, the difference between prompting and system-building, and why using AI just to generate content won’t drive results on its own. James shares how he’s using MCPs to improve creative output, how agents differ from real workflows today, and how to get more out of your team by designing AI to work alongside them.

James also walks us through how he’s thinking about building repeatable content frameworks using AI, and later breaks down a Shopify product page to show how vague, vibe-based copy, often the result of poor AI implementation, can fall flat.

To wrap up, James shares his take on what the biggest implementation of AI in the second half of 2025 will be, and what marketers should be paying attention to now.

Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠.

00:00 Introduction

04:33 The Evolution of Boring Marketer

08:41 Understanding Agents vs. Workflows

12:50 The Year of Efficiency in AI

17:40 Getting Started with AI Workflows

21:27 Research and Analysis with AI

28:46 Vibe Coding vs. Traditional Automation

36:25 Tactical Approaches to Creative Generation

42:32 Scraping Ads and Analyzing Competitors

46:19 Building a Unique Marketing Brief

48:16 Learning to Use AI Tools Effectively

50:08 The Future of AI in Marketing

58:59 Creating a Brand Analysis

01:01:00 The Future of AI Tools in E-commerce

01:05:09 Closing the Loop with AI Workflows

01:11:31 Building a Shopify Site with AI

01:22:45 The Future of Media Buying with AI

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Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

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In ecommerce marketing today, acquisition costs are rising, tariffs are up, and growth is harder to come by, which means DTC brands are under pressure to do more with leaner teams. That got us thinking about where are marketers - and our teams - wasting time, and how can we work more efficiently without sacrificing performance?

In this episode, we break down the marketing workflows, habits, and internal processes that slow teams down and drain resources, from spending too long refining content that should’ve shipped, to full landing page redesigns, creative testing that never scales, and attribution deep dives that don’t lead to action.

We also talk about how to run a lean marketing team without losing output, where DTC marketers tend to overcomplicate, and how to better prioritize what actually drives performance, and much more.

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

00:00 Kickoff and Prime Day Preparations

02:53 Marketing Strategies for Major Sales Events

05:45 Driving Traffic to Amazon: Strategies and Insights

09:07 The Importance of Attribution Links

11:54 Exploring Paid Traffic for Amazon

14:52 Wasting Time in E-commerce: Identifying Inefficiencies

17:54 The Balance of Ad Volume and Quality

21:11 Learning from Product Launches: Successes and Failures

23:46 The Role of Plain Text Emails in Retention

27:13 Leveraging Existing Products for New Launches

41:49 Wasting Time and High Leverage Attachments

48:29 Customer Service Tools and Efficiency

57:01 Evaluating SEO and Affiliate Marketing

01:01:08 Setting Clear Goals for Marketing Functions

01:04:32 Retail as a Growth Channel

01:10:40 Operationalizing Marketing Insights

01:18:49 The Interconnectedness of Digital and Retail Revenue

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⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Rivo.

https://www.rivo.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

This week, we’re talking AI creative, product page testing, and Shopify updates - plus, we’re joined by Steve Rekuc from Common Thread Collective who walks us through how he built the Spending Power metric at CTC, what it tells us about shifting consumer demand, and how brands can use it to adjust spend and planning month to month. We also dig into seasonality vs macro-driven variability, and why awareness of your environment is key to making smarter decisions.

We also discuss the viral Kalshi ad and discuss how we’re approaching AI tools for creative development, from visual quality to concept support. We also talk about recent PDP testing wins, what changed, and how to think about the structure of your product pages going into peak season.

Want to submit your own DTC or ecommerce marketing question? ⁠Click here⁠.

00:00 Introduction

02:57 Analytics Reporting and Year-Over-Year Comparisons

07:12 Data Warehousing and Shopify Analytics

10:54 AI in Marketing and Creative Strategies

16:53 Consumer Confidence and E-commerce Predictions

23:00 Insights from Common Thread Collective

34:20 Understanding Spending Power

37:14 Incrementality Testing for Marketing Efficiency

40:01 Seasonality and Brand Performance

43:41 Predicting Future Spending Power

46:59 Consumer Confidence and Spending Trends

49:47 Insights from Data for Brand Strategy

52:27 Iterating on Product Design and User Experience

Kalshi Ad: https://x.com/PJaccetturo/status/1932893260399456513

Steve's X Thread: https://x.com/RSteveData/status/1931107166792159711

Episode 64 with Dylan Anders:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/QJvj3z68rbE

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3iwer8FNwuwzDDnAV5X7JV?si=ab23e70a86404639

Powered by:

Motion.

⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdesc

Aftersell.

https://www.aftersell.com/operators

Haus.

http://Haus.io/operators

Subscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9

Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS

Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/