Elyse Burack

Q&A with Elyse

This Q&A reflects Elyse's time as Head of Integrated Marketing & Brand at Boxed. Currently, Elyse is Head of Consumer Marketing at Capsule.

Elyse Burack was formerly Head of Integrated Marketing & Brand at Boxed in New York. After earning a degree in psychology, Elyse began applying her knowledge of how the human mind works to mobile marketing, where her ability to truly get into the mindset of prospective customers has driven her success.

How did you get into mobile marketing?

I started my career on the agency side of marketing and was most excited by technology clients. When I went to make the switch to in-house marketing I knew that I wanted to work for a fast growing startup that was mobile-first.

What do you like most about mobile marketing?

I like being at the forefront of where marketing and where eCommerce is headed.

How do you stay ahead of changes in technology?

While it is really important to read as much industry news and information as possible, the best way to stay on top of changing technology is to constantly talk with others in the space.

What is your biggest challenge in marketing the Boxed app?

The biggest challenge is that there is a lot of noise in the marketplace and consumers don't want to be bombarded by advertising. It's extremely important to be thoughtful in terms of using the best channels to reach high quality users and to be focused in terms of which acquisition channels we utilize.

What does a quality mobile user look like to Boxed?

A quality mobile user is someone who wants to stock up on items for their home or office and builds a cart to do so. The more that users "walk through the aisles," the more value they see in Boxed and the more likely they will come back on a consistent basis.

How important is diversifying user acquisition outside of Facebook?

It is important to be diversified across channels the same way it is important to be diversified with investing. There are so many factors that can go into the ups and downs of performance and it is never smart to have all your eggs in one basket. 

Additionally, different types of customers come from different channels. It is important to diversify channels so that you can test the LTV of customers coming in from one channel in comparison to another. While one channel might be great in the short term in terms of getting customers in the door, another might be a better long term investment to get the right types of customers.

What are your top 3 tips for marketing a mobile app?

Many people are very selective about how many apps they will download and have a wall up that isn't necessarily there for websites or brick and mortar. Therefore, my number one tip is to be as direct and concise as possible in articulating the app's value proposition and why this app will make a difference in the customer's life. My second tip is to be open to testing as there are constantly new platforms being introduced and you never know what could resonate with customers unless you try. Third is to be nimble - if something isn't working, be quick to change things, whether it is creative, targeting, bidding, etc.

What will be the next big thing in mobile marketing?

I think we have only scratched the surface of using location based mobile marketing. It is incredibly powerful to know what your customers are doing in real-time and how they are interacting with other brands and products.