eCommerce Agency Partner: What Established Brands Should Expect, With Nick Mandicos
The agency that helped your eCommerce brand grow isn’t always the one that will take it to the next stage. Ideas run dry, reports land without recommendations, and every channel seems to be chasing a different goal. Over time, the partnership becomes about managing activity instead of driving growth.
Nick Mandicos has spent more than 15 years on the agency side of that equation, inside some of Australia’s leading agencies. He has partnered with brands including Mitre 10, JBL, Bevilles, Windsor Smith, Autobarn, Acer, Hairhouse and Starbucks, and now joins LION Digital as Global Director of Client Success, leading client success for our eCommerce clients globally.
We sat down with Nick to talk about the signs a brand has outgrown its agency, how to get in-house teams and multiple agencies pulling in the same direction, and the one mistake he sees eCommerce brands make again and again.
It’s also a reminder of what makes eCommerce such an exciting space to work in. It moves fast, every decision can be measured, and the results show up in real sales. For Nick, that’s exactly the appeal: no more guesswork, just clear data and the chance to turn it into growth.
What first drew you to digital marketing?
I was first drawn to digital marketing through a redundancy in the print media industry. Recognising there was a major market shift, I found myself at an agency and fell in love with the impact you can have through the data that was available. No more finger in the air, hoping that readership and distribution would deliver a result.
Why LION, and what does the Global Director of Client Success role mean to you?
I was drawn to LION because of its eCommerce expertise. The team on the tools, the leadership structure and the company vision all resonated with me.
To me, the role means I have a responsibility to every one of our clients around the globe: that they get the outcome they’re paying us for. As a team of marketers, we should always be innovating the way we work and the systems we use, and striving for operational excellence.
What are the signs a brand has outgrown its eCommerce agency?
The typical sign is a lack of ideas or proactivity in the tactics being deployed. It’s unreasonable to expect growth upon growth forever, because there are so many factors that can’t be controlled. But the job of an agency partner is to understand your customer and uncover new ways to attract them. That only happens when there’s freedom (and effort) to innovate.
How do you get in-house teams and multiple agencies pulling in the same direction?
The saying “you should never have two bulls in a paddock” applies in most cases. Alignment to goals and, importantly, good business ethics should keep these professional relationships intact, even when objectives conflict.
When multiple agencies work with a client, there should be professional courtesy layered with accountability. It’s okay to call out poor performance, provided your own performance is stellar.
Internal teams matter just as much. Their KPIs and performance can often be affected by the metrics we’re focusing on. Understanding those KPIs and having a positive influence on them is what drives client tenure and brand advocacy.
What can established brands learn from national retailers?
Get personal! Generic, catch-all, broad-stroke approaches can give you short-term wins. The more your marketing is tailored to specific customer segments, the greater the chance that your targeting, messaging, creative and offers hit the mark.
So build your customer avatars, understand your ideal customer profile and segment your database to align with your customers.
What does turning data into decisions look like in practice?
This is the most vital aspect of the partnership. When you are able to bridge the gap between the data reported on and the commercial outcomes this data provides, you have a significant impact on a business. Understand the full customer journey, know the margins, stock levels and planned catalogue in advance so you can make the right moves at the right time.
What’s the one mistake you see eCommerce brands make again and again?
Not scaling budgets when the data says we should. Failing to capitalise on market demand and not being agile with campaign adjustments leads to mediocre results.
What are you most excited to build at LION?
Cutting-edge campaign strategies that deliver long-term results and sustained growth, using every tool at our disposal to build efficiencies into the way we manage our clients’ digital marketing. For me, that starts with the tools and reporting behind the work. When clients can clearly see what’s driving results, the team can make smarter calls and move faster.
Proven eCommerce Results Start Here
If your brand has plenty of data but not enough clarity, or you feel you’ve outgrown your current agency, Nick and the LION team can help you turn insight into growth.
Get in touch to book a call with Nick now.