E-commerce Strategies to Scale Amazon Success | Ruben Alikhanyan from PAS Agency

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully show your value proposition and support visitors in their buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments with relevant micro-experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more. Stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add Pathmonk to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us on pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Ruben from PAS Agency with us. How are you doing today, Ruben?

Ruben Alikhanyan: Hey, I’m doing great and thank you for the introduction. Thank you.

Ernesto: It’s great to have you on. I’m sure our listeners are tuning in, wondering what PAS is all about. And we’ll just let them know it’s Professional Amazon Services. But Ruben, in your own words, tell us a little bit more.

Ruben: Yes, you’re right. It is PAS, Professional Amazon Services. Our company provides business management and marketing solutions for online brands and also brands that want to branch into online sales. We primarily focus on e-marketplaces such as Amazon, but we’ve also been branching out into Walmart and other marketplaces that require similar services.

Ernesto: Okay, perfect. Awesome. So now our listeners have a good understanding of your company. Ruben, what would you say is the key problem that you guys like to solve for clients?

Ruben: Of course, great question because there are so many. When it comes to launching a brand on Amazon or, in some cases, scaling a brand on Amazon, it’s not just one thing or one solution that will get you there. It’s also not a one-size-fits-all service. We operate more as a remote eCommerce department, which has been my profession for many, many years. Imagine having an eCommerce department on your team, but if you don’t have one, we’re the department that stays on top of various problems, including marketing, PPC (pay-per-click advertising), catalog management, and SEO. For companies that deal with distribution, wholesale, and B2B that want to move into B2C, we help manage their large catalogs, merchandising, and listing optimization. Amazon, being a giant algorithm, needs SEO-optimized listings to help rank better. We also have an in-house graphic design team to optimize listing pages, A+ content, and A+ premium. Those creative elements on an Amazon detail page are critical for conversions. So, in a nutshell, we provide every service needed for a brand to launch and thrive on Amazon or Walmart marketplaces.

Ernesto: Great to hear that. So, you’ve already mentioned that your ideal clients are brands on Amazon, but is there a particular ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) you like to focus on?

Ruben: Well, we work with a wide variety of categories, but we’ve seen a lot of success with brands in the toy and gaming categories, which is one of our top categories at the moment. That’s where we’ve been most successful, but there are also other categories, like kitchen, beauty, supplements, and clothing. Each category requires different marketing strategies and tactics to scale successfully on Amazon. So, to answer your question, we are full-service but do have a strong focus on toys and gaming.

Ernesto: Okay, great. So, how would someone usually find out about PAS? Is there a top client acquisition channel for you?

Ruben: Yes, word of mouth has been our primary acquisition and growth engine for the last couple of years. We’ve been fortunate to provide a service that clients recommend to others, which has helped us grow. Aside from that, I’ve been very active on LinkedIn since 2021, sharing tips and insights about eCommerce. I’ve been in the space for over ten years, and for a long time, I didn’t realize how valuable the knowledge I had was to others. But once I did, I started posting more, and that drove attention. This year, we’ve also started strong outbound lead generation using various advertising platforms. I also like to attend industry expos and events, where I speak about eCommerce. For example, I’ll be in Istanbul, Turkey, in June as a speaker on US eCommerce and hosting a short masterclass.

Ernesto: Interesting. So, for our listeners who are tuned in, they can check you out at PASagency.com. Ruben, what role does the website play in client acquisition?

Ruben: The biggest role of the website is to showcase who we are and what we do. There are many agencies out there that specialize in different aspects—some focus on marketing and advertising, others on creative design—but we offer a full-service package. We want our future partners to understand what sets us apart and the comprehensive services we offer. We also provide educational content to help brands understand why they need SEO or creative updates. It’s important for us that our prospects know why these services matter and how we can help.

Ernesto: Definitely. So on that note, Ruben, do you have any tools, tips, or methods you’d recommend to our listeners for website lead generation?

Ruben: Well, one tool I’ve heard of, though I haven’t personally used it yet, is the lead magnet approach. A lead magnet is useful information that you provide to potential audiences in the form of a downloadable resource, like an eBook or guide. In exchange for the download, they leave their contact information, creating a lead for you. It’s a great way to offer value while also building a lead database.

Ernesto: Great, thank you for sharing that knowledge. Now, let’s switch gears and talk about you as a leader. Being the founder of PAS, what are some key tasks you focus on in your day-to-day work?

Ruben: As a leader, my role and responsibilities have evolved over time. In the beginning, I was very hands-on with accounts and solving client problems. Now, I focus more on working on the organization, particularly on growing the sales side. I still handle some top-tier clients that we’ve had since day one. I cherish those relationships and stay very knowledgeable about their accounts. But day-to-day, I make sure operations are running smoothly and that I’m doing something every day to help grow sales. Sales growth is my top priority now, aside from the day-to-day tasks, like managing emails and staying hands-on when needed.

Ernesto: Definitely. You mentioned always looking for ways to grow sales. Is there a preferred channel you like to stay up to date with for news, strategies, or trends in the marketing world?

Ruben: LinkedIn is my go-to for that. There are a lot of great experts in the field sharing valuable information, and I enjoy seeing different perspectives on trends. I’m also signed up for various newsletters and blogs, but LinkedIn is where I spend the most time staying informed.

Ernesto: Thanks for sharing that. Now, let’s jump into our rapid-fire question round. Are you ready? First up, what’s the last book you read?

Ruben: The last book I read was Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. It’s a great read on leadership and marketing, and I love the concept of finding your “why” to drive your actions.

Ernesto: Great recommendation. Are you more into audiobooks?

Ruben: Yes, I do prefer audiobooks over reading physical books. It fits better into my routine.

Ernesto: Awesome. Next up, what is one single thing your company is focused on at the moment?

Ruben: Right now, we’re focused on improving our SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). While sales growth is important, without strong SOPs, everything could crumble. We had SOPs that worked for the company a year ago, but as we’ve grown, we need to update them to match where we are today. So, working closely with our Director of Operations, we’re making sure our SOPs are up to standard.

Ernesto: Very important. Now, if there were no boundaries in technology, what would be the one thing you’d want to fix for your role as a marketer today?

Ruben: I’d love to eliminate the middle of the funnel and get directly to the customer. In our space, it’s difficult because we offer services, not physical products, so a streamlined “one-click” service purchase would be amazing.

Ernesto: That would be interesting! Now, if there’s one repetitive task you could automate, what would it be?

Ruben: We do weekly updates for our clients, which are currently done manually by the team. Automating that process would save time and ensure consistency.

Ernesto: Makes sense. Lastly, with over 10 years of experience in marketing, what’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself if you were restarting your journey?

Ruben: Be more confident in myself. I doubted myself a lot more than I needed to, and it delayed my progress. So, my advice would be to doubt yourself less and trust your abilities. The most important thing is to take action and move forward.

Ernesto: Great advice, Ruben. Well, we’re coming to the end of our show today. But before we wrap up, what’s the one thing you want our listeners to remember about PAS?

Ruben: That we are a full-service marketing and business management agency. Our name, Professional Amazon Services, says it all. We’re a remote eCommerce department that provides comprehensive support for brands.

Ernesto: Awesome. You guys heard it—check them out at PASagency.com, your detached eCommerce department. Ruben, thank you so much for being on with us today, and to our listeners, thank you for tuning in. I look forward to our next episode on Pathmonk Presents.

Ruben: Take care. Thank you very much.