Top 5 Tips from Mark Stern

1. Embrace Physical Products in a Digital Age: Physical products, like custom boxes, offer a tangible way to connect with customers and stand out in a saturated digital market.
2. Understand Your Customer Journey: Customize experiences based on where the customer is in their journey—acquisition, delivery, or retention.
3. Leverage Augmented Reality: Enhance customer experiences with innovative tools like augmented reality, creating a more immersive and engaging product experience.
4. Focus on Strategy First: Before diving into design, spend time understanding your business strategy and how a physical product fits into that plan.
5. Build a Strong Team Culture: Ensure your team enjoys a balanced work life, which in turn contributes to the overall success of your business.

In-depth Insights

Mark Stern’s journey from corporate America to entrepreneurship is a testament to the power of strategic thinking and innovation. As the founder of Custom Box Agency, Mark has created a business that merges physical products with digital strategies, offering a unique way to engage customers. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the customer journey, whether it’s through acquisition, delivery, or retention.

One of Mark’s key insights is the potential of augmented reality (AR) in creating memorable unboxing experiences. For example, a recent project involved integrating AR with a physical box, allowing customers to unlock digital content through their smartphones. This blend of physical and digital creates an engaging experience that can significantly boost customer retention.

Additionally, Mark highlights the importance of building a team culture that values work-life balance. By ensuring his team is motivated and not overworked, Mark believes the overall business performance improves, resulting in better customer experiences.