In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Chief Executive Officer of Custom Box Agency, Mark Stern. Mark Stern and his team at Custom Box Agency have mastered the art of enhancing the customer journey. They believe you can unlock a world of possibilities by genuinely understanding the path you ask your customers to take. From accelerating results to introducing new monetization strategies, the focus is optimizing every step of the experience. Mark shared an intriguing strategy involving a concept called "collection." By creating a series of boxes that customers receive over time, you can encourage continued engagement and create a sense of anticipation. This approach is inspired by the success of initiatives like the Spartan Race, where participants are motivated to complete a series of challenges to collect all parts of a medal Mark mentioned his work with Joey Coleman, author of "Never Lose a Customer Again," highlighting the importance of clarity in the customer journey. By dissecting a client's offerings, Custom Box Agency ensures a clear and compelling pathway for customers, which has led to significant impacts for their clients, particularly in the print-on-demand space. Key Points from the Episode:Importance of understanding the customer journeyCustom Box Agency's approach to optimizing the customer journeyThe role of physical experiences in a digital ageThree core objectives for businesses: acquisition, delivery, and retentionComponents of a custom box experience: welcome note, getting started guide, dedicated journey map, and additional tools for successEliminating friction points in the customer journeyUsing custom boxes as activation and retention tools About Mark Stern:Mark Stern is the entrepreneurial mind behind the Custom Box Agency, a pioneering experience design firm dedicated to transforming the customer journey through innovative direct mail solutions. Celebrated in Forbes as a transformative figure in the Next 1,000 Entrepreneurs, Stern's work is symbolic of a new American Dream.  Mark's insights into employee retention were highlighted in Joey Coleman's Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Never Lose an Employee Again. Before his entrepreneurial journey, Stern excelled as a strategy consultant at Deloitte Consulting, the globe's premier consulting entity. An alumnus of Duke University, he holds an MBA.  Beyond his professional achievements, Stern is a fitness enthusiast, a five-time Spartan Trifecta achiever, and a mentor at South-by-Southwest Start-up events. His passions extend to being a lifelong fan of tacos and BBQ. Stern makes his home in Austin, Texas, where he continues to innovate and inspire. About Custom Box Agency:Custom Box Agency stands out in marketing and customer engagement by masterfully integrating three key elements: Acquisition, Engagement, and Monetization. Unlike typical swag shops that focus solely on customer acquisition or jump directly to monetization, Custom Box Agency emphasizes the critical role of engagement in driving customer success. Their distinctive approach involves a thorough discovery and planning process, ensuring that each custom box not only delights recipients but also aligns with and advances the client's strategic objectives. Clients of Custom Box Agency have reported remarkable outcomes, including sales increases of over 200%, by leveraging the strategically designed tools included in each box. This success is attributed to the agency's ability to create an engaging and meaningful customer experience, providing valuable content and solutions that foster growth. By addressing and...