On November 12, Subscription Sessions:Get ahead of what’s next, reunited professionals from leading brands like AllTrails, Beatport, CNBC, Worldpay, Avalara, and more to discuss the latest trends and innovations driving the future of subscriptions. 

Watch the event on-demand now, or keep reading to get the highlights of the event.

What’s next: The future of subscriptions

We kicked-off the event with an enlightening discussion about the subscription industry. Dylan Hoeffler, Recurly's Vice President of Product Marketing, and Niraj Naik, Recurly’s Vice President of Product Management, shared emerging industry trends: 

  • The shift to retention: Brands are now focusing their attention on keeping existing customers. The future of subscription businesses will be determined by those leading the way in fostering lifetime value, personalization, and innovation.

  • The role of personalization: When subscribers resonate with certain content or products, it enhances their connectedness with a brand. Personalized journeys provide insightful clues on customer preferences, allowing brands to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

  • The power of hybrid experiences: In an era rapidly turning digital, companies must meet subscribers where they are. Blending online and offline experiences is  the essence of a holistic consumer journey.

Watch the full session here.

Convenience, value, and personalization are key to a seamless subscriber experience. Subscribers cherish effortless sign-ups, smooth billing processes, and easy access to products. However, delivering value at scale can be challenging.  

Niraj Naik suggests the application of a composable commerce approach as a solution, which allows businesses to cherry-pick the fitting solutions for their operations. Plus, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance decision-making and business productivity.

Straight from the source: What subscribers really want

How does the digital consumer think? What buckets are their subscriptions falling into, and what triggers them to evaluate the list? These, and more questions, were addressed in a vibrant conversation led by Mary Rosberg, VP Growth Evangelist at Recurly.

Joining the panel was: 

  • Mallory, a Data Scientist with a passion for art from Northern England

  • Lauren, an administrative coordinator at the Texas A&M University School of Medicine

  • Robin, a Fractional Chief Revenue Officer and avid traveler based in London 

  • Elliot, a padel aficionado who works at a tech startup in the advertising industry

When asked about their favorite subscriptions, panelists offered diverse responses, ranging from storage to fitness-tracking apps— but the key to subscribe was convenience and exclusive content. Lauren mentioned Christmas and New Year’s is when she vets the services she hasn't used as much, while Mallory keeps a close eye on her subscriptions right after being charged, assessing if they provided value in the previous time frame.

Watch the full session here.

Moving on to the must-haves and nice-haves, Elliot mentioned payment and billing  personalization. Robin highlighted the effectiveness of speaking to human customer support, considering it as an essential facet of user satisfaction. Lauren pointed out that reading reviews extensively before subscribing helped her gauge the value proposition.

From acquisition to adoption: Driving subscriber engagement

During our next session, Sarah McCredie, Recurly’s Director of Product Marketing - Segment, led an exciting panel about strategies for user engagement, retention, and conversion. Joining the stage were: 

  • Danny Peterson, Sr. Director, Direct to Consumer Marketing at CNBC

  • Tammi Miller, Director of Lifecycle Marketing at AllTrails

  • Dhruv Sondhi, Director of Subscription Growth at Beatport

Our industry leaders shared their expertise on  how to ensure a seamless experience across platforms. It all starts within the first few days, and how it influences engagement. The experts discussed actions aimed at helping users find value faster—such as creating watch lists, integrating portfolios, or even registration walls and personalized content to drive engagement during onboarding.

Beatport is focused on attracting the right subscribers. Distinguishing their target audience into established and beginner DJs, they offer diverse plans and features to appeal to their needs. Like AllTrails, they use techniques such as in-app messaging, emails, and push notifications to guide their customers through the journey.

Watch the full session here.

AllTrails and CNBC emphasized simplification and personalization. By prioritizing key actions, AllTrails revamped their onboarding process, leading to a 25% increase in conversions. CNBC successfully integrated personalization into their strategy, encouraging users to adopt features leading to subscriptions.

The complexity of pricing was another key issue discussed—emphasizing transparency on price changes to maintain the brand's trustworthiness. Keeping the messaging and empathy consistent throughout the subscriber journey was stressed, including in dunning emails.

Going global: How to expand into new markets

We finished the day with an interesting conversation about global expansion. Stephanie Johnson, Recurly’s Director of Global ABM, reunited with: 

  • Daniela Aguiar, Sr. Director Partnerships Technology and Operations at London Business School

  • Riley Macdonald, Director of Strategic Expansion at Worldpay

  • Jayme Fishman, EVP, Chief Strategy and Product Officer at Avalara

The group discussed  the complexity of international growth, and how businesses can equip themselves  to thrive. 

Jayme Fishman touched upon the importance of tax regulations, exemptions, and reporting requirements that vary across countries. He emphasized that ensuring customer data privacy—like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union—must be mandatory.

Riley Macdonald remarked on the importance of localizing operations, highlighting the need for tangible local representation and providing local language support. She stressed the significance of tailoring content and brand identity to each region and addressing the potential challenges stemming from data localization requirements.

Watch the full session here.

Taking the conversation forward, Daniela Aguiar highlighted the importance of having local knowledge and tools in place. Aguiar underscored the significance of being adaptable and agile to the changing methods of payments and regulations. She insisted on understanding the market, questioning one's assumptions, and developing a strong business case. 

Get more insights and future-proofing strategies

As the market gets more crowded and customers more discerning, subscription businesses must seek new ways to stay competitive. All the experts agree that personalization is key to driving lifecycle value—locally and globally. 

Get all the insights and best practices you need  to refine your growth plans and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.