Hey, it's Arik.

I want to share something with you that perfectly illustrates why I'm so bullish on the peptide space right now. We've been absolutely crushing it with peptide brands lately, and the results we're seeing are honestly insane.

This case study is from a peptide brand we've been working with, and what happened between February and March is a perfect example of what's possible when you get email marketing right in a high-growth industry.

In just 30 days, we increased their email revenue from $1.2M to $2.3M, a 92% increase. This was achieved by strategically optimizing both their automated flows and campaign strategy to create compound growth.

Let me walk you through exactly what we did and what you can learn from this, whether you're in peptides, supplements, or any other industry where customer education and retention matter.


The Starting Point: February Performance
In February, this brand was already doing well. $2.6M in total store revenue with $1.2M attributed to email marketing through Omnisend. That's about 46% of their total revenue coming from email, which is exactly where you want to be for a brand with strong customer relationships.

But when I looked at the breakdown, I saw a massive opportunity. Their automated flows were doing the heavy lifting, generating $1.1M (91.5% of email revenue) while campaigns were only contributing $109K (8.4% of email revenue).

This imbalance meant they had good products and strong customer relationships, but their campaign strategy wasn't maximizing the potential of their growing email list.

They had 57.8K email subscribers and 18.9K SMS subscribers, with healthy growth rates and low unsubscribe rates. The foundation was solid, we just needed to build on it strategically.

The Strategy: Flows and Campaigns Working Together
A lot of brands think that flows and campaigns are separate things. Flows handle automation, campaigns handle promotions, and never the two shall meet. But the best email strategies use flows and campaigns as a coordinated system.

Flows create the foundation of consistent revenue and customer education, while campaigns create spikes, test new messaging, and amplify what's working in the flows.

For this peptide brand, we focused on two main areas:

1. Optimizing the flow foundation: Even though flows were already performing well, we knew we could improve them. In the peptide space, customer education is crucial because people need to understand how to use the products, what to expect, and why consistency matters.

2. Scaling campaign strategy: The campaign performance told us there was huge untapped potential. With a growing list of engaged subscribers, we should have been able to drive much more revenue through strategic campaigns.


What We Actually Did
Flow Optimization:
A lot of their flows were already working, they just needed some restructuring, and some design and messaging upgrades.

We improved the welcome series to better educate new customers about compound usage depending on their category of interest.

We also added two new core flows that they were missing: a site abandonment (when someone visits the website but doesn’t start browsing), and the checkout abandonment (one of the most crucial flows in your set up to recover lost revenue).

Campaign Strategy:
This is where we made the biggest changes. We moved from sporadic promotional campaigns to a strategic campaign calendar that balanced education, social proof, and offers.

We created educational campaigns that taught subscribers about different peptides, we developed review spotlight campaigns to build social proof, and we implemented strategic promotional campaigns that created urgency around limited inventory or new product launches.

Most importantly, we segmented our campaigns based on customer behavior.


The Results: March Explosion
The March results speak for themselves. Total store revenue grew from $2.6M to $3.8M (46% increase), but the email performance was even more impressive.

Email revenue jumped from $1.2M to $2.3M, a 92% increase in just 30 days, and campaign revenue exploded from $109K to $486K, a 345% increase. We literally went from campaigns contributing 8.4% of email revenue to 20.3%.

Flow revenue grew from $1.1M to $1.9M, a 73% increase. Even though we focused heavily on campaigns, the flows continued to grow because more people were entering the funnels and the optimizations were working.

The audience growth was also impressive. Email subscribers grew from 57.8K to 74.2K (28% growth) and SMS subscribers grew from 18.9K to 32.3K (71% growth).

But what really tells the story is the order data. Email orders grew from 6,358 to 11,900, an 87% increase. We weren't just generating more revenue from the same customers; we were converting more people and converting them more frequently.


Why This Worked So Well
• Reason 1: We treated email as a complete system
Instead of optimizing flows and campaigns separately, we created a coordinated approach where each element supported the others. Campaigns drove people into flows, flows nurtured people for future campaigns, and both worked together to maximize lifetime value.

• Reason 2: We focused on education, not just promotion
In the peptide space, customer education is crucial. People need to understand the products and the reseach.

• Reason 3: We segmented based on behavior
Instead of sending the same campaigns to everyone, we segmented based on purchase history and engagement level. This made every message more relevant and effective.

• Reason 5: We balanced automation with human touch
While flows handled the consistent, predictable revenue, campaigns allowed us to respond to market opportunities, test new messaging, and create excitement around new products or limited offers.


The Compound Effect
What's really exciting about these results is the compound effect. The 92% growth in email revenue isn't just a one-month spike, it's building momentum for continued growth.

The larger email list (74.2K vs 57.8K) means more people entering the flows every day. The optimized flows mean higher lifetime value from each subscriber. The improved campaign strategy means more opportunities to drive revenue spikes and test new approaches.

This brand is now generating nearly $2.3M per month from email alone. At that scale, even small optimizations can have massive impact. A 10% improvement in flow performance is worth $190K per month. A successful campaign can generate $100K+ in a single send.

What This Means for Your Business
Whether you're in peptides, supplements, skincare, or any other industry where customer education and retention matter, there are specific lessons here you can apply:

1. Don't neglect campaigns if your flows are working well. Many brands get comfortable with flow revenue and don't invest in campaign strategy. But campaigns can dramatically amplify your results if done strategically.
2. Education-based campaigns often outperform promotional campaigns. Especially in industries where customers need to understand how to use products effectively, educational content builds trust and drives long-term value.
3. Segmentation is everything. The same message that converts a new customer might annoy a repeat customer. The more you can personalize based on behavior and purchase history, the better your results will be.
4. Social proof is incredibly powerful. Customer success stories and testimonials can overcome objections better than any sales copy you write.
5. Think systems, not tactics. The best email programs use flows and campaigns as a coordinated system where each element supports the others.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

Welcome back to Brand of the Month, where I spotlight brands that are absolutely crushing it and break down exactly what they're doing right so you can apply those lessons to your own business.

This month, I want to talk about a brand that took one of the most boring, commoditized product categories imaginable (cleaning supplies) and turned it into a £40 million business in just a few years.

I'm talking about Purdy & Figg.

If you haven't heard of them, they're the UK-based brand that's completely reimagined what cleaning products can be. They've grown 10,900% from £452K to £50M between 2021 and 2024, they're acquiring up to 9,000 new customers per month, and nearly 50% of their new customers subscribe to recurring deliveries.

But here's what makes their story so fascinating: they created an entirely new category that sits at the intersection of wellness, sustainability, and home care.

Let me show you exactly how they did it and what you can learn from their approach.


The Origin Story: From NHS Nurse to £40M Brand
Purdy & Figg started in 2018 when two best friends, Purdy Rubin, an NHS nurse, and Charlotte Figg, a horticulturist, began experimenting with chemical-free cleaning formulas in Rubin's garage.

Their motivation wasn't to build a business initially. They were frustrated with the toxic chemicals in conventional cleaners and the environmental impact of single-use plastic bottles. As a nurse, Purdy was particularly concerned about the health effects of the chemicals people were bringing into their homes every day.

They collaborated with chemist Dr. Anna Slastanova to develop formulas that could actually rival conventional brands in effectiveness while offering spa-like scents and complete sustainability. The key insight was that they didn't want to create "natural" products that didn't work, they wanted to create natural products that worked better than the conventional alternatives.

In 2019, Purdy's sons Charlie and Jack Rubin joined the business and transformed it from a garage operation into a digital-first, subscription-focused company. This shift to a subscription model became the foundation of everything that followed.

After some early success selling hand sanitizer during the pandemic (which boosted their visibility), they officially launched their hero product, Counter Clean, in early 2022. The rest, as they say, is history.


The Category Creation Strategy
Instead of trying to compete in the traditional cleaning products category, which is dominated by massive companies with huge marketing budgets, they created their own category entirely.

They positioned themselves not as a cleaning brand, but as a wellness brand that happens to make cleaning products. They turned cleaning from a chore into a spa-like ritual. Their tagline "Cleaning Is Jazz" perfectly captures this positioning: cleaning becomes something confident, stylish, and enjoyable rather than something you have to get through.

This category creation allowed them to avoid direct price competition with brands like Flash or Zoflora.


The Product Strategy: Simplicity and Focus
One of the most impressive things about Purdy & Figg is how they've achieved £40M in revenue with essentially two hero products: Counter Clean (all-purpose cleaner) and Bathroom Bliss (bathroom cleaner), plus their Oh! de Loo scented drops.

Instead of trying to have a product for every possible cleaning need, they focused on doing a few things exceptionally well. Counter Clean can replace up to 15 traditional cleaning products, which simplifies the customer's life while increasing the value proposition.

The "Bottles for Life" system is central to their model. Customers receive beautiful glass bottles that they keep forever, with concentrated refills delivered every 90 days. This creates several advantages:

• Environmental appeal: No single-use plastic, concentrated formulas reduce shipping impact
• Aesthetic appeal: The glass bottles are beautiful enough to display, turning functional products into home décor
• Economic appeal: The refill system is more cost-effective than buying new bottles constantly
• Subscription foundation: The refill cycle naturally creates recurring revenue

The product quality is genuinely superior to conventional alternatives. They use 100% plant-based formulas with pure essential oils (not synthetic fragrances), they're pH-neutral and non-toxic, and they're made in the UK under strict regulations.


The Subscription Model That Prints Money
Nearly 50% of new customers subscribe, which is exceptionally high for e-commerce. Most brands struggle to get even 10-15% of customers to subscribe.

Their 90-day refill cycle is perfectly calibrated. It's long enough that customers don't feel overwhelmed by frequent deliveries, but short enough to maintain engagement and prevent churn. The concentrated formulas last exactly 90 days with normal use, so customers run out right when their next delivery arrives.

The pricing strategy is brilliant. They offer deep discounts on starter kits (sometimes 65% off) to drive subscription acquisition. For example, their Signature Starter Kit is £19.95 (originally £57.00). They're willing to lose money or break even on the first purchase because they know the lifetime value of a subscriber is much higher than a one-time buyer.

The flexibility they offer actually increases retention rather than decreasing it. Customers can pause, skip, or cancel anytime, which removes the feeling of being trapped. When people feel in control of their subscription, they're more likely to stay subscribed long-term.


The Marketing Strategy That Drove 10,900% Growth
Purdy & Figg's marketing approach is a masterclass in modern brand building. They've grown primarily through influencer marketing and social media rather than traditional advertising.

Social Media:
They have over 300,000 TikTok followers with 3.6M likes, plus strong presences on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Their content strategy focuses on cleaning hacks, refill demonstrations, eco-tips, and aesthetic "cleaning as ritual" content.

💡 The key insight is that they show a lifestyle. Their content makes cleaning look enjoyable, meditative, and aesthetically pleasing.

Influencer Strategy:
They work with 50+ macro influencers per month, but their real success comes from micro-influencer seeding campaigns. They've run 27 micro-influencer seeding campaigns that focus on authentic content over polished ads.

Agency Partnerships:
They work with Kynship for influencer marketing and Aspire for paid advertising. These partnerships have delivered incredible results:

61% reduction in customer acquisition cost
772% increase in new customer revenue
555% Meta revenue growth in 60 days
78% ROAS increase in 60 days


What Makes Them Different: The Superpowers
Superpower #1: Wellness-Cleaning Intersection
They created the "wellness cleaning" category. This allows premium positioning and avoids price competition.

Superpower #2: Authentic Founder Story
Created by an NHS nurse and horticulturist (not a corporate entity), now run by a family with genuine commitment to health and sustainability.

Superpower #3: Product Quality and Experience
The products actually work better than conventional alternatives while offering a spa-like experience.

Superpower #4: Subscription Economics
Nearly 50% subscription rate on new customers creates predictable recurring revenue and high lifetime value.

Superpower #5: Aesthetic Differentiation
In a category dominated by ugly plastic bottles, their beautiful glass "Bottles for Life" create clear visual differentiation and make the products displayable.

Superpower #6: Lean Operations
They've scaled to £40M with minimal outside funding (just £2M angel round) and only 50 employees. This shows exceptional unit economics and operational efficiency.


The Distribution Strategy
Purdy & Figg has deliberately avoided mass retail, focusing instead on direct-to-consumer sales through their website. This decision has several strategic advantages:

1. Higher margins: No retail markup means they keep more of each sale
2. Brand control: They control the entire customer experience from discovery to delivery
3. Subscription focus: Retail doesn't support their subscription model
4. Premium positioning: Avoiding mass retail helps maintain their premium brand image

This DTC-first approach has allowed them to build direct relationships with customers and optimize their subscription model without the constraints of retail partnerships.

What You Can Learn From Purdy & Figg

Lesson 1: Create Your Own Category
Instead of competing in an existing category, create a new one where you can set the rules.

Lesson 2: Subscription-First from Day One
Build your entire business model around subscriptions rather than adding them as an afterthought.

Lesson 3: Simplicity in Product Line
Focus on doing a few things exceptionally well rather than trying to serve every possible need.

Lesson 4: Aesthetics as Strategy
Beautiful packaging isn't just nice-to-have, it's a competitive advantage.

Lesson 5: Influencer Marketing Over Traditional Advertising
Their growth was driven primarily by micro-influencer seeding, not traditional advertising. This created more authentic awareness and better unit economics.

Lesson 6: Quality as Foundation
You can't build a sustainable brand on marketing alone, the product has to deliver on the promise.

Lesson 7: Lean Scaling
You don't always need massive funding to scale rapidly.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

I want to walk you through something we did recently for a skincare brand that perfectly illustrates why Google Ads performance is all about smart spending.

This brand came to us already running Google Ads and generating sales. They weren't starting from zero, which is actually a common situation. Most brands we work with have some version of Google Ads running, but they know it could be performing better and they're not sure exactly what needs to change.

Their challenge was that their account structure was holding them back from scaling profitably. They were getting results, but there was so much wasted spend and missed opportunity buried in the account that their true potential was completely hidden.

In just 30 days, we took their return on ad spend from 2.56x to 3.16x while actually increasing their revenue by 39%. Let me show you exactly how we did it and what you can learn from this, whether you're running Google Ads for skincare products or anything else.


The Starting Point: Good But Not Great
When we first audited this account, everything looked fine on the surface. They were spending money, getting conversions, and the ROAS wasn't terrible. But after digging deeper, there were inefficiencies everywhere.

Their branded search campaign (the ads that show up when someone searches for their brand name specifically) was cluttered with unnecessary keywords. They were bidding on variations and related terms that didn't need to be there, which was diluting their budget and making the campaign harder to manage.

Their shopping campaigns were all over the place. They were promoting every single product equally, even though some products converted way better than others. This meant they were spending money showing ads for products that rarely sold while underinvesting in their bestsellers.

The Performance Max campaigns, which are Google's automated campaign type, were also promoting underperforming products. These campaigns use machine learning to find customers, but if you feed them bad data by including products that don't convert well, the algorithm learns the wrong patterns.

None of these issues were catastrophic on their own, but together they were creating a situation where a significant portion of their ad spend was essentially wasted. The account was working, but it was working way harder than it needed to for the results it was getting.


The Strategy: Structure Before Scale
Our approach was based on a simple principle: you can't scale what isn't efficient. Before we even thought about increasing spend, we needed to fix the foundation.

We started with their branded search campaign because this is usually the highest-converting, lowest-cost traffic you can get. When someone searches for your brand name, they already know who you are and they're actively looking for you. Your job is just to make sure you show up and capture that intent.

We stripped out all the unnecessary keywords and focused only on their core brand terms using exact and phrase match. This meant we were only showing ads for searches that were clearly about their brand, not tangentially related terms that might include their brand name but weren't actually brand searches.

Then we changed the bidding strategy from manual cost-per-click to target impression share at 95%. This tells Google to bid whatever it takes to show up in the top positions for these branded searches 95% of the time. It sounds aggressive, but for branded terms it makes sense because you don't want to lose that traffic to competitors or let people click on organic results when you could be controlling the message with your ad.


Shopping Campaign Consolidation
The shopping campaigns required more work because there were multiple campaigns running with overlapping products and no clear strategy about which products should get priority.

We consolidated everything into a cleaner structure and then made some hard decisions about which products to promote. Not every product in your catalog deserves equal ad spend, and pretending they do is just burning money.

We excluded the underperforming products entirely from the main shopping campaigns. These were items that either had low conversion rates, low margins, or just weren't moving despite getting traffic. Instead of continuing to spend money promoting them, we focused the budget on products that we knew converted well.

We also implemented something called a branded shopping script. This automatically identifies and removes search terms from the branded shopping campaign that don't include the brand name. The reason this matters is that you want to keep branded and non-branded traffic separate because they behave completely differently and should be optimized differently.

When someone searches for your brand name and clicks a shopping ad, they're much more likely to convert than someone who just searched for "moisturizer" and happened to see your ad. If you mix these together, you can't optimize properly for either one.


Performance Max Optimization
Performance Max campaigns are interesting because they're highly automated, which can be great or terrible depending on how you set them up. Google's algorithm will try to find customers for you, but it needs good data to learn from.

We had two Performance Max campaigns running: one focused on new customer acquisition and one catch-all campaign for everyone else. The new customer campaign was promoting some products that just weren't working for first-time buyers, so we removed those and let the campaign focus on products that actually converted well with new customers.

The catch-all campaign stayed broad to make sure we weren't missing any opportunities, but we gave it clear signals about what success looked like by assigning specific conversion actions and audience targeting.


The Ongoing Optimization Process
Beyond the structural changes, we implemented several ongoing optimization practices that most brands skip because they seem tedious. But this is where a lot of the performance improvement actually comes from.

Every week, we went through the search terms report to see what people were actually typing when they saw our ads. This is crucial because Google's keyword matching isn't perfect, and you'll often find that your ads are showing up for completely irrelevant searches. We systematically added these as negative keywords to prevent wasted spend.

We structured keywords according to intent and where people were in their buying journey. Someone searching for "best anti-aging serum" is in research mode and needs different messaging than someone searching for "buy retinol serum online" who's ready to purchase. We created separate campaigns and ad groups to match these different intent levels.

We also layered in audience targeting using data from Triple Whale, which tracks new versus returning customers. This let us bid more aggressively for new customer acquisition in campaigns where that was the goal, and adjust bids for returning customers in campaigns focused on repeat purchases.

Throughout all of this, we were constantly excluding things that weren't working—underperforming products, locations where we weren't seeing good results, keywords that were eating budget without converting. It's not exciting work, but it's what actually moves the needle.


The Results: What Actually Changed
Let me show you what happened when we compared the month after our optimizations to the month before.

• Ad Spend: Increased by 12.5% from $16,690.65 to $18,778.75
• Ad Generated Revenue: Increased by 39% from $42,723.08 to $59,377.21
• Conversions: Increased by 42.5% from 555 to 791
• ROAS: Improved from 2.56x to 3.16x
• CPA: Decreased by 21.1% from $30.07 to $23.74
• New Customer ROAS: Improved from 1.69x to 2.47x


Why This Matters for Your Business
Whether you're selling skincare products or something completely different, the principles here apply universally.

Most Google Ads accounts have the same fundamental issues this account had: cluttered campaign structures, products or keywords that shouldn't be getting budget, branded and non-branded traffic mixed together, and no systematic process for ongoing optimization.

The fix isn't complicated, but it does require discipline. You need to be willing to exclude things that aren't working, even if it feels like you're limiting your reach. You need to separate different types of traffic so you can optimize each one properly. And you need to consistently review performance and make adjustments rather than just letting campaigns run on autopilot.

The brands that do this work see results like what I just showed you. The ones that don't keep wondering why their Google Ads performance is mediocre despite spending significant money.

What You Can Do Right Now
If you're running Google Ads, here are some specific things you can check and potentially fix:

• Look at your branded search campaign. Are you bidding on your exact brand name with exact and phrase match, or do you have a bunch of broad match keywords that are triggering for all kinds of searches? Clean this up and make sure you're dominating your branded traffic.

• Review your shopping campaigns. Are you promoting every product equally, or are you focusing budget on your bestsellers? Exclude products that don't convert well and let your winners get more traffic.

• Check your search terms report from the last 30 days. You'll probably find searches that have nothing to do with your products. Add these as negative keywords to stop wasting money.

• Separate new customer acquisition from retention. These require different strategies and should be in different campaigns with different targeting and bidding.

• Set up a weekly or biweekly review process. Google Ads isn't something you can set and forget. The accounts that perform best are the ones that get consistent attention and optimization.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

Most subscription brands are leaving 40-60% of their potential revenue on the table, and they don't even realize it.

I'm not talking about brands with bad products or wrong pricing. I'm talking about brands with great products, loyal customers, and solid demand, but their subscription retention is terrible. People subscribe once, maybe twice, then cancel. The lifetime value never materializes, and the recurring revenue they were counting on never shows up.

If you're running a subscription business or thinking about adding subscriptions to your product line, what I'm about to share could completely change how you think about building recurring revenue.

The brands crushing it with subscriptions (the ones with 80%+ retention rates and customers staying subscribed for years) are using a complete stack of tools that work together instead of treating subscriptions as a single feature.

Let me walk you through exactly how this works.


Why Most Subscription Programs Fail
Before we get into the solution, let's talk about why most subscription programs underperform. It usually comes down to one fundamental misunderstanding: thinking that a subscription business is just installing Recharge and adding a "Subscribe & Save" button.

That's like thinking a restaurant is just a kitchen. You need the whole experience: the ambiance, the service, and the presentation for people to actually want to come back.

The same is true for subscriptions. You need a complete system that handles acquisition, management, retention, and optimization. Miss any one of these pieces and your subscription program will struggle.


The Four Layers Every Subscription Business Needs
Think of a successful subscription business as having four distinct layers:

➡️ Layer 1: Acquisition - Getting people to sign up in the first place
Someone who subscribes because they genuinely need your product monthly will stay way longer than someone who just wanted a discount.

This is where tools like Alia come in. Instead of just slapping up a pop-up that says "Subscribe and save 15%," you're actually educating people about whether a subscription makes sense for them.

Let's say you sell supplements. Instead of a generic subscription offer, you could use Alia to create a quiz that asks:
"What's your primary health goal?"
"Have you taken supplements consistently before?"
"How often do you currently reorder products like this?"

Based on their answers, you can recommend the right subscription frequency. Someone who's never taken supplements before might need a monthly subscription with smaller quantities. Someone who's been taking them for years might prefer a quarterly bulk order.

The difference is huge. When you match the subscription to the customer's actual needs, they stay subscribed longer because it actually makes sense for their life.

The AI optimization in Alia also means it's constantly testing different quiz flows and questions to find what converts best. You're not guessing, you're letting data tell you what works.

➡️ Layer 2: Management - Making It Frictionless
Once someone subscribes, the management experience determines whether they stay or leave. This is where platforms like Recharge come in.

Here's the counterintuitive truth: the easier you make it for customers to pause, skip, or modify their subscription, the longer they stay subscribed.

You'd think making it easy to pause would increase churn, but the opposite happens. When customers feel in control, they don't cancel out of frustration, they pause when they need to and resume when they're ready.

Recharge handles all of this:
• Customers can skip shipments if they still have productThey can adjust frequency without contacting support
• Payment failures get handled gracefully with automatic retries
• The customer portal gives them full control

➡️ Layer 3: Retention - The Email and SMS Strategy
This is where most of our work happens, and honestly, it's the difference between a subscription program that bleeds customers and one that prints money.

Subscription churn typically happens in three places, and you need different strategies for each:

Churn Point 1: After the first order
This is buyer's remorse territory. They subscribed, got their first shipment, and now they're second-guessing the decision. Your job is to reinforce why they made a smart choice.
• Show them how to get the best results from your product
• Setsclear expectations for when their next shipment arrives
• Share success stories from other subscribers
• Make them feel good about their decision

Churn Point 2: Around order 3-4
This is when the novelty wears off. They've been getting your product for a few months, and they're starting to forget why they subscribed in the first place. Or maybe they're accumulating product faster than they're using it.

Your email and SMS strategy here should focus on:
• Keeping them engaged with tips and educational content
• Reminding them of the value they're getting
• Giving them easy options to adjust frequency if needed
• Celebrating their progress or results

Churn Point 3: Payment failures
Someone's credit card expires or gets declined, and if you don't handle it well, they will disappear.

Your payment recovery sequence needs to be immediate and helpful:
• Email within hours of the failed payment
• SMS reminder the next day with an easy link to update payment info
• Follow-up email a few days later
• Final reminder before the subscription pauses

The key with all of this is segmentation. A new subscriber needs different communication than someone on their 10th order. Someone who's skipped multiple shipments needs different messaging than someone who's never missed one.

➡️ Layer 4: Optimization - Understanding what's working and improving it
You can have the best acquisition strategy, the smoothest management experience, and killer retention campaigns, but if you're not tracking the right data and using it to optimize, you're leaving money on the table.

Here's what you need to be measuring:
1. Acquisition:
What percentage of quiz takers subscribe?
What's your cost per subscriber acquired?
Which quiz paths lead to the longest subscriptions?

2. Management:
How often are people using skip/pause features?
What's your payment failure rate?
How many people cancel vs. pause?

3. Retention:
What's your churn rate by cohort (month 1, month 2, month 3, etc.)?
Which emails or SMS messages correlate with lower churn?
What's the average subscription length?

This data tells you where to focus your efforts. If churn is high after order 2, you need better post-purchase education. If payment failures are your biggest problem, you need a better recovery sequence.

The key is connecting all this data.

Maybe you notice that people who complete your quiz and subscribe have 50% lower churn than people who subscribe without taking the quiz. That tells you to invest more in promoting the quiz.

Or maybe you see that churn spikes at month 3, but people who receive your "tips for better results" email series at month 2 have 30% lower churn. That tells you to make that email series mandatory for all subscribers.

🛠️ Tools for tracking this:
Recharge has built-in analytics for subscription metrics.
Klaviyo tracks all your email and SMS performance.
Google Analytics can show you the full customer journey.

What This Means for You
Whether you're already running subscriptions or thinking about adding them, the key takeaway is this: subscriptions aren't a feature you add to your store. They're a complete business model that requires a complete system.

You need tools that handle acquisition (like Alia), management (like Recharge), and retention (like Klaviyo for email and SMS). And you need to be actively optimizing based on data.

The brands that get this right build predictable recurring revenue, high customer lifetime value, and a moat that's hard for competitors to cross.

The brands that treat subscriptions as an afterthought struggle with high churn and wonder why their subscription program never took off.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

There's a new Klaviyo feature that's building email and SMS lists for brands way faster than traditional pop-ups, and most people are sleeping on it.

It's called "Auto Replies."

I know what you're probably thinking, “another tool promising to grow your list.” But hear me out, because this meets your audience where they already are (Instagram) and converts them in the moment.

If you have thousands of people following you on Instagram who are genuinely interested in what you sell, engaging with your content, watching your stories, and commenting on your posts, then you already have HOT leads ready to make a purchase.

Unfortunately, they're stuck on Instagram. And thanks to the algorithm, you have zero control over whether they actually see your content. Instagram decides if your post shows up in their feed, not you.

But, what if you could convert those Instagram followers into email and SMS subscribers without asking them to leave the app?

What if the entire process happened right there in their DMs, and took less than 30 seconds?

That's exactly what Klaviyo's Auto Replies feature does, and I'm convinced this is one of the most underutilized list-building strategies out there.

Let me show you how it works and why you should be using it.


How This Actually Works
The concept is simple: You connect your Instagram account to Klaviyo, create a campaign that encourages people to send you a specific keyword via DM, and when they do, Klaviyo automatically replies with a message and captures their contact information.

Here's a real example of how this plays out:

You post on Instagram: "Want our complete guide to choosing the right shampoo for your hair type? DM us the word 'GUIDE' and we'll send it to you instantly."

Someone sends you a DM with "GUIDE."

Klaviyo automatically responds with the guide and asks for their email or phone number to send additional resources.

They provide their contact info, and boom, they're now on your email or SMS list.

The beauty of this approach is that they don't have to leave Instagram, remember to visit your website later, or navigate through multiple steps. It's instant gratification with minimal friction.


Why This Works So Much Better Than You'd Think
There are a few psychological reasons why Instagram DM list building converts at such high rates:

• It feels personal: Even though it's automated, receiving a DM feels more intimate than filling out a website form.

• The barrier is incredibly low: Sending a single word via DM takes two seconds. Compare that to navigating to a website, finding the signup form, entering your email, and confirming you're not a robot.

• You're providing value upfront: Instead of asking for an email in exchange for a generic discount, you're offering something specific and valuable that they actively requested.

• It leverages existing engagement: People who are already following you and engaging with your content are much more likely to take this next step than cold website visitors.


Real Use Cases That Actually Work
Let me give you some specific examples of how different types of brands can use this:

1. E-commerce brands: "DM us 'STYLE' for a personalized product recommendation quiz"
2. Beauty brands: "DM us 'ROUTINE' for a custom skincare routine based on your skin type"
3. Fitness brands: "DM us 'WORKOUT' for our free 7-day training plan"
4. Food & beverage brands: "DM us 'RECIPE' for 10 ways to use our product"
5. Pet brands: "DM us 'TRAINING' for our puppy training guide"
6. Supplement brands: "DM us 'GUIDE' for our complete supplement stacking guide"
7. Automotive brands: "DM us 'INSTALL' for step-by-step installation instructions"
8. Fashion brands: "DM us 'LOOKBOOK' for this season's complete styling guide"

The key is offering something genuinely valuable that's relevant to your audience. Generic lead magnets don't work as well because people can smell a bait-and-switch from a mile away.


The Strategy for Small vs. Large Followings
One question I get a lot is whether this only works if you have a massive Instagram following. The answer is no, it actually works at any size, but the strategy is slightly different.

If you have a smaller following (under 10K):
Your advantage is that your audience is probably more engaged. Focus on creating highly specific, valuable content that your niche actually wants. A smaller, engaged audience will convert better than a large, passive one.

• Use Instagram Stories heavily. Story engagement tends to be higher for smaller accounts, and you can add direct CTAs that tell people exactly what to DM you.

• Don't worry about going viral. Focus on consistently providing value to the followers you have and converting them into subscribers. A thousand engaged email subscribers is worth way more than ten thousand Instagram followers who never see your posts.

If you have a larger following (10K+):
Your advantage is volume. Even if your engagement rate is lower percentage-wise, you have more people seeing your content. Focus on creating scroll-stopping posts that clearly communicate the value of DMing you.

• Use Instagram Reels to reach beyond your existing followers. A viral Reel with a clear DM CTA can add hundreds or thousands of subscribers in a short period.
• Test different lead magnets and keywords to see what resonates with different segments of your audience. With a larger following, you likely have more diverse interests to cater to.

For both:
Consistency is key. Don't just do this once and forget about it. Make DM list building a regular part of your Instagram strategy. Different lead magnets, different CTAs, constant testing to see what resonates.

Getting Started
If you want to implement this for your brand, here's the simplest way to start:

1. This week: Create one valuable lead magnet that your audience would actually want. Make it specific and actionable.
2. Next week: Set up the Instagram Auto Reply in Klaviyo with a clear keyword and automated response.
3. Following week: Create 3-5 pieces of Instagram content promoting your DM keyword. Mix up the formats: feed posts, Stories, Reels.
4. Ongoing: Monitor your results, test different lead magnets and keywords, and optimize based on what's working.

You don't need to overcomplicate this. Start simple, see what works, then expand from there.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

Welcome back to Brand of the Month, our monthly series where I spotlight a brand that's absolutely crushing it in their space and break down exactly what they're doing right. For those of you who are new here, this where I extract specific strategies and decisions that drove that success so you can apply them to your own business.

This month, I want to talk about a brand that most people outside the pet industry probably haven't heard of, but should absolutely be studying. I'm talking about Wuffes, a pet supplement company that grew 1,002% over three years and just landed at #400 on the Inc. 5000 list.

But here's what makes their story so valuable: they didn't do it by reinventing the wheel or having some revolutionary product. They did it by making a series of smart strategic decisions in a crowded market and executing them consistently.

Let me show you exactly what they did and why it matters for your business, whether you're in pet supplements or selling anything else online.



The Foundation: Two Dog Dads with a Problem
Wuffes was founded by Sam and Josh, two guys who call themselves "dog dads." They weren't supplement industry veterans or pet health experts. They were just dog owners who noticed their dogs struggling with joint issues as they got older and couldn't find a comprehensive solution they trusted.

This origin story matters because it shaped everything about how they built the brand. When they talk about helping dogs live their best lives as long as possible, it's their actual mission.



The Strategic Decision That Changed Everything
Here's where most pet supplement brands go wrong: they try to be everything to every pet owner. Vitamins, probiotics, skin health, dental care, anxiety relief, they launch products across every category hoping something sticks.

Wuffes did the opposite. They went deep on one specific problem: joint health.

Instead of offering a single joint supplement like everyone else, they built what they call the "4 Pillars of Joint Health," a complete system that addresses joint issues from multiple angles:

• Pillar 1: Protect & Support
Advanced hip and joint chews formulated specifically for different dog sizes, plus a joint liquid for intensive care.

• Pillar 2: Nourish
Omega-3 fish oil rich in EPA and DHA for cartilage and synovial fluid support.

• Pillar 3: Soothe
CBD isolate oil to reduce inflammation at the cellular level.

• Pillar 4: Restore
Low-level light laser therapy to stimulate blood flow and healing.

This approach is brilliant for several reasons. First, it positions them as joint health experts rather than just another supplement brand. Second, it creates multiple products that work together, increasing customer lifetime value. Third, it's harder for competitors to replicate because they'd need to build an entire system, not just copy a single product.



The Numbers That Matter
Now, let's talk about what this strategy actually delivered:

Growth Metrics:
• 1,002% revenue growth over three years (2022-2024)
• #400 on Inc. 5000 list
• Fastest-growing company in Wyoming
• Trusted by over 770,000 pets

Amazon Performance:
• 164% revenue growth on Amazon
• 2.9x ROAS on advertising
• 65% new-to-brand sales
• Top 10 category leader in pet supplements
• 25% increase in Subscribe & Save enrollments

These aren't just impressive numbers, they tell a story about what's working. The 65% new-to-brand sales shows they're not just selling to existing customers. The 25% increase in subscriptions shows they're building recurring revenue. The 2.9x ROAS shows their advertising is profitable and scalable.


The Customer Acquisition Strategy
This is the part you’re probably most interested in: how Wuffes approaches customer acquisition.

They have two entry-point products designed specifically for customer acquisition:

1. Daily Probiotic - Priced at just $9.99 with a claim that "96% of dogs see improvement within 4 weeks." This is a low-risk purchase that builds trust.

2. 23-in-1 Multivitamin - Priced at $19.99 as a general wellness product that appeals to a broad audience.

These products serve a specific purpose: get customers in the door with a small commitment, deliver results, build trust, then introduce them to the comprehensive joint health system.

This is the opposite of what most brands do. Most brands lead with their hero product and wonder why their customer acquisition costs are so high. Wuffes understands that sometimes you need to lose money or break even on the first purchase to build a relationship that becomes profitable over time.



The Subscription Economics
Wuffes has built their business around recurring revenue, and it shows in their results. Think about it: pet supplements are consumable products that need to be reordered regularly. If you can get customers on a subscription, you're not just making one sale, you're creating predictable recurring revenue.

They've made subscriptions attractive through:
• Up to 50% off first autoship order
• 10% ongoing discount for subscribers
• Free and fast delivery
• Flexibility to skip, change, or cancel

But the real reason their subscription model works is product quality. If the supplements didn't actually help dogs, people would cancel after the first order. The fact that subscriptions are growing means the products are delivering results.



What You Can Learn From Wuffes
Whether you're in pet supplements or any other industry, there are specific lessons here that apply to your business:

1. Go deep, not wide. Wuffes didn't try to be everything to every pet owner. They became the joint health experts. What specific problem could you own in your market?

2. Build a system, not just products. The 4-pillar approach creates a comprehensive solution that increases customer lifetime value and is harder for competitors to replicate. How could you turn your single product into a system?

3. Use entry-point products strategically. The $9.99 probiotic and $19.99 multivitamin serve as low-risk ways for customers to try the brand. What could be your entry-point product that builds trust before asking for larger purchases?

4. Master one platform before expanding. Their Amazon dominance provided the foundation for expansion to other channels. Are you trying to be everywhere at once, or are you dominating one channel first?

5. Invest in quality as a moat. The certifications and manufacturing standards create competitive advantages that protect their market position. What quality standards could differentiate you from competitors?

6. Build for recurring revenue. The subscription model creates predictable cash flow and higher lifetime value. How could you add recurring revenue to your business model?

7. Founder authenticity matters. Being actual dog owners who created products for their own pets resonates more than a corporate brand. How can you bring more authenticity to your brand story?

What You Can Think About:

• What specific problem could you own in your market the way Wuffes owns joint health?

• How could you turn your single product into a comprehensive system that increases customer lifetime value?

• What entry-point product could you create to lower the barrier to trying your brand?

• Which platform should you master before trying to be everywhere at once?

• What quality standards or certifications could create competitive advantages for your business?

• How could you add recurring revenue to your business model?

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

Last month, one of our clients generated $2.2M in revenue selling products that most marketing agencies won't even touch.

Their Facebook ads were banned within 48 hours by every other agency they tried, their Google campaigns were shut down for "policy violations," their email marketing was almost nonexistent as three different ESPs dropped them for "prohibited content." Their payment processor even froze their account with zero warning.

Sound familiar?

Welcome to the peptide industry, where the demand is exploding, the profits are insane, but 99% of service providers run away the moment they hear what you're selling.

The Peptide Problem Most People Don't See
Peptides are being quoted by industry experts as the next $10+ billion market. We're talking about growth that could rival the entire vitamin and supplement industry. But there's a catch. Actually, there are about fifty catches.

• Manufacturing costs that are 3-4x higher than regular supplements
• Payment processors ghost you without explanation
• Regulatory compliance requires a team of lawyers
• Supply chain issues can kill your business overnight
• Account bans can wipe out months of work in minutes

Most peptide brands are trapped in this weird purgatory where they have customers literally begging to buy their products, but they can't scale because every platform treats them like criminals.


Why We Built a "Banned Industry" Division
Six months ago, I made what most people thought was a crazy decision. Instead of avoiding peptide brands like every other agency, we decided to go all-in on them.

Why? Because I realized these aren't roadblocks, they're moats. Every challenge that makes peptide marketing "impossible" is also a barrier that keeps out 99% of the competition. The brands that figure out how to navigate this landscape will have the entire market to themselves.

So we didn't just start taking on peptide clients. We’ve been working behind the scenes building an entirely separate division (Spring Peptides) designed specifically to solve every single challenge these brands face.



The $896,520 Meta Campaign That "Shouldn't Exist"
Let me show you what's possible when you actually know how to work in this space.

Remember that client I mentioned who hit $2.2M in revenue? Here's their story:

When they came to us, they had great products, loyal customers, but they were hitting walls everywhere they tried to grow.

They had no clear brand guidelines to create consistent, compelling messaging across their customer journey, and they lacked foundational email infrastructure, including core flows and a well-defined campaign strategy to drive retention and keep their audience informed.

What we did:
We rebuilt their entire business infrastructure from the ground up. Not just marketing, everything.

Email Infrastructure:
We built compliant welcome flows, abandonment sequences, post-purchase campaigns, and win-back series. All FDA-compliant but still conversion-focused.

Paid Advertising: 
We launched Meta and Google campaigns using our compliance framework. No bans, no shutdowns, just profitable growth.

Operations: 
We connected them with peptide-friendly payment processors, optimized their manufacturing to reduce costs by 35%, and set up proper regulatory compliance.

The results:
$1.1M from email alone (using Omnisend)
$2.2M total revenue (7x growth)

11.09x ROAS on Meta ($896,520 revenue from $80,840 spend)
Zero account bans or compliance issues

But here's the crazy part: this isn't even our best-performing client. It's just the one I can share numbers for.


The Infrastructure Nobody Else Provides
Here's what makes Spring Peptides different from every other agency or service provider:

Marketing (40% of what we do):
• Compliant Meta/Google advertising that doesn't get banned
• Email marketing with peptide-friendly ESPs
• Regulatory-compliant copy that still converts
• Creative that educates without making prohibited claims

Business Infrastructure (60% of what we do):
• Payment processing that actually works long-term
• Manufacturing optimization (we've reduced COGs by 30-50% for clients)
• Regulatory compliance and legal framework
• Supply chain management
• Exit preparation and business valuation

Most peptide brands think they need marketing help, but what they actually need is someone who can solve every operational challenge preventing them from scaling.

We have partnerships with peptide-friendly payment processors, we know which ESPs actually work for this industry, and we have compliance frameworks that keep accounts safe while still driving conversions.

Most importantly, we understand that marketing is just one piece of the puzzle. The real value comes from solving all the operational challenges that prevent scaling.


Why This Opportunity Is Massive
Think about it: you have an industry with exploding demand but almost no competition because most businesses can't figure out how to operate in this space.

The peptide brands that solve these infrastructure challenges in the next 12-24 months will dominate their market for the next decade. While their competitors are still getting banned from advertising platforms, these brands will be scaling to eight and nine figures.

We're not just helping brands with marketing, we're helping them build moats that their competitors can't cross.

The $2,500 Opportunity
Here's why I'm telling you all this: there's probably someone in your network who runs a peptide brand or knows someone who does.

If you can connect us with a peptide brand that we end up working with, we'll pay you $2,500 as a referral fee. One-time payment, no strings attached.

But honestly, the money isn't the main reason I'm sharing this. The main reason is that if you know someone struggling with these challenges, you'd genuinely be helping them solve problems that are probably keeping them up at night.

Every peptide brand owner I talk to has the same story: "I have great products and customers who love them, but I can't scale because every platform shuts me down."

We've solved that problem, and the results speak for themselves.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

I often see brands pick either Google or Meta for their advertising and treat it like an either-or decision. Google people think Meta is just vanity metrics and brand awareness. Meta people think Google is expensive and only works for high-intent searches.

But here's what I've learned after managing both for some of our clients: they're not competitors, they're teammates, and they multiply each other's effectiveness. Google captures demand that already exists. Meta creates demand that didn't exist before. When you combine them properly, you get this beautiful cycle where each channel feeds and amplifies the other.

Think about it from your customer's perspective. They might see your Meta ad while scrolling Instagram, get interested, but not buy immediately. Later, when they're actively searching for what you sell, they find you again on Google and convert. Which channel gets credit for that sale? Technically Google, but Meta did the heavy lifting of creating awareness and interest.

Let me show you exactly how this plays out with a real client example and why understanding this relationship is crucial for anyone serious about paid advertising.


The Problem
Before I dive into the results, let me paint a picture of what we inherited. This brand, had been running both Google and Meta ads, but they were treating them as completely separate efforts. No coordination, no strategic overlap, just two different campaigns running in parallel.

On the Google side, they had what I see everywhere: a messy account structure with branded and non-branded traffic all mixed together. Their Performance Max campaigns were competing with their Search campaigns. Their Shopping campaigns were fighting for the same traffic. They were spending money but not efficiently.

On the Meta side, they were running generic prospecting campaigns without any real funnel strategy. Top-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel audiences were getting the same messaging. No proper retargeting sequence. No coordination with what was happening on Google.

The result: They were spending a lot of money on both platforms but not seeing the compound effects that make this combination so powerful.


How We Restructured Google for Maximum Efficiency
Let's start with Google, because getting this foundation right is crucial for everything else to work.

The first thing we did was completely separate branded and non-branded traffic. This sounds basic, but you'd be amazed how many accounts have this mixed up. We created a dedicated Branded Search campaign with exact match keywords only. This gave us complete control over brand intent and ensured we weren't overpaying for people already looking for them specifically.

Then we excluded all branded terms from Performance Max. This is huge because Performance Max will often spend your budget on branded searches that you could capture much cheaper in dedicated Search campaigns.

Next, we identified their hero product and created a separate Performance Max campaign just for that product. This let us control spend and optimize specifically for their most profitable item.

Finally, we launched a Non-branded Search campaign targeting their highest-intent keywords.

The results from this restructure alone:

Total spend: $5,314.57
Revenue generated: $84,481.89
ROAS: 15.89x
Average cost per click: $1.12

This Google structure created the perfect foundation for Meta to work even better.


How We Rebuilt Meta Around the Customer Journey
While we were restructuring Google, we completely rebuilt their Meta strategy around the actual customer journey. Instead of generic prospecting and basic retargeting, we created a full-funnel system that matched how people actually discover and buy products.

We segmented audiences based on real behavior:
• People who watched 25% of a video but not 50%
• People who watched 50% of a video but didn't visit the website
• Website visitors who didn't add to cart
• People who added to cart but didn't start checkout
• People who started checkout but didn't purchase

Each audience got completely different messaging and creative that matched their level of intent. Someone who just discovered the brand through a video got educational content. Someone who abandoned their cart got urgency-focused messaging about their specific products.

We also separated top-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel campaigns with strict audience exclusions. This eliminated overlap and prevented people from seeing the wrong message at the wrong time. The transformation was immediate.

In January, after the restructure:

384 purchases from $23,646.81 spend
Cost per purchase: $61.58
ROAS: 2.75
Much lower frequency across all campaigns

Compare that to December before the restructure:

1,240 purchases from $101,324.76 spend
Cost per purchase: $81.71
ROAS: 1.99

We spent less than half the money and got much more efficient results.


Why This Combination Is So Powerful
Here's where the magic happens. When Google and Meta work together properly, they create this compound effect that's way more powerful than either channel alone.

Meta creates the demand. People see your ads, learn about your products, get interested in your brand. Some convert immediately, but many don't. They need time to research, compare options, maybe wait for the right moment to buy.

Google captures the demand. When those Meta-warmed prospects are ready to buy, they search for your products or your brand specifically. Your Google campaigns are there to capture that intent at the perfect moment.

But it works in reverse too. Google identifies your best customers. The people converting from your Google campaigns are high-intent buyers who love your products. You can use this data to build lookalike audiences on Meta to find more people just like them.

Meta scales the audience. Once you know what your best customers look like, Meta can find thousands more people with similar characteristics and interests. You're not just capturing existing demand, you're creating new demand from people who didn't even know they needed your products.


The Strategic Approach
Based on what I've learned running both channels for dozens of brands, here's how to think about using Google and Meta together:

• Start with Google if you have limited budget. Google typically has higher intent and faster payback, so it's often the better place to start if you can only run one channel initially.

• Add Meta once Google is profitable. Use Meta to expand your reach and create demand for what Google is already converting well.

• Use Meta data to improve Google. The keywords people use to find your Meta ads can become Google keywords. The demographics that respond best to Meta ads can inform your Google audience targeting.

• Use Google data to improve Meta. Your highest-converting Google keywords tell you what people actually want, which should influence your Meta ad creative and messaging.

• Retarget across both platforms. Someone who clicks a Google ad but doesn't convert should see Meta retargeting ads. Someone who engages with Meta ads but doesn't convert should see Google ads when they search.


Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Don't run identical campaigns on both platforms. Google and Meta require different approaches because the user mindset is different. Google users are actively searching; Meta users are passively scrolling.

• Don't ignore cross-platform attribution. Just because someone converted via Google doesn't mean Meta didn't play a role in their decision. Look at your overall business metrics, not just platform-specific ROAS.

• Don't optimize each platform in isolation. Changes to your Google campaigns can affect your Meta performance and vice versa. Think about the combined customer experience.

What This Means for Your Business
Whether you're currently running one platform or both, here are the key takeaways:

1. If you're only running Google: You're missing opportunities to create demand and reach people before they're actively searching. Meta can expand your addressable market significantly.
2. If you're only running Meta: You're missing high-intent traffic that's actively looking for what you sell. Google can capture demand that Meta creates but doesn't immediately convert.
3. If you're running both but treating them separately: You're not maximizing the compound effects. Think about how they can work together to create a better customer experience.


What You Can Do Right Now:

• Map your customer journey. 
How do people typically discover and buy from your brand? Where does awareness happen vs. where does conversion happen?

• Audit your current approach.
Are you running both platforms? Are they working together or in isolation?

• Start with your strongest platform. 
If you're not running both, start with whichever platform is more natural for your business, then add the other once it's profitable.

• Look at cross-platform data. 
Don't just look at platform-specific ROAS. Look at your overall customer acquisition cost and lifetime value.

• Test retargeting across platforms. Start simple: retarget Google clickers on Meta and Meta engagers on Google.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

If you've ever looked at your website analytics and wondered why so few visitors are signing up for your email list, you're definitely not alone. It's one of those things that seems like it should be straightforward (put up a pop-up, offer a discount, collect emails) but the reality is way more than that.

Most people see signup rates hovering around 3-5%, they know there's more potential there, but they're not sure how to unlock it. Maybe they try tweaking the discount amount or changing the timing, but they're still stuck with the same disappointing results. And honestly, if you're not working behind the scenes with this stuff every day, it's hard to know what's actually possible or what you should even be aiming for.

I've been implementing something new for our clients that's completely changed how we think about email capture. In fact, the results have been so consistently impressive that I wanted to share what we're doing and why it's working so much better than the traditional approach.


The Problem with Traditional Pop-Ups
The typical approach is pretty basic: visitor lands on your site, a pop-up appears asking for their email in exchange for a discount, they either sign up or close it, and that's it.

But think about this from the customer's perspective. They just discovered your brand thirty seconds ago. They don't know if they like your products, if you're trustworthy, or if they even need what you're selling. And you're immediately asking them to give you their email address for a generic discount.

Most people either ignore these pop-ups completely or sign up with a fake email just to make them go away. You end up with a bunch of low-quality subscribers who aren't actually interested in your brand.

Even worse, you've missed a huge opportunity to learn about your visitors. Who are they? What are they looking for? What problems are they trying to solve? Traditional pop-ups don't capture any of this valuable information.


The Platform That Changed Everything
So we started looking for something different, and that's how we found Alia, and we've been getting all our clients on this platform because it fundamentally changes how email capture works.

Instead of just asking for an email address, Alia creates interactive experiences that actually provide value to your visitors while collecting detailed information about them. Think of it as a conversation rather than a transaction.

Here's how it works: when someone visits your site, instead of seeing a generic "Get 10% off" pop-up, they see a personalized quiz or interactive experience. Maybe it's a skin type quiz for a beauty brand, a style preference survey for a fashion company, or a needs assessment for a supplement brand.

The visitor gets immediate value, they learn something about themselves or get personalized recommendations. You get their email address plus detailed information about their preferences, needs, and shopping behavior.

My favorite part: Alia's AI is constantly testing different versions of these experiences to optimize for both engagement and conversion. It's not just A/B testing headlines or button colors, it's testing entire conversation flows to find what works best for your specific audience.


Why This Actually Works
The reason this approach is so much more effective comes down to basic human psychology. When you provide value upfront, people are naturally more willing to share their information. They're not just giving you their email for a discount, they're engaging with your brand and getting something useful in return.

This creates better quality subscribers who are genuinely interested in your products. Someone who takes a skincare quiz is obviously more likely to open emails about skincare tips and product recommendations than someone who just signed up for a generic discount.

Plus, the information you collect lets you segment your email list from day one. Instead of sending the same welcome series to everyone, you can send personalized content based on their quiz responses. Someone with dry skin gets different emails than someone with oily skin.

The AI optimization piece is huge too. Most brands set up a pop-up once and never touch it again. Alia is constantly learning and improving, finding new ways to increase both the number of people who engage and the quality of information they provide.


A Real Example
Let me show you exactly what this looks like in practice. We have this beauty brand client who had a standard pop-up offering 15% off for new subscribers, and they were getting around 8-9% of visitors to sign up.

We worked with them to implement Alia with a personalized haircare quiz that helped visitors identify their hair type and get customized product recommendations. The quiz takes about 60 seconds to complete and provides genuine value by educating customers about their hair needs.

The results honestly surprised even me:

Before Alia:
• Signup rate: 8-9%
• Generic subscribers with no additional information

After Alia (first month):
• Signup rate: 20% average
• 108% increase in signup rate
• 105% increase in net new email subscribers
• Detailed customer data for every single subscriber

But the real value goes beyond just the numbers. Every new subscriber now comes with detailed information about their hair type, concerns, and product preferences. This means we can send incredibly targeted email campaigns that feel personal and relevant.


How We're Using It Across Different Industries
The beauty of Alia is how adaptable it is to different business types. We've implemented it across various industries, and each implementation feels native to that specific business.

For supplement brands, we create health assessment quizzes that help customers identify their wellness goals and get personalized product recommendations.

For home goods companies, we create room design quizzes that help customers visualize products in their space while learning about their style preferences and needs.

The key is making each experience feel valuable and relevant to that specific audience. Now, we're not just collecting emails, we're starting a relationship with something genuinely helpful.


The AI Optimization Advantage
I don't know about you, but most platforms we've used require you to manually test different versions and make changes based on your analysis. Alia does this automatically in the background.

The AI tests different question flows, response options, timing, and presentation styles to find what works best for your specific audience. It's constantly learning and improving without you having to do anything.

This means your email capture performance actually gets better over time, not worse.


Why I Keep Recommending This
I'll be completely honest with you, I don't give shoutouts to platforms freely, unless I truly believe it will benefit anyone who uses it. Alia is one of those platforms. I'm not joking when I say we're recommending it to pretty much every client because the results have been consistently impressive.


If You Want to Try It
If this sounds like something that could help your business, I've got a link that will get you 30 days free plus 15% off your subscription. Full transparency, this is our affiliate link, so using it helps support what we're doing here while getting you the best possible deal.

You can check it out here: https://apps.shopify.com/alia?mref=springmedia

The platform integrates with Shopify and most major email platforms pretty seamlessly, so setup is usually quick and straightforward. But honestly, the real value comes from thinking strategically about what kind of experience will provide the most value to your specific customers.

What You Can Do Right Now:

Audit your current email capture strategy. 
What's your current signup rate? Are you providing genuine value, or just asking for emails in exchange for discounts?

Think about your customer's journey.
What would be genuinely helpful for someone discovering your brand for the first time?

Consider the information you need. 
What customer data would help you send more relevant, personalized emails?

Test interactive experiences.
Even simple quizzes or surveys can dramatically improve both signup rates and subscriber quality.

Focus on value first.
The best email capture strategies provide immediate value before asking for anything in return.


🚨 Quick Reminder About Our Email Offer
Before I wrap up, I should mention that this is the last week we're running our $1200 credit offer. This gets you up to 4 emails with strategy, copy, design, and implementation all handled for you.

We don't do these offers very often, so if you've been thinking about getting some professional help with your email marketing, this might be a good time to jump on it. The combination of better email capture and professionally crafted email campaigns can create a pretty powerful system.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

It's that time again: Brand of the Month.

This is where I dive deep into a company that's doing something remarkable and extract the lessons that actually matter for the rest of us building businesses.

This month, I want to talk about a company that perfectly illustrates what happens when you combine perfect timing, smart positioning, and flawless execution. I'm talking about HIMS & HERS.

If you haven't been paying attention to what they've accomplished, the numbers alone will blow your mind. They went from $872 million in revenue in 2023 to $1.5 billion in 2024. That's 69% growth in a single year.

In fact, 2024 was actually their first profitable year, with $126 million in net income.

What makes their story so fascinating is how they built a business that fundamentally changed how people access healthcare while riding multiple massive trends at exactly the right time.

Let me break down what they did and why it matters for anyone building a business today.


The Foundation: Solving Real Problems
HIMS launched in 2017 with a simple but powerful insight: there are health issues that people desperately want to address, but the traditional healthcare system makes it embarrassing, expensive, and inconvenient to get help.

Hair loss, erectile dysfunction, skincare issues, these aren't life-threatening conditions, but they significantly impact quality of life. The traditional approach required awkward conversations with doctors, multiple appointments, and often judgmental experiences that kept people from seeking treatment.

HIMS said, "What if we could make this simple, private, and affordable?" They built a telehealth platform that made doctors more accessible and the entire experience more convenient. Licensed healthcare professionals still make all the medical decisions, HIMS just removed the barriers that prevented people from accessing them.


The Expansion Strategy
Starting with men's health was smart, but the real genius was how they expanded. In 2018, they launched HERS, targeting women's health with the same approach. Same platform, same convenience, different audience.

Then they moved into mental health, offering online therapy and psychiatry services. Again, same core value proposition: make healthcare more accessible and less intimidating.

But the move that really accelerated their growth was getting into weight management. And this is where their timing became absolutely perfect.

When GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy exploded in popularity but became nearly impossible to get due to shortages and high costs, HIMS stepped in with compounded alternatives. They offered semaglutide and tirzepatide at a fraction of the cost of brand-name versions, with the same convenient telehealth approach.


The Business Model
What I love about HIMS is how they built a business model that gets stronger over time. Most of their treatments are ongoing: hair loss, weight management, skincare. This creates a subscription-like revenue stream where customers stay engaged for months or years.

Their 2.2 million subscribers are people who need ongoing treatment and have found a solution that works better than the alternatives. This creates incredibly predictable revenue and high customer lifetime value.

Once someone starts treatment and sees results, they're likely to continue. The cost of acquiring a customer gets amortized over months or years of subscription revenue.

As they've added more treatment options, existing customers often add additional services. Someone who started with hair loss treatment might add skincare, then weight management, then mental health support.


What Makes This Sustainable
The question with any high-growth company is whether the growth is sustainable or just a temporary spike. With HIMS, several factors suggest this is sustainable growth:

‣ Network effects: As they add more providers and treatment options, the platform becomes more valuable to customers. Someone can get multiple health needs addressed in one place.

‣ Regulatory moats: Operating in healthcare requires navigating complex regulations. HIMS has built compliance systems and provider networks that are difficult for new entrants to replicate quickly.

‣ Brand trust: In healthcare, trust is everything. HIMS has built a reputation for quality, discretion, and reliability that creates customer loyalty.

‣ Technology advantage: Their telehealth platform and customer experience continue to improve, creating operational efficiencies and better outcomes.


The Bottom Line
HIMS proves that even in heavily regulated industries like healthcare, there are massive opportunities for companies that can identify friction points and solve them elegantly.

Their growth from $872 million to $1.5 billion happened because they built a business model that could capitalize on multiple trends simultaneously.

The Lessons for Your Business
Whether you're building a healthcare company or any other business, there are several key lessons from HIMS's success:

Timing matters, but preparation matters more. 
HIMS didn't just get lucky with the GLP-1 trend—they had built the infrastructure to capitalize on it. When opportunities emerge in your industry, will you be ready to move quickly?

Remove friction, don't reinvent everything. 
HIMS didn't try to replace the entire healthcare system. They identified the biggest friction points and solved those specifically. What friction points exist in your industry that you could eliminate?

Subscription models create compound value. 
When you can turn one-time buyers into ongoing subscribers, your business model becomes much more predictable and valuable. How can you create ongoing value that justifies recurring revenue?

Brand positioning is everything. 
HIMS succeeded partly because they positioned themselves correctly, not as a replacement for healthcare, but as a better way to access it. How you position your solution determines who sees it as valuable.

Digital-first creates advantages.
By building a digital-native experience, HIMS could move faster and serve customers better than traditional providers. In your industry, what advantages come from being digital-first?

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

I've been blown away by the response I received to the last email and SMS breakdown I did. My inbox has been flooded with messages from people saying how valuable it was to see real numbers, real strategies, and the actual progression of results over time. So many of you asked for more case studies like this that I decided to dive into another one.

This time, I want to show you something that perfectly illustrates why I'm so passionate about email and SMS marketing, especially for brands that have strong products but haven't figured out how to maximize their customer relationships.

The brand I'm talking about is in the high-performance automotive lighting space. I can't mention their name since I'm sharing real revenue numbers, but what we accomplished together over the past year is a perfect example of what happens when you combine the right strategy with consistent execution.

Let me walk you through their journey and show you exactly how we transformed their email marketing from an afterthought into their second-biggest revenue driver.


The Starting Point: October 2024
Before this brand started working with us in November 2024, their email marketing was essentially non-existent as a revenue driver. In October 2024, their total business revenue was $130,919.53, and email contributed just $5,955.60 of that, a measly 4.55% of their total revenue.

They had zero revenue from email campaigns, which told me they weren't actively engaging their list or creating opportunities to drive sales through strategic messaging.

They had no SMS strategy at all. Zero revenue, zero engagement, zero presence in their customers' text messages.

For a brand selling high-performance automotive lighting (products that customers are passionate about and often purchase multiple times as they upgrade different vehicles or add new modifications) this was a massive missed opportunity.


The First Two Months: November 1 - December 10, 2024
We started working with them at the beginning of November 2024, right as we were heading into the holiday season. This timing was actually perfect because it gave us an immediate opportunity to test strategies during a high-engagement period.

The results from those first two months were encouraging but just the beginning of what was possible. Their total business revenue increased to $418,157.80, and email attributed revenue jumped to $68,356.63, representing 16.35% of their total revenue.

Remember how they had zero campaign revenue before we started? Well, we generated $54,264.04 from email campaigns alone. This showed that their audience was hungry for engagement and communication, they just needed someone to talk to them strategically.

The flows contributed $14,092.59, which was actually lower than their previous flow revenue, but this made sense. We were in the process of rebuilding and optimizing their automated sequences, and some of the old flows were being replaced with better-performing ones.

We still hadn't implemented SMS during this initial period. We were focused on getting the email foundation solid before adding another channel to the mix.


The Transformation: November 1 - December 31, 2025
Fast forward exactly one year, and the results are honestly incredible. Looking at the same two-month period in 2025, their total business revenue grew to $660,341.10, and email attributed revenue exploded to $154,922.30, representing 23.77% of their total revenue.

Let me put this in perspective. In the same two-month period, email revenue went from $68,356.63 to $154,922.30. That's a 126% increase in email revenue year-over-year, during the exact same seasonal period.

Campaign revenue grew from $54,264.04 to $101,916.13, an 87% increase. This shows that our audience engagement strategies were working and that customers were responding even better to our messaging after a full year of consistent communication.

Flow revenue increased from $14,092.59 to $55,061.91, a 290% increase. This is where you really see the compound effect of optimization. Every improvement we made to their automated sequences throughout the year was paying dividends during their peak season.

And finally, we introduced SMS, which generated $2,055.74 in its first implementation during a peak period. This might seem small compared to email, but it represents the beginning of an entirely new revenue channel.


What We Actually Did
The transformation didn't happen by accident. It was the result of systematic improvements across every aspect of their email and SMS strategy.

‣ Campaign Strategy: We implemented a consistent campaign calendar that balanced promotional content with educational and engaging content. In the automotive lighting space, customers want to see their products in action, understand technical specifications, and get inspired by other builds. We created campaigns that served all of these needs while driving sales.

‣ Flow Optimization: We completely rebuilt their automated sequences. The Welcome Series was redesigned to educate new subscribers about their product range and build excitement around the brand. We implemented Browse Abandonment flows that understood the longer consideration period for automotive modifications. The Cart Abandonment sequences were optimized for their specific customer behavior patterns.

‣ Segmentation: We developed sophisticated segmentation based on purchase behavior, product interests, and engagement patterns. Customers who bought LED accessories different messaging than those interested in headlight upgrades. This personalization dramatically improved relevance and conversion rates.

‣ List Growth: We implemented strategies to grow their email list with qualified subscribers who were genuinely interested in high-performance automotive lighting. Quality over quantity was crucial here.

‣ SMS Integration: By 2025, we had introduced SMS as a complementary channel to email. We used SMS for time-sensitive offers, restock notifications, and high-priority announcements.


The Compound Effect
What's really powerful about this case study is how it demonstrates the compound effect of consistent email marketing optimization. Each improvement we made built on the previous ones, creating momentum that accelerated throughout the year.

The audience we built in early 2024 was more engaged and responsive by late 2025 because we'd been consistently providing value and building relationships. The flows we optimized in the spring were performing better during the holiday season because they'd had months to be tested and refined.

The segmentation strategies we implemented allowed us to send more targeted, relevant messages, which improved engagement rates and reduced unsubscribes. Higher engagement rates led to better deliverability, which meant more of our emails were actually reaching customers' inboxes.

The Strategic Lessons

1. Consistency beats perfection. 
We didn't wait until we had the perfect strategy to start implementing improvements. We began with good campaigns and flows, then continuously optimized based on performance data.

2. Flows are your foundation. 
The 290% increase in flow revenue shows the power of well-optimized automated sequences. These work 24/7 to convert prospects and customers without requiring daily management.

3. Campaigns drive engagement.
The 87% increase in campaign revenue demonstrates that regular, strategic communication keeps your brand top-of-mind and creates opportunities for sales.

4. Segmentation multiplies results.
By sending more relevant messages to specific customer segments, we improved conversion rates across all campaigns and flows.

5. Multiple channels amplify each other. 
Adding SMS didn't cannibalize email revenue, it created an additional touchpoint that supported the overall strategy.


What This Means for Your Business
If you're running a brand with passionate customers but your email marketing isn't performing at this level, there's massive opportunity waiting to be unlocked.

The automotive lighting space isn't unique in having passionate customers with longer consideration periods. Whether you're selling fitness equipment, home improvement products, hobby supplies, or any other category where customers are invested in the outcome, these same principles apply.

Start with your flows:
If your automated sequences aren't optimized, you're leaving money on the table every single day. Every new subscriber, every abandoned cart, every purchase is an opportunity for additional revenue if your flows are working properly.

Implement consistent campaigns:
Don't just email when you have something to sell. Create a calendar that balances promotional content with educational and engaging content that builds relationships.

Segment your audience:
Generic messages to your entire list will never perform as well as targeted messages to specific segments based on behavior and interests.

Think long-term:
The compound effect of email marketing means that improvements you make today will continue paying dividends months and years into the future.

🚨 SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY ALERT 🚨

Speaking of getting started with optimization, I want to make you an offer. Because so many of you have been asking for help implementing these strategies, we're giving away $1,200 in credit (that's up to 4 emails with strategy, copy, design, and implementation all handled for you).

This isn't just templates or generic advice. We'll create custom campaigns based on your specific business, audience, and goals, using the same strategic approach that drove the results you just read about.

But this offer is only running until February 5th. If you've been thinking about optimizing your email marketing but weren't sure where to start, this is your chance to see what's possible with professional strategy and execution.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

We're at one major inflection point in business history. You know, like when the internet went mainstream, or when smartphones became ubiquitous. Except this time, it's AI, and the changes coming to the agency and e-commerce space are going to be more dramatic than anything we've seen before.

I've been deep in conversations with our team about where this is all heading, and I want to share what we're seeing. Because if you're running an agency, managing marketing for a brand, or thinking about scaling your business, the decisions you make in the next 12-18 months are going to determine whether you're leading the pack or scrambling to catch up.

Let me paint you a picture of what's coming and how we're preparing for it with Cloud37.


The Creative Revolution That's Already Starting
Here's what I know for certain: by 2027, the marketing industry is going to look completely different than it does today. The brands and agencies that survive and thrive will be the ones that figured out how to leverage AI to deliver results that seem impossible to their competitors.

I'm not talking about using ChatGPT to write better email subject lines. I'm talking about fundamental changes in how we create, optimize, and scale marketing campaigns. Changes that will let a team of five people do what currently takes a team of twenty.

Here are some examples:

1. Creative Generation:
Right now, we spend weeks creating a handful of ad variations, testing them, and hoping one performs well. But imagine being able to generate fifty high-quality creative concepts in a couple of hours, then spending your time strategically selecting and refining the best performers instead of starting from scratch every time.

This isn't just about speed, though that's a huge benefit. It's about the level of personalization that becomes possible when you can create at scale. We're moving toward dynamic creative that adapts to individual user preferences in real-time. Every person who sees your ad could be seeing a version that's specifically crafted for their behavioral patterns, interests, and stage in the customer journey.

The ripple effects of this are massive. Creative production costs drop dramatically, testing scales increase exponentially, and the barrier to entry for sophisticated creative campaigns essentially disappears. But more importantly, it frees up human creativity to focus on strategy and big-picture thinking rather than execution.

2. Predictive Customer Intelligence:
This creative revolution connects directly to something even more powerful that's emerging: predictive customer intelligence. We're rapidly approaching a point where AI can predict individual customer lifetime value and purchase timing with incredible accuracy.

Think about what this means for how we approach marketing. Right now, we're making educated guesses about which customers are worth acquiring and how much we should spend to get them. We're treating all traffic somewhat equally and hoping our targeting is good enough to find the valuable customers.

But when you can predict that a specific visitor has an 85% chance of becoming a $500 lifetime value customer, while another has a 15% chance of spending $50 total, everything changes. Your bidding strategies adjust automatically. Your creative speaks to their specific value drivers. Your entire funnel adapts to their predicted behavior.

This predictive capability extends beyond just customer value. We're talking about predicting demand spikes weeks in advance, identifying customers likely to churn months before it happens, and optimizing pricing based on individual willingness to pay.

3. Autonomous Campaign Management
Once you have predictive intelligence about your customers and AI-generated creative at scale, the next logical step is autonomous campaign management. And this is where things get really interesting for agencies like ours.

We're moving toward AI agents that can manage entire campaign lifecycles without constant human oversight. These systems will adjust bids, budgets, and targeting in real-time based on performance data. They'll pause underperforming ads, scale winning campaigns, and reallocate budgets based on the parameters you set.

What this means practically is that one strategist will be able to manage multiple times as many accounts because the AI is handling all the routine optimization work. Performance becomes more consistent because you're eliminating human error and emotional decision-making. And campaigns respond to changes within minutes instead of waiting for someone to check the dashboard and make manual adjustments.

4. Personalization at the Individual Level
The combination of predictive intelligence and autonomous management creates opportunities for personalization that seem almost impossible today. We're heading toward a world where every email, every SMS, every piece of content is individually generated and customized.

I'm not talking about basic personalization like inserting someone's first name or showing them products they've viewed. I'm talking about emails written in each customer's preferred tone, featuring products they're most likely to buy, sent at their optimal engagement time, with messaging that adapts based on their individual behavioral patterns.

The content creation happens instantly. You can generate thousands of personalized messages in seconds, each one optimized for the specific recipient. The behavioral adaptation learns from every interaction, getting smarter about what works for each individual customer.

When you combine this with the creative generation capabilities, you're looking at marketing campaigns that are essentially unique for every single customer while maintaining brand consistency and strategic coherence.


How We're Using Cloud37 to Build This Future
This is where I want to talk about what we're actually doing to prepare for this transformation. We've been working with Cloud37, which is an AI platform that enables businesses and agencies to build, train, and deploy custom AI agents using their own business data.

What makes this platform different is that it allows us to create AI agents specifically trained on our processes, our client data, and our strategic frameworks.
This means they can make decisions that align with our methodology and deliver results that match our standard.

What we're building with Cloud37 is essentially a way to scale our expertise without proportionally scaling our team. Each AI agent we create can handle tasks that would normally require human attention.

For example, we've trained an agent on our email marketing approach. It understands our segmentation strategies, our messaging frameworks, and our optimization processes. When a client needs email campaigns, this agent can create them, test variations, and optimize performance using the same approach our human strategists would use, but at a much faster pace and without the capacity limitations.

The same principle applies to paid advertising, creative development, and performance analysis. We're creating AI agents that can handle the execution while our human team focuses on strategy, relationship building, and creative problem-solving.

This creates a competitive advantage that's hard to replicate. While other agencies are adding more people to handle more clients using the same old processes, we're fundamentally changing how we deliver results. We can take on larger clients, manage more complex campaigns, and deliver more sophisticated strategies without proportionally increasing our overhead.


The Bottom Line
We're living through one of the most significant technological shifts in business history. The marketing industry is about to be transformed in ways that will make the last decade of changes look incremental.

By using platforms like Cloud 37, we're not just preparing for this future, we're actively building it.

The question isn't whether AI will transform our industry. The question is whether you'll be building custom AI capabilities that give you a competitive advantage, or just using generic tools that everyone else has access to.

What This Means for You
If you're running an agency, the question isn't whether you should embrace AI, it's how quickly you can implement it without disrupting your current operations.

If you're a brand owner, you need to start asking your agency partners what they're doing to prepare for this future.

If you're thinking about starting an agency or scaling your marketing team, this is actually the perfect time. The tools coming online will let you compete with much larger organizations from day one.


What You Can Do Right Now:
1. Start thinking about your unique processes and methodologies. What makes your approach different? How could you train AI agents on your specific way of doing business?

2. Evaluate platforms that let you build custom AI agents rather than just using generic AI tools. The competitive advantage comes from AI that's trained on your specific data and processes.

3. Begin documenting your successful campaigns, strategies, and frameworks. This data will be crucial for training AI agents that can replicate your best work.

4. Consider how custom AI agents could amplify your team's capabilities rather than replace them. The goal is to handle routine tasks so your humans can focus on strategy and creativity.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

I want to show you something that perfectly illustrates why preparation matters more than execution when it comes to email marketing.

We have a client in the health niche (I can't name them since I'm sharing real numbers) that just wrapped up one of their biggest quarters. But what they accomplished between September and December is a masterclass in strategic email marketing.

Let me break down the numbers and show you exactly how strategic preparation turned a solid two-month period into an absolutely explosive holiday season.

Let me walk you through exactly what we did and how it all came together.


The Foundation: September and October Performance

During September and October, this brand generated $38,164.66 in total revenue, with email accounting for $18,952.12 of that (nearly 50% of their entire business revenue). That's exactly where you want to be as a health brand with strong customer relationships.

We were strategically preparing customers for the holiday season in ways that most brands completely overlook. Every email we sent, every flow we optimized, every segment we tested was designed with November and December in mind.


The Strategy: Building Momentum Before the Storm
Here's what we focused on:

1. Expanding Our Reach
We started opening up our email sends to wider segments, bringing back subscribers who hadn't engaged in months and introducing newer subscribers to the brand's core products.

2. Building Excitement
Instead of waiting until Black Friday to start building excitement, we began creating anticipation early. We highlighted bestselling products, shared customer success stories, and started planting seeds about upcoming opportunities.

3. Optimizing Our Flows
We revamped key automated flows in June, and September-October was when we really started seeing the compound effects of those improvements.

The health space is perfect for this approach because customers are already invested in their wellness journey, and they want to hear about products that can help them.


The Payoff: November - December Explosion
Then November and December happened, and everything we'd been building toward came together in the most beautiful way.

Total business revenue jumped to $137,597.87, a 261% increase from the previous period. Email attributed revenue more than doubled to $46,469.44, representing a 145% increase.

Even though email's percentage of total revenue dropped slightly to 33.77%, this was actually great news. It meant other channels were also performing incredibly well, but email remained the crucial foundation driving consistent, profitable revenue.


What Made the Difference
Looking back at these results, several key factors contributed to this success. The early preparation was absolutely crucial. By starting our holiday strategy in September rather than waiting until November, we had time to build momentum gradually rather than trying to create urgency out of nowhere.

The flow optimization work we'd done earlier in the year was paying compound dividends. Small improvements in conversion rates and messaging had time to accumulate and show their true impact during the high-traffic holiday period.

Our approach to segment expansion was also strategic. Rather than blasting everyone with the same message, we gradually brought back inactive subscribers and tested different approaches with different audience segments. This meant that by the time November rolled around, we had a larger, more engaged audience ready to receive our holiday campaigns.


The Compound Effect in Action
What I find most fascinating about this case study is how it demonstrates the compound effect of strategic email marketing. Every optimization we made, every flow we improved, every segment we refined contributed to the final result.

The Welcome Series improvements we made in June were still paying dividends in December. The Browse Abandonment flow optimizations were catching more customers six months later. The audience expansion we did in September created a larger pool of engaged subscribers for our November campaigns.

This is why I'm so passionate about taking a long-term approach to email marketing, especially in the health space. Your customers aren't just making one-time purchases, they're embarking on wellness journeys that can last years. When you build systems that support and nurture those journeys, the results compound over time.


Lessons for Your Business
If you're running a health brand or any business with strong customer relationships, there are several key takeaways from this success story.

Start your peak season preparation months in advance. Don't wait until your busy period to begin building excitement and optimizing your systems. Use the quieter months to test, refine, and prepare for when traffic and engagement spike.

Invest heavily in your automated flows. While campaigns get the attention and drive immediate results, flows are what create consistent, long-term revenue. A well-optimized Welcome Series or Abandoned Cart flow will continue generating revenue for months or years after you set it up.

Think about your audience expansion strategically. Don't just focus on acquiring new subscribers, work on re-engaging inactive ones and gradually expanding your reach to segments that might be interested but haven't engaged recently.

Pay attention to the relationship between campaigns and flows. They should work together to create a complete customer experience, not compete with each other for attention.

Track the right metrics. Revenue per recipient often tells a more important story than total revenue because it shows efficiency improvements, not just volume increases.

What You Can Do Right Now:

1. Take a close look at your current automated flows. When did you last optimize your Welcome Series, Browse Abandonment, or Post Purchase sequences? Small improvements in these areas compound over time and can dramatically impact your results during peak periods.

2. Start planning your next major season or campaign months in advance. Use slower periods to build anticipation, expand your audience, and test different approaches rather than just maintaining the status quo.

3. Review your revenue per recipient metrics. Are you seeing improvements in efficiency, or are you just growing through volume? Both are important, but efficiency improvements often indicate stronger customer relationships and better long-term prospects.

4. Consider how your campaigns and flows work together. Are they creating a cohesive customer experience, or do they feel disconnected? The best email programs create seamless journeys that guide customers from awareness to advocacy.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

Every week, I share case studies, breakdowns, and results from brands we work with. You see the numbers, the wins, the strategies that worked. But there's something I don't talk about enough: what happens behind the scenes to make all of that possible.

The truth is, for every campaign that generates a 13x ROAS or every email that brings in $50K in revenue, there are hours of strategic planning, data analysis, and creative development that most people never see.

Today, I want to pull back the curtain and show you the foundation that makes everything else work: creative strategy.

This is the exact approach we use to understand what will resonate with an audience, why it will work, and how to execute it across every touchpoint.


Why Creative Strategy Matters
Let's start with the reality of today's marketing landscape. Your customers are seeing thousands of messages every day. They're scrolling past ads, deleting emails, and ignoring SMS messages faster than ever.

In this environment, being "good enough" isn't enough. You need to be strategic about every piece of creative you put out there. You need to understand not just what to say, but how to say it, when to say it, and where to say it.

Your creative strategy is the framework that helps you cut through the noise and actually connect with your audience in a way that drives action. It’s the difference between sending emails that get opened vs. emails that get deleted, running ads that convert vs. ads that burn budget, building websites that sell vs. websites that just look pretty, and creating SMS campaigns that drive sales vs. campaigns that get people to unsubscribe.


The Two Pillars: Retention vs. Acquisition Strategy
If you didn’t know already, retention and acquisition require completely different approaches.

‣ Retention Strategy
This is about talking to people who already know and trust your brand. These are your email subscribers, past customers, and SMS list. They've already raised their hand and said they're interested in what you have to offer.

For retention, your creative strategy focuses on:
∙ Building deeper relationships
∙ Providing value beyond just selling
∙ Encouraging repeat purchases
∙ Creating loyalty and advocacy

The messaging can be more personal, more detailed, and more focused on the relationship than the transaction.

‣ Acquisition Strategy
This is about reaching new people who have never heard of your brand. These are cold audiences on Meta, Google searchers, and people discovering you for the first time.

For acquisition, your creative strategy focuses on:
∙ Making a strong first impression
∙ Clearly communicating your value proposition
∙ Building trust quickly
∙ Removing barriers to that first purchase

The messaging needs to be more direct, more benefit-focused, and designed to convert strangers into customers.

Why this matters: If you use retention messaging for acquisition (or vice versa), you'll waste money and miss opportunities. Each requires its own strategic approach.


How We Build Creative Strategy
1️⃣ Step 1: Data
Everything starts with data. Before we create a single piece of creative, we need to understand what's working, what's not, and why.

For Email and SMS clients, we put together monthly performance reports that break down:
∙ Which campaigns drove the most revenue
∙ What subject lines got the highest open rates
∙ Which send times performed best
∙ How different segments responded to different messaging
∙ What content types generated the most engagement

For Meta clients, we create weekly reports that analyze:
∙ Which creative angles are driving the lowest cost per acquisition
∙ What audiences are converting at the highest rates
∙ Which ad formats are performing best
∙ How different messaging approaches impact conversion rates
∙ What creative elements are driving the most engagement

This data tells us what's resonating with the audience and gives us a foundation to build on.

2️⃣ Step 2: Audience Understanding
Data tells us what happened, but we need to understand why it happened. This is where we dig deeper into audience psychology.

We look at:
∙ What problems our audience is trying to solve
∙ What language they use to describe those problems
∙ What objections they have to purchasing
∙ What motivates them to take action
∙ How they prefer to consume information

This understanding shapes everything from the tone of voice we use to the specific benefits we highlight.

3️⃣ Step 3: Channel-Specific Strategy
Each platform has its own rules, audience behavior, and best practices. Our creative strategy adapts to each channel while maintaining brand consistency.

Email Strategy:
∙ Subject lines that cut through inbox clutter
∙ Content that provides value beyond just selling
∙ Segmented messaging based on customer behavior
∙ Clear calls-to-action that drive specific outcomes

SMS Strategy:
∙ Concise messaging that respects the personal nature of text
∙ Time-sensitive offers that create urgency
∙ Personalized content based on purchase history
∙ Opt-out prevention through valuable, relevant messaging

Meta Strategy:
∙ Thumb-stopping creative that works in the feed
∙ Clear value propositions for cold audiences
∙ Social proof and trust signals for new customers
∙ Retargeting sequences that nurture warm audiences

Website Strategy:
∙ Landing pages that match ad messaging
∙ Clear navigation that guides visitors toward conversion
∙ Trust signals and social proof throughout the experience
∙ Mobile-optimized design for today's browsing behavior

4️⃣ Step 4: Creative Development
This is where strategy becomes execution. We develop creative assets that align with our strategic framework:

∙ Messaging frameworks that ensure consistency across all touchpoints
∙ Visual guidelines that reinforce brand positioning
∙ Content calendars that balance promotional and value-driven content
∙ Testing protocols that help us optimize performance over time

5️⃣ Step 5: Performance Analysis and Optimization
Creative strategy isn't a "set it and forget it" process. We continuously analyze performance and refine our approach based on what we learn.

Our weekly and monthly reports tell us what we do next. If a certain type of email subject line is consistently outperforming others, we double down on that approach. If a specific ad creative angle is driving lower costs, we create variations that build on that success.


The Role of Data in Creative Decisions
A lot of people think creatives and data are opposites. When in reality, data makes creatives more powerful.

Data tells us which headlines get the most clicks, which images drive the highest engagement, which offers convert at the highest rates, and what messaging resonates with different audience segments.

While creatives help us find new ways to communicate those winning messages, develop fresh angles that don't feel repetitive, create emotional connections that data alone can't capture, and build brand personality that differentiates us from competitors.


Why This Approach Works
When you have a systematic approach to creative strategy, several things happen:

‣ Consistency: Every piece of creative reinforces your brand positioning and messaging
‣ Efficiency: You're not starting from scratch with every campaign
‣ Optimization: You're building on what works rather than constantly testing random ideas
‣ Scalability: You can maintain quality as you increase volume
‣ Results: You get better performance because every creative decision is strategic

What This Means for Your Business
Whether you're a small brand just starting out or an established company looking to improve performance, the principles are the same:

Start with strategy before creative.
Understand your audience, define your positioning, and create frameworks that guide all your creative decisions.

Use data to inform creativity, not replace it. 
Let performance data tell you what's working, then use creativity to find new ways to execute those insights.

Adapt your approach to each channel. 
What works in email might not work on Meta. What works for retention might not work for acquisition.

Measure and optimize continuously.
Creative strategy isn't a one-time exercise, it's an ongoing process of learning and improvement.

The Bottom Line
Creative without strategy is just expensive art. Strategy without creative is just a plan that never gets executed. But when you combine both with the right data, that's when you get results that actually move the needle.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

Welcome back to Brand of the Month. This is where I break down brands that are doing something right (really right) and extract the lessons that actually matter for the rest of us.

This month, I want to talk about a brand that took one of the most unsexy product categories imaginable (tinned fish) and turned it into a $6 million lifestyle brand that has Gen Z posting #tinnedfishdatenight on TikTok.

I'm talking about Fishwife.

If you haven't heard of them, they're the LA-based brand that's made canned fish cool, Instagram-worthy, and somehow aspirational. They've grown from $0 to $6 million in revenue in just four years, expanded to 1,800+ retail locations including Whole Foods, and created a cultural movement around what used to be considered emergency pantry food.

Today, I'm breaking down exactly how they did it, what makes them special, and the lessons every brand can learn from their approach.


The Origin Story: From Quarantine Idea to Cultural Movement
Fishwife was founded in December 2020 by Becca Millstein and Caroline Goldfarb, but the idea started during COVID quarantine in April 2020. Millstein had first discovered high-quality tinned fish during a semester abroad in southern Spain, where she encountered a vibrant culinary culture around conservas; premium tinned seafood that was treated as a delicacy.

During lockdown, she and Goldfarb started incorporating tinned fish into their "girl dinners" at home. They loved the health benefits, the sustainability aspect, the convenience, and how it aligned with food trends they were seeing from influencers like Anthony Bourdain and Alison Roman.

The business idea crystallized during a hike together. They validated it with food entrepreneur friends and committed to the idea the next day. And their timing was brilliant. They launched right when people were stuck at home, cooking more, and looking for convenient, healthy options that felt special.


What Makes Fishwife Different
1. They Completely Reimagined the Visual Identity
Fishwife threw the playbook of blue and white packaging and boring fonts out the window. They hired illustrator Danny Miller to create vibrant, artistic packaging that looks like collectible art, with each tin featuring bold colors, beautiful illustrations, and designs that people actually want to display in their kitchens.

2. Sustainability and Transparency as Core Values
Fishwife sources from responsible fisheries, small-boat fisherfolk, aquaculture farms, and microcanneries. They emphasize knowing exactly where their fish comes from and how it's caught.

3. Cultural Positioning Over Product Features
Fishwife positioned themselves as part of a lifestyle. They made tinned fish part of the "girl dinner" trend, date night culture, and the broader movement toward convenient, healthy eating. They created hashtags like #tinnedfish (which has over 100 million views) and #tinnedfishdatenight. They made their product social media-worthy and gave people a reason to share it.


The Growth Strategy That Actually Worked
For the first two years, Fishwife spent $0 on paid advertising. Zero. Their entire growth strategy was built on organic social media, and it worked because they understood that authenticity beats reach.

Becca Millstein handled all social media personally, creating genuine engagement with their community. They built their Instagram to 70k followers and TikTok to 18.8k followers through consistent, authentic content.

They also created viral merchandise like "Hot girls eat tinned fish" tees and totes that turned their customers into walking billboards.

And, instead of paying big influencers, they strategically seeded products to micro-influencers and "dream influencers" like Alison Roman and Molly Baz. This approach gave them credibility and authentic endorsements that paid advertising could never achieve.


The Numbers That Matter
Let's talk about the growth trajectory:
2021: $750,000 revenue
2022: $2.6 million revenue
2023: ~$6 million revenue (180% year-over-year growth)
Retail presence: 1,800+ locations including Whole Foods nationwide

They achieved 180% growth while the conventional tinned fish category only grew 1%.

The Shark Tank Boost
In 2023, Becca Millstein appeared on Shark Tank, securing a deal with Lori Greiner and Candace Nelson for $350,000 in exchange for 6% equity plus 2% advisory shares. This valued the company at approximately $5.83 million and provided the capital to fund their Whole Foods partnership.

What You Can Learn From Fishwife

1. Category Transformation Over Product Innovation
Fishwife didn't invent better tinned fish, they reimagined what tinned fish could represent. They took a commodity product and turned it into a lifestyle choice.

Actionable takeaway: Look at your product category. How can you reframe what it means to your customers? What cultural movements or trends can you align with?

2. Values-Driven Positioning
Their commitment to sustainability and transparency is fundamental to their brand identity. They source from responsible fisheries and small-boat fisherfolk, emphasizing knowing exactly where their fish comes from.

In working with brands across industries, I've seen that authentic values-driven positioning resonates especially well with younger consumers who can spot performative marketing immediately.

Actionable takeaway: Identify the values that are truly core to your operation and make them non-negotiable. Don't just talk about them, build your entire business around them.

3. Visual Identity as Competitive Advantage
Fishwife's artistic tins immediately communicate quality and intentionality. Their packaging isn't just functional, it's part of the product experience.

Actionable takeaway: Audit your packaging and visual identity. Does it communicate the values and quality you want to represent? Would customers want to display it or share it on social media?

4. Organic Growth Through Authentic Engagement
Fishwife proved that you don't need massive ad budgets to build a successful brand. Their organic social media strategy worked because it felt genuine and community-focused.

Actionable takeaway: Before investing in paid advertising, master organic engagement. Build real relationships with your audience. Create content that people actually want to share.

5. Cultural Timing and Trend Alignment
Fishwife launched right when several trends converged: the "girl dinner" movement, increased focus on sustainability, and the rise of convenient healthy eating.

Actionable takeaway: Study the cultural and social trends affecting your target audience. How can you position your brand to align with where culture is heading, not where it's been?

6. Community Over Customer Acquisition
Fishwife doesn't have customers, they have a community of tinned fish enthusiasts. They've created a shared identity around their product that goes beyond the transaction.

This community approach creates higher lifetime value, better retention, and organic word-of-mouth growth.

Actionable takeaway: How can you turn your customer base into a community? What shared values or experiences can you rally around?


The Bottom Line
Fishwife's story proves that the biggest opportunities often exist in the most overlooked categories. They took something that everyone thought was boring and made it exciting.

Whether you're selling tinned fish or any other product, the lessons are clear: focus on cultural positioning over product features, invest in authentic community building, and never underestimate the power of beautiful, intentional design.


Your Turn
I want to hear from you. What did you find most valuable about Fishwife's approach? Which of their strategies could you apply to your own brand?

And here's where I need your help: What brand should we feature for next month's Brand of the Month?

Reply to this email and tell me:
1. What insight from Fishwife's story resonated most with you
2. Which brand you think we should deep dive into next month

I read every reply, and your suggestions directly influence what we cover. Let's make this series as valuable as possible for everyone.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

I want to talk about what might be the biggest opportunity in the health and wellness space right now: peptides.

We've been doing email and SMS marketing for a few peptide companies, but avoided Meta ads due to their strict regulations. One wrong move can get your entire ad account banned. And when you're managing multiple clients, that's a risk most aren't willing to take. In fact, we stayed in our lane for a while, until recently.

I felt in my core that we couldn’t let this opportunity slip away, and the potential was too enormous to ignore. So, we made the call, and we did it with our eyes wide open.

And what happened next proved what I suspected: with the right strategy, it works.


Why Peptides Are the Next Big Thing
Before I dive into the numbers, let me give you some context. Peptides are being quoted by industry experts as potentially becoming as big as vitamins or other common supplements. We're talking about a market opportunity that could reshape the entire health and wellness industry.

Now, obviously, there’s still a ton of research to be done, and I’m not pretending otherwise. But the consumer appetite is undeniable. Think about it: we're at the ground floor of what could become a massive industry.


How We Launched Paid Ads (Without Getting Banned)
Meta has very clear guidelines when it comes to advertising anything remotely related to health. For peptides, the rules are even tighter.

You can’t make medical claims, you can’t promise results, and you can’t even infer outcomes in most cases.

So here’s what we did:
‣ Built a brand-forward ad strategy that focused on education instead of claims.
‣ Created landing pages that kept all language within Meta's advertising guidelines.
‣ Prepped a new ad account before we launched, just in case the original got flagged.

And guess what? It did.

Toward the end of November, the original ad account was flagged. But lucky for us, we had a second one ready to go, we switched within hours and kept the momentum.

Performance stayed strong, conversions didn’t slow down, and we didn’t lose ground during one of the most critical buying windows of the year.


The Results:
I can't mention the brand name since I'm sharing real numbers, but the results speak for themselves.

November 14-24 Performance:

Total Spend: $834.07
Revenue Tracked: $11,427.71
ROAS: 13.70x
Purchases: 40
Cost Per Acquisition: $20.85
Average Order Value: $285.69

That's a 13.70x return on ad spend. In the peptide space. On Meta. Let that sink in.

Consistent Performance Across Multiple Periods:

Nov 3-9: 15.03x ROAS ($1,630 spend, $24,505 revenue)
Oct 28-Nov 3: 9.35x ROAS ($1,507 spend, $14,094 revenue)
Oct 21-27: 9.11x ROAS ($1,472 spend, $13,398 revenue)

Take a look at November alone:

12.21x ROAS ($2,680.50 spend, $32,729.43 revenue)

Even as we scaled spend and tested different approaches, we maintained nearly double-digit ROAS across multiple periods.


Email: Driving Consistent Revenue Through the Funnel
While Meta ads were driving awareness and new customers, email marketing was the real revenue driver.

October Email Performance:

November Email Performance:

So, What’s the Takeaway?
We’re not saying every peptide brand should launch Meta ads tomorrow. If you’re not ready to navigate the compliance landscape, don’t touch it.

But if you’ve got:
‣ The right brand foundation
‣ A strong email engine already converting
‣ A team that knows how to speak to customers while staying compliant

Then yeah, the opportunity is real.

And if you’re in supplements, wellness, or adjacent spaces with similar ad policy challenges, the same logic applies. Build your email list, test creative thoroughly, stay within policy, and move fast when things break.

This space is only heating up.

What This Means for Your Business
Even if you're not in the peptide space, there are valuable lessons here:

1. Regulated Industries Can Be Goldmines
The more regulated an industry is, the fewer competitors you'll face. If you can navigate the compliance requirements, you can dominate.

2. Work Within the System
Don't try to push boundaries or find loopholes. Build your strategy around compliance from day one.

3. High-Value Customers
As you can see from our AOV numbers ($285+ average), peptide customers tend to be higher-value and more committed to their purchases. Focus on attracting the right audience, not just any audience.

4. Prepare for Setbacks
Have backup plans, multiple accounts, and diversified strategies. Setbacks are part of the game in regulated industries.

5. Partner with Experts
This isn't a DIY situation. Work with agencies and consultants who understand the regulatory landscape.


The Bottom Line
The peptide market is challenging, it's risky, but for brands and agencies willing to do the work, the rewards can be extraordinary.

We've proven that it's possible to achieve incredible results while staying compliant. The key is having the right strategy, the right messaging, and the right risk management approach.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it's Arik.

I want to share a case study with you that perfectly illustrates why I'm obsessed with full-stack marketing.

This is about a brand we work with that absolutely crushed November, and they did it in a way that most brands would think is impossible.

They grew their revenue by 40% while spending 44% less on Google Ads. Their email marketing generated over $50K in revenue from just 12 campaigns. And their Google Ads ROAS jumped from 5.36x to 13.38x.

Here's exactly how they did it, and what you can learn from their approach.

Let me start with the results, then I'll break down the strategy:



The Numbers
Google Ads Performance:
‣ October: $9,460 spend, $50,698 revenue, 5.36x ROAS
‣ November: $5,314 spend, $71,095 revenue, 13.38x ROAS
‣ Result: 40% revenue increase with 44% less spend

Email Marketing Performance:

‣ 12 campaigns sent throughout November
‣ $50,225.82 in campaign revenue
‣ $78,963.74 in attributed revenue
‣ Top campaign: $8,847.50 from a single Black Friday send

Meta Ads Performance:

‣ November 1–30 (Full Month):
Total Spend: $86,625.53
Total Revenue: $196,592.89
Total Purchases: 1,169
Average ROAS: 2.27x
Cost Per Purchase: $74.10

‣ Black Friday–Cyber Monday Weekend (Nov 28–Dec 1):
Total Spend: $48,089.17
Total Revenue: $108,228.09
Total Purchases: 658
Average ROAS: 2.25x
Cost Per Purchase: $73.08

When you add it all up, this brand had their best month ever while actually spending less on their biggest channel.



What We Did
1. Campaign Restructuring for Efficiency
A lot brands run their Google Ads like a shotgun blast, broad campaigns targeting everything remotely related to their products, hoping something sticks. We took the opposite approach and turned their campaigns into a sniper rifle.

‣ We consolidated ad groups around high-intent keywords (the search terms that indicated someone was ready to buy, not just browse).

‣ We increased bids on proven performers while pausing underperformers. If a campaign wasn't generating profitable conversions, we cut it entirely. The budget that was previously spread across fifteen different campaign types got concentrated on the five campaigns with the highest conversion rates.

‣ We also improved their Quality Scores by making their ads more relevant to what people were actually searching for and ensuring their landing pages matched the promise in their ads. Higher Quality Scores meant Google rewarded them with lower costs per click, which meant their budget went further.

The result: we could spend less while getting more qualified traffic that was ready to buy.

2. Email Marketing That Actually Converts
Our email strategy was all about sending the right emails to the right people at the right time.

Top-performing campaigns:
Black Friday announcement: $8,847.50 revenue
Cyber Monday push: $6,234.18 revenue
Product spotlight series: Multiple $3K+ campaigns
Abandoned cart recovery: Consistent daily revenue

What made all of this work was our approach to segmentation and timing. We sent different messages to first-time visitors versus repeat customers, to people who bought recently versus those who hadn't purchased in months. We timed our sends based on when their audience was most likely to engage, not just when it was convenient to hit send.

3. Creative Strategy That Scaled
On the Meta side, we made a decision that goes against everything most marketers are taught: instead of constantly testing new creative angles, we found what worked and doubled down on it.

Their best-performing creative was a simple before-and-after video. And rather than moving on to test completely different concepts, we created multiple versions of this same winning idea. Different visuals, different angles, but always the same core message: here's what your life looks like without us, and here's what it could look like with us.

We also incorporated customer testimonials that reinforced the transformation story and added seasonal messaging.

This approach gave them consistent performance while reducing the time and money spent on creative production. The result was a steady stream of qualified traffic that fed into their other channels, creating a compound effect that made everything else perform better.



The Cross-Channel Effect
These channels didn't work in isolation. They worked together to create a compound effect.

How it worked:
‣ Google Ads captured high-intent searchers looking for LED solutions
‣ Meta Ads built awareness and retargeted website visitors
‣ Email nurtured leads and converted browsers into buyers
‣ Each channel fed the others with data and audiences

The reality of attribution: That $71K in Google Ads revenue probably came from some customers who saw a Meta ad first, then searched on Google, then converted after receiving an email.



What You Can Learn From This
Lesson 1: Efficiency Over Volume
More spend doesn't always mean better results. This brand proved that strategic optimization can deliver better performance with less budget.

‣ Action step: Audit your current campaigns. Where are you spending money on low-performing keywords, audiences, or creative? Cut the fat and double down on what works.

Lesson 2: Email Is Still King
While everyone's obsessing over TikTok and new platforms, email continues to deliver incredible ROI. $50K from 12 campaigns is proof that a well-executed email strategy can be your biggest revenue driver.

‣ Action step: Look at your email performance from the last 30 days. What were your top-performing campaigns? How can you replicate that success?

Lesson 3: Creative Optimization Beats Creative Testing
Instead of constantly testing new creative, they found what worked and optimized it. This approach is more sustainable and often more profitable.

‣ Action step: Identify your top-performing ads from the last quarter. How can you create variations that build on those winners?

Lesson 4: Cross-Channel Attribution Is Everything
Don't judge channels in isolation. The real magic happens when they work together to guide customers through your funnel.

‣ Action step: Set up proper tracking to understand how your channels influence each other. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 to see the full customer journey.

If you want to replicate this success, here's your step-by-step plan:

Week 1: Audit and Optimize
‣ Review your Google Ads account for underperforming campaigns
‣ Identify your top email campaigns from the last 90 days
‣ Analyze your Meta creative performance

Week 2: Restructure and Focus
‣ Consolidate Google Ads campaigns around your best performers
‣ Create email templates based on your highest-converting campaigns
‣ Pause underperforming Meta creative and double down on winners

Week 3: Cross-Channel Integration
‣ Set up proper tracking between all channels
‣ Create retargeting audiences from your email subscribers
‣ Align messaging across Google, Meta, and email

Week 4: Scale and Optimize
‣ Increase budgets on your best-performing campaigns
‣ Launch new email campaigns based on proven templates
‣ Test variations of your winning creative


The Bottom Line
This case study proves that you don't need to spend more to make more. With the right strategy, you can achieve better results with less budget.

The key is thinking about your marketing as a system, not individual channels. When Google Ads, Meta Ads, and email work together strategically, the results compound in ways that are impossible to achieve with any single channel.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it’s Arik.

BFCM might be done, but the season’s not over yet.

Today, I'm breaking down exactly how we're helping our clients dominate December with gamified campaigns that keep customers engaged, excited, and buying all month long.


The December Opportunity Everyone's Missing
Christmas shopping doesn't stop after Cyber Monday. In fact, December is one of the biggest gifting and buying windows of the entire year.

Think about it: people are always looking for last-minute additions, stocking stuffers, and those perfect "just because" purchases.

Plus, you've got New Year's resolutions starting to kick in, which means people are already thinking about fresh starts and new purchases.

This year, one of the strategies we’re rolling out (and that we’ve seen crush before) is a seasonal campaign model we call:


The 12 Days of Christmas (or 5 Days of [Brand Name])
It’s simple, powerful, and highly customizable for any brand, whether you’re doing $20K a month or $2M.

Here's how it works:
‣ Each day features a different product or bundle with an exclusive offer.
‣ The offer is only available for that specific day (creating urgency and FOMO).
‣ Products are strategically chosen to showcase different price points and categories.
‣ Each day builds anticipation for what's coming next.

For example, Day 1 might feature your bestselling product at 20% off. Day 2 could be an exclusive bundle that has never been offered before. Day 3 might spotlight a limited-edition item, and so on.

You can run this for 5 days, 7 days, 12 days—whatever suits your brand’s capacity and inventory. The key is matching the length to your audience's attention span and your product catalog's depth.


How to Structure Your Daily Campaigns
You don't need to send an email every single day (though you can if your audience is engaged enough). Here are a few approaches that work:

‣ Option 1: Daily Emails
One email per day featuring that day's special offer.

‣ Option 2: 3 Emails Per Week
Monday, Wednesday, Friday emails that each cover 2-3 days of offers. This gives people a chance to catch up if they missed a day.

‣ Option 3: The Challenge Format
Frame it as a daily challenge or advent calendar:
"Day 5 Challenge: Treat yourself to something cozy"
"Day 12 Challenge: Find the perfect gift for your best friend"


Making It Feel Like a Game
The secret sauce is in the gamification. You want people to feel like they're participating in something special, not just receiving sales emails.

1. Create Anticipation - Tease tomorrow's featured product at the end of today's email.
2. Add Collectible Elements - "Collect all 12 featured products for an exclusive bonus"
3. Use Progress Indicators - "Day 7 of 12 - you're halfway there!"
4. Reward Participation - Give exclusive bonuses for people who purchase on multiple days.


Product Selection Strategy
‣ Start Strong
Day 1 should feature a popular, accessible product. Something that gets people excited and sets the tone, like a bestseller with a compelling discount.

‣ Mix Price Points
Alternate between higher and lower-priced items and include options for different budgets throughout the campaign.

‣ Create Logical Flow
Group complementary products near each other to build natural upsell opportunities.

‣ Save Something Special for the End
Your final day should be memorable. It could be your best discount, an exclusive bundle, or a limited-edition item that leaves people wanting more.

It’s also a smart way to gather insights:
→ Which SKUs convert best with urgency?
→ What price points or bundles resonate most?
→ Are free gifts or % off stronger in December?

That’s the data you’ll want heading into 2026 planning.


Other Ways to Win December with Email
→ Re-engage your BFCM buyers
→ Start a Gifting Guide
→ Leverage last shipping dates
→ Segment your email list by purchase behavior
→ Add value with content (Gift wrapping tips, stocking stuffer ideas, self-care reminders).

What You Can Do Right Now
If you want to implement this strategy for December, here's your action plan:

✅ Pick Your Timeframe: 
Decide on 5, 12, or 25 days based on your catalog and audience.

✅ Select Your Products: 
Choose items that represent different categories and price points (avoid repeating what you ran during BFCM).

✅ Plan Your Offers: 
Decide on discounts, bundles, or exclusive deals for each day.

✅ Create Your Content Calendar: 
Map out email send dates and content themes around shipping cutoffs and Christmas timelines.

✅ Set Up Your Infrastructure: 
Prepare landing pages, email templates, and tracking systems.


The Bottom Line
December isn't the end of the shopping season, it's the beginning of your biggest opportunity. While your competitors are taking a break, you can own the entire month with strategic, gamified campaigns that keep customers engaged and buying.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

P.S. If you already have a December strategy, reply and let me know what you're running, always curious to see what smart brands are up to.

Hey, it's Arik.

It’s Brand of the Month time, where I spotlight a niche brand that's absolutely crushing it in their space. Last month we dove into WHOOP, and this month I want to talk about a brand that's redefining what streetwear can be: Madhappy.

If you haven't heard of them, Madhappy is the LA-based streetwear brand that's built a $100M+ business by selling optimism. And their approach to community building, brand storytelling, and authentic mission-driven marketing is something every brand can learn from.


The Story: Four Friends, a Feeling, and a Gap in Culture
Madhappy started in 2017 with four founders: Peiman Raf, Noah Raf, Mason Spector, and Joshua Sitt, who had all experienced personal battles with mental health. Instead of hiding it, they turned it into a brand and built a community around positivity and mental health advocacy.

They were frustrated with the negativity dominating fashion and culture. Everywhere they looked, brands were pushing edgy, dark, or cynical messaging. So, they wanted to create something different: a brand built on optimism and mental health awareness.

The name Madhappy itself represents the duality everyone experiences: you can struggle and still choose optimism, and you can feel low and still have hope. That honesty gave them a positioning that nobody else had.

Their first collection included hoodies, tees, and hats in bold colors with clean typography. It wasn’t fashion with a message, but a message expressed through fashion.

It immediately created a sense of belonging for people who felt like they finally saw themselves in a brand. And that's why they scaled so quickly.


What Makes Madhappy Different:

1. They tied product to purpose, and live it everywhere.
Mental health isn't a marketing campaign for them, it's their core identity.

They launched:
The Madhappy Foundation, funding mental health programs and research.
Local Optimist, a content platform full of essays, interviews, check-ins, resources, and real human stories.

Through their blog, social media, and events, they create spaces for meaningful conversations about mental health, positivity, and personal growth.

Their community feels exclusive but inclusive at the same time.

2. Their aesthetic is calm, premium, timeless, and emotionally aligned.
Madhappy's aesthetic is instantly recognizable: bold colors, clean typography, and distinctive design elements like their signature hood stitch. Their pieces are simple but impactful, making them perfect for both streetwear enthusiasts and everyday consumers.

3. Their strategic retail approach
Instead of rushing into traditional retail, Madhappy built buzz through pop-up shops in key cities like LA, New York, Miami, and Aspen. This approach created scarcity and exclusivity while allowing them to test markets and build relationships with customers face-to-face.

4. Their collaborations amplify the mission.
Early on, Madhappy gained support from celebrities like Cardi B, Gigi Hadid, and Dua Lipa. And get this, these weren't even paid partnerships. These celebrities genuinely connected with the brand's message and aesthetic.

5. Strategic Investment
In 2019, Madhappy received a $1.8 million investment from LVMH Luxury Ventures. Having their backing gave them credibility in the fashion industry and access to resources that accelerated their growth.


The Numbers That Matter
While Madhappy keeps specific numbers close to the vest, here's what we know:

• They've grown to a $100M+ valuation
• They've expanded from online-only to multiple physical locations
• They've built a community of hundreds of thousands of "Local Optimists"
• They've maintained strong margins by focusing on quality and brand value over volume

What You Can Take From Madhappy (No Matter Your Industry)

1. A brand with a soul always wins long‑term.
Consumers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, want to support brands that stand for something. Madhappy's commitment to mental health advocacy isn't just good for society, it's good for business.

Takeaway: What does your brand stand for beyond making money? How can you authentically integrate that mission into everything you do?


2. Community Beats Customers
Madhappy doesn't have customers, they have community members. This shift in mindset changes everything about how they communicate, create products, and build relationships.

When people connect with each other through your brand, you’ve built something that can’t be copied.

Takeaway: How can you turn your customer base into a community? What shared values or interests can you rally around?


3. Start Small, Think Big
Madhappy didn't launch with massive retail partnerships or huge ad budgets. They started with pop-ups and organic growth, building momentum before scaling.

Takeaway: You don't need to go big immediately. Focus on creating authentic connections and let word-of-mouth drive your growth.


4. Authenticity Can't Be Faked
Madhappy's success comes from genuine commitment to their mission. They don't just talk about mental health, they take action. They don't just claim to be optimistic, they create content and experiences that spread positivity.

Takeaway: Whatever your brand stands for, you have to live it, not just market it.


5. Your product, storytelling, and mission need to match.
Your aesthetic and your values should feel like they belong to the same world. Madhappy's bold colors and clean aesthetic make their products instantly recognizable, which is crucial for building brand awareness.

Takeaway: How can you make your brand more visually distinctive? What design elements could become your signature?

I hope this one gave you some perspective and ideas you can pull into your own brand. Madhappy is one of the best examples of what it looks like when intention and execution line up perfectly.

See you next Thursday,
Arik

Hey, it’s Arik.

One thing I’ve always found fascinating is how some of the most successful brands don’t do everything. They just do one thing really well, and stay ruthlessly committed to doing it their way.

Today, I want to share the story of a brand that’s mastered the art of seasonal success: Leckerlee.

I’ve been following them since we started working with them, and there’s something incredibly special about what they’ve built.

If you’ve never heard of them, they’re the go-to name for authentic German Lebkuchen, a chewy, spiced gingerbread-like cookie that’s been a holiday tradition for centuries. But behind the nostalgic aesthetic is a masterclass in niche positioning, seasonal scarcity, and obsession-worthy product quality.

They know exactly who they are, and they stay in that lane.

Here’s what makes them stand out:

The Founder’s Story: Sandy’s Leap of Faith
Founder Sandy Lee fell in love with Lebkuchen while living in Germany. When she returned to the U.S., she realized that authentic, high-quality Lebkuchen was nearly impossible to find. So, she decided to make it herself.

She wanted to bring a piece of German holiday tradition to the U.S. and spent years perfecting her recipe, using only the finest ingredients and traditional techniques. And what started as a passion project quickly grew into a thriving business.

Today, Leckerlee has become a holiday staple for thousands of families, with peak demand in Q4 when the holidays roll around.


What Makes Leckerlee Unique
They sell a story, not just a snack.

If you check out their website, you’ll see how seamlessly they blend product with tradition, and visuals with emotion. You’re buying into heritage, into a memory, into something warm and celebratory and rare.

That’s what makes people open their emails, that’s what makes them share it, and that’s what makes it easy for us to support with paid ads and lifecycle when the time comes.


They made constraints a superpower.
Like I’ve mentioned before, Leckerlee’s business is built around the holiday season. And while a lot of founders would look at “we only sell for 3 months out of the year” as a problem, Sandy leaned into it.

She used that seasonal window to build massive demand, perfect every detail of the experience, and then exit with a clean break once the season ends.

Preorders start in September, and orders ship in October. By the time December rolls around, they’re operating at full capacity, fulfilling thousands of orders.


Here’s why their seasonal model works so well:
‣ Focused Energy: By concentrating their efforts on a specific time of year, they can go all-in on marketing, production, and customer experience.
‣ Built-In Scarcity: The limited availability of their products creates urgency and drives demand.
‣ Sustained Revenue: Their holiday sales are so strong that they can sustain the business throughout the rest of the year.

Lessons You Can Apply to Your Own Business
Whether you’re running a seasonal brand or not, there’s a lot to learn from Leckerlee’s approach.

Here are some key takeaways:

1. Build Around a Clear Story
Leckerlee’s success starts with their story. Sandy’s passion for Lebkuchen and her commitment to authenticity resonate with customers. People don’t just buy the cookies, they buy into the tradition and care behind them.

Takeaway: What’s your brand’s story? How can you connect with your audience on a deeper level?

2. Focus on Quality
They don’t cut corners. From their ingredients to their packaging, every detail is carefully considered. This commitment to quality is why customers come back year after year.

Takeaway: Are you delivering the best possible product or service? What small improvements could you make to elevate your offering?

3. Create a Sense of Urgency
By only selling during the holiday season, Leckerlee creates a natural sense of urgency. Customers know they need to act fast or risk missing out.

Takeaway: How can you use urgency to drive action? Limited-time offers, exclusive drops, or seasonal campaigns can all create FOMO.

4. Invest in Presentation
Leckerlee’s tins are part of the product. Customers love the keepsake designs, which add value and make the cookies feel like a premium gift.

Takeaway: How does your brand look and feel? Could you improve your packaging, website, or branding to make a stronger impression?

5. Plan for Your Peaks
Leckerlee’s entire year is built around their holiday season. They know when their peak is coming, and they prepare accordingly.

Takeaway: What’s your busiest time of year? Are you planning far enough ahead to maximize it?

The Bottom Line
Whether you’re gearing up for the holidays or planning your next big launch, take a page from Leckerlee’s playbook. Focus on what makes your brand unique, and don’t be afraid to go all-in on your strengths.

See you next Thursday,
Arik