DiscountMugs was sitting on one of the most valuable assets in e-commerce marketing — a list of over one million engaged subscribers — and not fully leveraging it. Email performance had plateaued. Open rates were well below where they should be for a list of that quality.
The challenge wasn't building from zero. It was unlocking the potential of what already existed, while simultaneously building something new from the ground up — all without disrupting the existing program.
- Email open rates stagnant at 14.8% — no segmentation or testing in place
- No SMS channel — a high-intent touchpoint completely absent
- Batch-and-blast sending suppressing deliverability and engagement
- No lifecycle automation — every contact treated the same regardless of behavior
Methodical diagnosis of what was suppressing performance, full segmentation rebuild, and introduction of a systematic testing framework to drive continuous improvement.
Platform selection, subscriber acquisition, compliance framework, automation build, and campaign execution — all within the first 90 days.
Both tracks ran simultaneously. The principle driving every decision on each:
The right message to the right person at the right moment. List size is a multiplier. Relevance is the base.
Timeframe
3 Months
My Role
Full Cycle Web & Product Development
Project Goal
Reposition visual brand, Generate new enquiries
Services
Branding
Web Design
Product Development
Content Writing
Rebuilt the existing email program from the inside out — from batch-and-blast sending to a behavior and purchase-based segmentation model that put the right message in front of the right person every time.
- Full segmentation rebuild — behavior and purchase-based
- Systematic A/B testing across subject lines, send times, CTAs
- List hygiene protocols — suppressing disengaged contacts
- Mobile-first template redesign for improved rendering
- Deliverability optimization — authentication and inbox placement
Built and launched a complete SMS marketing channel from zero — platform, subscribers, compliance, automations, and campaigns — all live and generating revenue within 90 days.
- Platform selection and full technical setup
- Subscriber acquisition — opt-in flows, pop-ups, checkout integration
- Compliance framework — opt-in language, quiet hours, unsubscribe flows
- Automated welcome series for new SMS subscribers
- Campaign calendar for promos, launches, and seasonal sends
Designed and launched a full lifecycle automation program across both email and SMS — covering every stage of the customer journey from first contact through win-back, with A/B variants on every flow.
- Welcome series — email and SMS new subscriber onboarding
- Abandoned cart recovery — multi-touch sequence
- Post-purchase follow-up with upsell and review prompts
- Win-back campaign for lapsed customers (90+ days inactive)
- VIP loyalty flows for top 10% by purchase value
| SMS Subscriber Growth | +22% |
| Email Open Rate | 14.8% → 22.6% |
| Open Rate Improvement | +52.7% |
| Bounce Rate Reduction | −32% |
| Total List Managed | 1,000,000+ |
The ability to own an entire email and SMS marketing function at enterprise scale — diagnosing underperformance, rebuilding the program architecture, launching a new channel from zero, and delivering revenue results fast enough to validate the investment within the first quarter.
Interested in similar results for your organization?
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