The challenge
1Thrive had worked with several email agencies before us. Each one started strong, then got complacent and stopped pushing.
The bigger issue was that none of them understood the brand the way the founders did. Messaging felt generic, and campaigns kept missing the audience the brand was built for.
Our approach
Phase 1
Deep brand and customer research
Before writing a single email, we built a full picture of the brand.
- AI-assisted research. We ran a structured research process covering the brand's positioning, its ideal customer profile, what that customer responds to, and why they buy in the first place.
- Founder sessions. We sat down with the founders to understand their challenges, what the business means to them, and how they want their customers treated. This became the foundation for the brand voice in every email.
Phase 2
The 90-day plan
We turned the research into a 90-day roadmap built on three priorities.
- Copy testing that focuses on what matters. We A/B tested subject lines, angles, and messaging to find the copy that feels relatable to this audience and actually converts. Winners became the baseline for future sends.
- Segmentation by buying cycle. A wall organizer isn't a weekly purchase. Someone who bought one in January to start the year organized won't buy another the following week. We segmented the audience by purchase history, timing, and intent so each customer gets the right message when they're actually ready for it, and doesn't get pushed when they aren't.
- Rebuilt flows as customer journeys. We rebuilt the core flows so every new subscriber and customer goes through a journey tailored to where they are. The goal: make people feel welcomed and part of a community, not just added to a list.
The results
- First half of the year: $138,715 in email revenue (24% of total store revenue).
- Second half of the year: $187,938 in email revenue (28% of total store revenue).
- 35% growth in email revenue from H1 to H2.
- Ad spend held in a similar range, meaning the growth came from better retention and conversion of existing traffic, not more paid acquisition.
What this means for your brand
If your email program started strong and then flattened out, the problem usually isn't volume. It's that the messaging stopped reflecting who your customer actually is.
- Research before copy. We learn your brand and customer before we write.
- Timing over frequency. Segmentation built around how your customers really buy.
- Journeys, not blasts. Flows that make customers feel like part of the brand.
- We don't coast. Testing and optimization never stop after the first 90 days.
Email results flatlined? We rebuild your program around the customer you actually serve.
