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I Reviewed a $400k/mo Ecom Brand and This is What They Were Missing
Max Sturtevant
January 13, 2025
The Inbox Newsletter
Hey it’s Max from The Inbox Newsletter.
So I released my most valuable YouTube video I’ve ever released the other day.
In the video I spent an hour with a brand marketing lead doing $400k/mo, breaking down their email account and where they can improve.
No one has ever made a video like this on YouTube (video here).
It’s so valuable that I want to give you a summary of it all here so we can all learn from how I’d add $50,000 - $100,000 PER MONTH to this brand with email…
Introduction to the Brand & Opportunity
The featured brand, Happiest Hour, sells wellness shots similar to Magic Mind, catering to specific needs like energy, calmness, and sleep.
Despite doing $400,000/month in revenue, their email channel only contributes 10%—a massive opportunity for growth.
TikTok Shop accounts for 70% of their revenue, but over-reliance on the platform poses risks due to potential U.S. bans and platform volatility.
Email is the only channel you truly own yourself, and it has the highest ROI so the brand wants to make it a focus in Q1 2025.
Funnel Audit: Pop-ups & Welcome Flow
The pop-up form captures emails with a 13.6% opt-in rate, which is strong, but the subscription-to-purchase conversion rate of 7.2% needs improvement (target: 10-15%).
Suggested improvements:
Add intermediary steps to collect email addresses BEFORE showcasing bundle options.
Make discount codes look custom (e.g., “TY23GH”) to boost perceived exclusivity and conversion rates.
Ensure every email in the welcome flow reminds users of the discount and includes buttons for easy navigation.
Buttons in emails should be above the fold (top of the email) for maximum visibility and engagement.
Flows Audit: The Missing Opportunities
Missing flows: site abandonment, browse abandonment, and cart abandonment. Adding these flows can significantly increase revenue by recovering otherwise lost sales.
Post-purchase flows were nonexistent. Recommendations include:
Immediate Thank You: Personalize from the founder, with a subtle PS upsell.
Upsell/Cross-sell: One to two days post-purchase.
How to Use/Pair Products: Educate users to maximize product value.
Check-in Email: Send three weeks later to reinforce customer satisfaction and engagement.
For replenishment reminders, split flows based on product pack size (e.g., 5-pack vs. 12-pack) with appropriate timing (e.g., 14 vs. 30 days).
Win-back flows should fire at 2x-3x the replenishment period to re-engage inactive customers with urgency and tailored offers.
Campaign Strategy: Building Consistency
Current campaigns are sparse, focused on product launches, restocks, and Black Friday.
This leaves significant untapped potential.
Suggested approach:
Send 3-4 campaigns per week to a 90-day engaged list.
Mix text-based, value-driven emails (e.g., founder stories, brain teasers) with visually engaging promotional emails.
Incorporate educational content about product benefits and use cases to build trust and interest.
Inspiration: Magic Mind’s email strategy combines clean designs, personal tones, and consistent value delivery.
Segmentation Simplified
Campaign segmentation should be kept simple—cast a wide net with a 90-day engaged list for consistency and impact.
Over-segmentation in campaigns can cause inefficiencies without significantly improving ROI.
Use splits and customizations just in your email flows for personalization (e.g., product purchased, AOV, frequency of purchase).
Metrics & Quick Wins
Current email revenue contribution (10%) is below the benchmark for TikTok-native brands (20-30%). With improvements, the brand could achieve 25-30% in 60 days.
Quick wins:
Add missing abandonment flows and improve the welcome flow.
Prioritize buttons, urgency, and discount reminders in all flows.
Test campaign formats inspired by Magic Mind to increase engagement and retention.
A strong email strategy will complement upcoming ad campaigns, driving profitability and long-term customer retention.
Why This Matters
Owning customer data through email reduces reliance on platforms like TikTok and ensures the brand can adapt to market changes.
Tik Tok looks like it’s going to get banned… which will destroy a lot of brands.
You know what channel I can guarantee will never get banned? Email!
Email Inspiration Of The Day
Brand:
Forest Ink
Email Design:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yWu1Ldo28ST0sTq8pP6y-l4ycIpy836q/view?usp=sharing
Notes:
Okay this is an email from my team…
I may be biased but this is my eyes is a perfect email.
Clear button at the top of the email with effective and punchy copy.
Fun design elements.
Clear flow in the email.
Easy to click and shop products.
Beautiful. This is the standard.
Template of The Day
Bridge Section Template #5
If you want access to a bank of 134 mix and match templates like this equating to over 5,000+ possible email designs, click here »
Helpful Links Of The Day
Reply to this email if you have any questions or further content you want covered.
Cheers,
Max
PS - If you run an ecommerce brand above $50k/mo and you want to have a free email strategy consultation with me, book a call here »
PPS - I have a few different products you can buy. If you purchase any one of these products you get access to my private community of 850+ members with daily posts from me, access to me for support 24/7, and private calls.
Ecommerce Email Mastery: A 60 lesson course breaking down everything you need to know about ecommerce email marketing in the most concise and organized manner. learn more »
Mix and Match Email Design Templates: 134 email section templates that can make 5,000+ unique email designs with, learn more »
QuickFlow Templates: All core 7 core email marketing flows fully templatized with examples, learn more »