Email strategy that supported wayfair’s ipo

The Strategy

The team and I were tasked with developing a new content framework to break the cycle of discount-dependency. We hypothesized that by infusing Joss’ emails with value-additive, editorial content, we would outperform traditional sales-based emails that didn’t “offer” the reader anything besides calls-to-action to shop.

If this strategy were successful, we would also increase brand loyalty and bolster increased profit margins. But the dramatic shift required a rigorous A/B testing roadmap and a reimagining of our digital creative production workflows to support a more sophisticated narrative, increased volumes of text, and a point of view that was unique yet brand-appropriate.

The Approach

1. Content Innovation: We developed non-promotional content pillars, including trend curation, expert styling advice, and "Shop the Look" features to elevate the brand's authority and, by extension, its products. Additionally, we tested into email-friendly GIF animations, which further bolstered engagement.

2. Operational Scale: We heavily leveraged CGI imagery and modular design systems that the team and I developed, allowing the team to pivot between promotional and editorial content at high velocity without increasing overhead. Even better? The assets could easily be translated to other channels beyond email, including Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

3. Data-Backed Iteration: We continuously analyzed performance and sales metrics to inform topics covered, lean into seasonal product popularity, and quickly identify when (and the formula for how) content beat out the standard price-driven approach.

4. Audience Segmentation FTW: Long-term, these tests identified specific segments of Joss & Main’s audience that were ONLY interested in content-based emails. This increased deliverability and open rates for the brand overall, and ensured we drove engagement with an audience that likely would’ve unsubscribed otherwise due to fatigue.

The Results

By transitioning from purely transactional to value-driven communication, we:

• Protected profit margins

• Bolstered brand equity and reinforced Joss’ brand persona

• Identified a new email audience segment, enhancing personalization

• Increased overall email engagement rates

• Created a scalable content strategy and design system that was translated easily into social channels (Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram)

• Increased overall deliverability and reduced the volume of potential unsubscribes

This strategy, coupled with digital advertising acquisition campaigns (which were also the responsibility of the Production Team I managed), scaled the Joss & Main email audience to 6M, achieving market saturation, and contributed to a $200M run rate that supported Wayfair’s IPO.