From inbox issues to industry icon: how we turned around True Religion’s deliverability to success.
64% reduction in total bounce rates
27% reduction in soft bounces
54% reduction in unsubscribes
1% or less bounce rate in all flows
THE CLIENT
About True Religion
True Religion stands as a hallmark of innovation in the global lifestyle, apparel, and accessories landscape, celebrated for its premium denim and sportswear collections that cater to Men, Women, and Kids. Since 2002 in the vibrant Los Angeles denim scene, True Religion has redefined the traditional denim blueprint, introducing the iconic Super T stitch that set a new standard for quality and style in the industry.
Our partnership with True Religion was started to elevate their email marketing strategy to new heights by addressing deliverability challenges that were hindering their communication and revenue. Together, we not only refined technical setbacks but amplified True Religion's unique voice in the crowded digital space.
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Addressing Email Deliverability
Decrease In Unsubscribes
54%
Addressing Email Deliverability
When True Religion approached Structured, the challenge was clear: their email deliverability was on a decline, leading to a tangible reduction in revenue and email marketing health. Despite the brand's widespread recognition and its unique position in the lifestyle and apparel industry, their emails were increasingly caught in the web of spam filters, invalid addresses, and improper inbox placements.
The core of the issue lay in the technical infrastructure of their email marketing strategy. Our initial audit revealed some critical gaps:
- Undefined DMARC Policies: There was an absence of DMARC which left the domain vulnerable, leading to its flagging as illegitimate.
- High Bounce Rates: Consistent bounce rates were happening between 2.5 - 3%, indicating a lack of effective suppression mechanisms.
- Declining Engagement: A noticeable drop in engagement beyond 180 days pointed towards ineffective content strategies and segmentation.
- Volume Fluctuations: Sending an average of 310M emails per month without strategic segmentation was leading to deliverability challenges and increased bounce rates.
The objective was clear: refine the technical setup and content strategy to ensure that every email not only reached its intended inbox but also resonated with the recipient, driving engagement and ultimately, revenue.
What were the pain points?
The main issue here: Not only enhance email deliverability but revitalize their email marketing's efforts. Despite their iconic status in the denim industry, True Religion grappled with declining email performance, marked by issues such as increasing spam rates, invalid email addresses, and emails failing to reach the primary inbox of their audience. To address these, we needed to tackle the technical aspects of their email setup first. Our strategy included a comprehensive audit of True Religion's email infrastructure, the implementation of list hygiene practices, and the introduction of dynamic content strategies tailored to resonate with their diverse audience.
So True Religion was faced with 3 critical questions that needed immediate answers:
- How could we revamp the technical backbone of our email strategy to ensure optimal deliverability?
- What engagement strategies could we implement to re-engage subscriber interaction and prevent them from fading into inactivity?
- How could we streamline our email volume to strike a balance between consistent communication and not overwhelm our audience?
- Inconsistent Customer Experience
Additionally, True Religion's strategy required a holistic overhaul beyond just technical fixes. The goal was to transform their email channel from a neglected touchpoint into a dynamic platform for storytelling, customer engagement, and ultimately, a significant revenue conduit.
How did we do it?
How did we do it? True Religion's deliverability challenges were multifaceted, stemming from technical mishaps to engagement issues. So we started with cleaning their list of over 5 million emails to refine their list quality and ensure that communications reached engaged users. Then, recognizing the importance of sender reputation, we corrected DMARC settings and authenticated sending domains, which helped mitigate issues related to email legitimacy and reduced the risk of being flagged. We implemented split testing to reduce the email volume from 310 million to 200 million monthly sends, focusing on maximizing engagement rather than sheer quantity. And finally, we developed new suppression lists and filtration systems, allowing for more targeted and effective email communication. Each message now was going to serve a specific purpose in the user's journey.
Through these measures, True Religion's email marketing transformed into a more potent channel, driving better engagement, reducing bounce rates, and ultimately contributing to the brand's growth and customer satisfaction
Account Overview
We Inherited an Account That Had:
- High rates of undelivered emails due to spam, invalid addresses, and incorrect inbox placements.
- Lack of effective list management and suppression strategies.
- Deliverability issues and overwhelming amount of sends done monthly
- Lack of a defined DMARC policy
- Persistent bounce rates
- Notable drops in engagement
Main points to note:
Enhanced Deliverability Through Technical Fixes:
Having deliverability issues? Addressing the core of those issues needs to be your first step. By defining DMARC policies and validating sending domains, we significantly improved True Religion's email reputation, reducing the risk of emails being flagged or landing in spam folders.
Reduce Email Volume and Improve On Targeting:
Focus on targeting engaged segments! By cutting down from 310 million to a more manageable 200 million emails per month through split testing, we ensured each message had a higher chance of engagement.
Re-engagement and Customization (absolutely key):
Launching a sunset flow and a re-engagement email campaign to rekindle interest among soft bounce recipients and allow subscribers to customize their email reception preferences. This level of personalization and engagement was crucial in us re-attracting past customers and reducing unsubscribe rates.
The Outcome?
64% reduction in total bounce rates
27% reduction in soft bounces
54% reduction in unsubscribes
1% or less bounce rate in all flows
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If you’re looking to elevate your brand and achieve long term sustainable growth, we’d love to discuss how our expertise can drive your success. Enter your details below, and let’s start the conversation!
