QuickBooks marketers often focus on specific verticals, leading to multiple emails sent to the same customer. To improve email effectiveness, we created a digest campaign to consolidate efforts and enhance impact for both the business and customers. Before fully implementing this new strategy, we tested it by splitting the email list into two groups: one received the email series and the other the digest.
Team
1 Strategist
1 Coordinator
3 Designers
1 Analyst
1 Developer
12 Segment Marketers
The control cohort will be sent the email series, and the test cohort other will be sent the digest.
Design principles
Be clear and concise
Ensure content works seamlessly across both digest emails and one-off messages.
Ensure messaging consistency
Headlines should align with one another and avoid contradiction.
Highlight benefits and payoff
With a lot of offerings in digest emails, users should quickly understand the value from each headline.
Get everyone onboard

Gain alignment

I proactively engaged with QuickBooks segment marketers to discuss the project vision, ensuring full alignment before drafting any content. This upfront collaboration set a clear direction and avoided miscommunication later on.

Give access

Developed targeted Google Docs for each segment, empowering marketers with only the content they needed. This streamlined approach accelerated collaboration and minimized distractions.

Collaborate across teams

Worked closely with fellow content designers across product lines to ensure a unified voice, tone, and messaging strategy. This cohesion strengthened the overall experience and ensured consistency for users.

Coordinate with program managers

Maintained seamless coordination with program managers, effectively managing over a dozen stakeholders. This ensured timely progress and that no blockers hindered the project’s success.
Optimizing subject lines

Establish a point of view

When I joined the project, there wasn’t a unified perspective on what makes an effective subject line for QuickBooks emails. To address this, I analyzed data to uncover patterns and establish a foundation.

Audit for readability

I evaluated approximately 1,500 subject lines using Readable.io, assessing readability, word count, tone, and sentiment. These metrics were then compared to open and click-through rates to identify performance drivers.

Finding signals

While there wasn’t a definitive formula for a “QuickBooks” subject line, I identified key content characteristics that influenced success. These signals varied by audience segment, reflecting the unique needs of each user base.

Testing for Impact

The subject lines informed by these insights performed significantly above average in control email campaigns. Although initial test emails didn’t perform as expected, the June edition featured test emails aligned with high-performing content signals, resulting in stronger engagement.
Email content

Set the tone

At the top of each email digest, we introduced a main headline and subhead to unify the content. One variation acknowledged the volume of emails users received, adding levity with the promise, "We pinky promise," to strike a conversational and relatable tone.

Be straight forward

For the launched email digest, we opted for a direct headline referencing an accounting term. This choice aligned with the audience’s professional mindset, subtly connecting to how business owners make decisions.

Simplify one-off emails

In the one-off emails, we kept the messaging simple and concise. While streamlined, these emails utilized the same core content featured in the broader email digest to ensure consistency.

Simplify one-off emails

In the one-off emails, we kept the messaging simple and concise. While streamlined, these emails utilized the same core content featured in the broader email digest to ensure consistency.
Learnings
The one-off emails (control) consistently outperformed the email digest (test). This demonstrated that more focused, targeted emails provided greater value to both the business and its users.

The team decided to prioritize personalized, focused email campaigns over a broader digest format. As a result, the email digest was not adopted as a core component of QuickBooks' marketing strategy, and efforts were redirected toward refining and expanding personalization in future campaigns.