Naturally sourced pet treats
Natural Farm is a pioneer in the pet treat industry. Manufacturing their own organic naturally sourced products since 2018, they've become leaders in their sector. With a passionate subscriber base and loyal following, this DTC has grown to over $1M in yearly sales, and 100K+ completed orders.
The Challenge
Before SmartMail, Natural Farm’s email channel was underperforming due to:
Limited automations: Only a basic Welcome and Cart Abandonment flow existed, covering a fraction of customer touchpoints.
Generic campaigns: Emails were sent to the entire list, regardless of purchase history, pet type, or engagement level.
Revenue dependency on ads: Paid channels were driving acquisition, but rising ad costs squeezed profitability.
Underutilized customer loyalty: Despite high repeat-purchase potential (dogs chew often!), there was no strategy to encourage replenishment or foster brand loyalty.
They needed a way to transform email into a scalable revenue driver that could support long-term growth.
The Strategy
We approached Natural Farm with the goal of building a lifecycle-driven email ecosystem that matched the natural behavior of their customers and products.
Identify missed lifecycle moments – We mapped the entire customer journey: from first visit to repeat purchase, to lapsing customer. This revealed key gaps like post-purchase education and replenishment timing.
Overcome one-size-fits-all messaging – Many pet owners buy different products based on dog size, age, or breed. We introduced segmentation rules to deliver more personalized content (e.g., small-dog chews vs. large-breed chews).
Balance education with promotion – Natural Farm’s strength was in product quality and transparency. We created content-rich emails (ingredient sourcing, sustainability, pet health benefits) to build trust alongside revenue-driving offers.
Fix engagement & deliverability – Before working with us, Natural Farm’s open rates hovered at ~10%. We implemented list hygiene practices, sunset flows, and engagement tiers to ensure inbox placement and rebuild trust.
Design with clarity and brand personality – We elevated their email design, making it fun, pet-owner-friendly, and consistent with their brand identity while staying conversion-focused.
The Solution
We expanded Natural Farm’s email program from 2 to 8 automated flows, strategically designed to maximize both first-time and repeat purchases:
Welcome Series (Rebuilt): 3-part flow introducing the brand story, sustainability mission, and best-selling chews. Incentivized first-time purchases with a limited-time offer.
Cart Abandonment (Rebuilt): Multi-touch sequence with pet-owner testimonials, “puppy eyes” imagery, and urgency-driven offers.
Checkout Abandonment: Targeted customers who reached checkout but didn’t finish, addressing trust barriers (payment security, fast shipping).
Browse Abandonment: Personalized emails based on recently viewed categories (small chews, bully sticks, bundles).
Post-Purchase Flow: Included product education (how to store, chew duration by dog size), upsell offers, and referral program invitations.
Replenishment Flow: Triggered around typical chew consumption timelines (e.g., 30 days). Delivered personalized “Time to restock for your pup?” reminders.
Win-Back Flow: Activated after 60–90 days of inactivity, with playful messaging (“Your dog misses us!”) and tailored offers to reignite purchasing.
Review/UGC Flow: Collected product reviews, star ratings, and photos of pets enjoying their treats — later repurposed in campaigns for social proof.
Campaign Improvements:
Introduced seasonal campaigns tied to holidays like Christmas and National Dog Day.
Segmented campaigns by dog size/behavior, promoting the right product mix to the right audience.
Launched educational content campaigns — e.g., “5 benefits of natural chews vs. rawhide.”
Creative Enhancements:
Branded templates with consistent visual hierarchy, pet-focused imagery, and mobile-first layouts.
Copywriting tailored to pet owners’ emotions (loyalty, care, and playfulness).
A/B tests across subject lines, CTA buttons (“Shop for Your Pup” vs. “Treat Your Dog Today”), and imagery.
The Results
The results were transformative, turning email into a profit engine for Natural Farm:
22x increase in flow revenue – Flows became a powerhouse of recurring revenue rather than an afterthought.
Flows now drive 38% of total company revenue – up from just 5% before SmartMail.
Open rates doubled – from ~10% to over 22%, thanks to segmentation and deliverability improvements.
Replenishment flow success – Customers who entered replenishment flows had a 31% higher repeat purchase rate compared to the baseline.
Customer loyalty boost – VIP buyers engaged with exclusive offers, leading to a 28% increase in AOV for top-tier customers.
By the end of year one, email had evolved into one of Natural Farm’s most reliable and profitable channels — fueling steady growth, reducing ad spend dependency, and strengthening brand loyalty among pet owners.
Results
Open Rate on Automated Emails
Increase in Sitewide Revenue
Increase in Revenue From Email
Click Rate on Automated Emails
Email Examples
Automated Product Browse Email
Seasonal Campaign
“SmartMail helped us think beyond simple email blasts. They built an entire retention engine that feels authentic to our brand and the numbers speak for themselves.”
Madeline Hissom
Marketing Director, Natural Farm