The Client
Zacks Investment Research, an investment research and financial media firm.
The Challenge
A promotional email to warm, previously engaged prospects had plateaued, performing well below what that list had produced before. At the same time, two long-running Google Ads campaigns had plateaued, and neither improved despite repeated rounds of A/B testing.
My Approach
For the email, I began with a detailed audit of the existing control, examining the subject lines, copy structure, and messaging to identify specifically where performance had stalled. Rather than rebuilding from scratch, I took a more targeted approach. I had developed a library of higher-performing promotional emails for Zacks through previous work, so I cross-referenced that copy to identify which elements, subject line approaches, hooks, and structural patterns had consistently moved this audience. I then replaced the underperforming elements in the control with those proven components, making deliberate, evidence-based revisions rather than speculative ones.
For the two ad campaigns, more testing wasn't the fix, since both had already gone through repeated rounds without any real gain. I audited both for value proposition clarity, urgency, and alignment between the ad and its landing page, then researched what competitors were saying to the same audience. From there, I rewrote both campaigns based on what that research showed was missing.
The Results
- 400% increase in email conversion within 30 days
- Ad campaign revenue up 151% and 145% against the prior 45-day average
- Edited more than 100 special investment reports that contributed to multiple six-figure increases in member revenue
