Latest / The Retention Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Email, SMS, and Loyalty for Repeat Customers / How a DTC Mattress Brand Uses Email to Retain Through Sleep Coaching
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about coffee, skincare, even cashmere sweaters, but today I want to get into something a little more... horizontal. A DTC mattress brand that's using email to retain customers through sleep coaching. Luna: Sleep coaching? That's a new one. How do you coach someone to sleep through an email? Lucas: Well, it's not just a one-off email. It's a whole program. The brand in question is a direct to consumer mattress company that's been around for about eight years now. They realized their customers weren't buying a new mattress every year, so they had to find other ways to keep them engaged and buying accessories, pillows, sheets, even sleep supplements. Luna: Right, because the mattress itself is a one-time purchase for most people. So they built a retention strategy around the sleep experience itself. Lucas: Exactly. And the core of that is a structured email sequence they call the Sleep Reset Program. When you buy a mattress, you get invited to join this 21-day email course that helps you build better sleep habits. Each email focuses on one specific aspect: light exposure in the morning, caffeine cutoff times, bedroom temperature, that kind of thing. Luna: So it's educational content, but it's also behavioral nudging. I'm guessing they're not just sending these emails and hoping for the best. There must be some segmentation going on. Lucas: Right. They segment based on the customer's stated sleep goals when they opt in. So if you say you're a 'night owl trying to become a morning person,' you get a different sequence than someone who says they're 'a light sleeper who wakes up at 3 AM.' Luna: That's pretty clever. It's basically a personalized coaching plan delivered via email. Lucas: And the results are impressive. They saw a 22 percent increase in repeat purchase rate among customers who completed the program, compared to those who didn't opt in. And the churn rate for those engaged customers dropped by 35 percent over the next twelve months. Luna: Those are significant numbers. But what are they actually selling in these emails? Are they pitching products every time? Lucas: No, that's the key. The first ten days are pure education, no product mentions at all. They build trust by genuinely trying to improve your sleep. It's only around day eleven that they start introducing complementary products, and even then, it's framed as 'here's a tool that might help with the exact thing we talked about yesterday.' Luna: So they're positioning themselves as a sleep expert, not just a mattress seller. That's smart, but does it work for everyone? I mean, a mattress is a big-ticket item. Could a similar approach work for something cheaper? Lucas: That's the question I kept coming back to. And I think it can, but the stakes have to be higher. If you're selling a $10 supplement, a 21-day email course might feel overkill. But if you're selling any product that's part of a larger habit or routine – fitness equipment, skincare, even productivity software – this kind of coaching model can work. Luna: I'm thinking about my own inbox. I get tons of 'here's how to use our product' emails, but they're usually boring. What makes this different? Lucas: It's the specificity. Each email has a single, actionable tip that you can implement that night. Like 'block out all blue light after 9 PM' – that's something you can do immediately. And they send a follow-up email two days later asking if you tried it, and if you did, how did it go? That follow-up is the retention engine. Luna: So they're creating a conversation, not a broadcast. That's a good point. And it probably helps with unsubscribes too, because the emails are actually useful. Lucas: Yeah, their unsubscribe rate for the program is under 0.5 percent, which is remarkably low for a 21-email sequence. And the open rates stay above 60 percent even on day 21, which tells me people are genuinely looking forward to these emails. Luna: That's the kind of metric that makes a retention marketer's heart sing. I bet they're also using SMS to complement the email program, right? Lucas: They do use SMS, but sparingly. They send a text with a simple reminder when it's time to do the 'evening wind-down' ritual, but they keep it to one or two messages a week. The email is the main course, SMS is the nudge. Luna: Makes sense. You don't want to annoy people with too many channels. So what's the bigger lesson here for our listeners? Lucas: I think it's that retention marketing doesn't have to be about discounts and reminders. If you can create a productized education or coaching experience around your core offer, you're not just selling a thing, you're selling an outcome. And that outcome is what keeps people loyal. Luna: And speaking of outcomes, I've been thinking about how much of our own listening habits are built on this kind of value. We're both in this studio, but if you're listening at home, this show is only possible because of listeners like you. If today's episode gave you a new idea, and it was worth the price of a coffee, there's a small link in the show notes where you can buy us one. It's at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, it's a tiny way to keep this show ad-free and independent. And honestly, even five bucks helps us cover the hosting costs and keeps the lights on. But no pressure, we're just glad you're here. Luna: So back to the mattress brand – what's the next step for them? Are they expanding the coaching program to other product lines? Lucas: They are, actually. They've launched a similar program for their bedding collection, focused on 'creating a perfect sleep environment.' And they're also testing a subscription model for their sleep supplements, where the coaching emails are a core part of the onboarding flow. Luna: So they're applying the same playbook to different products. That's a scalable approach. Do you see any risks with this strategy? Lucas: The biggest risk is if the content becomes stale or the personalization feels fake. They have a dedicated editorial team that writes and updates the emails, and they're constantly A/B testing the tone and the offers. If they let it become a set-and-forget thing, it'll lose its magic. Luna: That's a good cautionary note. So for a smaller brand, what's the minimum viable version of this? Lucas: Start with a 7-email sequence, one per day after purchase, each with a single tip and a follow-up question. Use simple segmentation based on one question at checkout – maybe 'What's your biggest sleep challenge?' Then just be consistent. You don't need a huge team; you just need to be genuinely helpful. Luna: That's actually a great takeaway. And I love that the focus is on adding value, not just extracting another purchase. Lucas: Exactly. In the long run, the brand that coaches its customers to success is the brand they'll remember when they need a refill, an upgrade, or a gift for a friend. And that's the retention flywheel in action. Luna: Well, I'm definitely going to look at my email flows with fresh eyes after this. Thanks for the deep dive, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. And for everyone listening, if you try this approach, let us know how it goes. We love hearing about your wins.