Most people think email and SMS marketing are just for fast-selling, low-ticket products—think impulse purchases, everyday essentials, or seasonal promotions. But the truth? These channels work incredibly well for high-ticket brands, too.
In June 2023, we were approached by a high-end sauna brand based in Canada that also sells hot tubs and cold plunges, with product prices ranging from $4,000 to $45,000. At first glance, luxury brands often assume that email and SMS aren’t “worth it” for big-ticket items, but the reality is different—these channels don’t just drive sales, they educate, nurture, and build trust over time, which is exactly what high-ticket customers need before making a purchase.
When we first spoke to the brand, they had already generated nearly $2 million in revenue in six months—but with one major gap. They had no email or SMS marketing at all. No abandoned cart reminders, no follow-ups for website visitors, no post-purchase sequences, no structured promotional campaigns.
They wanted to fix this fast, and we hit the ground running.
Here’s an overview of how we set the foundation for them in the first five months of working together:
✅ Implemented a high-converting 2-step website pop-up strategy using Recart, designed to capture both emails and phone numbers:
✅ Built a solid email campaign strategy focused on:
What started as an untapped revenue channel quickly became one of the brand’s most valuable growth drivers.
Before Budai Media
Total revenue of $2 million in 6 months, with no contribution from email or SMS marketing.
Absence of any structured email or SMS marketing campaigns.
After Budai Media
If 2023 was about setting up the foundation, then 2024 was about scaling it to its full potential.
For the first time, we had a full 12 months to test, optimize, and refine every aspect of the brand’s retention marketing.
Scaling Email Campaigns for Consistent Revenue GrowthIn 2024, we sent an average of 8-10 email campaigns per month, each tailored to seasonality, specific product lines, and promotions. Rather than sending generic sale emails, we crafted campaigns that spoke directly to their audience’s needs and interests.
In 2024, we sent an average of 8-10 email campaigns per month, but frequency alone wasn’t what made the difference. What truly drove growth was what we learned from 2023 and how we applied those insights to make every email more engaging, relevant, and impactful.
A big part of this was A/B testing. In 2023, we ran AB tests to understand what resonated most with their audience—from subject lines to email design,and content formats. One key takeaway was that GIFs worked better for this brand. So in 2024, we leaned into this, incorporating more dynamic GIFs that showcased the saunas in a more immersive way. After the brand’s new lifestyle photoshoot post-Black Friday 2024, we had a fresh library of images, which helped elevate the overall feel of the campaigns and reinforced the premium nature of the products.
But visuals alone weren’t enough—we also refined our messaging. Every email, even the sales-focused ones, became more narrative-driven and personalized. Instead of just announcing discounts, we used storytelling to connect with customers on a deeper level—whether it was sharing the long-term health benefits of saunas, offering expert maintenance tips, or featuring real customer experiences.
We also moved away from broad, storewide promotions and instead focused on product-specific promotions—not just to push sales, but to give customers the opportunity to learn more about each product, its unique features, and how it could fit into their lifestyle.
Many customers were first-time sauna buyers, so these emails weren’t just about discounts; they were designed to educate, inform, and make the decision-making process easier.
By highlighting the differences between sauna models, explaining their benefits, and addressing common concerns, we made sure customers had all the information they needed before making a purchase.
Another major improvement was the cross-promotion of their YouTube channel. The brand has an active YouTube presence, regularly posting content that educates and engages their audience. By embedding their videos into emails, we weren’t just answering customer questions—we were also growing their YouTube subscriber base and helping buyers feel more like part of a community rather than just customers.
Digital assets like videos are powerful tools for brand-building, and when leveraged across multiple channels—like email—it creates cross-pollination that boosts engagement on both platforms.
All of these changes helped us significantly grow revenue from email campaigns, bringing in over $1.5 million in 2024 alone.
Black Friday 2024: A More Streamlined & Targeted Approach That Delivered Bigger ResultsIn 2023, we tested a tiered discount approach, increasing the offer amount each week. While this worked well, we realized that the complexity of different discount levels might have caused some friction in the buying process. So, in 2024, we simplified the structure—making it easier for customers to understand the offer at a glance.
Instead of multiple discount tiers, we introduced a straightforward week-by-week structure:
These discounts applied to outdoor saunas, bundles, cold plunges, and hot tubs, ensuring a broad appeal. Despite the actual discount amounts being lower than in 2023, this simpler structure performed better than the previous year, proving that clarity and ease of understanding matter more than the size of the discount.
One of the standout changes in Black Friday 2024 wasn’t just sending more emails—it was about making every email count. We implemented highly targeted segmentation, ensuring that emails were personalized based on customer behavior, purchase history, and product interest.
The image above shows our campaign calendar for November, detailing the exact breakdown of how our BFCM strategy was structured.
This level of personalization helped increase both engagement and conversions, making Black Friday emails feel less like mass promotions and more like curated recommendations.
To maximize performance, we also introduced:
To further optimize conversions, we introduced a new Welcome Flow tailored for BFCM, a revamped Abandoned Checkout Flow with product-specific messaging, and new website pop-ups capturing email and SMS leads before the sale even started. These updates, combined with a campaign calendar that strategically paced emails and SMS reminders, helped drive $428.1K in revenue from email alone—$346.02K from campaigns and $82K from flows.
By simplifying offers, enhancing personalization, and refining automations, Black Friday 2024 became the brand’s most successful BFCM yet.
Scaling SMS: A High-Impact Retention ChannelWhile email remained the primary retention channel, SMS became an essential complement in 2024, reinforcing promotions, re-engaging high-intent buyers, and driving immediate action. Using the same strategic approach as email, we leveraged SMS for sales, promotions, and product launches, ensuring that key messages reached subscribers in the most direct and immediate way.
One of the standout successes was how well new product launch campaigns performed via SMS, often generating faster engagement and conversions compared to email alone. Since SMS reaches customers instantly, it worked particularly well for timely promotions, last-minute reminders, and exclusive offers for VIP subscribers.
Throughout the year, we maintained a consistent but non-intrusive approach, sending 3-4 SMS campaigns per month. The goal wasn’t to replace email but to reinforce key messages, ensuring that subscribers saw the most important updates even if they missed an email. This cross-channel approach helped boost overall engagement and sales, particularly during high-intent shopping periods like BFCM.
Flows also played a major role in SMS revenue. The January–December 2024 SMS flow revenue alone totaled $468K, driven by automated sequences like abandoned checkout reminders, post-purchase follow-ups, and time-sensitive exclusive offers. Combined with SMS campaigns, total SMS-driven revenue reached $633K in 2024, with a subscriber base growing to 3,628.
Check out the image below to see how we created the SMS flow for our abandoned cart flow:
By strategically integrating SMS alongside email, we built a more cohesive retention system—one that not only engaged customers but also drove immediate action when it mattered most.
What started in June 2023 as a missing revenue channel has now become one of the brand’s most valuable assets. In just 18 months, email and SMS marketing went from nonexistent to generating over $3.13 million in revenue, proving that retention isn’t just about follow-ups—it’s a scalable, revenue-driving strategy.
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