How a Boutique Grew Its ECommerce Email Marketing List & Engagement with Omnisend + Strategic Automation
- Brittany Miller
- 19 minutes ago
- 5 min read
From Overwhelm to Organized Marketing
Elladora Boutique is more than just a store—it’s a Canadian fashion brand that celebrates women. Every piece of clothing, jewelry, and accessory is designed by Canadian women, with a focus on style, individuality, and confidence. But like many small business owners, Elladora Boutique’s founder, Annie, felt stuck when it came to her ecommerce email marketing.
With customer lists spread across multiple platforms, infrequent emails that were sent every 4–6 weeks, and online sales lagging behind in-store purchases, email marketing felt overwhelming and inconsistent. Annie knew email had the power to drive sales and strengthen customer loyalty—but she wasn’t sure how to make it work.
That’s where this project began. In this case study, I’ll walk you through how we set up a streamlined email marketing system for Elladora Boutique, one that not only simplified the tech but also built stronger customer connections, boosted engagement, and set the stage for consistent sales growth both online and in-store.
Before we dive in, let me introduce myself. I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Table of Contents
The Challenge: Scattered Systems, Missed Opportunities
When Annie first came to me, her email marketing felt more like a burden than a business tool. Over the years, she had collected customer emails through Square, Mailchimp, and Shopify, which left her list scattered, outdated, and difficult to manage. After we cleaned it up, she had about 380 engaged subscribers to start with—a small but valuable list that wasn’t being nurtured to its full potential.
On top of that, emails were only going out every 4–6 weeks, meaning her audience rarely heard from her. This inconsistency made it hard to build trust, keep customers excited about new launches, or drive steady online and in-store sales.
Her existing welcome sequence was also underutilized, relying heavily on discount-based messaging instead of storytelling or value-based connection. Annie knew she had an amazing brand story to tell—but without a clear strategy or system, her emails weren’t reflecting the heart of her business.
Between the scattered platforms, design overwhelm, and lack of automation, Annie felt stuck. She needed a solution that would:
Simplify her tech setup
Create consistent, branded communication
Support both online and in-store sales
Free up her time so she could focus on running her boutique
The Solution: Building a Streamlined, Strategic ECommerce Email Marketing System
To turn Elladora’s email marketing into a powerful sales and storytelling channel, we broke the process down into four clear steps:
Step 1: Email Platform Setup & Integration
The first step was choosing the right platform. I recommended Omnisend, a tool that integrates seamlessly with Shopify and offers the automation features Annie needed.
Migrated and cleaned her contact list.
Consolidated emails from Square, Mailchimp, and Shopify.
Built smart segments like VIP Shoppers, SMS-only subscribers, and first-time buyers to allow for more personalized targeting.
Step 2: Lead Magnet & Opt-ins
Instead of relying solely on discounts, we created a value-based lead magnet:
“4 Tips to Stop Buying Things You Never Wear” — a stylish, educational freebie that aligned perfectly with Elladora’s fashion-forward audience.
Designed pop-ups, forms, and landing pages for both the freebie and a first-order discount, giving shoppers two strong reasons to join her list.
Step 3: Email Templates & Automations
Consistency and branding were key.
Designed branded templates for fashion and beauty content so her emails matched her Shopify site.
Built a 5-email welcome sequence to introduce new subscribers to Elladora’s story, mission, and best products.
Added high-impact automations like birthday emails, abandoned cart reminders, retention flows, and product review requests—all designed to build loyalty and increase repeat purchases.
Step 4: Campaign Strategy
We shifted from monthly campaigns to a weekly schedule, ensuring her audience heard from her regularly. The campaign mix included:
Product launches (capsule collections, new arrivals).
Storytelling posts that highlighted Canadian women designers and the boutique’s mission.
Seasonal promotions tied to holidays and events.
Value-driven content like style tips and sustainable fashion advice.
The Results: From Dormant Email List to Engaged Community
Within just a few months, Elladora Boutique’s email marketing went from disorganized and inconsistent to a high-performing sales and engagement channel.
List re-engaged: After nearly 18 months of silence for online subscribers, the audience was revived and reintroduced to the brand.
Open rates of 30%+ became the new normal—well above industry averages for retail email marketing.
Segmentation boosted personalization, ensuring VIP shoppers, first-time buyers, and local customers received tailored messages that spoke directly to their needs.
Consistent weekly campaigns increased brand visibility and gave Annie the confidence that her customers were hearing from her regularly.
Early signs of revenue impact: While exact numbers are still being tracked, Annie has shared that email campaigns are driving more people into her brick-and-mortar store as well as online.
Client Testimonial:
“I have been so impressed with everything Brittany brings to the table. She takes the time to really get to know my ever-changing business and comes up with dynamic and forward-thinking ideas to grow my e-mail list. I really don’t know what I would do without her help. Thanks Brittany!”
Key Takeaways: Actionable Insights for Your Email Marketing
Elladora Boutique’s transformation proves that email marketing doesn’t have to feel overwhelming—when done right, it can become one of your most profitable channels. Here are some lessons you can apply to your own business:
Don’t rely on discounts alone. Value-driven lead magnets (like style tips or guides) build trust and attract customers who aren’t just chasing deals.
Clean and segment your list early. A smaller, well-organized list outperforms a large, outdated one—because relevance always wins.
Commit to consistency. Weekly campaigns keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage steady sales, online and offline.
Leverage automations. Flows like welcome sequences, birthdays, and cart recovery put revenue on autopilot while keeping customers engaged.
Personalization drives ROI. Tailoring your emails to audience segments turns generic messages into meaningful conversations.
Today, Elladora Boutique has a scalable, organized email marketing system that supports both her online shop and her store. What once felt overwhelming, scattered platforms, inconsistent sends, and under-utilized automations—has now become a clear, streamlined strategy.
Instead of second-guessing her next step, Annie (Elladora Boutique’s founder) has clarity, consistency, and results she can count on. Her emails not only nurture loyal customers but also drive ongoing sales and in-store visits, proving the power of a well-built email marketing foundation.
Conclusion:
If Elladora’s story resonated with you, it’s probably because you’ve felt the same overwhelm she did—juggling platforms, sending emails “whenever you have time,” and never really knowing if your efforts are moving the needle.
The truth is, email marketing doesn’t have to feel complicated. With the right setup, you can:
Automatically welcome new subscribers with sequences that feel personal and on-brand.
Segment your audience so every email feels relevant and timely.
Consistently connect with your community—without burning yourself out.
That’s exactly what I help business owners like you do every day. If you’re ready to create an email marketing system that actually works, let’s make it happen.
Book a 1:1 Email Marketing Setup Call with me, and together we’ll build automations, templates, and campaigns that take the guesswork out of email.
Or you can always start small by downloading my free guide: Spark Your Email Success, a step-by-step checklist to help you create emails that convert without the overwhelm.
Comments