Module 11: Capstone Project
Bringing It All Together – Launching Your Email Marketing Campaign
Module Introduction:
You’ve now learned the key elements of email marketing—from building a list and crafting engaging emails to using automation and analysing performance. This final module brings it all together.
In this capstone project, you’ll create your own full email marketing campaign using everything you’ve learned. You’ll:
• Plan a complete strategy
• Set up and run your campaign using a real tool
• Review your results and improve your approach
This is your opportunity to apply your knowledge in a practical, hands-on way—and walk away with a real-world campaign you can be proud of.
Part 1: Create a Full Email Marketing Campaign Strategy
Before you jump into any email tool, you need a clear strategy. A successful campaign starts with understanding your goals, audience, content plan, and email types.
What to Include in Your Strategy :
Decide what you want to achieve. Examples:
• Increase product sales
• Get more event sign-ups
• Build brand loyalty
• Encourage repeat visits
Example :
A small online store wants to increase sales of a new skincare product line.
Know Your Audience
Segment your email list based on who your subscribers are and what they like. Consider:
• New vs. returning customers
• Location
• Purchase history
• Interests or preferences
Example :
The skincare brand segments their audience into first-time buyers and loyal customers.
Plan Your Content
Map out what types of emails you’ll send and what each one will say. Your campaign could include:
• A welcome email
• Product launch announcement
• Special discount email
• Reminder email
• Follow-up or thank you email
Example :
The skincare store plans a 5-email series:
1. Welcome email
2. Product launch
3. Customer reviews
4. Limited-time discount
5. Thank you + feedback request
Set a Schedule
Decide when each email will be sent. Space them out to avoid overwhelming your subscribers.
Example :
They send 1 email every 2 days over a 10-day period.
Part 2: Implement in a Chosen Tool
Now that you’ve planned your campaign, it’s time to bring it to life using an email marketing platform.
Steps to Implement Your Campaign :
Choose Your Tool
Pick a platform like:
• Mailchimp
• ConvertKit
• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
• HubSpot
• Moosend
Choose based on your needs—some tools are better for automation, others for design or analytics.
Build Your Emails
Use the drag-and-drop editor or templates to create visually appealing emails. Make sure each includes:
• A catchy subject line
• Personalized greeting (like “Hi Sarah!”)
• Clear body content
• A single, focused CTA (Call to Action)
Example :
The skincare brand uses ConvertKit. Their product launch email includes:
• A product image
• A benefit-focused description
• A “Shop Now” button
Set Up Automation (If Needed)
If your campaign involves a sequence of emails, create an automated workflow. You can trigger emails based on:
• A signup
• A link click
• A purchase
• A date (like a birthday)
Example :
The skincare brand sets up an automation where a customer gets the discount email two days after opening the launch email.
Test Before Sending
• Always test your emails by:
• Sending a test to yourself
• Checking links and images
• Ensuring it looks good on mobile and desktop
Part 3: Analyse and Optimize Based on Results
Once your campaign is live, it’s time to measure how well it performed.
Key Metrics to Track :
• Open Rate: How many people opened your email
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): How many clicked a link
• Conversion Rate: How many completed your desired action (e.g., purchase)
• Unsubscribes: How many opted out
How to Analyse :
1. Look at your dashboard for each email.
2. Identify which emails performed best.
3. Ask: Why did some do better? Was it the subject line? The timing?
Example :
The skincare brand sees:
• 40% open rate on the launch email (great!)
• 5% click rate on the discount email (needs improvement)
• Many customers clicked but didn’t buy—maybe the discount wasn’t appealing enough
Optimization Ideas :
• Start with a clear goal and audience segment
• Plan a sequence of emails with relevant content
• Choose an email platform and build emails using best practices
• Set up automated flows if sending more than one email
• Track key metrics like open rate, click rate, and conversions
• Analyse what worked and optimize future campaigns
Real-Life Example: The Bakery Capstone Campaign
Let’s continue our bakery story.
You run a local bakery and have collected about 500 emails over the past few months from happy customers who signed up in-store and online.
Now you want to run a 3-week campaign to promote your new line of summer fruit pastries.
Step 1: Campaign Strategy
Goal : Get more customers to try the new pastries
Audience : All customers on your list
Content Plan :
• Email 1: “Sneak Peek of Our Summer Pastries” (includes photos, short story behind the recipes)
• Email 2: “Special 20% Discount – This Week Only!”
• Email 3: “Meet the Baker + Behind the Scenes” (builds connection)
• Email 4: “Last Chance to Grab a Discount!”
• Email 5: “We’d Love Your Feedback” (ask for reviews/testimonials)
Step 2: Use an Email Tool
You choose Mailchimp (free plan) to build and send emails. You:
• Use a summer-themed email template
• Add personalized greetings: “Hey Emma, ready for a sweet treat?”
• Include a coupon code: SUMMER20
• Schedule emails to go out twice a week
Step 3: Analyse & Improve
• Email 1 had a 50% open rate and lots of clicks on the pastry photos
• Email 2 had low click-throughs—you decide to make the discount bolder next time
• Email 4 (“last chance”) performs best—people respond to urgency
• You get 12 new reviews from Email 5
Result :
Your bakery sees a 25% increase in sales over 3 weeks. Customers mention the emails when they come in—and feel more connected to your story.
