Situation
Side by Side Share, a peer-to-peer off-road vehicle marketplace founded in 2021, connects UTV owners with renters seeking unique off-roading experiences. The team at Thunderclap was so impressed with the concept and its growth potential that we acquired the marketplace after the original owners considered selling. Our collaboration began with a focus on enhancing their email marketing strategy.
Challenge
Side by Side Share relied on custom-developed software extended from Sharetribe, which handled transactional emails but offered little customer guidance through email. Before partnering with Thunderclap, they managed leads in Mailchimp without segmentation, automations, or targeted messaging. Every email went to the entire audience – renters and owners alike – leading to low engagement and missed opportunities to onboard and support users effectively.
Solution
Thunderclap harnessed beehiiv’s robust tools to overhaul Side by Side Share’s email marketing and deliver a personalized, automated experience:
Migration and Data Management: Migrated all leads from Mailchimp to beehiiv, segmenting them into renters, owners, active hosts, and customers for targeted outreach.
Segmenting & Tagging Logic: Used beehiiv’s dynamic segmentation to create self-updating lists based on user actions in the marketplace software, ensuring relevant communications.
Automations: Built tailored workflows for each segment:
Renters received a welcome series guiding them through browsing and booking.
New owners got an onboarding sequence to set up listings, connect bank accounts, and gain approval.
Approved owners received tips to optimize listings and boost income.
Newsletter Template: Designed a professional, user-friendly template in beehiiv for product updates, marketplace news, and community announcements.
Audience Polls: Embedded real-time feedback polls in newsletters to increase engagement and gather insights for product refinement.
Results
Engagement Boost: Personalized automations and segmentation significantly increased user interaction.
Reduced Customer Support: Automated guidance cut down on manual support needs.
Higher Conversion Rates: The owner onboarding process boosted the conversion rate from potential to approved listings.
Professional Marketplace Operation: A polished email strategy enhanced user trust and marketplace credibility.