Show of hands, who else has landed on a website then suddenly felt like you’ve been gently roped into handing over your email, phone number, and maybe even your soul?

That’s BrüMate’s opt-in flow in action. They’ve built a well-oiled system that guides visitors from casual browsers to engaged subscribers—and maybe even impulse buyers—with a mix of segmentation, SMS follow-ups, and a mystery upsell that keeps FOMO alive.

But is their approach genius or just a bit too aggressive? Let’s break down what’s working, what could use a tweak, and what your brand can steal to supercharge your own opt-in and upsell flow.

Oh, and before we dive in—Retention Reimagined 2025 is officially LIVE! The best minds in DTC are dropping fresh, revenue-driving retention strategies you won’t find anywhere else and it's all kicking off now. Don’t miss it.

🎟️ Kicking Off NOW: Retention Reimagined 2025 (9 AM - 1 PM PST)!

Most retention strategies are stuck in the past—but not today.

Retention Reimagined 2025 is officially LIVE, bringing together the sharpest minds in DTC to share fresh, revenue-driving retention strategies you won’t find anywhere else.

Here’s what’s on deck:

• Beyond “Subscribe and Save” – 6 Strategies You Haven’t Heard of That Scale Recurring Revenue | Bryan Starck, 100 Celcius

• Text to Convert – Unlocking the Power of SMS Marketing for E-Commerce | Jimmy Kim & Chase Dimond, EEM

• The Brand Archetype Advantage – Strategic Positioning for Your Category | Melanie Balke, The Email Marketers

• Email Engagement Strategy – When Personalization Matters & When It Doesn’t | Connor Sunderland, Kensington Media House

• Retention Reimagined – The Future of Customer Loyalty | Greg Zakowicz, Omnisend & Eric Rausch, New Standard Co.

Join us LIVE for actionable strategies, expert insights, and epic giveaways.

📧 Order Confirmation Emails: Free Templates & Best Examples

Most brands treat order confirmation emails like a boring receipt… but smart brands? They turn them into conversion machines.

Omnisend just dropped a must-read breakdown on how to optimize order confirmation emails for higher engagement, repeat purchases, and increased revenue.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

✅ How to turn post-purchase emails into repeat sales opportunities

✅ The best timing and content strategy to keep customers engaged

✅ Real-world examples of brands crushing it with automated upsells

If you’re still sending generic order confirmations, you’re missing out on easy revenue. Click below to see how to fix it. 👇

🙃 Meme Drop

Don't even lie. You know it never gets old. 😉

🧐 Anatomy of a Flow: BrüMate's Opt-In & Upsell Flow - A Masterclass in Capturing & Converting Customers

If there’s one thing BrüMate does well, it’s making sure they don’t let a single website visitor slip away without trying to capture their email, phone number, or wallet. Their opt-in flow is like a well-oiled machine—one that smartly nudges you step by step until, before you know it, you're signed up, opted in, and seriously considering adding a mystery item to your cart.

But is their strategy too aggressive or just aggressive enough to drive conversions without annoying potential customers? Let’s dive deep into BrüMate’s opt-in and upsell tactics to see what’s working, what could be tweaked, and what other brands can steal for their own marketing playbook.

🔍 The Breakdown: How BrüMate Captures Emails & SMS

Step 1: The Initial Pop-Up – “Want 20% Back?”

Trigger: Upon landing on the site, a pop-up appears offering “20% back on your first purchase.”

First Step: Before handing over an email, the user is asked what they’re shopping for—Drinkware, Coolers, or Both.

Why This Works:
✅ Smart Segmentation – Helps personalize future marketing emails and texts.

✅Psychological Play – "20% back" feels different than "20% off," which could make it more enticing.

✅ Simple Choices – Offering only three options reduces decision fatigue.

💡 What Could Be Improved:
❌ Clarify the Offer – The phrase “20% back” can be confusing. Is it a discount, cashback, or store credit? A quick note like “Get 20% off your first purchase instantly” would clear up any confusion.

❌Delayed Timing Test – Testing a slight delay (e.g., after browsing for 10-15 seconds) could result in better engagement rather than bombarding users the moment they land.

Step 2: Email Capture

After selecting a category, the pop-up prompts users to enter their email to claim their offer.

Why This Works:
✅ Commitment Ladder – Since users have already selected a category, they’re more likely to enter their email.

✅ Clear Value Exchange – Customers feel they’re getting something in return.

✅ Simple Design – Clean layout with minimal distractions keeps the focus on converting.

💡 What Could Be Improved:
❌ Fewer Steps for Faster Conversions – Combining category selection and email capture into a single screen could speed up the process and reduce drop-off.

❌ More Social Proof – Adding a quick testimonial like “Join 500,000+ customers who love BrüMate” could build trust instantly.

Step 3: SMS Collection & Verification

After providing an email, users are asked to enter their phone number for SMS marketing.

A one-time verification code is sent to confirm their opt-in.

Why This Works:
✅ Email + SMS = Double the Retargeting Power – By capturing both, BrüMate can engage users across two of the highest-converting channels.

✅ Verification Ensures Quality Leads – Prevents fake numbers from cluttering the SMS list.

✅ Higher Engagement – SMS boasts significantly higher open rates than email, making it essential for flash sales and reminders.

💡 What Could Be Improved:
❌ Reduce Friction – Requiring verification adds an extra step that could lead to drop-offs. Testing an optional verification for non-promotional texts might help retain more users.

Step 4: Welcome SMS & Follow-Up Nudges

Once opted in, the user gets an initial welcome text with a direct link to their discount.

Shortly after, a reminder text asks if they’ve checked out the link yet.

Why This Works:
✅ Timely Follow-Ups – Keeps the discount top of mind while the customer is still engaged.

✅ Encourages Fast Action – Follow-up messages with direct links make it easy to click and convert immediately.

✅ Casual Tone – Using conversational language helps the messages feel more personal and less like sales pitches.

💡 What Could Be Improved:
❌ More Personalization – Using the customer’s first name or mentioning their selected category (Drinkware, Coolers, or Both) could make the messages feel more tailored.

❌ Clearer Opt-Out Option – Adding “Reply STOP to opt-out” within the initial text message could help meet compliance regulations while reassuring users that they’re in control.

📦 The Upsell Play: Mystery BrüMate Pop-Up

Just when you think you’re done, BrüMate slides in one last "Oh, but wait!"

Once an item is added to the cart, a mystery item pop-up appears:

$15 for a limited-edition, discontinued, or unavailable BrüMate item (worth $24-$40).

One lucky customer per month wins a $300 BrüTank.

No returns, exchanges, or discounts apply.

Why This Works:
✅ Impulse Buy Opportunity – The low price point makes it an easy add-on decision.

✅ FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) – The limited availability and chance to win a high-value item drive urgency.

✅ Boosts Average Order Value (AOV) – This simple upsell increases revenue without significantly increasing marketing costs.

✅ Clear Terms – No returns or exchanges minimize customer service issues.

💡 What Could Be Improved:
❌ More Excitement in the CTA – Instead of “Add to Bag,” test CTAs like “Reveal Your Mystery Item!” to build curiosity.

❌ Highlight the Value More Clearly – Reinforcing the item’s value ($24-$40) near the CTA could make the $15 price feel like an even better deal.

✅ What BrüMate is Doing Right

🔥 Multi-Step Opt-In Strategy – Capturing both email and SMS instead of choosing one.

🔥 Follow-Up SMS Nudges – A single text can be ignored, but multiple follow-ups increase engagement.

🔥 Smart Segmentation – By asking what the user is shopping for, BrüMate can send hyper-targeted campaigns later.

🔥 Perfectly Timed Upsell – Presenting the mystery item after the cart has been started leverages the customer’s buying mindset to increase AOV.

🚀 What BrüMate Could Improve Across the Board

❌ Balance Aggressiveness with User Experience – While the multi-step process works, it might feel like too much for some users. Testing a simplified version could improve conversions without frustrating potential customers.

❌ Reduce Friction – Combining category selection, email capture, and SMS opt-in into fewer steps might prevent drop-offs.

❌ Clearer Messaging on Incentives – Whether it’s “20% back” or a mystery item’s value, ensuring that users immediately understand the offer would minimize confusion.

❌ Optimize for Mobile – Since most visitors will see the pop-ups on their phones, every step needs to be seamless, with large, easy-to-tap buttons and minimal typing.

💡 Final Takeaway: An Opt-In & Upsell Flow That Means Business

BrüMate isn’t messing around when it comes to capturing customer data and maximizing revenue per visit. Their opt-in flow is carefully layered to make sure they capture both email and SMS while segmenting users for better marketing.

Their upsell strategy is equally strong, using low-cost impulse buys and FOMO-driven tactics to boost AOV. With a few tweaks—like simplifying the opt-in process, clarifying their offers, and adding more social proof—they could take an already strong funnel and make it even more irresistible.

Key Lessons for Other Brands:

✅ Segment early for better personalization.
✅ Capture BOTH email and SMS for stronger retargeting.
✅ Follow up quickly with automated nudges.
✅ Use urgency and exclusivity to drive impulse buys.

If you’re not doing these things in your eCommerce funnel, you’re leaving serious money on the table.

🤖 AI Power-Up: ChatGPT Hacks for Writing High-Converting Copy

Struggling to write engaging, high-performing copy in minutes instead of hours? ChatGPT is your secret weapon—but only if you know how to use it right. Here are 4 pro hacks to make AI work harder (so you don’t have to):

1. Train AI on Your Brand’s Voice

💡 Hack: Start every session by pasting a few examples of your brand’s best-performing copy. Then ask:

“Rewrite this in the same tone and style.”

 ✅ Pro Tip: If your brand is fun and sassy, tell ChatGPT: “Write this in a bold, witty, and conversational tone.”

2. Use AI for Instant Headline & Hook Ideas

💡 Hack: Give ChatGPT the type of copy you’re writing + your audience + a desired action.

Example prompt:

“Give me 10 subject line ideas for an abandoned cart email targeting Gen Z shoppers.”

 ✅ Pro Tip: Ask for variations: “Make them punchier.” / “Add urgency.” / “Make them funny.”

3. Rapid-Fire A/B Testing Variations

💡 Hack: Instead of guessing what works, use ChatGPT to generate multiple variations of your copy.

Example prompt:

“Give me 3 versions of this CTA: ‘Get 20% off today!’—one friendly, one urgent, and one playful.”

 ✅ Pro Tip: Use AI to generate slightly different CTA variations and test them for better conversion rates.

4. Summarize & Repurpose Content in Seconds

💡 Hack: Feed AI a long blog post, sales page, or email and ask:

“Summarize this in 3 bullet points for an Instagram caption.”

 ✅ Pro Tip: Use this for fast repurposing across emails, social media, and ads—without rewriting from scratch.

AI doesn’t replace creativity—it optimizes your time to be more creative.

Annnnd that’s a wrap for this edition! 

Thanks for hanging with Chase and me—always a pleasure to have you here.

If you found this newsletter helpful (or even just a little fun), don’t keep it to yourself! Share ecomemailmarketer.com with your favorite DTC marketer. Let’s get them on board so they don’t miss next week’s drops.

Remember: Do shit you love.

🤘 Jimmy Kim & Chase Dimond