Welcome to Extra Mile by HiTechNectar, an exclusive interview series with industry leaders, discussing the latest innovations, tech trends, marketing practices, expert insights, and a lot more.
We’re thrilled to welcome our guest for today’s thought-provoking conversation, Dmytro Kudrenko, Founder and CEO at Stripo and Yespo. Stripo is a renowned email design platform with over 1,000,000 users globally, while Yespo is an omnichannel marketing automation platform.
Hello Dmytro! It's great to have you with us today! Kudos!!
Q1. Guide us through your journey of establishing a successful company and delivering top-notch services to your users. What inspired you to venture into the email marketing domain and focus specifically on email designs?
Ans. My journey from coder to entrepreneur was fueled by the desire to make a significant impact through technology. I realized that true innovation isn’t just about writing code; it’s also about solving daily challenges that people face. For over a decade, I developed software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for clients, which ignited my passion for developing impactful products. This experience taught me that excelling in software requires more than technical skills. Understanding the market, client needs, and the complexities of marketing and sales is equally crucial for success.
When we started Stripo, I had worked in email marketing for many years. I noticed a big problem: marketers who sent emails often found it challenging to ensure their HTML emails appeared well on various email clients and devices. This task usually required coding skills. To overcome this problem, marketers would spend time learning to code rather than focusing on core marketing activities. To address this issue, we created Stripo, a platform where users can quickly create professional emails without any technical skills, which allows marketers to concentrate on their strategies and other essential tasks.
Our goal was to resolve the problem of inconsistent email rendering across various platforms by providing a tool that allows for simple and efficient email design. Unlike other tools that manage various aspects of marketing automation, we concentrate on design. This specialization sets us apart from other companies and makes us an excellent partner for email service providers (ESPs), customer relationship management (CRM), and customer data platforms (CDPs). Stripo collaborates with these platforms and provides a distinct, targeted, and simple approach to email design.
Q2. The domain of email marketing is gradually evolving, though there are many other marketing tactics. Why do you think marketers still prefer email marketing tactics, and what are the key growth factors?
Ans. I've been in the email marketing game for a while now, and one thing I've learned is that the channel itself doesn't really matter. Whether it's email, social media, or a new platform that pops up next year, the core principles remain unchanged. It's just the form that evolves.
Consider email, for example. Today, email is still the go-to because It's the most widespread, cost-effective, secure, and manageable channel that we have. Every time a new channel comes along, it inevitably starts adopting traits of email. All channels evolve in that direction because the fundamentals of email are rock-solid.
Think about it this way: Email has been around for decades. It's been declared dead more times than I can count, yet it keeps thriving. Why? Because it works. Email is reliable and adaptable and consistently delivers results.
First, email marketing provides a direct line to your customers. Unlike social media, where your message may be overlooked, emails go straight to the inbox. This allows marketers to personalize their messages and target specific customers, making them feel special and more likely to engage.
Email marketing is incredibly cost-effective; it provides excellent monetary value because it can be used to reach a broad audience without causing overspending.
Another significant benefit of email marketing is the ability to measure results. You can track opens, clicks, conversions, and more, which allows you to continually refine your strategy. It's like having a powerful feedback loop.
Then, there’s automation and personalization. Today's email marketing tools allow you to automate campaigns based on user actions, preferences, and needs. This guarantees that the right message hits the right person at the right time, boosting engagement and conversion rates.
Emails are incredibly versatile. Whether you're sending out a newsletter, a promotional offer, a transaction receipt, or an event invite, email has you covered. This flexibility is a significant advantage that allows marketers to tailor their messages to different goals and audiences.
Now, what's driving the continued growth of email marketing? Integration with other channels, such as social media, content marketing, and e-commerce platforms, is a key driver. This creates a cohesive marketing strategy that amplifies overall campaign effectiveness.
Mobile optimization is another key factor. With everyone glued to their smartphones, emails need to look good on mobile devices. Email platforms offer responsive designs that make sure your message looks great regardless of where it’s viewed.
Interactive content, such as surveys, polls, and quizzes, is on the rise. This type of content makes emails more engaging and memorable.
I have to mention that advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are transformative. They enable marketers to understand their audience better, predict behavior, and personalize content at scale, resulting in more effective campaigns and outcomes.
Finally, there's the aspect of regulatory compliance. Email platforms have improved compliance with privacy laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is beneficial for building trust with subscribers. When people trust you with their data, they are more likely to remain engaged.
To put it simply, email marketing is still powerful because it is direct, cost-effective, measurable, automated, and versatile. With ongoing tech advancements and integration capabilities, email marketing is only improving. The next time someone says email is dead, just smile and know that it's very much alive and thriving.
Q3. How has technology reshaped the approaches of email marketing lately? Is the technology factor playing a key role in Stripo’s progression?
Ans. When people talk about the future of email, they often think something new will replace it. However, it's not about replacement; it's about how the infrastructure changes and, in turn, changes email.
The infrastructure includes ESPs, which improve personalization and analysis, and mail systems like Gmail and Apple Mail, which have introduced new rules like Apple Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), AMP, Annotations, and Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI). There's also the shift in client experience with the rise of mobile devices.
Email adapts to all these changes because it's incredibly flexible. Think of it like crocodiles or jellyfish, which have survived through the ages by adapting to their environments. The same premise can be applied to Email, which evolves with new technologies and standards.
In the 1990s, receiving an email meant getting a simple text message like "Hi there! Check out our new product!" Fast forward to today; our inboxes are filled with interactive emails that look like mini web pages. How did we get here?
- HTML emails
The introduction of HTML in the late 1990s and early 2000s revolutionized email design. HTML allowed emails to include images, links, and various formatting options, enabling marketers to send newsletters with logos, headers, different fonts, and even embedded videos. Imagine evolving from reading a black-and-white newspaper to flipping through a colorful magazine. Of course, HTML emails presented their own set of challenges. Coding errors, slow load times, and inconsistent rendering across various email clients were common issues. However, with advancements in email editors and tools, these problems became more manageable. Stripo's drag-and-drop email editor and pre-made templates make it easy to create beautiful, functional emails without the hassle of coding from scratch.
- The era of responsive design
With the rise of smartphones, a new challenge arose—emails had to be optimized for both desktop and mobile viewing. This led to the emergence of responsive design. Now, responsive emails, which adjust their layout to fit different screen sizes, are the standard. This shift was important because people started opening emails more frequently on their phones than on computers.
- Interactivity: Making emails fun
However, marketers wanted more than just good-looking emails; they wanted engaging content. This led to the development of interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and even games within emails. Imagine being able to open an email and play a game or fill out a survey right there in your inbox. At Stripo, we fully embraced this trend. Our interactive module generator allows users to create games without any coding. This keeps subscribers entertained and makes emails more memorable.
- The power of AMP for email
In 2019, Google introduced AMP4Email technology, which allowed for real-time, dynamic content within emails. This technology brings the interactivity of a web page directly into your email. Stripo was the first to integrate AMP, enabling users to create emails that could feature carousels, forms, and live data updates. It was like turning a static picture into a living, breathing experience.
- The rise of AI
GenAI is often talked about as having the ability to generate creative and reliable content consistently. However, I believe that GenAI is not a substitute for human creativity and expertise. Rather, GenAI should be seen as a powerful tool that can enhance and complement our abilities. This is where Stripo steps in. We've developed a comprehensive framework for delegating tasks to GenAI, ensuring a level of trust and control that empowers you to harness the full potential of this revolutionary technology. Stripo’s AI Assistant is a tool that not only automates email creation but also gives users full control at every stage. With the AI Assistant, users can enjoy the advantages of automation and still review, edit, and personalize each email.
Despite all the changes, email isn't going anywhere. Its adaptability ensures that it will continue to be a vital communication tool.
Q4. Personalization and high user engagement are two key practices in email marketing scenarios. How can companies effectively integrate these components?
Ans. We are bombarded with numerous emails on a daily basis, which makes it difficult to grab people's attention. Personalized content plays a crucial role in overcoming this challenge.
First, effective email marketing follows the 5 Rs rule: sending the right message to the right person at the right time in the right channel using the right context. When done correctly, this rule can transform a marketing email into a message that truly connects with the recipient. The fuel of personalization is data, and personalization is about how you can gather and use the data.
You have to know your audience. Imagine that you’re throwing a party. You wouldn’t invite people over without knowing what they like, right? The same goes for email marketing. The first step to personalization is understanding your audience. Gather data about your subscribers—what they like, their shopping habits, and their interests. The more you know, the better you can tailor your emails.
According to CDP principles, you should
- Gather data
- Conduct profile unification
- Segment contacts
- Activate a new loop
- Obtain new data
I recommend these best practices:
- Avoid overdoing personalization to prevent being intrusive.
- Start with simple personalization tactics, such as including the recipient’s name in the subject line, and gradually incorporate more advanced techniques over time.
- Use dynamic content and email automation to efficiently manage personalization on a large scale.
- Regularly test personalized emails, focusing on one variable at a time to accurately assess their performance.
Moreover, remember that understanding the cultural background of your audience is crucial for effective personalization. For example, Friday the 13th is considered unlucky in many parts of Europe, but in Italy, the unlucky day is Friday the 17th. Tailoring your messaging to these cultural nuances can make a big difference. Cultural influences shape preferences and behaviors, so knowing where your customers come from can make your emails more relevant and engaging.
Personalization gets users in the door, but great content keeps them there. So, for high user engagement, your emails should be visually appealing and packed with value. Think of informative articles, special deals, entertaining videos, or fun quizzes. Regularly test different types of content to see what your audience loves most. Interactive elements like polls and games can make your emails more engaging and fun.
Q5. What is beyond design for effective emails? What are the elements that can contribute to email marketing success in the upcoming years? And how is Stripo getting ready for the big picture?
Ans. When it comes to email marketing, design is important. However, design doesn't even make the list of the top three most crucial aspects. The real champions are personalization, segmentation, and automation. These elements were key 20 years ago and will remain essential for the next 20 years.
What's changed over time is the level of abstraction at which these elements are implemented. Personalization has advanced from simple name substitution to recommendations and sending time optimization. Segmentation has evolved from basic demographic filters to behavioral and predictive segments. Automation has progressed from basic triggers like welcome emails to complex data interactions at the CDP level and hundreds of triggers.
This evolution means that marketers need to operate at a higher level of abstraction, focusing on the contact, the message, and marketing tactics rather than the execution details or coding.
Our mission is to return the essence of marketing to marketers by freeing them from routine tasks and elevating their interaction with the system. Instead of manually crafting emails with basic blocks, work with modules. Instead of focusing on layout, concentrate on campaign strategy and email briefs. Let the system, powered by AI and data, handle the routine preparation.
By delegating personalization coding to the system, marketers can focus on strategic tasks. There's a lot of work ahead, but AI continues to provide increasing opportunities.
Q6. What are your suggestions for great marketing minds with unique ideas that can transform into the next big thing in the industry?
Ans. Think of email not only as a channel to deliver messages but also as an integral part of your company's overall strategy.
Email embodies your brand's voice, providing a direct line for quick feedback and enabling genuine one-on-one communication with your customers. Email is more than a tool; it's a strategic asset that builds relationships, fosters loyalty, and drives engagement.
