How We Turned WAVS’ Messaging Into an Email System That Boosted User Engagement & Retention

WAVS is a subscription-based audio sample marketplace that gives professional producers access to a curated library of superior samples from top creators. It’s designed for serious producers who want instant access to quality content, innovative workflow tools, and high-value creative assets.

When WAVS reached out to HEATE, their email presence was practically nonexistent—only default transactional emails triggered by their payment provider (subscription starts, failed payments, etc.) were in place. They had just finished a full brand and positioning overhaul with a third-party team, which included deep research into user personas, unique selling points, and value propositions.

Our job? Translate that positioning into a behavior-driven email system—one that builds awareness, activates users, and encourages retention from trial to paid subscription and beyond.

Project Snapshot

We focused on creating a complete lifecycle email system to guide users through every key phase:

• Trial start → onboarding

• Post-purchase → activation

• Cancellation → re-engagement

• Ongoing value → weekly product drops and platform updates

We built messaging that reflected what WAVS had uncovered in their customer research—especially around features that were underutilized, misunderstood, or high-impact.

Goals Summary

The goal was to bring WAVS’ refined brand identity to life through automated, high-impact communication that matched user behavior and needs.

🎯 Goal 1: Build a complete onboarding flow that educates new users and improves trial-to-paid conversion

🎯 Goal 2: Introduce product features based on feedback and survey data to improve perceived value

🎯 Goal 3: Reactivate canceled users through smart winback flows with discounts and strategic messaging

🎯 Goal 4: Establish an email campaign rhythm that drives users back into the WAVS ecosystem

Execution Summary

With a clear understanding of WAVS’ customer avatar and internal product strengths, we built an email experience that worked in tandem with the product itself. Every email was designed to reinforce WAVS’ value, address known pain points from user surveys, and help producers get the most out of their subscription.

Account Creation Flow & Trial Onboarding Sequence

The first key touchpoint in WAVS’ email journey was triggered when a user created an account on the platform. At this point, they had not yet started a trial—so the goal of this initial flow was to encourage them to begin their free 7-day trial. These emails introduced WAVS as a premium tool for serious producers and positioned the free trial as a low-friction way to start exploring the library and features.

Once a user started their trial, they entered a multi-step onboarding sequence designed to turn curiosity into product knowledge.

IThis included:

• A welcome email introducing WAVS and what to expect

• Awareness content focused on platform features, subscription types, and value

• Social proof showcasing industry-level producers using WAVS

• Workflow education explaining how WAVS fits into the modern producer’s stack

This flow made sure users didn’t just try the platform—but understood how to use it well.

To take onboarding a step further, we also collected user data during the first few interactions—asking producers whether they were focused on selling beats, building sample packs, or licensing for sync. Based on their goal, we segmented one of the welcome emails to speak directly to their creative path.

This allowed us to show exactly how WAVS could fit into their dream workflow and why the platform was a fit for them, not just producers in general. That extra layer of personalization helped drive stronger engagement and early product adoption

Post-Purchase Education Flow

Once a user was billed for a subscription, we moved them into a second sequence to reinforce value and boost retention. These emails covered:

• How to access and install the WAVS desktop app

• Use case examples from real producerse

• Continued nudges to explore WAVS’ library and stay inspired

This helped reduce “buyer’s remorse” and kept users coming back to the platform.

Cancellation Winback Flow

When a user canceled their subscription, they were added to a gracefully worded cancellation flow designed to understand why—and re-engage them if possible.

We focused on:

• Acknowledging the cancellation and asking for feedback

• Offered a free pack to re-engage with value.

• Re-emphasizing WAVS’ value and less-known features

• Offering a special discount for reactivation

This helped filter out users who left due to value confusion or pricing—not because the product didn’t work.

Weekly Campaigns to Drive Continued Engagement

To keep WAVS top-of-mind with current users, we implemented weekly email campaigns highlighting:

• New sample pack drops and featured creator content

• Product feature reminders

• Community spotlights

These campaigns helped bring lapsed users back, increased on-site activity, and extended LTV by keeping the subscription top-of-mind.

Results Summary

WAVS now has a complete email system aligned with its product strengths, brand tone, and user behavior—resulting in more engagement and retention.

Key Metric 1

All trial users now receive a structured onboarding experience within minutes of sign-up

Key Metric 2

Subscribers are consistently reminded of features they may have missed or underutilized

Key Metric 3

Reactivation offers from the cancellation flow have re-engaged churned users

Key Metric 4

Emails campaigns created a regular traffic boost and reconnect WAVS to its core audience