CASE STUDY - EMAIL AUTOMATION + SYSTEMS

As the business grew, the backend needed to be organised

Alex had already built a strong foundation in the CME writing space - with a podcast, free community, paid offers, email marketing, and a Thinkific course supporting her audience.

But as the business expanded, the systems behind it had evolved organically over time.

Forms had been added in different places. Automations were layered on as needed. Subscriber journeys worked, but not always together.

The result was a backend that technically functioned, but no longer felt streamlined, connected, or scalable.

The Outcome

A more connected backend system with smoother automations, cleaner onboarding flows, and less manual work required behind the scenes.

Tools Used
Kit, Thinkific, Squarespace, Carrd, Circle

Industry
CME Writing

THE SITUATION

Growth had created complexity behind the scenes

Alex already had several parts of her business running successfully:

A growing email list
Free and paid community offers
A Thinkific course
Existing automations and launch systems

But over time, the backend had become more reactive than intentional.

Different tools were handling different parts of the customer journey, which created friction behind the scenes:

Subscriber journeys weren’t fully aligned across platforms
Automations had been added over time without a unified structure
Launches still relied on unnecessary manual setup
Onboarding between purchase and course access could be smoother
Forms and landing pages lacked consistency across the ecosystem

But the systems no longer reflected the level the business had grown into.

THE PROBLEM

The systems worked, but not as one connected experience

This is common in growing online businesses.

As offers, automations, and platforms expand, systems often become harder to manage simply because they were built in stages over time.

The challenge wasn’t rebuilding everything from scratch.

It was creating cleaner connections between platforms so the business could run more cohesively and with less manual intervention behind the scenes.

THE APPROACH

Simplify the backend and automate the handoffs

The focus wasn’t adding more tools — it was improving how the existing systems worked together.

Every automation and subscriber flow was reviewed through the lens of:

“Does this reduce friction and create a smoother experience behind the scenes?”

The work included:

Auditing existing automations and subscriber flows
Updating forms and embedded opt-ins across the website
Building a reusable pre-launch automation system
Creating and refining Zapier integrations between platforms
Connecting Thinkific purchases to onboarding emails inside Kit
Cleaning up outdated forms, sequences, and backend assets
Replacing disconnected pages with a more cohesive Squarespace setup
Creating SOPs and Loom walkthroughs for future management

The goal wasn’t simply automation.

It was creating a backend system that felt easier to manage, easier to scale, and more connected overall.

THE SYSTEM

A more connected experience - from opt-in to enrolment

Subscriber Entry & Lead Capture

Squarespace + Kit

Forms and opt-ins across the website were updated and standardised to create a more consistent subscriber experience across the business.

This included embedded forms, modal opt-ins, and improved entry points connected directly to Kit.

1

Automation & Subscriber Flows

Kit + Zapier

Subscriber journeys and backend automations were reviewed and refined to improve how data and actions moved between platforms.

Zapier workflows were updated to reduce manual work and support cleaner automation handoffs throughout the business.

2

Pre-Launch Automation System

Kit

A reusable pre-launch sequence was built so future launches could run with significantly less manual setup.

Link triggers, rules and automations were used to streamline the system and track the metrics.

This transformed launches into a more repeatable operational system.

3

Purchase → Onboarding Experience

Thinkific + Kit

When a course purchase was made through Thinkific, automations triggered onboarding emails directly through Kit.

This created a smoother transition from purchase to welcome experience without requiring manual intervention behind the scenes.

4

WHAT I HANDLED

Backend systems and automation implementation

Automation audit and backend cleanup
Zapier integrations and workflow management
Kit subscriber flow setup
Thinkific onboarding automations
Form rebuild and embedded opt-ins
Pre-launch automation systems
Landing page rebuild (Carrd → Squarespace)
Cleanup and archiving of outdated backend assets
SOP documentation and Loom walkthroughs

THE RESULT

A backend that feels significantly easier to manage

The final setup created:

Cleaner automation flows between platforms
Smoother onboarding from purchase → email → course access
Reduced manual setup behind launches
Better visibility across subscriber journeys
A more cohesive backend across the business
Systems that better support future growth and scaling
Instead of manually patching systems together, Alex now had a backend designed to work more cohesively behind the scenes.

THE TAKEAWAY

Growing businesses need systems that evolve with them

Most backend systems don’t suddenly fail.

They gradually become more complex as new tools, offers, automations, and workflows are added over time.

The goal isn’t constantly rebuilding from scratch.

It’s simplifying, reconnecting, and evolving the systems behind the business so they continue supporting growth instead of creating friction.

Let’s build systems that support where your business is going

If your backend feels overly manual, disconnected, or harder to manage than it should be, it’s usually a sign the business has outgrown its original setup.

Book a free 30-minute strategy call and we’ll look at what’s happening behind the scenes, where friction exists, and how to simplify it moving forward.