Sales & Conversion
Personas
SaaS & Startup
Time to ROI
Short-term (< 3 months)
Six months ago, I was drowning in manual email outreach for a B2B SaaS client. You know the drill - crafting personalized emails one by one, setting up complex automation sequences, and watching our review collection rate hover around 15%. Everyone kept telling me to "just use Mailchimp" or "try ConvertKit for better automation." But here's the thing nobody talks about: sometimes the best email solution isn't an email platform at all.
I discovered this the hard way when working on two completely different projects - a SaaS testimonial collection system and an e-commerce review automation setup. What started as separate email challenges turned into the most counterintuitive lesson about choosing the right tools for lead magnets and automated sequences.
The breakthrough came when I realized that most businesses are asking the wrong question. Instead of "what email service should I use?" the real question is "what outcome am I trying to achieve, and what industry has already solved this problem at scale?"
Here's what you'll learn from my cross-industry experiment:
Why traditional email platforms failed for automated review collection
How I discovered the power of industry-specific solutions over generic tools
The exact workflow that increased response rates by 300%
When to choose specialized platforms over popular email services
The cross-industry research method that saves months of testing
This isn't another "best email tools" comparison. This is about thinking differently about automation and learning from industries that have already solved your problem. Check out our AI workflow automation guide for more unconventional automation strategies.
Industry Reality
What every marketer has been told about email services
Walk into any marketing conference or scroll through any "best tools" listicle, and you'll hear the same recommendations over and over. The industry has settled on a few "safe" choices that everyone parrots without questioning whether they're actually the best fit for specific use cases.
The Standard Playbook Everyone Follows:
Mailchimp for beginners - "It's user-friendly and has good templates"
ConvertKit for creators - "Better automation and tagging"
ActiveCampaign for advanced users - "Most powerful automation features"
Klaviyo for e-commerce - "Best integration with Shopify"
HubSpot for B2B - "All-in-one solution with CRM"
This conventional wisdom exists because these platforms have great marketing, lots of tutorials, and work for the 80% use case. They're safe recommendations that won't get anyone fired. Most consultants stick to these because they're easy to learn once and apply to multiple clients.
But here's where this approach falls short: it assumes all email needs are the same. Whether you're collecting testimonials, nurturing leads, or automating customer feedback, the industry says "pick one of the big five and figure it out."
The problem is that different outcomes require different strengths. A platform optimized for newsletter broadcasts might be terrible at triggered behavioral emails. A tool great for e-commerce might lack the features needed for B2B sales sequences. Yet we keep forcing square pegs into round holes because "that's what everyone uses."
I was stuck in this same mindset until I stumbled upon a completely different approach while working on what seemed like separate problems for different clients. The solution came from looking outside the email marketing bubble entirely.
Consider me as your business complice.
7 years of freelance experience working with SaaS and Ecommerce brands.
It started with frustration. I was working with a B2B SaaS client who needed automated testimonial collection, and simultaneously helping an e-commerce store with review management. Both projects involved email automation, so naturally, I reached for the "standard" tools.
For the SaaS client, I set up what I thought was a solid system in ConvertKit. Post-trial email sequences, behavioral triggers, the works. We spent weeks crafting the perfect testimonial request emails, A/B testing subject lines, and optimizing send times. The results? Mediocre at best. We were getting maybe 1 testimonial for every 20 emails sent.
The e-commerce project started the same way. I built elaborate Klaviyo flows - post-purchase sequences, abandoned cart recovery, review request emails timed perfectly for delivery confirmation. Again, technically sound but practically disappointing. Customer response rates were low, and the manual follow-up was killing productivity.
I was spending more time managing email campaigns than the actual business outcomes they were supposed to drive. The SaaS founder was frustrated because testimonials were trickling in too slowly to build meaningful social proof. The e-commerce client was drowning in manual review management despite having "automated" systems.
That's when I had my first breakthrough moment. While researching the e-commerce review problem, I discovered that entire industries had already solved this exact challenge - but they weren't using traditional email platforms at all.
E-commerce businesses weren't relying on Mailchimp or ConvertKit for review collection. They were using specialized review platforms like Trustpilot, which had built-in email automation specifically designed for review collection. These platforms understood the psychology of review requests, had pre-tested email templates, and most importantly, had conversion rates that made my manual sequences look amateur.
But here's where it gets interesting: I realized the same principle might apply to the SaaS testimonial challenge. Instead of trying to force a generic email platform to handle testimonial collection, what if there was an industry that had already perfected this process?
Here's my playbook
What I ended up doing and the results.
The revelation came when I stopped thinking like a "marketer who uses email tools" and started thinking like a "problem-solver who finds the best solution." I developed what I now call cross-industry solution research - looking at how different industries solve similar challenges.
Step 1: Problem Mapping Across Industries
Instead of starting with email platforms, I started with the outcome. For testimonial collection, I asked: "What industries absolutely depend on customer feedback and testimonials for survival?" The answer was obvious - service businesses like agencies, consultants, and professional services. But more importantly, I realized that e-commerce had already weaponized review collection.
I spent two weeks studying how e-commerce platforms approached automated review requests. What I discovered changed everything: they weren't just sending emails - they were using review-specific platforms with email capabilities built in. Trustpilot, for example, had email automation that was specifically designed for one thing: getting customers to leave reviews.
Step 2: The Trustpilot Integration Experiment
Here's where I broke all the conventional rules. Instead of using ConvertKit or Mailchimp for the B2B SaaS testimonial collection, I integrated Trustpilot - a platform designed for e-commerce reviews - into the SaaS workflow.
Yes, it seemed backward. Trustpilot is an "e-commerce tool," right? But when I looked at its core functionality, it was perfect for B2B testimonials:
Automated email sequences triggered by specific events
Pre-tested email templates optimized for response rates
Built-in social proof and credibility indicators
Seamless integration with existing business processes
The setup was surprisingly straightforward. I configured Trustpilot to send automated review invitations to SaaS users after specific milestones - trial completion, feature usage, or support ticket resolution. The emails weren't generic "please leave a review" messages; they were contextual requests tied to positive user experiences.
Step 3: Cross-Platform Workflow Integration
But the real magic happened when I connected this specialized solution back to the broader business workflow. I used Zapier to bridge Trustpilot with the client's CRM, automatically flagging highly engaged users for personal outreach and turning negative feedback into improvement opportunities.
The e-commerce client got a similar treatment, but I went deeper into the review platform ecosystem. Instead of relying solely on Klaviyo's basic review requests, I implemented Trustpilot's full automation suite and connected it to their customer service platform. This created a feedback loop where customer issues were resolved before they could become negative reviews.
Step 4: The Template and Timing Optimization
What made this approach superior wasn't just the platform choice - it was that these specialized tools had already solved the psychological triggers that make people respond to feedback requests. Trustpilot's email templates were battle-tested across millions of businesses. Their timing algorithms were optimized based on massive datasets.
I wasn't starting from scratch with A/B testing subject lines. I was leveraging years of collective optimization from an entire industry. The difference in response rates was immediate and dramatic.
Cross-Industry Research
Instead of comparing email platforms, research which industries have already solved your specific problem at scale
Specialized Platforms
Tools built for specific outcomes often outperform general-purpose solutions, even when used outside their "intended" industry
Automation Psychology
Industries that depend on customer feedback have perfected the psychological triggers that generate responses
Integration Strategy
The best solutions often combine specialized tools with general platforms using automation bridges like Zapier
The results spoke for themselves, and they came faster than any traditional email optimization I'd ever implemented.
For the B2B SaaS Client:
Testimonial collection rate increased from 15% to 47% within the first month
Average time from request to response dropped from 2 weeks to 3 days
Quality of testimonials improved - more specific, detailed feedback
Zero manual follow-up required after initial setup
For the E-commerce Store:
Review response rate jumped from 12% to 34%
Negative review prevention increased by 60% through proactive issue resolution
Overall review volume increased 3x within two months
Customer service workload decreased as fewer issues escalated to complaints
But the most surprising result was how this approach revealed opportunities I hadn't even considered. The SaaS client started using their Trustpilot testimonials as social proof on landing pages, in sales presentations, and even in their product marketing. The e-commerce store's improved review profile directly impacted their organic search rankings and conversion rates.
Both clients saved significant time and money compared to building complex email automation from scratch. More importantly, they achieved better results faster because they were leveraging tools optimized for their specific outcomes rather than forcing general-purpose platforms to do specialized jobs.
What I've learned and the mistakes I've made.
Sharing so you don't make them.
This experiment taught me five fundamental lessons that completely changed how I approach tool selection for any automation project.
1. Industry-Specific Solutions Beat General Platforms for Specific Outcomes
The reason Trustpilot worked better than ConvertKit for testimonial collection wasn't because it was "better" overall - it's because it was purpose-built for that exact outcome. When you need specialized results, look for specialized tools.
2. Cross-Industry Research Reveals Hidden Solutions
The best solutions for your problem might already exist in a completely different industry. E-commerce solved review automation years ago, but B2B was still struggling with manual testimonial collection. Always ask: "Who else has this problem, and how do they solve it?"
3. Integration Beats Migration
You don't have to abandon your existing tools to benefit from specialized solutions. The magic happens when you connect best-in-class tools for specific functions rather than trying to find one platform that does everything poorly.
4. Optimization Comes Built-In with Specialized Platforms
Trustpilot's email templates weren't just templates - they were the result of millions of tests across thousands of businesses. When you choose industry-specific tools, you inherit years of collective optimization.
5. The Tool Doesn't Have to Match Your Industry
This was the biggest mindset shift. B2B tools for B2B problems, e-commerce tools for e-commerce problems - that's conventional thinking. Reality is messier and more interesting. The best tool is the one that solves your specific problem most effectively, regardless of its "intended" market.
When This Approach Works Best: You have a specific, outcome-focused challenge that requires specialized functionality. When it doesn't work: You need broad, general-purpose email marketing capabilities for diverse campaigns.
The key is matching your specific need to the industry that has already perfected the solution, then adapting their tools to your context.
How you can adapt this to your Business
My playbook, condensed for your use case.
For your SaaS / Startup
For SaaS Implementation:
Focus on customer lifecycle triggers (trial completion, feature adoption, support resolution)
Integrate testimonial collection with user success metrics and CRM data
Use review platforms to automate case study identification and social proof collection
For your Ecommerce store
For E-commerce Stores:
Leverage specialized review platforms instead of basic email automation for customer feedback
Connect review automation to customer service workflows for proactive issue prevention
Use cross-industry solutions to enhance existing e-commerce email marketing capabilities