our journey to 1 million customers — Stripo.e mail

Why do you do what you do? How typically do you mirror on why you selected your job?

Folks normally have a number of potential causes, however usually, in a method or one other, all of us wish to be useful. If we glance past this, we wish to do one thing that may assist others — and if we dig even deeper, to create one thing that may change the world. Ask your self: Do I wish to go away a mark in historical past? Sure? How?

In 2016, in a ravishing metropolis on this planet’s bravest nation, Ukraine, an entrepreneur with a need to unravel the issues of a mess creates a product…

I’m positive many books about unbelievable manufacturers begin this manner. However this isn’t a e book; that is only a easy sketch, and it began very in another way.

Stripo historical past: The way it all started

Q: Dmytro, why did you create Stripo? Did you wish to make one thing unbelievable to assist many professionals?

Working with one other system, I typically needed to take care of code inside the e mail, so each marketer needed to have a good quantity of technical data. This was fairly irritating for me. So, I wished to vary that. I believed this may be a undertaking lasting not more than 2 years, however now we have already got growth plans for 10 years!

Dmytro Kudrenko,

Founder and CEO of Stripo.

Okay, you could possibly say, “That is simply the story of an extraordinary startup.” Possibly — however give it an opportunity!

Dmytro Kudrenko: Had been there some other editors apart from ours? Completely! However sooner or later, every of them began branching out in several instructions, and it was the editor itself that bought misplaced. We selected the trail of working particularly with the editor and enhancing it.

I as soon as realized that to create a very nice product, it’s essential to do the next:

• concentrate on one factor (in our case, it’s e mail advertising);

• perceive your consumer’s drawback;

• discover a solution to resolve it;

• and resolve it in such a manner that the consumer can’t think about their workday with out your resolution.

If you’re constructing a product, essentially the most difficult half is creating one thing that didn’t exist earlier than. A very powerful second is fixing the consumer’s drawback in such a manner that they will grasp the answer and begin actively utilizing it. And essentially the most fascinating story tells us how you can transition from complexity to simplicity.

This has been Stripo’s predominant purpose from the very starting and our focus all this time.

I’ve been concerned in advertising for fairly a while, and you realize what I all the time lack? Time! I all the time want that there have been a number of extra hours within the day. However how rather more time do those that create emails want in a day? What if they will’t code? What if it’s an formidable startup with a small group, the place one particular person handles a number of duties?

By the way in which, here is an instance from our COO, Dmitry Kulaksyz:

Q: Dmitry, what was the largest problem?

Dmitry Kulaksyz: Within the early levels of product growth, the group was very small. There have been about six of us, together with our chief, Dmytro Kudrenko.

Maybe essentially the most difficult activity at the moment was discovering the stability between amount and high quality. We consistently needed to make choices, even when they turned out to be incorrect, draw conclusions, and transfer ahead, typically into uncharted territory.

The stakes had been excessive, and we could not afford to spend our funds recklessly. We had been all the time studying on the fly and from our errors. It was concurrently hectic and provoking like strolling a path together with your eyes closed looking for a manner ahead. We all the time ran out of time, and we needed to change our focus dozens of occasions a day.

Dmitry Kulaksyz,

COO at Stripo.

Returning to the time scarcity challenge, are there any instruments that will help you optimize it? After all! Do all of them really resolve this drawback? After all not.

Q: Dmitry, you talked about that you simply wish to resolve the viewers’s drawback by saving them time on routine duties and permitting them to concentrate on extra fascinating and essential ones. How?

Dmitry Kulaksyz: Modular e mail design. Nicely, you see, it wasn’t our invention. However we’ve centered a lot on modules that now our customers can change any e mail factor they want with out dropping any important knowledge.

After we had been creating modules, they didn’t exist in any editor but. Nonetheless, they had been utilized in web site growth, and that’s precisely what we used as the idea of the thought. We had been those who launched the modular system into emails, and now it’s a compulsory characteristic in all places.

I consider that coding e mail templates isn’t one thing entrepreneurs ought to be doing. As a substitute, they need to focus on advertising methods. Our modules are what’s going to allow them to make it occur.

By making a module as soon as, a specialist can use it an infinite variety of occasions whereas altering any factor they want with out affecting the general modular framework. And since you may create an infinite variety of modules for any unit or activity as soon as and use them consistently, it reduces the time it takes to create an e mail by a number of hours, simplifying communication between enterprise models or undertaking contractors.

After all, we check every part ourselves, and we have described how the modules work and the way they save time in our case research.

I’m writing about this with satisfaction, and also you would possibly assume I’m boasting. I’m! As a result of after I talked to the group that has been engaged on this from the very starting, I used to be amazed by their calmness.

Anton Hrynenko, CTO at Stripo:

Anton Hrynenko: I’m a perfectionist, so it was initially very difficult for me to mentally modify to the product-oriented method to work. The seek for “product–market match” led to fixed adjustments that generally didn’t match into the preliminary structure in any respect.

To place it merely, think about that simply yesterday, we had been creating the proper automotive, and this morning, I used to be sprucing this automotive to make it shine within the solar and catch the enchanted gazes of passersby. After which, after lunch, we determined that we wanted the automotive to fly within the air, and we urgently needed to punch a gap within the roof and work out how you can connect a propeller. It was solely with time that I noticed that that is how masterpieces are created.

Anton Hrynenko,

CTO at Stripo.

It seems like an motion online game, doesn’t it? By the way in which, have you ever ever observed that we reside each second of our lives as if we had been enjoying an countless sport?

Right here’s a quest for groceries; there’s a shootout for a reduced merchandise. In actual fact, life itself is one huge simulator. However for advertising, video games are probably the greatest mechanics for interacting with the viewers.

Stripo and e mail gamification

Entrepreneurs have been actively utilizing video games for a very long time at any time when they will, and Stripo makes this potential in emails. Interactive video games for e mail campaigns are one in every of our distinctive choices.

You could find extra particulars about gamification in e mail advertising right here, however we’d wish to share some information about our video games:

• that is what our first sport appeared like — recipients needed to click on on completely different parts, and after that, they obtained predictions about e mail advertising. This gamified e mail generated twice as many clicks as a daily one;

• that is what our most lately launched sport seems to be like.

What’s extra:

• we realized that recipients like our video games;

• because of this, we created our eBook on gamification in e mail advertising;

• Dmytro Kudrenko has spoken on this matter at 20 completely different occasions;

Liubov Rolenko, developer accountable for designing all sport mechanics at Stripo

Q: What had been your ideas while you created your first sport?

Liubov Rolenko: I wished to create one thing fascinating and acquainted, just like the previous video games from childhood, however in an easier model. One thing that might present slightly distraction and convey again the childlike pleasure and pleasure in the midst of a workday.

Work can generally be gloomy and routine, and it may be exhausting. However think about that at such a second, you obtain an e mail with a small sport proper in it! I hope it sparks shock, curiosity, and pleasure. So, I merely wished so as to add a contact of one thing unbelievable to our lives.

Liubov Rolenko,

Developer accountable for designing all sport mechanics at Stripo.

Q: Are you able to inform me, what’s your favourite sport of all time?

Liubov Rolenko: I’m a gamer, so I’ve been enjoying video video games since childhood, and I nonetheless do it. Video games have all the time been part of my life.

Really, I don’t have a favourite one as a result of I like variety. Nonetheless, I keep in mind my first sport. In class, throughout a pc science class, a trainer confirmed us a sport the place there was an animal in a maze, and also you needed to enter instructions specifying the route and the variety of steps, like “5 steps proper.” You needed to information the animal out of the maze. It was whereas enjoying this sport that I noticed I wished to turn out to be a developer.

Stripo training

All the things all the time begins with training. Maybe not all of the data we acquire in class will probably be helpful sooner or later, however that’s the place we purchase the important parts of our future life: a data base, associates, and allies, in addition to help.

Though we at Stripo have already got a superb 24/7 help service prepared to help you, we’re creating our data base, the place customers can delve into all of the intricacies of utilizing our product. Our help group is all the time able to reply your questions, however exploring the tutorial database will provide its personal fascinations.

Maryna Krivenets, the top of buyer help at Stripo

Q: Maryna, do you assume the data base will change buyer help?

No, by no means. Our help isn’t just about answering questions. It is all about care. And our data base may help customers navigate the editor and hone their e mail advertising expertise, even when they’ve by no means performed it earlier than of their life.

Maryna Krivenets,

Head of buyer help at Stripo.

This can be a photograph from the shoot of our Udemy course, which is appropriate for all newcomers and has already been accomplished by almost 2,000 college students.

If you would like to take one in every of our programs, you are able to do it proper right here. You can even observe this hyperlink to discover a information with 94 e mail advertising sources for inspiration and work.

And if you would like to depart a evaluate of us, you may simply do it on G2 or Capterra. Consider me, our complete group is over the moon after we see your evaluations! Your suggestions is extremely inspiring to us.

Stripo and interactive content material in emails

By the way in which, do you know that inspiration is one in every of our group’s core ideas, and everybody strives not solely to create one thing new however to do it in a manner that conveys a chunk of their inspiration?

For instance, whereas engaged on this text, I used to be impressed by the tales of the individuals who created (and proceed to create) our product. After one other dose of inspiration, I turned to Roman, our head designer and the one that remembers the very first template that appeared in Stripo.

Right here it’s — our first e mail template, which was used 450 occasions.

Roman Burdyga, product designer at Stripo

Roman Burdyga: Hiya! I’m Roman, a product designer at Stripo. I used to be additionally the developer of the e-mail template format construction, which is the idea for all templates within the system. Now, let me share some historical past…

Earlier than Stripo was launched, I labored on the identical factor in one other product, the place there was additionally a template editor, and gained all my expertise in creating templates there. I created templates for our purchasers and realized all of the intricacies and subtleties of e mail format. Since I’m a designer, I mixed this expertise with my data of template creation to strengthen Stripo.

As Stripo started to take form, my group and I noticed that our customers would want one thing that might encourage them, one thing they might have a look at and use of their e mail campaigns, a spot the place they might discover concepts for his or her trade. That is how the Stripo Template Library was born.

Roman Burdyga,

Product designer at Stripo.

By that point, I had a number of colleagues who began creating templates and have become the primary authors of this library. These colleagues embody Liubov Rolenko, who initiated this nice undertaking and later grew to become a mentor to different colleagues. Afterwards, Ruslan Trepuhalov and Oleg Ponamarchuk joined us, including a unique perspective and concepts and accelerating the library’s development. A 12 months later, Anastasiia Babintseva joined us along with her sense of magnificence and creative expertise.

All of them made a big contribution to the template growth, and every of them is exclusive of their model, expertise, and views, which is why the templates are so numerous and fascinating.

At the moment, after all, I used to be creating templates rapidly as a result of I used to be the creator of each the template editor and the template code. The primary problem was discovering concepts, designing, selecting themes, and turning every part right into a completed template.

What I keep in mind most had been a number of of our e mail campaigns initially of our interactive content material growth at Stripo:

1. A Christmas e mail for our purchasers with an interactive coloring characteristic that collected knowledge and reproduced all of the customers’ drawings. We obtained quite a few superb drawings, rigorously chosen the very best ones, and despatched because of our artists.

Whereas creating the design for that e mail, I inspired my baby to make use of the coloring characteristic and provided his drawings for example of what might be created. It was very fascinating and satisfying to obtain such suggestions and encouragement from our purchasers.

2. Then, we had the thought to create a crossword puzzle instantly within the e mail. It was extremely cool, though fairly difficult and time-consuming to implement. Nonetheless, it was completely value it, and we obtained many optimistic responses.

3. One other memorable mechanic was a quiz the place I labored on the design. It was an interactive chat inside the e mail. It felt such as you had been having a real-time dialog with somebody who was responding to you. It was extremely cool.

These interactive parts had been broadly mentioned within the e mail group as properly.

Stripo’s plans for the longer term

Nicely, I’m getting carried away with the previous. Now we have 1,000,000 customers. 1,000,000. For me, that’s an unbelievable quantity. After I requested everybody concerned on this article what they’d say to our million customers, all of them replied: “Stick with us! We’re making ready lots of fascinating and helpful issues in your e mail advertising campaigns!”

For instance:

• a new editor;
• real-time co-editing and commenting;
• integration with Figma;
• enhancements in AI performance inside Stripo’s construction;
• collaboration instruments;
• e mail accessibility precheck; 
• darkish mode UI for e mail preview; 
• new video games, templates, useful guides, and rather more in your emails.

In case you’ve learn this far, I wish to personally thanks in your time. On the very starting of this text, I discussed how we all the time appear to lack time. However we’re consistently working to liberate as a lot of it for you as potential!

Volodymyr Kreshchenko, CMO at Stripo

Q: What do you assume makes Stripo distinctive?

There are numerous issues, however I consider the primary uniqueness lies in our imaginative and prescient and concentrate on time-saving. Whereas others increase their spheres of exercise and pursuits and enterprise into new territories, we’re solely centered on emails. The emphasis isn’t on amount however on high quality and evolutionary growth.

Volodymyr Kreshchenko,

CMO at Stripo.

Q: What has stunned you essentially the most throughout your complete time working at Stripo?

Volodymyr Kreshchenko: What stunned me essentially the most is that within the firm, there are a lot of individuals who genuinely care about our customers’ issues and the bugs that come up, they usually attempt to repair them as rapidly as potential. It’s very nice to work collectively on one thing when individuals are keen about what they do.

It’s possible you’ll ask — why not increase our horizons? Partly as a result of the concentrate on one thing is an countless horizon itself.

Ivan Burban, former CMO at Stripo

Q: Ivan, what was most difficult initially of the journey? What did you consider in?

Ivan Burban: Probably the most difficult factor was understanding how you can stand out from different merchandise. At the moment, we positioned ourselves as an e mail template builder, and we grew to become a platform three years later. Throughout this transitional interval, we had been trying to find this positioning and had many conversations with customers and market specialists.

I believed within the group that was creating Stripo primarily. The CEO and Product Proprietor/Supervisor appeared to me the strongest professionals I had ever met, and this opinion has not modified to at the present time. The entire group, from growth to help, actually wished to make the very best product, which could be very uncommon. We had little question that we’d attain a million after which ten million customers.

Ivan Burban,

Former CMO at Stripo.

Q: What do you assume it takes to depart a mark in historical past?

Ivan Burban: I consider that to make a mark in historical past, it is advisable to change the method to a selected course of, not simply enhance it barely. Within the case of Uber, they reimagined the method of calling a taxi. Within the case of Stripo, I believe you might be on the correct path, and you cannot solely change the method to creating emails but in addition make this advanced activity extra accessible to a broader viewers. Our inboxes will turn out to be interactive and straightforward to grasp.

Wrapping up

Will we go away a mark in historical past as an entire group? I don’t know. However I do know that when you ask the query, “Do you utilize Stripo?” virtually everybody within the digital market will reply: “After all!” So, we positively don’t begin our day with group conferences for nothing!

We’re the very best as a result of we care concerning the e mail drawback and its resolution day by day!

Dmytro Kudrenko,

Founder and CEO of Stripo.

We thank each one in every of you for being part of Stripo.