In this episode of Revenue Boost: A Marketing Podcast, titled, "Data-Driven Revenue Growth: Leveraging First-Party Data and CRM for Smarter Lifecycle Marketing Engagement" we’re diving into the powerful intersection of first-party data, CRM strategy, and lifecycle marketing to drive smarter, more impactful engagement.

I’m joined by Jake Schmidt, founder of Structured Agency, who shares his expertise on leveraging CRM systems to transform how businesses connect with their customers. We explore why lifecycle marketing is a game-changer for revenue growth—especially in an era where ads are getting more expensive and customer expectations for personalization are at an all-time high.

Jake unpacks the importance of optimizing your CRM, using first-party data to build meaningful connections, and segmenting audiences for highly personalized communication. Whether you’re struggling with declining email performance, inefficient marketing spend, or simply trying to figure out how to retain more customers, this episode is packed with actionable tips to help you fix those pain points and grow revenue.

We’ll also discuss creative strategies like quiz funnels for collecting valuable first-party data, and how to design automations that deliver the right message to the right customer at the right time. Jake’s practical advice will help you harness your CRM’s full potential to improve customer engagement, maximize ROI, and strengthen your overall marketing performance.

Podcast transcript

Kerry Curran, RBMA (00:01.134):
Welcome, Jake! Please introduce yourself and share a bit about your background and expertise.

Jake Schmidt (00:07.867):
Yeah, thank you so much for having me, Kerry. I’m really excited to be here and share some ideas and strategies that have been working really well for our clients. A little about me: I run an agency called Structured Agency. We’ve been in business for about eight years, serving brands with annual revenues ranging from $5 million to a few hundred million dollars.

We’re performance marketers, which means every success is tied to data and measurable results. We’re data fanatics, and we love diving deep to drive revenue for our clients. Our three core offerings are Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), Paid Media, and Lifecycle Marketing. While all three are strong areas for us, we’ve really made a name for ourselves in lifecycle marketing.

As we move into 2025, lifecycle marketing is an area where I see many brands struggling or missing opportunities to grow revenue. With ads becoming more expensive, leveraging first-party data and maximizing email marketing are critical to staying competitive.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (01:18.466):
Absolutely. So many brands—and we’re all guilty of this—focus heavily on paid media for acquisition, but retention and lifecycle marketing don’t always get the same priority. It’s much harder and more expensive to acquire a new customer than to build loyalty and grow relationships with existing ones. What challenges do your prospects and clients typically come to you with?

Jake Schmidt (01:59.173):
That’s a great question. But before I dive into that, I want to touch on what you just said. So many brands are laser-focused on trying to get a 1.5x or 2x ROAS on platforms like Facebook or Google, yet they overlook their email strategy. Email marketing has a 45-to-1 return. Imagine seeing a 45x ROAS on Facebook or TikTok—you’d think it was too good to be true! But that’s the reality with email.

Many brands neglect lifecycle marketing and miss the opportunity to increase customer lifetime value.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (02:32.152):
Right.

Jake Schmidt (02:38.735):
Some common challenges clients bring to us include declining email revenue. Many brands put email marketing on autopilot, only to find it’s no longer as profitable. Meanwhile, their competitors are getting more sophisticated. Consumers don’t want irrelevant, generic messages. They want personalized, timely communication.

Another big issue is batch-and-blast emailing. Many brands will send the same email to their entire list, and when the revenue doesn’t meet expectations, they resend it—often to the same audience. This damages deliverability because inbox providers flag them as spammers.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (03:25.038):
Yes, that makes sense.

Jake Schmidt (03:50.267):
Exactly. When we work with clients, we start by diagnosing their email performance. Is the issue technical—like improper setups for inbox compliance—or is it poor segmentation? Often, it’s both. Fixing these issues is absolutely possible. We focus on segmentation, targeting the most engaged audiences first to rebuild deliverability and trust with inbox providers.

At its core, email and lifecycle marketing aim to send the right message to the right person at the right time. We use automations like welcome series, browse abandonment, and cart recovery to keep the process efficient and effective.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (05:55.279):
That’s great. Your approach really highlights how lifecycle marketing connects with audiences and builds long-term value. Can you talk about how paid media ties into your strategies?

Jake Schmidt (06:21.71):
Paid media often suffers from inefficient spend. For example, clients might sell a $20 product and expect a $3 CPA. That’s unrealistic today. We help by creating bundling strategies, quiz funnels, and other techniques to drive up AOV (Average Order Value), which makes paid media campaigns more profitable.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (06:39.178):
So many of your strategies rely on having a strong CRM to track audience and customer data. Can you share your thoughts on the importance of CRM in these processes?

Jake Schmidt (07:14.489):
A CRM is essential. But many brands get sold on CRMs without fully understanding the features they’ll use. Most clients only use about 20% of their CRM’s functionality, often just batch-and-blast emailing, which creates more issues.

When onboarding a CRM, it’s critical to know what features you need and ensure you have the team or partner to implement them. Even basic lead capture and automations can go a long way. Just make sure you’re engaging with your audience regularly to keep the connection alive.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (08:59.267):
I completely agree. Even startups and small businesses need to invest in a CRM early to build that foundation. With email marketing, how do you help clients navigate spam filters and maintain strong performance?

Jake Schmidt (10:01.093):
It comes down to tracking and personalization. Use data to understand customer behavior—what products they view, purchase history, and engagement patterns. This allows you to send relevant, personalized messages, like reminding someone to buy the next size up in baby clothing as their child grows.

Engagement is also key. Focus on sending campaigns to your most engaged audiences. Avoid resending to people who didn’t open your emails, as that can lead to spam complaints. Instead, prioritize relevant reminders for those who’ve shown interest.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (12:20.822):
Let’s talk about quiz funnels. How do they help you collect data and connect with customers?

Jake Schmidt (12:43.161):
Quiz funnels are fantastic for gathering first-party data. They create a personalized experience by asking customers questions about their needs, preferences, and lifestyles. For example, we worked with a supplement brand that used a quiz to recommend products based on specific health concerns.

This approach not only improves conversion rates but also enriches customer profiles with valuable data for future marketing. Customers feel like they’ve received personalized advice, which fosters trust and drives sales.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (15:21.294):
That’s such a smart strategy. It really helps brands connect with their audience on a deeper level.

Jake Schmidt (15:36.687):
Absolutely. As inboxes and AI tools become smarter, batch-and-blast email tactics won’t work anymore. Marketing will evolve into a one-to-one experience. The best thing brands can do now is start collecting more data to prepare for these changes.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (16:28.802):
Exactly. With so much noise out there, personalized communication is key. Can you share some tools or technology recommendations?

Jake Schmidt (17:10.875):
We’re ESP (Email Service Provider) agnostic, but we work with platforms like Klaviyo, Listrak, Attentive, Customer.io, and Iterable. For CRO, we use tools like Replo and various quiz builders. Of course, Shopify is also a significant part of many client strategies.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (18:00.526):
What’s your top recommendation for someone not yet leveraging email or quizzes effectively?

Jake Schmidt (18:16.187):
Start collecting data today. Don’t batch and blast; focus on segmentation and personalization. If you lack the team to handle this internally, consider working with an agency to set up the strategy and execution. Email, SMS, and quizzes are incredibly powerful tools—just get started and keep testing.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (19:33.024):
Great advice. How can people find you?

Jake Schmidt (19:36.517):
I’m active on LinkedIn—just look for Jake Schmidt. You can also find us at structured.agency—no dot-com, just structured.agency.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (19:48.226):
Perfect! We’ll include those links in the show notes. Thank you so much for joining us today, Jake. Your insights and strategies are incredibly valuable.

Jake Schmidt (20:12.495):
Thank you for having me. I really enjoyed the conversation!

Kerry Curran, RBMA (20:15.256):
Thanks!