The Client
When a leader in door manufacturing looks to modernize their digital presence, you know the project will be impactful. Therma-Tru, with over 60 years of industry expertise and over 70 million doors sold, has built its reputation on superior materials and innovative design. Therma-Tru's products, crafted from advanced materials that outperform traditional wood and steel, are distributed through major retailers like Home Depot and Lowe's and wholesale home improvement companies nationwide.
When their team approached us about transforming Therma-Tru's partner loyalty program into a digital-first experience, we were excited to help take their partner engagement to the next level.
The Challenge
Our initial discussions with Therma-Tru revealed a complex landscape with unique challenges. Their Tru-Distinction loyalty program, serving dealers, builders, remodelers, contractors, and architects, wasn’t getting the level of engagement and connection they wanted. Their traditional approach of sending physical gift cards annually wasn't delivering the desired results, and their dual-tier program structure (standard and ruby levels) added complexity to both technical implementation and communication strategies.
We identified several critical areas that needed addressing:
- Manual gift card distribution processes limiting program efficiency
- Fragmented tracking of gift card usage and balances
- Disconnected systems between e-commerce and customer data
- Inconsistent communication channels with partners
- Limited visibility into program performance and engagement metrics
The Solutions
A Sophisticated E-Gift Card Integration
Our first priority was modernizing the reward distribution system. We engineered a seamless integration between Shopify and HubSpot that:
- Implements secure e-gift card functionality exclusive to the TruDealer Shopify storefront
- Creates automated synchronization of gift card data between platforms
- Tracks multiple gift card balances per representative
- Maps customer relationships to sales representatives
- Enables real-time balance updates and usage tracking
- Ensures gift cards are only redeemable within the designated storefront
Strategic Multi-Channel Communication System
For Therma-Tru's channel team, we developed a comprehensive communication strategy that revolutionized their partner engagement:
- Designed and developed dynamic email templates with smart content based on membership tier
- Implemented sophisticated workflow automation for an email nurture campaign that involved:
- Initial gift card distribution
- Balance reminders
- Usage tracking
- Sales representative notifications
- Wrote personalized communications from both brand and individual sales representatives
- Established automated task creation for sales team follow-up
Intelligent Cart Recovery
We implemented an abandoned cart recovery system that:
- Triggers personalized reminder emails
- Displays real-time gift card balances
- Creates urgency through expiration awareness
- Maintains brand consistency across all communications
- Tracks engagement metrics for continuous optimization
Our Process
We believe in the power of true partnership, and this project exemplified that belief. We maintained close communication with Therma-Tru's team throughout the development process, ensuring all technical integrations met their specific needs while maintaining program integrity.
Our team demonstrated exceptional adaptability, creating a solution that:
- Seamlessly integrated with existing systems
- Maintained data accuracy across platforms
- Ensured secure transaction processing
- Provided comprehensive tracking and reporting capabilities
Results and Impact
The campaign has been remarkable, delivering immediate performance metrics and long-term strategic benefits. The new system achieved impressive engagement numbers:
- 29.15% overall email open rate
- 50.42% click-through rate
- 33% gift card utilization
- Highest engagement from abandoned cart emails
- Strong performance from sales representative communications
Beyond the numbers, this has significantly helped Therma-Tru connect with partners. For the first time, they have real-time visibility into how their loyalty program members engage with rewards. This insight has transformed their partner relationship management from an annual touchpoint to a potential ongoing engagement opportunity.
The program also has created a powerful ripple effect in brand visibility. As partners use their e-gift cards to purchase Therma-Tru branded merchandise and materials, they become walking advertisements for the brand. Each purchased item — from apparel to promotional materials —extends Therma-Tru's brand presence in the field, turning satisfied partners into brand ambassadors.
Additionally, The Therma-Tru team has been thrilled with these outcomes, consistently highlighting the program's success in their internal meetings and expressing excitement about its impact on their partner relationships.
Ready to Take a More Strategic Approach to Your Email Strategy for Real Results?
This project with Therma-Tru showcases our team's ability to tackle complex technical challenges while focusing on user experience and program effectiveness. If you're considering a similar digital transformation project, we'd love to show you how our team at Lynton can help you turn complex challenges into elegant solutions that drive real business results.
