Case Study

How We Built a Personalized Newsletter System for Executive Consultants (using RightMessage and Kit)

by Brad Hussey

A PhD-level executive consultant with elite credentials had multiple high-ticket offers, a diverse audience of CHROs and HR leaders with completely different needs, and published thought leadership sitting unused — but no email system in place.

Instead of building a generic newsletter and fixing it later, Dr. Derek Lusk hired my agency to design and build an automated email newsletter system in Kit from day one that segments every subscriber on opt-in, personalizes all messaging based on their role and stated problem, routes them to the right offer at the right time, and runs perpetually without manual intervention.

In 2 weeks, we delivered a self-sustaining authority platform that treats a Fortune 500 CHRO shopping for succession planning tools completely differently than an HR professional looking to upskill… automatically. Here’s exactly how we built it.

The Client: Dr. Derek Lusk, Persona 28. Executive hiring expert, Hogan Assessment specialist, published author in HBR and Psychology Today, serving Fortune 500 CHROs and C-suite executives.

The Problem: A world-class consultant with elite credentials, multiple high-ticket offers, and published thought leadership… but no email system to distribute it effectively to a diverse audience.

The Build: A 2-week automated email newsletter system that transforms an undifferentiated list into a precision segmentation engine that routes every subscriber to exactly the right offer, at exactly the right time, using exactly the right messaging… automatically.

The Situation: Expertise Without Infrastructure

When Derek came to us, he had what most high-level consultants have:

Derek recognized what most consultants miss: his audiences were fundamentally different. A CHRO evaluating succession planning tools has different needs, timelines, and buying authority than an HR Business Partner looking to upskill in assessment science. But he had no system to communicate differently to each.

The challenge: Build an automated email newsletter from scratch that could:

  1. Segment subscribers immediately
  2. Personalize messaging by role and need
  3. Route people to relevant offers automatically
  4. Position authority without manual intervention
  5. Run perpetually as his list grows

Most consultants solve this by sending generic emails to everyone and hoping something sticks. Derek wanted to do it right from the beginning.

The Strategic Audit: What We Discovered

In our 90-minute Personalization Sprint, we built the blueprint. Derek knew what he needed: an email system that could handle audience diversity without requiring him to manually manage segments or write different versions of every email. Our job was to map the architecture.

Here’s what we defined:

The Audience Segments (2-Axis Model)

We intentionally constrained segmentation to avoid overengineering:

Axis 1: Role (Buying Context)

Axis 2: Primary Problem (Immediate Intent)

This gave us clean, actionable segments without persona sprawl.

And this matters more than you’d think. Most people setting up Kit go on a tagging frenzy, tagging subscribers with “clicked this link,” “downloaded this,” “interested in that,” “opened this email twice.” They collect data for the sake of collecting data. This results in a tangle of tags that aren’t mapped to any actual system. They’ll  just sit there, cluttering your account, making it harder to see what actually matters.

We keep it simple: if a tag or custom field doesn’t have a purpose, create a clear audit trail, change what email someone receives or what offer they see, we don’t create it.

The Offer Map

Derek had three primary service offerings and one educational product:

High-Touch Services (consultative, longer sales cycle):

Productized Offers (shorter decision window):

The Bridge:

The Core Problem

Without a system in place, Derek faced a classic consultant’s dilemma: how do you email a list when your audience wants completely different things?

The risk of building a generic newsletter: A CHRO interested in succession planning would see the same CTAs as someone looking to take a course. The coaching pitch would go to people who clearly wanted assessments. Everyone would get everything, and nothing would feel relevant.

What we needed to build:

Derek could have built a one-size-fits-all newsletter and called it done. Instead, he wanted infrastructure that could scale with his list without losing relevance.

The Build: Personalized Newsletter Architecture in Kit

We built Derek’s automated email newsletter system in three layers:

Layer 1: Segmentation Infrastructure (RightMessage Surveys)

We designed a post-opt-in survey that captures:

  1. Role (who they are and how they buy)
  2. Primary Focus (why they’re here right now)
  3. Conditional follow-ups (only when relevant):
    • If Executive Coaching: What level of leaders?
    • If Assessments: Choosing or implementing?

RightMessage Survey Flow by Brad Hussey's Agency, Authority Engines

Critical decision: We keep surveys short (3-5 questions max) and ask only what the system can’t infer later. Anything learnable via behaviour gets deferred.

The result: 80%+ completion rates because the questions are easy, relevant, and fast.

Layer 2: Dynamic Email System (Kit)

We built four core email sequences that create a personalized newsletter experience in Kit:

Welcome Sequence (3 emails over 1 week)

Each email includes strategic personalization:

Pitch Sequences (3 emails each, sent over 1 week)

We built dedicated 3-email pitch sequences for each offer:

Assessments Series:

  1. Why Most Leadership Assessments Should Never Be Used
  2. What Makes an Assessment Scientific?
  3. The Assessment Framework We Use (and Why)

Coaching Series:

  1. Is Your Executive Coaching Proving Its Value?
  2. How to Measure Executive Coaching ROI (Scientifically)
  3. Why Most Organizations Don’t Know If Executive Coaching Works

Training Series:

  1. From Assessment Expertise to Executive Advisory
  2. From Certification to Influence
  3. From Assessment to Impact

Each sequence is personalized by role, focus, and segment identity. But here’s the key: personalization is strategic, not cosmetic.

We don’t just insert first names and call it done. We adjust:

Personalized Email Marketing in Kit by Brad Hussey's Agency, Authority Engines

Evergreen Newsletter Engine (20 weeks of content)

Derek provided 20 newly written thought leadership pieces. We turned them into an automated email newsletter that runs on a perpetual schedule:

Format: “Executive Brief” structure

The Complete Subscriber Journey

Here’s what happens from the moment someone joins Derek’s list:

Week 1: 3 personalized welcome emails (customized based on their role and focus)

Week 2: 3 personalized pitch emails (for their most relevant offer)

Weeks 3-14: 12 weeks of evergreen newsletter content

Day 91: System pauses newsletter, sends them through a second personalized pitch sequence

After pitch: Back to evergreen newsletter from where they left off

Day 181: Third pitch cycle

After 4 total pitches: Subscribers remain on newsletter only (no more dedicated pitches)

This gives Derek months of runway before needing to add more content. And when it’s time? We’ve trained him on exactly how to add new pieces to the rotation. Plus, clients who partner with us on retainer get proactive content additions, timely reminders, system refreshes, and ongoing optimization based on subscriber data.

Layer 3: The Creator Engine (Dynamic Offer System)

This is where it gets interesting.

The Creator Engine is our proprietary system that automatically routes every subscriber to the right offer at the right time—based on who they are, what they need, and what they’ve already purchased.The Creator Engine System using Kit Visual Automations by Brad HusseyIt consists of three interconnected pieces:

1. Visual Automations (The Intelligence Layer)

Behind the scenes in Kit, a network of automations runs continuously:

These automations update custom fields, add/remove tags, and feed data to the Liquid code that personalizes every email.

We use smart naming conventions throughout: tags, custom fields, and flags follow a documented system that makes the entire setup readable and maintainable. Derek (or his team) can understand what’s happening at a glance without needing to decode cryptic variable names.

2. Proprietary Liquid Code (The Personalization Engine)

This is the code that runs at send time in every email—reading RightMessage and Kit data to dynamically display:

The code handles all edge cases: missing data, multiple segment matches, exclusion logic (don’t pitch what they already bought), and fallback scenarios.

Here’s the problem: this code can easily balloon to 300-500 lines of nested conditionals. One typo breaks everything. One logic error and the wrong offer shows to the wrong person. Maintaining it manually is a nightmare—even for us.

3. The Creator Engine App (The Control Panel)

This is how Derek manages it all without touching code.

We built an internal app that generates bulletproof Liquid logic based on simple inputs. Derek (or any client with Creator Engine access) logs in and can:

The app automatically generates the Liquid code. Derek copies it, pastes it into Kit, and it works. No coding. No risk of breaking anything. Takes 2 minutes instead of 2 hours.

Some clients manage this themselves. Others just give us their offers and have us handle it. Either way, everyone saves time.

The Priority Logic

At any moment, only ONE primary CTA is eligible per subscriber:

  1. Service consultation – when role + problem indicate readiness
  2. Assessment pathway – when evaluation or implementation clarity is needed
  3. Product/course checkout – when they’re a self-serve buyer
  4. No CTA escalation – continue value-only content

Critical feature: The system explicitly allows a “do nothing yet” state. If confidence is low, the correct action is patience, not persuasion.

That’s the point. The system feels seamless because the complexity is handled behind the scenes—by automations, code, and an app that’s been battle-tested across years of client work.

The Creator Engine App (Our Secret Weapon)

This is what most agencies don’t have, and no creators (other than our clients) have.

Creator Engine App Interface

I spent years writing custom Liquid code for client builds—dynamic offer logic, personalized CTAs, segment-specific testimonials, conditional content blocks. Every client got custom code, and it worked… but I was starting from scratch every time.

The problem: Liquid is powerful but fragile. One misplaced character breaks the entire email. One logic error and the wrong offer shows to the wrong person. Debugging took hours. Scaling was a nightmare.

So I built an internal app for my agency.

Why Custom Liquid Logic Is Both Powerful… and a Total Nightmare

Here’s what makes this system work. RightMessage captures survey data and syncs it to Kit as custom fields. Our Kit automations check and update these fields constantly. Then our Liquid code reads those fields at send time to personalize every email dynamically.

For example, here’s simple personalization:

{% if subscriber.q_primary_focus == "succession_planning" %}
  If your assessment tools don't predict performance, your succession decisions are built on sand.
{% elsif subscriber.q_primary_focus == "executive_coaching" %}
  If your assessments don't predict performance, your coaching is built on the wrong foundation.
{% else %}
  If your assessments don't predict performance, your decisions lack scientific validity.
{% endif %}

That’s manageable. Three segments, one conditional block. Easy.

Now let’s add offer logic based on audience segment:

{% if subscriber.audience_segment == "strategic_decision_maker" %}
  {% if subscriber.q_primary_focus == "succession_planning" %}
    Book an Executive Leadership Conversation to evaluate whether your succession approach is defensible.
  {% elsif subscriber.q_primary_focus == "executive_coaching" %}
    Book an Executive Leadership Conversation to discuss high-impact coaching that proves ROI.
  {% elsif subscriber.q_primary_focus == "assessments_implementation" %}
    Discuss Leadership Assessments that actually predict executive performance.
  {% else %}
    Book a conversation to discuss your leadership development approach.
  {% endif %}
{% elsif subscriber.audience_segment == "education_first_buyer" %}
  Explore the Assessment to Impact Program to build your team's advisory capabilities.
{% else %}
  Book a conversation to explore how we can support your goals.
{% endif %}

Okay, now we’re at two levels deep. Still readable… barely.

Now let’s add exclusion logic (don’t show offers they already bought):

{% if subscriber.audience_segment == "strategic_decision_maker" %}
  {% unless subscriber.tags contains "purchased_executive_leadership" %}
    {% if subscriber.q_primary_focus == "succession_planning" %}
      Book an Executive Leadership Conversation to evaluate whether your succession approach is defensible.
    {% elsif subscriber.q_primary_focus == "executive_coaching" %}
      Book an Executive Leadership Conversation to discuss high-impact coaching that proves ROI.
    {% elsif subscriber.q_primary_focus == "assessments_implementation" %}
      {% unless subscriber.tags contains "purchased_leadership_assessments" %}
        Discuss Leadership Assessments that actually predict executive performance.
      {% else %}
        Book a conversation to explore additional support.
      {% endunless %}
    {% else %}
      Book a conversation to discuss your leadership development approach.
    {% endif %}
  {% else %}
    {% unless subscriber.tags contains "purchased_leadership_assessments" %}
      Discuss Leadership Assessments that actually predict executive performance.
    {% else %}
      Thank you for being a valued client. Reply anytime if you need support.
    {% endunless %}
  {% endunless %}
{% elsif subscriber.audience_segment == "education_first_buyer" %}
  {% unless subscriber.tags contains "purchased_assessment_course" %}
    Explore the Assessment to Impact Program to build your team's advisory capabilities.
  {% else %}
    Book a conversation to discuss next steps in your development.
  {% endunless %}
{% else %}
  Book a conversation to explore how we can support your goals.
{% endif %}

We’re now three levels deep with nested conditions checking:

And we’re only handling three offers with basic exclusion logic.

Now imagine:

You’d be looking at 300-500 lines of nested Liquid code for a single dynamic CTA block.

One typo—one missed {% endif %}—and the entire email breaks. One logic error and you’re pitching executive coaching to someone who already bought it.

And here’s the nightmare: every time Derek wants to add a new offer, update CTA copy, swap a testimonial, or adjust targeting… someone has to dive into this code, find the right conditional block, modify it without breaking anything else, and test every possible subscriber path.

It’s borderline emotional abuse to expect clients to manage this. Hell, even I don’t want to manage this anymore—and I wrote it.

How the Creator Engine App Solves This

The app takes all of this complexity and hides it behind a simple form.

Derek logs in, clicks “Add New Offer,” and fills out:

The app generates all the Liquid logic automatically—with proper nesting, fallbacks, exclusions, and error handling.

Derek copies it, pastes it into his Kit snippet, and it just works.

How collaboration actually works:

My agency and I have admin access. Clients are given permission-based access to their workspace.

That means:

The workflow is stupid simple:

Client adds a new offer (or we add it for them). They fill in:

The app automatically generates the Liquid code. Then either:

Takes maybe 2 minutes instead of 2 hours of custom coding.

Why this matters:

In the past, once we delivered custom Liquid code to a client, updates were a complete nightmare.

Want to add a new offer? I’d have to:

  1. Write new Liquid logic
  2. Test it in a sandbox
  3. Debug inevitable syntax errors
  4. Manually copy/paste into Kit snippets
  5. Re-test to make sure nothing broke
  6. Do it again if they wanted changes

That process could take 2-4 hours per offer change. And clients couldn’t do it themselves—they’d have to pay us or just live with outdated content.

(And sure, AI makes all of this even more possible and fast — but it still generates different code every single time.)

Now? Derek (or any client with Creator Engine access) can add or update offers in under 10 minutes. No code. No risk of breaking anything. No waiting on us.

And if they want us to handle it? We can update everything on our end just as fast.

Everyone saves time.

How we built it:

This app is the result of hundreds of hours across dozens of client projects—testing, debugging, refining, and codifying patterns that work.

Every feature in the app exists because I encountered a client need, wrote custom code to solve it, then systematized that solution so I’d never have to reinvent it.

The app doesn’t just generate code—it generates reliable code based on real-world use cases, edge cases, and psychological principles.

And our clients just get access to it.

Derek didn’t pay extra for this. It’s part of how we deliver Authority Engine builds. The app is continuously updated, improved, and expanded based on what we learn from every new client.

One past client described the experience this way:

“I love seeing how your mind works. It’s like watching a dialed-in symphony.”

That’s the point. The system feels seamless because the complexity is handled behind the scenes—by an app that’s been battle-tested across years of client work.

Derek gets world-class personalization infrastructure without needing to understand (or maintain) any of it.

You don’t get this anywhere else. Most email marketing agencies, or freelancers who can string together automations in Kit, deliver custom code once, then leave you stuck. We deliver custom code and the tool to manage it forever.

Reactivating 2,000 Past Contacts (Without Breaking CAN-SPAM)

Here’s where most consultants with an existing contact list get stuck.

Derek had nearly 2,000 contacts sitting in a spreadsheet: current clients, past clients (warm and cold), partners, collaborators, people he’d hired, people he’d worked with. Real relationships. But no permission to email them marketing content.

The problem: You can’t just import 2,000 people and start blasting newsletter content. That violates CAN-SPAM. But you also can’t manually invite 2,000 people one by one. That’s not realistic.

The solution: We designed a permission-based reactivation campaign that any consultant can replicate.

How We Did It

Step 1: Isolate the campaign

We created a completely separate email sequence that lives outside Derek’s main newsletter system. These contacts won’t receive any automated welcome emails, pitch sequences, or newsletter content until they explicitly opt in.

Step 2: Map the data

Derek had valuable context about these relationships:

We mapped all of this to custom fields in Kit so we could personalize the reactivation emails.

Step 3: Create a highly personalized, text-only invitation

This wasn’t a marketing email. It was a personal invitation that felt like Derek sat down and wrote it to each person individually.

The email was personalized by:

Example structure:

“Hi [Name],

It’s been a while since we [worked together at Company X / connected about succession planning / etc.]. I’m reaching out because I’ve started a weekly newsletter for [their segment—CHROs, talent leaders, etc.] and thought it might be relevant given [specific context about their role or previous conversation].

Each week I share [specific value based on what we know about them]. If that sounds useful, you can join here: [Link]

If not, no problem at all—just ignore this email.

— Derek”

Step 4: Use a link trigger for instant confirmation

When someone clicked the “join here” link, it:

This meant they were segmented and personalized from moment one—just like a brand new subscriber.

Step 5: One gentle follow-up

Three days later, we sent one final follow-up to non-responders:

“Hi [Name],

Quick follow-up on my last email. I’m about to stop emailing about the newsletter, but wanted to extend the invite one more time before I do.

If you’d like to join, here’s that link again: [Link]

If not, that’s totally fine. You can either ignore this email or click here to unsubscribe and I’ll stop emailing immediately.

— Derek”

Respectful. No pressure. Clear options.

The Results

Out of nearly 2,000 contacts, Derek converted approximately 50% into engaged newsletter subscribers.

That’s roughly 1,000 people who:

Derek went from having essentially no active email list to having 1,000+ segmented, engaged subscribers ready to receive personalized content.

Why This Works (And Why Most Reactivation Campaigns Don’t)

Most reactivation emails fail because they:

This approach works because:

The key insight: These aren’t cold leads. They’re warm contacts who already know Derek. They just need permission to email them and a reason to say yes.

The Technical Execution: What Makes This Work

Smart Segmentation Routing

When someone completes the RightMessage survey:

Example flow:

CHRO interested in succession planning gets personalized welcome emails, then after 3 days enters evergreen newsletter with succession-focused CTAs, then after 90 days gets pitched Executive Leadership consultation, then back to newsletter.

Automated Pitch Emails in Kit by Brad Hussey

Personalized Newsletter in Kit

Every personalized newsletter email follows strategic personalization principles:

We adjust problem framing based on context. For example, when Derek discusses assessment validity, a CHRO focused on succession planning sees: “This matters for succession planning because the assessments you use directly shape who gets promoted and who doesn’t.”

Someone focused on executive coaching sees different framing: “If your assessments don’t predict performance, your coaching is built on the wrong foundation.”

Same core content. Different context. Feels like it was written specifically for them.

The Double Opt-In Problem (And Our Solution)

Most email platforms recommend double opt-in: when somebody joins your list, they receive an email asking them to confirm their subscription.

The problem: This creates a huge risk. The confirmation email might:

Worse: subscribers who never confirm remain in “unconfirmed” status forever. You can’t email them. You can’t remind them to confirm. They’re stuck in limbo.

Our solution: Single opt-in with smart engagement tracking

We make all our systems single opt-in but hold subscribers in our auto list pruning automation, which perpetually checks engagement.

For new subscribers:

For existing subscribers:

This solves the double opt-in problem while maintaining a healthy, engaged list.

Automated List Pruning in Kit by Brad Hussey

High-Intent Visitor Tracking

Using RightMessage website tracking:

Result: High-intent visitors get helpful prompts without extra email sends.

The Handoff: Operationalizing the System

We don’t just build systems and disappear. We ensure Derek can operate this himself.

Loom SOPs

Deliverables Included:

  1. Recorded Walkthrough — Full system explanation (what’s built, how it works, what to update)
  2. SOP Documentation — Newsletter personalization standards, offer management, segment logic
  3. 30 Days of Support — Bug fixes, clarifications, optimization guidance

What Derek Can Now Do:

The Transformation: Before vs. After

Before:

After:

What This Means for Derek’s Business:

Better Qualified Conversations
When someone books a call, Derek already knows their role, their focus, and what they’ve engaged with. Consultations start at a higher level.

Predictable Pipeline
The re-pitch cycle ensures regular offer exposure without annoying subscribers. Every 90 days, the right people see the right offer again.

Authority Positioning
The evergreen newsletter keeps Derek top-of-mind as the expert in executive leadership science — not through volume, but through relevance.

Scalable Personalization
What used to require manual list management and separate campaigns now happens automatically. Derek focuses on thought leadership; the system handles distribution.

The Lessons: What Makes Automated Email Newsletters Work

1. Segment by Behaviour AND Intent

Role alone isn’t enough. Problem focus alone isn’t enough. You need both to route effectively.

2. Personalize Strategically, Not Cosmetically

Don’t just insert merge tags. Adjust problem framing, proof selection, and CTA positioning based on who’s reading.

3. One CTA Per Subscriber

Multiple competing options create cognitive load. Show them the ONE thing that makes sense for them right now.

4. Allow “Do Nothing Yet” States

Not every subscriber is ready to buy. Give them value-only content until confidence increases.

5. Voice Matching is Non-Negotiable

Promotional copy that doesn’t match the consultant’s natural voice gets rejected by subscribers who recognize the mismatch.

Who This Build Is For

This automated email newsletter system works for:

It’s not for:

The Bottom Line

Derek didn’t need more content. He didn’t need a bigger list. He didn’t need another certification or credential.

He needed architecture.

A personalized newsletter system in Kit that:

That’s what we built in 2 weeks.

Interested in an automated email newsletter system for your consulting practice?

If you’re a high-level consultant, executive coach, or boutique firm with:

Let’s talk.

Book a Strategy Call