Re-Engaging Past Members Through a Community-Driven Email Campaign

About the Project

CrossFit Costa Mesa is a strength and conditioning gym located in Costa Mesa, California, serving members across Orange County, including Newport Beach and surrounding coastal communities. Founded on the principles of expert coaching, strong community, and high-quality training, the gym helps individuals of all fitness levels improve their physical health, mobility, and overall wellbeing.

Following a full website redesign and SEO optimization by KARL Mission, CrossFit Costa Mesa partnered with us again to design and launch a targeted email campaign aimed at re-engaging past members across Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, and greater Orange County.

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Mission

The objective of this campaign was to reconnect with former gym members on CrossFit Costa Mesa’s email list and motivate them to rejoin the gym through a limited-time discounted offer.

Specifically, KARL Mission aimed to:

• Re-engage inactive or past members
• Reduce friction and intimidation around returning to the gym
• Reinforce the gym’s supportive, community-first culture
• Drive re-sign-ups through a clear, compelling offer
• Create a scalable email reactivation framework that could be reused for future campaigns
  

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Process

To ensure the campaign felt authentic, human, and effective, KARL Mission followed a structured, conversion-led process.

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1. Messaging Concepts & Emotional Direction: We began by brainstorming multiple messaging concepts with different tones and emotional angles, grounded in the realities of busy lifestyles common to members across Newport Beach and Orange County.

Key questions included:

• Why did members fall out of their routine?
• What emotional barriers might prevent them from returning?
• How could the message feel supportive rather than sales-driven?

This stage helped us align on a tone that reflected the gym’s culture while resonating with a broader California fitness audience.

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2. Email Copywriting: Once the concept was selected, we wrote the email copy to feel personal, honest, and encouraging. The copy focused on progress over perfection, making the return to training feel approachable and achievable.

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3. Design in Figma: We designed the email in Figma with a clear visual hierarchy, ensuring key messages and CTAs stood out for users scanning on mobile and desktop across devices.

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4. Iteration & Refinement: Copy and design were iterated together to improve clarity, flow, and conversion potential. CTA placement, imagery, and content order were refined to reduce friction and increase engagement.

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5. Build in Mailchimp & QA: The final email and follow-ups were built in Mailchimp, with QA completed across major email clients to ensure consistent rendering and a smooth user experience.

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Solution

Email Blast: “We Miss You” Campaign

We selected a concept that focused on a relatable, community-driven message centered around the idea of “We miss you.” Rather than using a sales-heavy approach, the email was designed to feel personal and honest, acknowledging that life happens, routines slip, and returning to the gym can feel intimidating. This was especially important for members balancing work, family, and busy lifestyles across Orange County and Newport Beach. The messaging reframed the gym as a supportive, welcoming environment, encouraging former members to return without pressure and reminding them that they are still part of the community.

Key elements included:

• CrossFit Costa Mesa’s unique selling points highlighted near the top
• A clear CTA and discounted rejoin offer placed immediately at the top of the email
• A large group photo showcasing the gym’s community and atmosphere
• Testimonials and 5-star reviews to reinforce trust and credibility
• Supportive language emphasizing guidance, consistency, and long-term health

The result was an email that felt welcoming and motivating rather than promotional.

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Follow-Up Emails

To support the main campaign, KARL Mission also created two simple follow-up emails that triggered if the initial offer was not redeemed.

These follow-up gently reminded users of the offer, reduced decision fatigue, and encouraged action without pressure.

Together, the sequence created multiple touchpoints while maintaining a respectful, community-first tone.

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Conclusion

This email campaign helped CrossFit Costa Mesa reconnect with past members across Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, and Orange County, California in a way that felt authentic to their brand and values.

By focusing on empathy, clarity, and conversion-focused design, KARL Mission helped transform an existing email list into a meaningful reactivation channel.

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Ready to Re-Engage Your Audience?

Whether you want to reactivate past customers, improve email performance, or build lifecycle campaigns that convert, KARL Mission is here to help.

Book a free consultation and let’s talk about how we can drive growth for your business.