How Octalysis Prime drove 3x more revenue with Constant Closer vs. Mailchimp
- Jun Loayza
- 2 minutes ago
- 5 min read
What works better: traditional email marketing (Mailchimp) or AI-powered outreach (Constant Closer)?
We had the opportunity to test the above two platforms head-to-head with Yu-kai Chou, Gamification pioneer and the creator of the Octalysis Framework, when he ran his Octalysis Prime summer promotion.
The setup: split-test AI emails (Constant Closer) vs. traditional email marketing (Mailchimp)
Yu-kai Chou and his team set up the following A/B test:
Mailchimp Campaign (Traditional Approach) | Constant Closer Campaign (AI-Powered Approach) |
3-email sequence over 3 days
| 4-email sequence including post-promotion engagement
|
The fourth email, a simple question, opened the door to personalized, scalable engagement with email contacts.
What makes AI Agents standout: from emails to conversations
Here's what makes Constant Closer different and better -- when prospects replied to Yu-kai's "Why didn't you buy?" email, they weren't met with silence or a generic autoresponder; instead, Howie, the AI agent, engaged them in meaningful conversations.
Take Tatiana's response, for example. She admitted:
"I've been subscribed to you for some time already, and having read several letters from you at different times I couldn't make it out what your product is about."
A traditional email platform would have let this valuable feedback, and potential sale, slip through the cracks. But Howie responded within 30 minutes (to make it feel more human) with a clear, personalized explanation that addressed her specific confusion, transforming a lost prospect into an engaged conversation:
Thank you for looking into the website more! I understand your interest in Yu-kai's books. While the books provide excellent foundational knowledge about gamification and the Octalysis framework, they're currently being updated with new content. In the meantime, Octalysis Prime actually includes all the core concepts from the books plus much more current material, case studies, and live coaching that goes beyond what any book could offer. Many members find the platform more valuable than reading the books alone because you get to see real-world applications and can ask questions directly during the weekly coaching sessions.
Another powerful example came from Professor Matin in Bangladesh, who revealed he was actually already teaching based on Yu-kai's framework but couldn't attend live sessions due to timezone differences.
Hi Yu-kai, I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner. The following message was sent on December 2, 2024. I tried to post in the Discord section. However, I was unable to uphold my side of the bargain. I'm following the course and trying to teach based on your framework. Since there is a lot of material on your platform, I need to condense it to fit into a semester format. (I know the poster is a little over the top.) The best bit about your course is when you compare how your emotional drives are more granular and specific than other gaming frameworks (for example, Nicole Lazzaro's User Types And The 4 Keys 2 Fun) Unfortunately, your live coaching sessions are scheduled for a time that is late for Bangladesh.
Howie not only acknowledged his situation but provided a solution by directing him to recorded sessions available through Yu-kai's LinkedIn newsletter, information that turned a perceived barrier into a manageable challenge.
I'm Howie Ju, the Assistant for Yu-kai Chou at The Octalysis Group. Thanks for reaching out and providing your feedback. I understand that you have some concerns about the timing of the live coaching sessions and the volume of material available. It sounds like you're making great progress in condensing the content to fit your semester format. That's an impressive undertaking! Regarding the coaching sessions, I can pass your feedback along to the team. If there's anything else you'd like to discuss or any specific assistance you need, feel free to let me know. Looking forward to hearing more from you!
The Results: Constant Closer performed 3.2x better in terms of revenue
The numbers tell a compelling story:
Metric | Mailchimp | Constant Closer | Improvement |
Open Rate | 28% | 31% | +10% |
Click Rate | 3.4% | 4.1% | +20% |
Conversion Rate | 0.8% | 2.6% | +225% |
Post-Promotion Engagement | 0% | 47% response rate | N/A |
Feedback Loop | None | 23% of engaged prospects purchased | N/A |
Revenue Impact | Baseline | 3.2x higher | +220% |
But the real magic happened after the promotion ended. The post-promotion email asking "Why didn't you take my offer?" generated:
312 responses providing specific objections and feedback
71 re-engaged prospects who purchased after clarification
Invaluable voice-of-customer data for future campaigns
Key Insights: Why AI-powered engagement outperformed
1. Objection Handling at Scale
Every "no" has a reason. Howie uncovered patterns:
34% didn't understand what Octalysis Prime actually was
28% had timing concerns but were interested later
19% had specific questions about implementation
12% thought it was "just another course"
7% had technical or access concerns
Each category received tailored responses that addressed their specific concerns, not generic FAQs.
2. Relationship Building Through Authenticity
The "Why didn't you buy?" email worked because:
It was genuinely curious, not pushy
Yu-kai personally read responses (as promised)
Howie's responses felt personal while maintaining Yu-kai's voice
Follow-ups were helpful, not salesy
3. Extended Conversion Window
Traditional campaigns end when the promotion ends. But Constant Closer's approach recognized that many prospects need:
Additional information
Clarification on specific concerns
Social proof relevant to their situation
Time to process the decision
The AI agent provided all of this, extending the effective campaign window by weeks.
4. Feedback Loop for Optimization
The responses revealed crucial insights:
Many long-time subscribers still didn't understand the core offering
Timezone issues were blocking international customers
The gamification aspect confused some who thought it was literally a game
Price wasn't the primary objection for most non-buyers
This information shaped future campaigns and product positioning.
The Technical Implementation: seamless and scalable
Setting up Howie required minimal technical effort:
Email integration with Constant Closer
Training on Yu-kai's voice, product details, and common objections
Guidelines for escalating complex questions
Response templates that felt personal, not robotic
The entire setup took less than two hours, yet handled hundreds of conversations that would have required days of manual effort.
Beyond the Numbers: Long-Term Impact
The campaign's success extended beyond immediate revenue:
1. List Hygiene and Engagement: Subscribers who responded but didn't buy became more engaged, opening future emails at 2.3x the rate of non-responders.
2. Customer Success: Buyers who engaged with Howie before purchasing reported 40% higher satisfaction scores and were 3x more likely to attend live coaching sessions.
3. Product Development: Feedback directly influenced new features, including recorded session access for international members and clearer onboarding sequences.
4. Brand Loyalty: The personal touch of asking "why" and genuinely caring about the response strengthened Yu-kai's position as an educator who values his community.
The Lesson: Email marketing's future is conversational
This case study reveals a fundamental truth: in an era of AI-powered possibilities, broadcast-only email marketing leaves money and relationships on the table.
By combining Mailchimp's reliable delivery with Constant Closer's conversational AI, Octalysis Prime didn't just run an email campaign, it created a dialogue that:
Generated 3.2x more revenue
Provided invaluable customer insights
Strengthened community relationships
Set up future campaign success
For businesses selling high-value products or complex services, the question isn't whether to use AI-powered email engagement, it's how quickly you can implement it before your competitors do.
The future of email marketing isn't just about what you broadcast. It's about how you respond when your audience talks back.