Smart Send
A lightweight, AI-accelerated editor designed to welcome new users fast.
Satisfaction in user testing
Satisfaction in user testing
Project goals
To reduce friction for trial users, we built Smart Send around four key outcomes:
1
Help users feel seen by asking about their business and goals
2
Provide relevant, high-quality email templates or AI-generated options
3
Make editing intuitive and visual, even for novices
4
Encourage test sends — a leading retention KPI
Designing the First Impression
Trial users don’t need power — they need progress. We set out to guide them step-by-step, offering just enough personalization to feel tailored, not templated. By focusing on quick wins and intuitive editing, the experience felt simple yet impactful — giving both business owners and marketers a fast, polished starting point that built confidence from the start.
Setting the Stage
Before Smart Send, I created a rapid prototype that reimagined how email could start on Constant Contact’s marketing site. In just three days, I built a flow where users selected a polished design, dropped in their own content, and instantly saw a ready-to-send email — borrowing cues from Paperless Post.
The prototype wasn’t just a design exercise; it was proof that lowering friction at the very first step could change behavior. By showing how a template-first entry point boosted confidence and accelerated time to send, it directly influenced the direction of Smart Send and set the stage for its AI-accelerated editor.
Turning Insight into Onboarding
To build on that foundation, we introduced a short onboarding step where users answered a few quick questions about their business, audience, and industry. From there, the editor pre-populated example emails tailored to their answers, saving time and mental energy. Instead of facing a blank canvas, users started with something that already felt relevant to their goals.
It felt like it already knew what I needed to say. I didn’t have to think too hard about what to write — it just fit.
Template Suggestions and AI Support
Users could choose from curated email templates or generate one using AI. The flow prioritized relevance over volume, showing only the most applicable designs and copy for the user’s stated needs. AI wasn’t just a shortcut — it provided a creative spark, helping even non-writers feel like they could send something professional.
Way easier than starting from scratch.
The AI email was better than what I’d normally write.
A Clean, Focused Editor
We stripped out visual clutter, legacy sidebars, and confusing controls — prioritizing what trial users actually needed: editable text, image placement, and simple style tweaks. This reduced cognitive load and made the editor approachable even for first-time senders.
It’s really intuitive… I’d prefer starting here over what I’ve seen before.
Send Confidence
The final step offered a clear test-send flow so users could experience success without pressure. This was tied directly to activation metrics, encouraging users to send something early and get comfortable with the platform. Many testers described this as the moment the tool “clicked” for them.
Impact
Paused in favor of broader initiatives, Smart Send still showed promising early signals. Participants called it fast, clear, and encouraging — noting that it helped them get to their first send without hesitation. The step-by-step format and AI-assisted content gave new users structure, confidence, and momentum, and its best elements were later integrated into larger campaign creation flows.