Case study: Building a scalable lifecycle marketing strategy for a leading API platform
Background
A leading API development and collaboration platform (let’s call them Interstellarface) needed a marketing operations overhaul to better engage decision-makers and drive enterprise-level conversions. With millions of database records and inconsistent email performance, their team faced mounting challenges in delivering targeted, effective communications. They partnered with Nine Lives Digital to revamp their lifecycle marketing strategy and streamline their processes.
The problem
Client needed support on their GTM strategy for launching a new market/product
Point-of-contact was new to role, faced with messy systems
The Head of Marketing Operations and Demand Gen (we’ll call him Artie) was tasked with the go-to-market (GTM) strategy for a new market/new product offering. Artie had only recently started at Interstellarface and needed to get things together fast, but the existing systems and processes were messy and overwhelming.
Their database was filled with outdated and inactive records, their Marketo campaigns lacked segmentation and personalization, and their email nurtures were nonexistent. He knew having clean data and processes is the best way to begin, but he needed help to get things cleaned up and ready to launch this new marketing strategy targeting enterprise accounts.
The solution
Nurture copy and optimization
Webinar workflows
Database audit
Cleanup of Marketo instance
Email compliance support
At Nine Lives Digital, we believe in tackling chaos with a methodical, audience-first approach. For this project, we were able to seamlessly complement the existing Interstellarface team, bringing a new perspective and extra efficiency since we do this kind of work all the time—which gave Artie space to hire and scale his team while not worrying about stopping the campaign planning.
We began by diving deep into the user journey, interviewing key stakeholders and SMEs to uncover pain points while analyzing their tools, data stack, and analytics. This research laid the groundwork for a prospect journey map and informed the development of a full-funnel lifecycle marketing strategy.
With this foundation in place, we moved into action. We designed a high-impact "quick win" email campaign to immediately engage enterprise subscribers while simultaneously tackling database challenges. Through a comprehensive audit, we identified inactive contacts, cleaned up unused lists, and implemented suppression segments to streamline their marketing operations. Though the content strategy pivoted mid-project, every deliverable, from MVP nurture emails to a re-engagement plan, was designed to create scalable, audience-first solutions that aligned with Interstellarface’s goals and equipped their team for sustained success.
The results: a GTM strategy that scales
Streamlined database and optimized Marketo for efficiency.
Built scalable systems to support long-term growth.
Empowered the team to focus on strategic GTM efforts.
Delivered a foundation ready for enterprise-level campaigns.
The biggest win from our work with Interstellarface wasn’t about implementing lifecycle marketing initiatives (though we did plenty of that). It was about giving Artie and his team the foundation they needed to execute a high-impact GTM strategy with confidence.
By tackling their messy database and wrangling their unruly Marketo setup, we didn’t just clean house—we set them up to scale. With a streamlined, organized system in place, Artie could focus on what really mattered: crafting campaigns that drive enterprise growth.
The scalable frameworks we built ensured their team could keep up the momentum, turning what once felt like chaos into a well-oiled machine. As much as we enjoy working with our clients, we know the goal is to leave them with foundations that aren’t just effective for today, but are built to support the challenges of tomorrow.