CreativeLabs
Creative Studio/creativelabs.art
A creative agency that didn't believe in outbound. Until the leads started coming in.
We didn't think outbound worked for a creative agency. Our work is visual — how do you sell that in a cold email? Turns out, it's just a matter of system.
— Alex Marinescu, Co-founder — CreativeLabs
The Story
The CreativeLabs team came to us skeptical. 'We're a creative agency,' they said. 'Our clients find us through our work, not through cold emails.' Fair point. But 'finding through work' was slow and unpredictable.
We spent the first two weeks just understanding their business. We looked at their best projects, identified which industries they served best, and figured out who the decision-makers were in those companies — marketing directors, brand managers, CMOs.
Then we wrote emails that didn't feel like sales pitches. The opening line referenced something specific about the prospect's brand. The body showed a relevant CreativeLabs project. The CTA was soft: 'Worth a conversation?' No pressure, no urgency tricks.
The first week of live campaigns, they got 3 replies. Not huge numbers, but the quality was different. These weren't people asking for a quote — they were people starting a conversation. The kind of conversations that lead to real projects.
By month two, we had dialed in the audience and the messaging. The reply rate hit 4.1% — higher than most B2B averages. And every reply was a real human being interested in what CreativeLabs does.
What made this work wasn't volume — it was relevance. Every email felt like it was sent by a person who actually looked at the prospect's brand and thought, 'We could help here.' Because that's exactly what happened.
The Challenge
CreativeLabs is a branding and design studio known for bold visual work. Their portfolio speaks for itself — but portfolios don't send themselves to prospects. Growth depended on word-of-mouth, Behance visibility, and the occasional inbound inquiry. The founders knew they needed a more active approach, but the idea of 'cold email for a creative agency' felt wrong.
Our Approach
We designed a completely different kind of outreach. Instead of leading with services and pricing, we led with their work. Each email featured a specific project relevant to the prospect's industry, with a short, human message about why it mattered. The sequences were 3 steps, spaced a week apart — enough to be persistent without being annoying.
How We Did It
Week 1–2
Deep dive into CreativeLabs' portfolio. Identified 5 hero projects across different industries. Set up 6 dedicated domains and started warm-up.
Week 3
Built prospect lists: marketing directors and brand managers at mid-size companies in Romania and Western Europe. 1,500 contacts, individually verified.
Week 4
Copy development: 3-step sequences with project-specific opening lines. Each email variant paired with a different portfolio piece. A/B tested 3 subject line approaches.
Month 2
First campaigns live. 4.1% reply rate from the start — well above industry average. Refined messaging based on which projects generated the most interest.
Month 3+
Consistent 8 qualified leads per month. CreativeLabs closed 3 new clients in the first quarter, including a long-term retainer with a fintech brand.
The Results
The numbers speak for themselves.
4.1%
Reply rate (%)
8
Qualified Leads/month
30
Days ramp-up
9,000+
Emails sent
32,000€
Pipeline value (€)
4.1x
ROI multiplier
CreativeLabs proved that cold email isn't just for SaaS companies. With the right message, the right audience, and the right system — even a visual brand can start meaningful conversations through outbound.