Services Provided
Stax Capital is a specialized financial services firm with over 35 years of experience, helping real estate investors navigate 1031 DST exchanges and private market investments. Their expert guidance empowers investors to maximize tax advantages, generate passive income, and strategically grow their portfolios.
In this case study, we focus on the Stax Capital Marketplace and Stax Capital Website. As soon as we received the project, we ensured that we delivered the website by the client’s requirements. As desired, the new website impressed the client.
Project Overview
What was the Client Problem Statement?
- To be able to list and archive as many properties as they want with their specifications, downloadable content, etc.
- They control the visibility of the properties for registered and non-registered users on the website.
- On the old website, their compliance team would manually vet registered users and then allow them to access the marketplace. This process was highly time-consuming and ultimately unnecessary. They wanted to automate it as much as we could.
- Needed to develop a B2B marketplace with customizations
- The ultimate goal was to increase lead generation and conversion rate
What steps have we taken to solve this problem?
webdew takes multiple strategic steps to address the issues with the Stax Capital Marketplace and Stax Capital website. These steps not only solved the underlying issues but also helped in growing the website’s lead generation and conversion rates.
Step 1: Choosing HubSpot Tools and Integrations for Stax Capital
We examined various HubSpot tools and integrations to develop the Stax Capital marketplace and website. We utilized Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Content Hub to consolidate CRM, automation, and content delivery into a single platform.
Originally, Stax Capital had their website on WordPress, which was heavily customized and not user-friendly. It was diluting the business messaging. Therefore, we recommend migrating to HubSpot CMS to host both the business website and marketplace, providing better alignment and user experience.
HubSpot was already integrated with Microsoft Teams, SendGrid, and a custom Next.js web app for property assessments. These integrations enabled seamless automation, lead tracking, and personalized content delivery, consolidating customer data into a single, actionable view.
Step 2: Automation Workflows to Streamline Marketing and Sales
We set up automated user approval using only the tools available in HubSpot CMS. We didn’t need to write any custom code to make it work.
We achieved this by utilizing HubSpot’s built-in features, including Memberships, Workflows, Forms, Lists, and Deals, smartly and strategically.
We set up a member registration flow to handle new signups. It approves or rejects registrations based on specific criteria.
We created an automated workflow that generated deals as soon as a lead was captured. The system then assigns each deal to the right team member. It also sent notifications across different channels to keep everyone updated.
We launched nurturing campaigns based on each user’s interest in specific properties. Additionally, we established several other workflows. These helped keep the system running smoothly on autopilot.
Step 3: Challenges Faced During HubSpot Implementation and How We Resolved Them
One big challenge during the HubSpot setup was creating a signup system that could automatically approve or reject users. This decision was based on their answers to specific qualifying questions. However, HubSpot doesn’t support this feature by default. We solved the problem by combining Memberships, Workflows, and Lists to build a fully automated approval process.
Later, the client requested the ability to intervene during sales calls manually. We modified the setup to a semi-automated system by incorporating deals into the process. This allowed the team to approve users when needed manually. We worked around HubSpot’s membership limitations by smartly combining several of its features. This helped us deliver a solution that was accurate and ran smoothly without any glitches.
Step 4: How do You Use HubSpot to Track Visitor Behavior and Optimize User Experience?
The website features a clear, user-centric layout. It is designed to guide visitors through property discovery and investment opportunities.
The key sections include featured listings, investor resources, and targeted landing pages. These sections are tailored to different user segments.
The content is managed using a Hubspot CMS. It supports flexible design and easy updates. It ensures that property listings and investor information stay current and relevant.
HubSpot is integrated to track visitor behavior across the site. It monitors page views, form submissions, click patterns, and user journeys, providing insights into what content engages users most.
We utilize these insights to enhance landing pages, refine call-to-action (CTA) messaging, and tailor the user experience on the site. HubSpot workflows also help us segment leads based on their actions. This allows us to send targeted email campaigns or follow up manually, depending on what each user needs. As a result, the user experience and conversion rates continue to improve.
Step 5: What Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Strategies Have You Implemented?
The team used several conversion rate optimization (CRO) strategies to boost lead generation and engagement. They created dedicated landing pages for specific investor groups. Each page featured clear forms and calls-to-action (CTAs) strategically placed to encourage signups.
These landing pages served as the primary tool for generating leads. After capturing leads, we used a mix of automated workflows and manual follow-ups to nurture them. This helped ensure timely communication. It also allowed for personal attention and custom solutions tailored to each lead’s unique needs. This approach helped increase both the quality and conversion potential of incoming leads.
Step 6: What Challenges Have You Faced in Marketplace Development?
In developing the marketplace, we faced several challenges. One was restricting content visibility based on user registration status. We resolved this by combining HubSpot’s Smart Content and Membership features to create tailored user experiences.
Another challenge was making sure only registered users could download assets. We also had to add watermarks to each file with the user’s name, date, and consent language. HubSpot doesn’t support these features by default, so we utilized custom code within its standard forms and workflows to ensure smooth functionality.
Step 7: What Marketing Strategies do you use to Attract Buyers and Sellers to your Marketplace?
We implemented a full-funnel marketing strategy designed to educate, qualify, and convert high-intent investors through a sequenced series of campaigns that aligned with their stage in the decision-making journey. The strategy evolved across three primary phases: acquisition, nurturing, and conversion with targeted assets and platform-specific tactics at each stage.
Phase 1: Top-of-Funnel Acquisition (Google Search Ads to 1031 DST Landing Page)
To begin with, we focused on capturing high-intent search traffic via Google Search Ads, targeting transactional keywords
These users were directed to a highly optimized 1031 DST Landing Page, which clearly explained the benefits of 1031 exchanges, the advantages of using Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs), and positioned Stax Capital as a trusted, compliant advisor in this space.
Landing Page Goals:
- Educate the user about 1031 exchange benefits.
- Build authority and trust with clarity, visuals, and testimonials.
- Encourage users to book a consultation call with a Stax Capital advisor.
By focusing on education first and offering direct access to expert insights, we built a strong top-of-funnel entry point that produced qualified leads with high conversion intent.
Phase 2: Middle-of-Funnel Nurturing (Facebook Retargeting)
Once traffic had been captured and tracked, we launched Facebook retargeting campaigns targeting users who had visited the 1031 DST landing page but had not converted. Our goal here was to nurture and re-engage these users through value-driven educational assets, including: Ebooks like “The Ultimate Guide to 1031 Exchanges” and Downloadable PDFs explaining DST structures, tax benefits, etc.
These assets were promoted via lead forms and landing pages, with Facebook ad creatives optimized for clarity, scroll-stopping visuals, and trust-building messages. Why This Worked?
- It reduced friction for users who weren’t ready to book a call.
- It increased our brand credibility and investor understanding.
- It allowed us to capture lead information and continue nurturing via email workflows in HubSpot.
Phase 3: Bottom-of-Funnel Conversion (Google Ads for Marketplace Registrations)
After building awareness and educating the audience, we moved our marketing focus to the Marketplace Registration Landing Page. This campaign encouraged prospects to register on the Stax Capital Marketplace, where they could gain access to highly vetted 1031 DST properties and other private investment opportunities. Marketplace Registration Campaign Highlights are:
- Highlighted exclusivity: “Access investments not available to the public.”
- Emphasized trust: “Professionally vetted by our experienced due diligence team.”
- Promoted action: “Register to view current opportunities today.”
We used custom audience segments from Google to re-engage warm leads, ensuring our most qualified users saw this offer. These campaigns became our highest-performing efforts in terms of both conversion rate and cost-efficiency, successfully turning nurtured leads into active marketplace members.
Step 8: How Has Your Website Traffic and Engagement Changed?
The website has experienced a significant increase in traffic and user engagement. Registrations have increased, allowing more investors to view a wide range of properties with ease.
We implemented automated user approval to speed up the onboarding process. The system also gives clear and timely reasons when a user is rejected. This has reduced wait times and improved the overall user experience. Yes. Since we started in November 2024 the total traffic (from all channels) coming in on the website was 2709 and in May 2025 the total traffic was 20965. The Average Engagement Rate was 85.31%.
Overall Challenges and Difficulties
- Automating User Approval – Replacing the manual user vetting process with an automated system in HubSpot was a complex task. HubSpot had limited options for conditional approvals, so we devised creative solutions to make it work as needed.
- Content Gating and Access Control – We needed to restrict property visibility and downloads to registered users, which wasn’t supported by default in HubSpot. Adding dynamic watermarks to downloads required custom coding beyond HubSpot’s built-in features.
- Hybrid Workflow Design – We needed to strike a balance between automation and manual steps during the sales process. We created semi-automated workflows that provided the team with flexibility while ensuring a smooth user experience.
- Website Migration and Restructuring – We moved the website from a custom WordPress setup to HubSpot CMS. This involved redesigning the site structure to better align with the business goals. We also ensured that all existing integrations continued to function smoothly during the transition.
- Advanced Tracking and Lead Nurturing – We utilized HubSpot tools to establish detailed visitor tracking, lead segmentation, and nurturing workflows. These features were essential for improving conversions. Setting them up required careful planning and a well-designed system.
Results
The results of the Stax Capital project were highly positive. We observed an increase in website traffic. Additionally, registrations increased, allowing more investors to explore properties easily. The gated content feature, created by webdew using intelligent workflows, enhanced the user experience. This increased higher-quality leads and improved conversion rates.
The Stax Capital website now has a flexible structure with advanced tracking features. These features include watermarked downloads, which ensures a seamless user experience. Overall, the project met all core objectives, enhancing efficiency, scalability, and client satisfaction.
Feedback
The client was impressed with the final output. They appreciated the strategic approach taken by webdew. Besides, delivering the project on time without missing the deadline. They were impressed with our attention to detail and also made sure to recommend webdew for web design and development services.
Want a high-converting website like Stax Capital? Partner with webdew to build yours.