Email & SMS
Klaviyo, Flows, Campaigns, List Building
Cheapest Customer You've Got
The cheapest customer to acquire is one you've already got. Email and SMS are the highest-ROI channels, yet many brands underinvest. But investing doesn't mean blasting your list every second day with discount codes. Do the hard stuff first. Find a solution with real value. Another 20% off campaign doesn't count.
Key topics covered
- Why Email Is Your Most Profitable ChannelEmail is the only major marketing channel where you own the audience, the marginal cost approaches zero, you can personalise at scale from purchase behaviour, and ROI is among the highest of any…
- Platform Selection: Klaviyo and WhyKlaviyo is the default ESP (Email Service Provider) for DTC on Shopify - best-in-class integration, powerful segmentation, and every Shopify app integrates natively.
- Core Automated Flows (The Money Machines)Approach flow testing like website optimisation: always be testing. Campaigns are one-off, but flows go out every day.
- Campaign StrategyHow often you send campaigns depends on your product and repurchase cycle. Consumable brands (supplements, skincare, food) can push 2-4x per week because customers reorder frequently.
- Email Design & TemplatesMost DTC brands spend hours on copy and subject lines, then drop it into a template they haven't touched since setup. Design is the thing your customer actually sees.
- SMS StrategyUse SMS for: Flash sales (<24hr window), shipping/delivery updates, abandoned cart (first touch), back-in-stock alerts, VIP offers.
- List Building & Opt-In StrategyYour email list may decline by ~25-30% per year due to unsubscribes, email address changes, and disengagement. Constant addition just to maintain, let alone grow.
- Email as a Retention EngineThe real payoff of email discipline shows up 12 to 24 months in. While other brands watch their lists decay and open rates slide, yours compounds.
This section covers the lifecycle engine behind DTC retention: the core flows to build, the campaign discipline to keep, and the list-building systems that turn owned audience into compounding revenue.
Email is the only major marketing channel where you own the audience, the marginal cost approaches zero, you can personalise at scale from purchase behaviour, and ROI is among the highest of any channel.
Platform Selection: Klaviyo and Why
Klaviyo is the default ESP (Email Service Provider) for DTC on Shopify - best-in-class integration, powerful segmentation, and every Shopify app integrates natively.
When Klaviyo might NOT be right: Bootstrapping with <500 contacts (use Shopify Email or Omnisend free tier), need B2B automation (HubSpot, ActiveCampaign), or 200K+ contacts where cost matters more than features.
Email authentication (non-negotiable): Google and Yahoo require DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), SPF (Sender Policy Framework), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) for bulk senders. Without it, you're going to spam.
Core Automated Flows (The Money Machines)
Approach flow testing like website optimisation: always be testing. Campaigns are one-off, but flows go out every day. In Klaviyo, branch flows, send half the traffic one way and half another, lock in the winner, and start the next test. Content, timing, delivery order, the mix between email and SMS - work out the best combination for your specific customer. And retest periodically, because what worked three years ago may not be optimal today.
These run 24/7 and should generate 30-50% of email revenue. Build your flows in this priority order:
Trigger: New email subscriber (non-purchaser)
Typical ranges: Open 45-60%, click 8-15%, 5-10% purchasing within 30 days
Sequence (5-7 emails over 10-14 days):
Keep reading in the full playbook.
All 30 sections, the diagnostic Health Check, 400+ checklist items, and 8 tools. Free and always will be.
Open the full playbookWhat you'll walk away with
- Klaviyo (or chosen ESP) set up with Shopify integration
- DKIM, SPF, and DMARC email authentication configured
- Welcome series live (5-7 emails)
- Abandoned cart flow live (3 emails + SMS)
- Popup win-back flow live (4-6 emails + SMS)
- Browse abandonment flow live
- Post-purchase flow live (5-7 emails)
- Win-back flow live (3-4 emails)
- Sunset flow live for list hygiene
- Campaign cadence established (test and optimise for your audience)