How to Build a Win-Back Flow with Klaviyo

• Why it matters: Keeping customers is 5x cheaper than acquiring new ones. A 5% retention boost can increase profits by 25%-95%.
• What’s a win-back flow? It’s an automated email sequence targeting inactive customers. For CPG brands, timing is key – send emails when customers are likely to reorder.
• Why Klaviyo? Advanced tools let you segment customers, personalize emails, and automate flows based on real-time data.
• Goals: Increase repeat purchases, reduce churn, and restore long-term revenue.
• Steps to set it up:
  1. Use triggers like “Placed Order” to identify inactive customers.
  2. Segment your audience by purchase history or engagement.
  3. Space emails strategically (e.g., 75 days post-purchase).
  4. Personalize emails using customer data (e.g., past orders).
  5. Offer tailored incentives like discounts or free shipping.

Key metrics to track: Open rates (29%), click-through rates (4%), and conversion rates (0.9%-1.4%). Use A/B testing to optimize subject lines, timing, and content.

Bottom line: Win-back flows can turn inactive customers into loyal buyers. Start by analyzing customer behavior, segmenting your audience, and crafting personalized, timely emails.

Klaviyo Strategy Tutorial: How to Build A Winback Flow

How to Set Up Your Win-Back Flow in Klaviyo

Setting up a win-back flow in Klaviyo can help you reconnect with inactive customers. While automation simplifies the process, the details you configure will determine its success.

Setting Up Flow Triggers and Filters

The first step in creating your win-back flow is selecting the right trigger. In Klaviyo, the "Placed Order" trigger is a solid choice. This option tracks customer purchase behavior and identifies those who haven’t made a recent purchase.

To refine this further, add filters like "Placed Order zero times since starting this flow." For customers using Amazon Buy with Prime, include the filter "Placed Order (Buy with Prime) _zero times since starting this flow." These filters ensure that customers who resume purchasing after entering the flow are excluded from receiving unnecessary win-back emails. This level of precision helps you avoid confusing active customers and maintains your brand’s credibility.

For a jumpstart, Klaviyo’s support team suggests using a pre-built win-back flow from their library. These templates provide a framework you can tweak to align with your audience’s behavior and your business goals.

Once you’ve established the triggers and filters, it’s time to focus on audience segmentation.

How to Segment Your Audience

Segmenting your audience ensures your win-back messages resonate with the right people. Using RFM analysis – Recency, Frequency, Monetary value – is an effective way to group customers based on their purchase history and engagement levels. This method evaluates when customers last purchased (Recency), how often they buy (Frequency), and how much they typically spend (Monetary value).

Here are some key segmentation strategies for CPG brands:

• High vs. Low Lifetime Value (LTV): High-LTV customers who’ve become inactive deserve more tailored messaging and stronger incentives, as they represent greater revenue potential.
• Customers vs. Non-customers: A repeat buyer who has gone quiet needs a different approach than someone who only purchased once and never returned.
• High vs. Low Intent: Customers who used to engage regularly with emails but stopped might respond to different messaging than those who rarely interacted in the first place.
• Location-Based Segments: For CPG brands with physical stores, consider inviting lapsed customers in specific areas to local events, like product demos or store openings.

Tailor your incentives based on these segments. For example, customers who usually buy premium products might appreciate exclusive access offers, while price-sensitive shoppers may respond better to discounts.

Once your audience is segmented, the next step is to schedule your emails at the right intervals.

Setting Time Delays Between Emails

Timing is everything in a win-back flow. Set delays based on your customers’ buying cycles to avoid sending emails too soon or too late. For most CPG brands, it’s common to send the first email about 75 days after inactivity. Then, space out subsequent emails by 15–30 days, depending on your typical repurchase cycle.

Place time delays before conditional splits in your flow. This gives recipients enough time to take action – like making a purchase or opening an email – before moving to the next step.

The best approach is to adapt your time delays to your audience and test what works best for your specific customer base. Start with industry benchmarks, but use your own data to fine-tune the timing for maximum impact.

Finally, remember that your time delays should align with the behavior that triggered the flow. For example, if your flow is based on the last purchase date, your delays should reflect your customers’ typical repurchase habits rather than arbitrary timeframes.

Writing Effective Win-Back Emails

When it comes to re-engaging inactive customers, timing and relevance are everything. A well-crafted email can reignite interest and turn once-dormant customers into loyal buyers. Here’s how to make your win-back emails stand out.

Using Customer Data for Personalization

Personalization is more than just sticking a customer’s name in the subject line. Sure, adding a first-name trigger can boost open rates by 3%, but true personalization dives deeper. Emails with tailored subject lines see open rates over 20% higher and clicks jump by 139% compared to generic messages.

For consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, this means using data like purchase history, browsing habits, and preferences to create messages that feel uniquely crafted. For instance, if a customer often buys organic snacks, referencing their love for healthy options can make your email feel like it was written just for them.

Tools like Klaviyo can help you take this to the next level. Use personalization tags to display relevant content – such as recently viewed items or favorite product categories – automatically for each recipient. Show/hide blocks are another great feature, allowing you to customize product recommendations based on purchasing habits. For example, a customer who loves skincare might see suggestions for moisturizers, while someone into fitness gear sees workout essentials.

"By adding personalization to your marketing strategy, you make your customers feel like you’re speaking to them directly." – Gracie Cooper, Former Digital Marketing Strategist, Groove Commerce

Including product blocks or customer reviews in your emails can also encourage the next purchase. Social proof is powerful, and 78% of customers say they’re more likely to buy again from brands that personalize their experience. Plus, people who receive personalized campaigns are 78% more likely to recommend your brand to friends and family.

Once you’ve nailed personalization, the next step is to offer incentives that drive action.

Offering Incentives to Encourage Returns

An irresistible incentive can mean the difference between your email being deleted or leading to a sale. Considering that existing customers spend up to 67% more than new ones, it’s worth investing in offers that resonate.

Tailored incentives work better than generic discounts. Instead of sending everyone a blanket 10% off, consider what motivates different customer segments. High-value customers might appreciate early access to new products, while price-sensitive shoppers might respond better to percentage discounts or free shipping.

Creating urgency can also work wonders. Use phrases like “48-hour exclusive offer” or “Limited time: 20% off your favorites” to tap into FOMO (fear of missing out) and encourage quick action.

For CPG brands, here are some incentive ideas:

• Free shipping: Especially for customers who abandoned carts due to high shipping costs.
• Percentage discounts: Tailored to align with typical order values.
• Bundle offers: Encourage larger purchases while adding value.
• Exclusive access: Let them be the first to try new or limited-edition products.

It’s worth noting that cart abandonment is a common behavior, with an average rate of 70.19%. Your win-back emails can address this directly by giving customers that extra nudge toward completing their purchase.

Building a Multi-Step Email Sequence

One email isn’t enough to win back most inactive customers. Instead, a structured sequence of 2–5 emails spaced strategically over time is more effective. Each email in the sequence should have a specific purpose, gradually increasing engagement.

For example, ActiveCampaign suggests a 5-email sequence: a reminder, an incentive offer, a feedback request, a last-chance message, and an unsubscribe option. The first email might reintroduce your brand and remind the customer of your previous connection. The second could offer a tailored incentive, while the third asks for feedback to understand why they stopped engaging. The fourth email creates urgency with a “last chance” offer, and the final email provides an easy opt-out option for those who remain uninterested.

Dinnerly provides a great example of this approach. Their win-back emails combine discounts with updates on service improvements, showing customers how the brand has evolved since their last interaction.

Testing is key to finding the right timing and frequency for your emails. While some customers may respond to the first email, others might need multiple touchpoints. Campaigns in the top 10% see order rates over five times higher, with repeat purchase rates seven times the average.

To maximize your reach, consider an omnichannel approach. Combine your email sequence with SMS or social media retargeting. By creating multiple touchpoints, you increase the chances of catching customers when they’re most receptive to your message.

sbb-itb-6768865

Measuring and Improving Your Win-Back Flow Performance

Once your win-back emails are live, the next step is to monitor their performance. Keeping an eye on the right metrics can help you figure out what’s working and where adjustments are needed. Tools like Klaviyo’s analytics make it easier to dive into the details and tweak your strategy to boost reactivation rates.

Key Metrics to Track

Here are the main numbers to watch:

• Click rate: This tells you how many recipients are engaging with your email. On average, email campaigns have a click-through rate (CTR) of about 1.51%, while automated flows tend to do better, averaging around 5.83%.
• Revenue per recipient: This is crucial for understanding your return on investment (ROI). According to a 2022 Litmus report, email marketing typically delivers an ROI of $36 for every dollar spent, with some industries like retail and e-commerce seeing ROIs as high as $45.
• Conversion rate: For win-back flows, conversion rates generally fall between 0.9% and 1.4%. Win-back emails often see an open rate of around 29% and a click-through rate of about 4%.
• Deliverability metrics: These include bounce rates, unsubscribe rates, and spam complaints. Keep your bounce rate below 2% (ideally under 1%), unsubscribe rates under 0.3%, and spam complaints below 0.1% – with the best campaigns staying under 0.01%.

Here’s a quick reference table for deliverability benchmarks:

Metric	Needs Attention	Room for Improvement	Healthy
Bounce rate	> 2%	1%-2%	< 1.0%
Unsubscribe rate	> 1%	0.3%-1%	< 0.3%
Spam complaint rate	> 0.05%	0.01%-0.05%	< 0.01%

Regularly reviewing these numbers can help you spot and fix any deliverability issues.

A/B Testing Your Win-Back Emails

Armed with your metrics, the next step is to fine-tune your emails with A/B testing. This allows you to experiment with different elements to see what resonates most with your audience. Klaviyo’s A/B testing tools make it simple to test things like subject lines, message content, and send times.

Start small by testing easy-to-change elements like subject lines or call-to-action text. For subject lines, focus on open rates; for content changes, track click rates and conversions. Once you’ve nailed the basics, move on to testing more complex adjustments, such as email layout or design.

Always test one variable at a time. This ensures you can clearly link any performance changes to the specific tweak you made. Klaviyo’s AI-powered testing tools even help direct more traffic to the better-performing version once results are statistically significant.

Focus your testing efforts on high-impact emails like abandoned cart reminders or promotional campaigns. For example, in 2012, Bing ran an A/B test on ad headlines that resulted in a 12% revenue boost – adding over $100 million in U.S. revenue.

Using Predictive Analytics for Better Targeting

Going beyond basic metrics, predictive analytics offers deeper insights into customer behavior. Klaviyo’s predictive tools can help you identify at-risk customers and engage them before they go inactive.

Key metrics like customer lifetime value (CLV), churn risk, and expected next purchase date allow you to create tailored segments and craft personalized messages. For instance:

• Every Man Jack adjusted their email timing based on predicted order dates, increasing revenue from replenishment flows by 25% year-over-year.
• The Willow Tree Boutique targeted customers with a predicted CLV over $500 or an average order value (AOV) over $150, leading to a 53.1% increase in campaign revenue.
• Ministry of Supply used gender-based segmentation to achieve a 47.3% year-over-year revenue boost.

By combining churn risk and expected order dates, you can fine-tune your marketing strategies. For example, you could create segments based on how many more orders a customer is likely to place and trigger specific campaigns. High-value customers might even be retargeted through platforms like Facebook Ads or Google Ads.

The results of these strategies can be impressive. Nearly 45% of customers who open win-back emails go on to engage with your brand’s future communications. Using predictive analytics to target the right customers at the right time can make a huge difference.

"I trust and value Klaviyo AI because it saves me time, it helps me leverage our customer data to personalize our email timing and strategies, and most importantly, I maintain complete control over how and when it’s used."

• Troy Petrunoff, Senior Retention Marketing Manager, Every Man Jack

"Since starting with Klaviyo’s predictive analytics, I hardly ever send a campaign without them."

• Jade Richardson, Email Strategist, Agital

Best Practices for Long-Term Win-Back Success

Keeping your win-back campaigns effective over time requires strategies that ensure your email list stays active and relevant. These practices not only improve long-term outcomes but also help safeguard your sender reputation.

Setting Up Sunset Policies

A sunset policy is a proactive way to maintain a high-quality email list. By removing inactive subscribers after a set period, you can improve deliverability rates and focus your efforts on customers who are genuinely interested.

Here’s a surprising stat: only 24% of email marketers use a sunset policy, while 59% don’t have one, and 17% aren’t sure if they do.

Here’s how you can create an effective sunset policy using Klaviyo:

• Define engagement criteria: Track actions like opens, clicks, or replies over a 180-day period, and set a removal timeline that aligns with your product’s purchase cycle.
• Monitor subscriber behavior: Create segments to identify patterns – like subscribers who open but don’t click, or those who click but don’t purchase. This helps you fine-tune re-engagement strategies before removing them.
• Use suppression lists: Instead of deleting inactive subscribers, add them to suppression lists. This keeps their data intact while pausing further emails.
• Limit email frequency: If subscribers aren’t consistently engaging, avoid overwhelming them. Stick to no more than one email per day or four per week.

Regular Flow Reviews and Updates

To keep your win-back campaigns effective, it’s crucial to revisit and adjust them regularly. Customer preferences, market conditions, and product offerings change over time, so your strategy should too.

• Track performance metrics: Keep an eye on open rates, click rates, and conversions. If these metrics dip, it might be time to refresh your content.
• Update product mentions: Highlight new products or recent service improvements to keep your emails relevant and engaging.
• Revise messaging: Use customer feedback and market trends to refine your value propositions. Link to updated content to re-capture interest.
• Experiment with new ideas: Test different triggers, timing, and content based on customer behavior. For example, split your flow by recent engagement patterns and adjust accordingly.
• Personalize for segments: Tailor your emails to specific groups based on factors like purchase history or engagement levels. This makes your messages more relevant and impactful.

Connecting Win-Back Flows to Your Overall Strategy

To maximize their impact, integrate win-back campaigns into your broader marketing strategy. When done right, these flows become a key part of your retention efforts, creating multiple touchpoints for re-engagement.

Here’s why this matters: attracting new customers costs nearly five times more than retaining existing ones. Plus, the probability of selling to an existing customer is around 60–70%, and their average order value is about 33% higher than that of new customers.

Here’s how to tie win-back campaigns into your overall strategy:

• Coordinate across channels: Combine win-back emails with SMS, social media, and other platforms for a unified approach.
• Keep a consistent brand voice: Whether customers interact with your brand via email, SMS, or social media, ensure the tone and messaging feel cohesive.
• Leverage behavioral triggers: Use data from website visits, app usage, or social media interactions to create flows that respond to customer actions.
• Incorporate feedback loops: For instance, 12 Storeez reached out to inactive subscribers with a survey. While the survey didn’t directly drive store traffic, it sparked renewed interest, resulting in 28 orders from previously inactive customers.

Did you know that up to 45% of consumers who open win-back emails engage with future communications from the brand? By connecting these efforts to your overall strategy, you create more opportunities for customers to re-engage and make purchases.

One example of this approach comes from Foodband, a food delivery service. They combined mobile push notifications, win-back emails, and SMS campaigns to re-engage customers within three months of their first order. This strategy boosted returning customers by 6% and increased company turnover by about 10%.

Conclusion: Building Your Win-Back Strategy

Designing a well-thought-out win-back flow in Klaviyo can be a game-changer for your business. Email marketing continues to deliver exceptional returns, with studies showing it can generate over $36 for every $1 spent. Plus, existing customers are often far more valuable, spending up to 67% more than new ones.

Here’s a breakdown of the key elements to focus on as you refine your win-back strategy.

Key Takeaways

The foundation of any successful win-back campaign lies in precise audience segmentation. By using purchase history, engagement metrics, or subscription data, you can identify lapsed customers and target them effectively. One crucial insight: reaching out when 75-85% of customers are likely to repurchase significantly boosts your chances of success.

Personalization is another critical factor. Including customer names, offering tailored deals, and recommending relevant products often outperforms generic discount-heavy emails. Data-driven approaches make a big difference here – research shows they can lead to a 3-5% increase in net sales and a 10-20% improvement in marketing efficiency for CPG brands. Regularly monitoring metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions will help you fine-tune your email sequences and incentives.

A strategic email series of 2-5 messages with varied themes – such as discounts, new product announcements, social proof, or feedback requests – works best. For timing, send the first email immediately after a customer lapses, followed by additional emails spaced 3-5 days apart. While discounts can be effective, don’t overlook alternatives like exclusive offers or leveraging social proof to stand out.

These insights provide a solid foundation for your win-back efforts.

Next Steps for CPG Brands

Start by auditing your customer data to uncover repurchase patterns and pinpoint lapsed segments. This step will guide your entire strategy.

Next, aim for a seamless omnichannel experience. Win-back campaigns shouldn’t operate in isolation – integrate them with SMS, social media, and even direct mail. For instance, GOOD AMERICAN used direct mail in a win-back campaign and achieved an impressive 8x ROI, generating about $1.40 in incremental revenue per postcard sent.

Consider adding replenishment flows to your strategy. As Mert Damlapinar explains:

"We’ve seen replenishment flows outperform promos and win-back emails combined. They convert better every time with the right timing and zero customer effort. Brands overspend on ads to win new customers, then forget to win them again. They need to predict exactly when a customer needs to repurchase and trigger the message at the perfect moment. Not too soon, not too late. Just right."

One omnichannel FMCG retailer used AI-driven replenishment reminders and saw a 53% revenue increase from automated emails and SMS, with engagement rates 10-12 times higher than standard marketing emails.

It’s worth remembering that retaining a customer costs far less than acquiring a new one – five times less, to be exact. Investing in win-back strategies is not just cost-effective but essential for long-term growth. Set measurable goals, test frequently, and make optimization an ongoing priority.

Andrew Rosensweig, a strategist at Electric Eye, underscores the importance of this approach:

"A lot of brands already know they are leaving money on the table by not fully addressing the customer lifecycle, and they lack solutions for efficient repeat purchasing. Get data, learn, and iterate to improve the tailored messaging that will effectively cultivate repeat customers."

A well-executed win-back flow can turn inactive subscribers into loyal, high-value customers. With proven strategies and tools at your disposal, this campaign can become a cornerstone of your retention efforts, boosting both engagement and revenue for your CPG brand. Align these tactics with your broader retention strategy to ensure consistent growth and long-term success.

FAQs

When is the best time to send win-back emails to re-engage inactive customers?

The best window for sending win-back emails typically falls between 1 to 3 months after a customer has gone inactive. This period is long enough to give them some breathing room while still keeping your brand fresh in their memory.

Once you send the first email, follow up consistently every 7 to 14 days to keep the connection alive. Experiment with different times of day and days of the week to see what gets the best response. Use metrics like open rates and click-through rates to refine your approach and get the most out of your efforts.

How can I segment my audience to create more effective win-back email campaigns?

To make your win-back email campaigns more effective, start by dividing your audience based on their past behaviors and interactions. For instance, you can create groups like customers who haven’t made a purchase in a while, those who’ve only bought something once, or loyal repeat buyers. This way, you can design messages that directly address what each group might need or value.

Leverage data such as purchase history, engagement trends, and demographics to personalize your emails further. Tailored messages and offers make your outreach feel more relevant, increasing the chances of re-engaging inactive customers and bringing them back to your brand.

What are the best metrics to track for evaluating the success of my win-back email flow?

To gauge how well your win-back email flow is performing, keep an eye on these key metrics:

• Open Rate: A good open rate – typically around 29% or higher – means your subject lines and timing are hitting the mark.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): This tells you how many recipients are clicking on links in your emails, which reflects how engaging and relevant your content is.
• Conversion Rate: Measure the percentage of recipients who make a purchase after engaging with your emails. This is a direct indicator of your campaign’s success.
• Revenue Generated: Add up the total sales that can be traced back to your win-back emails to understand their financial contribution.
• Unsubscribe Rate: Keep track of how many recipients are opting out after receiving these emails. A high rate could signal that your messaging isn’t resonating.

Regularly reviewing these metrics will help you pinpoint what’s working and what needs tweaking. This way, you can refine your win-back strategy to reconnect with inactive customers and boost retention.

Related posts

• 7 High-Converting Klaviyo Flow Templates to Use Now
• 7 Klaviyo Best Practices for Higher Email Conversions
• Ultimate Guide to Win-Back Email Campaigns
• How to Set Up a Klaviyo Welcome Series Flow