Email and SMS capture for DTC growth

📲 I spent over 5 years in SMS marketing for eCommerce. After analyzing/working on dozens of programs... Here's how I'd approach it from the ground up if I were starting from zero👇 Phase 1: Build the shell 🐢 Set up core behavioral automation & list growth strategies to increase revenue. If you don't get these right, you'll never scale it. - Two-tap opt-in onsite + at checkout to capture subscribers - Welcome Series + set up day 1 two-way messaging expectations w/ subscribers - Abandoned Cart - Browse Abandonment - Post-Purchase ( Educational onboarding and reorder reminders) - Transactional Updates (97% of consumers want these & they are VERY low hanging fruit to drive engagement + revenue. I've seen brands drive $50k/mo from these messages) Phase 2: Add more fuel 🚀 Start leveling up your strategy - Start sending SMS campaigns as your retargeting list grows. Campaigns are great... but remember unsubscribe rates go up a lot and segmentation is your best friend🙂 - Begin behavioral segmentation inside of your automations to personalize messaging/increase relevancy. - Integrate your Customer Service platform to start handling replies (fast if you can)... These are often buying questions that can lead to more sales and happy customers - Test more list growth strategies like adding SMS opt-ins to your order tracking pages, interactive email, package inserts, and test paid ads/influencer funnels that go to SMS funnels Phase 3: Optimization & Conversational 🧪💬 Focus on 2% improvements... - A/B test EVERY automated flow with at least 2 variations per message. Test copy, timing, mms vs sms, personalization, etc... - A/B test your sign-up units. Whether it's behavioral or the look/feel of the sign-up unit... don't settle for one. Let the data tell you what is the top converting path. - A/B test your campaigns. Figure out the best send times for your respective segments, what voice works best for copy, mms vs sms, top converting offers, etc... Don't just test revenue here (think unsubscribe rates, click-through rates, etc...) - Implement 2-way conversational automation across key flows. Look for key moments to engage in more conversations with your customers to build relationships, collect more zero-party data, and deliver personalized content. My favorites are the welcome series and post-purchase... but I've seen cool examples even in places like the abandoned cart to handle objections (we built a whole business off of this at Tone). Bonus: If your vendor does human-powered texting like Concierge or Sales, this might be the time to consider it (only after everything else is in place!). 👉 Great SMS programs are not built overnight. The best programs are built in phases... with constant evaluation, testing, and optimization. Those 2% improvements over time compound and set you up for long-term success and growth. Hmm maybe we should name a podcast about that? 🤔 #smsmarketing #ecommerce

From 27 % click loss to revenue increase: the First-Party Profit Plan The verdict is in: • Impressions up 47 % • Organic clicks down 27 % • Average CPC on high-intent terms ≈ $5 Google’s AI Overview keeps searchers on the results page and auctions their attention back to you. Rented traffic now costs more and converts less. Audits, 200-point SEO checklists, and coping threads won’t fix that math. The sustainable counter-move: own first-party data • Permission: no platform can throttle email you are allowed to send • Compounding: lists grow, impressions evaporate • Predictable cost: $0.01 per send vs. $5 per click • Transparency: UTM links plus server logs give clean attribution Think of it as moving from leased land to owned property. The four-step Traffic Exit Program Step 1: Data Resurrection • Export dormant contacts from CRM, ESP, and support logs • Pull first-party events from Meta, TikTok, and Google before privacy locks them • Add on-site zero-party capture (quizzes, SMS, surveys) Step 2: Precision Segmentation • Spend tier (VIP, core, promo-only) • Buying stage (lead, active, inactive) • Product interest (browse and cart data) Each segment gets copy that reads like a personal note, not a billboard. Step 3: Monetization Loops • Cash-flow sprints: three-email revivals wake stale leads within 72 hours • Evergreen automations: behavior flows turn first buys into thirds • Cost-controlled re-activation: hashed emails for penny-priced retargeting Results to expect: repeat-purchase rate up 20-30 %; list revenue funds 50 %+ of ad spend; LTV rises within one quarter. Step 4: Resilient Growth • Quarterly list scrub lifts deliverability 25-35% • Funnel VIPs into Text messages, Slack, Circle, or Discord for deeper engagement • Content loop: podcast → short clips → email mini-series → gated guide, all tied to the same master database Choose your path A) Keep paying more for traffic you once had for free. B) Turn the data you already own into a self-funding growth engine. Reply "Cash Flow Sprint" with your subscriber count to start the conversation. Google keeps evolving its revenue. An owned list ensures yours evolves too.

I promised myself not to flood your feed with BFCM screenshots... 😂 Because let's be honest - we all know Email & SMS will crush this week. Nothing new there. What interests me is what happens after the buying frenzy. Because if you're an eComm brand (or agency), you've likely run your 'Early Access' pop-ups & captured a wave of new customers you're hoping to convert this week. But then what? These are new customers who, yes, want deals during BFCM. They're (potentially) bargain hunters. But a good % of them can become future BAU (non-sale & regular) buyers if done right. So here's a few ways we at Titan Marketing turn BFCM buzz into loyalty from Q4 & beyond: 1. Espresso Shot Customers (clicked no conversion): ↳ This segment is a Klaviyo favourite. Toward the end of your BFCM sale, round up subscribers who engaged (clicked) in the sale but didn't purchase. ↳ Pair data gathered in BFCM (click patterns, product view/cart/checkout interest) with incentives - 'missed BFCM?', 'last chance', 'clearance deals on X product'. Squeeze that conversion. 2. Loyalty Programme Nudge (all early access + buyers) ↳ Run a campaign for BFCM buyers (non rewards members) that plugs the loyalty programme. Offer BONUS points for their next purchase. 3. Thank you & SMS cross-pollination (for buyers) ↳ Send thoughtful, heartfelt thank yous. Take it as an opportunity to 're-welcome' customers to your family/community/mission. ↳ Cross-pollinate the SMS list if they haven't already signed up - paint it as something unique, valuable & relevant over email (the value prop needs to be CLEAR - SMS is a sensitive channel, our phone numbers are personal). 4. Reviews & UGC overload (all buyers) ↳ Leverage your review integration (Judge, Klaviyo Reviews or Okendo). Go hard on UGC & social proof capture in line with the expected uptick in orders. Incentivise (loyalty points, GWP etc.). ↳ NB: this can be combined with thank yous as a scheduled 'flow'. 5. Post BFCM Surveys (all buyers) ↳ Typeform is a great, low friction way to capture post BFCM feedback (to crush next year & your BAU send periods). ↳ Ask for feedback about their experience (post-purchase, email comms etc.), the deal, or the product. ↳ Refine your offerings and demonstrate your commitment to improvement. 6. Christmas Buzz + BFCM data (deal hunters) ↳ Deal hunters = your bargain segment. Shopped last/this year's BFCM, different promotions (labour day, clearance etc.) & typically don't purchase over a certain $$ amount (varies by brand). ↳ Work these for Christmas. Use the BFCM data you've obtained (viewed product cart, checkout, purchase) to A) tease deals & B) pair those deals with personalised cross-sell recommendations to gear them up for a holiday purchase. BFCM = opportunity to lay the ground for future purchases. These are some of our favourites! Use them to turn BFCM shoppers into long term customers. How are you boosting retention post-BFCM?

Retention marketing is the lifeblood of your business. Why? As acquisition costs continue to rise, extending the LTV of your customers is more important than ever. Here’s the exact breakdown of how I approach retention marketing (mainly email and SMS) for any ecommerce business: Make sure you have these automated flows in place: → Welcome Series (this will be your highest revenue-generating flow) → Abandon Browse, Cart, Checkout Series → Cross-Sell Series → Replenishment Series → Customer Win-Back Series → Customer Welcome Series For campaigns (one-time email sends): → Build out a calendar for your email campaigns → List out email campaign ideas that you can plug into the calendar → Create organized segments based on how customers engage with your emails and shopping history Metrics to analyze: → List Growth Rate → Email Capture Rate → Open Rate → Click-Through Rate → Conversion Rate If you have the basics implemented above, you’re ready to take it to the next level by testing every little thing. Again, retention marketing is crucial for any ecommerce business. If you can strategize and execute this correctly, this channel should make up 20%+ of your total revenue. You’d be surprised how many newer ecommerce businesses don’t have the basics in place. 

I've been an email marketer for 18 years for DTC brands, and I can tell you that relying on email alone is NOT enough to maximise returning customer revenue. Let's say I take over a brand tomorrow in CPG with over 200,000 on their database. Probably 75% of that database is dead weight - zero to little engagement with email. You're now down to just 50,000 emailable subscribers. Sure, you can re-engage a fraction of the 150k who are inactive - but the boat has already sailed for most. What's the solution? 🧲 Build retention channels in parallel from DAY 1! That means you need to proactively collect & incorporate: > Email consent > SMS consent > WhatsApp consent > Push notifications > Direct Mail And then treat every one of those as an adjunct to your email strategy. For example, let's say customer A purchases but never opens your email but you've got SMS consent. You now have the ability to text them to drive repeat sales as opposed to relying solely on ads. And if they don't give consent to SMS? Move to direct mail. Don't give up on them; just move towards the next most profitable channel where you can still reach them. And now with Klaviyo's Channel Affinity feature, you even have the opportunity to let AI do the heavy lifting for you as to what channel the customer will be most receptive to. Again, if you're relying on email alone, you're severely holding back your potential. #emailmarketing #ecommerce #klaviyo

DTC brands, please stop ignoring this. You’re burning thousands of $$’s a day b/c of these mistakes Here are the 3 revenue killing mistakes most brands make Jason Donapel and I find (that you should avoid) Let’s break down all 3 👇 1. Journey Shapes: If you want to boost revenue from your email & SMS journeys, start by looking for straight, vertical lines in your automation flows. Do you see a single, straight vertical line of messages? This is a sign that you’re sending the same generic messages to everyone. Focus on creating segmented branches. Personalization is the fastest way we've found to increase dollars per message sent. 2. Sending Segments: Are you sending campaigns to the same group every time? If you answered ‘YES’, then you’re doing it wrong. You must segment to ensure each campaign reaches the right audience. Prioritize list segmentation and hygiene first. Then, worry about content. Proper list health, utilization and hygiene can add 20%+ to your campaign revenue. Spend more time deciding who receives each campaign, and why. 3. Channel Dependency: Every brand needs multiple lists. If you’re only relying on email, you’re missing out on SMS as a revenue channel. Is less than 10% of your revenue coming from SMS? Time to invest there. Add SMS touch points in your flows, and segment your campaigns carefully (since you're paying per send). Already over 20% of revenue from SMS? Think about adding Messenger as another channel. Try this out. It’s worked for me :)

Summer sales are coming - But 83% of D2C brands will completely mess this up. Here's what most brands do wrong: → Send one "SUMMER SALE" email blast → Throw random discounts at the wall → Ignore their email list until sale day → Only focus on acquiring new customers We helped a fitness apparel brand think differently. The result? They went from $240K months to their first $1.2M month last summer. Here's exactly what we did in the 4 weeks before launch: Week 4: Built the foundation → "Summer body goals" educational series → Zero selling, pure value → Train People to Open Emails More Week 3: Created mystery and anticipation → "Something big is coming" teasers → VIP customers got behind-the-scenes peeks → FOMO started building without revealing anything Week 2: Social proof everywhere → Customer transformation stories → "Get summer ready" lifestyle content → Real customers showing off their results Week 1: The countdown begins → "Final week to prepare" urgency messaging → Ramped up abandoned cart recovery → Activated SMS for mobile engagement During the actual 5-day sale: → Day 1: VIP early access only → Day 2: Public launch with testimonials → Day 3: "Flying off shelves" scarcity messaging → Day 4: "Last 24 hours" urgency → Day 5: "Final hours" last chance The numbers: → Before: $240K average months → Sale month: $1.2M total revenue From email alone: $680K SMS added: $180K But here's what really matters. The month after the sale, they kept doing $480K. Double their old normal. Because we didn't just run a discount. We built relationships first. Most brands burn their lists with aggressive pitches. We warmed people up with actual value. The sale felt natural, not forced. What made this work: → Segmentation - VIPs, newbies, and past buyers got different messages → Value first - We educated before we pitched → Multi-channel - Email, SMS, and ads working together Summer is money time for D2C brands. But only if you prep your audience right. Most brands will wing it and wonder why they flopped. Smart brands start planning now. Which one are you? #emailmarketing #d2cbrands #ecommerce #shopify

Email list growth = a broken game for most DTC brands. Most popups just say: → “Sign up and get 10% off your first order” Which… okay, fine. But that’s not a value hook. It doesn’t give people a real reason to care. Here’s what might actually get someone to join: • “Get early access to our next drop before it sells out” • “See what product we almost killed (and why we brought it back)” • “Join 1,200+ who get our monthly behind the scenes drop email” Things like that makes people feel like they’re getting something real. Then, once someone signs up, follow with segmented welcome logic based on UTM, quiz data, or collection viewed. The magic isn’t just in getting the sign up. It’s in what you do after.

Launching in a saturated market is hard. But with the right lifecycle strategy, a new DTC brand can grow fast, and grow smart. At Blue Wheel, we partnered with a premium, clean haircare brand to launch their DTC line from the ground up. Email wasn’t an afterthought. It was the growth engine. What we built: Automated flows from Day 1: welcome, cart abandonment, post-purchase, and winback Quarterly campaign strategy aligned with customer behavior and buying cycles Relentless testing: subject lines, content, and timing to drive performance Smart segmentation to boost relevance and revenue per send What happened next: +175% increase in placed order rate +143.6% quarter-over-quarter conversion growth +80% peak click rate increase 78% of lifecycle revenue came from automated flows +60.6% subscriber growth QoQ This wasn’t just a launch. It was a foundation for scale. A takeaway for CMOs: If email is siloed as “retention,” you’re leaving revenue on the table. Done right, lifecycle email marketing drives both first-time conversions and long-term loyalty. This video is a sneak peek into our upcoming Ecommerce Exchange episode. 🙌