Customers are a bit like houseplants – sometimes they need a little attention to thrive. You’ve already done the hard work of getting them to buy once, so why let them slip away? A winback flow helps you reconnect with lapsed customers, giving them a reason to return.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through why winback flows are so useful, how to set one up in Klaviyo, and share some great examples of businesses that use them successfully.
So, grab a cuppa and let’s get into it:
Why winback flows are a must-have
- Boosts Customer Retention – Acquiring a new customer is far more expensive than keeping an existing one. A winback flow helps reduce churn and increase repeat purchases.
- Increases Revenue – Encouraging past buyers to return naturally leads to more sales without the need for constant new customer acquisition.
- Strengthens Brand Loyalty – When you show customers you value them, they’re more likely to stick around for the long haul.
- Gathers Insights – Even if someone doesn’t come back, you can use their responses (or lack thereof) to fine-tune your marketing strategy.
What does a winback flow look like?
If you’ve ever shopped online and subscribed to a brand’s newsletter, you’ve likely received a ‘winback” email at some point.
The email copy will typically use language around the length of time you’ve been away, or that the brand would like you to return to their store – and maybe throw in a nice, incentivising deal to encourage your business.
Here are a few examples from our clients:
So, how do I set up a winback flow?
1. Define Your Winback Criteria
Before you start sending emails, decide when a customer is considered “lapsed.” For most businesses, this might be:
- 30, 60, or 90 days since their last purchase
- A set period after their last engagement with your website
- A subscription cancellation
Klaviyo allows you to segment customers based on their last activity, so use this to define your winback audience.
2. Create a Series of Emails
A single email might be enough for your audience, but it may also be useful to create a series of 2-3 emails to gently remind customers why they loved your brand in the first place.
You might think to break up these emails into different themes or tactics, such as:
- Offering a discount to be used within a set timeframe
- Reminding them about new offers they’ve missed
- Providing social proof with bestseller lists or customer reviews
- Asking for feedback or a review of their last purchase
3. Set Up Your Timing
Schedule your emails at strategic intervals, such as:
- Email 1: Sent after the defined “lapsed” period
- Email 2: 3-5 days later if they haven’t engaged
You might also think of adding a time to send, such as around 1PM to catch customers during their lunch break, or after 5PM to try and find them during their down time.
4. Add Filters/Splits For Email Series
Another important aspect of your email series is to ensure that customers who have purchased from you since receiving the first email prompt in the series don’t receive a second or third email.
You can achieve this a couple of different ways:
Option 1: Conditional splits
- Click on the email before the one you want to filter.
- Add a Conditional Split before it.
- Set the condition: What someone has done → Placed Order → at least once since starting this flow
- If YES: Send them down an exit path (or a Thank You email).
- If NO: Continue sending the next email.
- Save your settings.
Option 2: Additional Filters
- Click the second email in your series.
- Go to Additional filters in Email details
- Set the filter: What someone has done → Placed Order → zero times since starting this flow
- Save your settings.
5. Build Email Content With Personalisations
Personalisation is not only great for building a relationship with your customers, but getting the right product in front of your customer at the right time.
Klaviyo makes it easy to personalise your emails with dynamic content, such as:
Using the customer’s first name
To include your customer’s first name – or indeed their last name, or any other attribute you’ve gathered about them – simply click into a text block within Klaviyo’s email builder.
In the right hand corner you’ll see a person-like icon (if you hover over it, it will read Add Personalisation). Click this and choose which attribute, including the first name, to insert.
You can also add default text to use where the attribute may be missing, such as “hey there” as opposed to “hey firstname“.
Recommending products based on their purchase history
You can always add products you think a customer will love manually, but Klaviyo can make this selection easier and more accurate.
Simply create a product block, and toggle the Product Selection to Dynamic. Under this, it will read Product Feed, and if you do not have any existing product feeds to choose from, you have the option to build one:
You can name your product feed and then select the products a customer should be shown, including bestsellers, newest products, and the more useful, personalised options of products they’ve already looked at, or added to their cart.
Klaviyo also has AI functionality (note the little star) so that you can choose “Products a customer may also like” – an AI-generated suggestion based on their previous shopping history.
Featuring their abandoned cart items
If you’d like to remind your customers about what they’re missing out on, you might think to show them their abandoned cart items. You can do this by selecting the dynamic product feed “Products a customer has added to cart” as shown in the last section, or by creating a dynamic table block.
You can do this like this:
- When editing the email, click Add a Section and select Dynamic Table Block.In the Data Source section, set it to:
event.extra.line_items - Use placeholders to display abandoned products dynamically:
- Product Image:
{{ item.product.image_url }} - Product Name:
{{ item.product.title }} - Product Price:
{{ item.product.price | currency }} - Product URL: Add a button or link with
{{ item.product.url }}
- Product Image:
Step 6: Test & Optimise
Monitor your open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to see what’s working. A/B testing different subject lines and incentives can help fine-tune your winback strategy.
Winback Flow Best Practices
To get the best results from your winback flow, keep these tips in mind:
- Keep It Friendly – Nobody likes a desperate-sounding email. Keep your tone light and positive.
- Make It Mobile-Friendly – Most emails are opened on mobile devices, so make sure your design is responsive.
- Offer Genuine Value – Discounts work well, but exclusive content, early access, or loyalty points can be just as effective.
- Don’t Overdo It – If a customer hasn’t engaged after your winback series, respect their decision and don’t bombard them with emails.
Final Thoughts
A well-crafted winback flow in Klaviyo can work wonders for your business, helping you re-engage past customers and boost sales without constantly chasing new leads. With a little strategy, some clever automation, and a touch of creativity, you should be able to remind your customers just why they purchased from you in the first place.
Want guidance on setting up your Klaviyo account, or need help with your email marketing strategy? Get in contact with us via our website.
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