Retention engine

10 Klaviyo flows, designed.

Not a strategy doc - the actual build. Every flow mapped as an automation canvas, every hero email rendered in The Golf Sock's own brand. This is the revenue that runs while you sleep. Your email lead owns execution; this is the map we strategize against together on the weekly call, and what I build if he ever can't.

28–38% of revenue from email + SMS ~65–70% of that from flows One evergreen discount, margin protected Walk Longer & Hit The Ball Farther
28–38%
Target email + SMS share of total store revenue within 90–120 days
65 / 35
Revenue split - flows (automations) vs. campaigns once mature
3 lists
Master Email · SMS Subscribers · Wholesale/Pro - 11 dynamic segments underneath
1 code
WELCOME15 is the only standing discount. Everything else earns on value, habit & scarcity
Why The Golf Sock skews to the top of the range: socks physically wear out (a natural 4–6 month reorder clock) and golfers are an identity-driven, high-LTV, high-UGC audience. That makes Replenishment, Winback and Back-in-Stock unusually productive. The rule that protects margin: abandonment and winback codes are capped at or below WELCOME15, gated away from discount-sensitive buyers, and never shown before the value case is made. Smart Sending on, SMS quiet hours 10am–8pm local, every pre-purchase flow excludes active purchasers.
The build

The ten flows

Phase 1 captures money already on the table (Checkout → Cart → Welcome → Back-in-Stock). Phase 2 builds the retention engine. Phase 3 is LTV and advocacy. Each below shows the canvas and the hero creative.

1

Welcome / Newsletter Series

Convert new non-buyers to a first order - deliver the offer, then tell the performance + pro-trust + American-made story. Five emails, exits the moment they buy.

⛳ Automation canvas · Welcome

TriggerSubscribed to Master Emailpopup / footer
Email 1 · 0 minHere's your 15% offcode WELCOME15
wait 22h
Email 2The grip story
wait 2d
SplitPhone + SMS consent?
Yes · SMS15% still good - 6-pack ships free
No · Email 310,000+ golfers
wait 2d
Email 4Bundle math / AOV
wait 2d
Email 5Urgency close - expires tonight
ExitPlaced order → Post-Purchase
Trigger
Subscribed to Master Email
Timing
5 emails over ~8 days (0m→22h→2d→2d→2d)
Channel mix
Email primary · SMS branch at msg 3
Primary metric
Placed-order rate · 6–12%, RPR $2–$4
2

Browse Abandonment

Recover high-intent product viewers who never added to cart. Curiosity and value only - no code, protect margin. An intent gate (2+ views in a day) filters out one-glance bounces.

⛳ Automation canvas · Browse

TriggerViewed Product2+ views / 24h
FilterNo cart · no order since start
wait 4h
Email 1Still thinking about better feet?last-viewed block
wait 20h
Email 2The difference is in the grip
ExitAdded to cart / ordered
Trigger
Viewed Product (2+ / 24h)
Timing
2 emails · +4h, +20h
Channel mix
Email only · no discount
Primary metric
Placed-order 1.5–4% · RPR $0.50–$1.50
3

Cart Abandonment

The highest-value pre-purchase flow after checkout. SMS is the recovery workhorse on message 2. A 10% "finish your order" code appears only in message 3, only for non discount-sensitive profiles - never bigger than WELCOME15.

⛳ Automation canvas · Cart

TriggerAdded to Cart
FilterNo order since start
wait 1h
Msg 1 · EmailYour cart's still warmdynamic cart block
wait 5h
SplitSMS consent?
Yes · Msg 2Cart still saved → grab it
No · Msg 2Almost yours
wait 20h
SplitDiscount-sensitive?
No · Msg 3Here's 10% - FINISH10
Yes · Msg 3Urgency only, no code
ExitPlaced order
Trigger
Added to Cart
Timing
3 msgs · +1h, +5h, +20h
Channel mix
Email + SMS · 10% code msg 3 only
Primary metric
Placed-order 5–10% · RPR $2–$5
4

Checkout Abandonment

The highest-intent drop-off there is - payment-page abandoners. Shorter, faster, more urgent than the cart flow. SMS-first because speed wins. FINISH10 held back to message 3.

⛳ Automation canvas · Checkout

TriggerCheckout Started
FilterNo order since start
wait 30m
Msg 1 · EmailYou were one step awayresume-checkout link
wait 4h
Msg 2 · SMSOrder saved & ready to finish
wait 18h
SplitDiscount-sensitive?
No · Msg 310% to cross the line
Yes · Msg 3Urgency only
ExitPlaced order
Trigger
Checkout Started
Timing
3 msgs · +30m, +4h, +18h
Channel mix
SMS-first + email · code msg 3
Primary metric
Placed-order 10–20% · RPR $4–$8
5

Post-Purchase

Kill buyer's remorse, teach the product, seed the 2nd order and reviews. No early discount - they just paid. Branches on what they bought to route the right cross-sell. Hands off to the Review flow at day 9.

⛳ Automation canvas · Post-Purchase

TriggerPlaced Order
Email 1 · 20mYou're in - thank you
wait 2d
Email 2Get the grip workingeducation
wait ~5d
SplitWhat did they buy?
1–3 packCross-sell 6-pack (free ship)
6–12 packCross-sell women's / gifting
wait to d9
Email 4Review bridge → Flow 9
wait to d14
Email 5Refer / community
Trigger
Placed Order
Timing
5 emails over ~14 days
Channel mix
Email + SMS shipping · branch-by-SKU cross-sell
Primary metric
Repeat rate · cross-sell PO 2–5%
6

Winback / Lapsed

Reactivate buyers gone quiet 120–240 days out, before they're truly gone. Value first, then a modest capped code reserved for message 3 - never trained, never bigger than WELCOME15.

⛳ Automation canvas · Winback

TriggerEnters Lapsed segment120–240d
Email 1 · d0Your socks miss youno code
wait 4d
Email 2What's new + best value
wait 5d
SplitDiscount-sensitive?
No · SMS+EmailCOMEBACK15 · expires Sun
Yes10% or value-only
ExitRepurchase
Trigger
Enters Lapsed segment
Timing
3 msgs · d0, +4d, +5d
Channel mix
Email + 1 SMS · capped code msg 3
Primary metric
Reactivation 2–6% · RPR $0.75–$2
7

Replenishment / Reorder

The single biggest LTV lever for a consumable - own the natural wear-out clock. Delay calibrated to pack size (75 / 110 / 150 days). No default code; habit and free-ship-at-$70 do the work.

⛳ Automation canvas · Replenishment

TriggerPlaced Orderstarts the clock
SplitWhich pack?
1–3pk · wait 75d
6pk · wait 110d
12pk · wait 150d
Email 1Time to restock1-click reorder
wait 5d
Msg 2 · SMSRefresh the rotation
wait 7d
Email 3Buy 6, never think againAOV step-up
ExitReorder placed
Trigger
Placed Order (timed clock)
Timing
75/110/150d by pack, then +5d, +7d
Channel mix
Email + SMS · no default code
Primary metric
Reorder 5–12% · top-3 flow · RPR $1.50–$4
8

VIP / Loyalty

Reward the best customers with status and access, not discounts - early drops, standing free shipping, real-human concierge. A VIP code is a thank-you, never a trigger to buy. Protects margin while maximizing LTV.

⛳ Automation canvas · VIP

TriggerEnters VIP segment3+ orders / $150+
Email 1 · d0You're officially VIP 🏆perks + gift code
wait 5d
Email 2First look: new colorway
wait 10d
Msg 3 · SMSConcierge + standing free-ship perk
TagVIP campaign treatment
Trigger
Enters VIP segment
Timing
3 msgs · d0, +5d, +10d
Channel mix
Email + SMS · status & access, not coupons
Primary metric
VIP LTV · highest RPR $3–$8
9

Product Review + UGC

Generate reviews (site conversion fuel) and UGC (ad + email creative fuel). Fires ~7–10 days after delivery. No pay-for-review - a rating ≥4 gets a UGC invite; ≤3 routes to service recovery, never a public ask.

⛳ Automation canvas · Review / UGC

TriggerFulfilled Order
wait ~8d
Email 1How'd they play?star-rating link
wait 4d
Msg 2 · SMSTap to rate
wait 5d
SplitRating?
≥ 4 ★UGC invite + giveaway
≤ 3 ★Service recovery → support
Trigger
Fulfilled Order + ~8d
Timing
3 msgs · +8d, +4d, +5d
Channel mix
Email + SMS · rating-gated UGC branch
Primary metric
Review submission 5–12% · lifts site CVR
10

Back-in-Stock

Recover pre-qualified demand on out-of-stock variants. Often the single highest-converting flow of all - scarcity and speed are the whole motivator, so no discount. SMS-first the moment inventory clears zero.

⛳ Automation canvas · Back-in-Stock

TriggerBack in Stockvariant qty > 0
FilterNo order for variant yet
Msg 1 · SMS+EmailIt's back - these move fast
wait 24h
Msg 2 · EmailGoing fast - still available (barely)
ExitPlaced order
Trigger
Back in Stock (qty > 0)
Timing
2 msgs · on restock, +24h
Channel mix
SMS-first + email · no discount
Primary metric
Placed-order 15–30% · often #1 · RPR $3–$10