5 key SMS flows to drive revenue and engagement
Now that you’re armed with the best practices, it's time to dive into building your flows! Discover how to craft flows that not only provide value but also inspire your customers to engage actively.
Make a great first impressionCreate an SMS-specific welcome series
A text message–only welcome series should accomplish 2 goals: deliver the sign-up incentive you promised and prompt the recipient to save your number.
1. Target both new and existing customers
Both new customers and existing email subscribers will join your flow. Use a conditional split to create separate messaging paths for each group, ensuring a relevant experience for both. In Klaviyo, you can do this by utilizing the $source profile property.
2. Provide clear value in your first message
Add value in your first message to build trust. Offer existing email subscribers a special incentive for joining your text messaging list, and give new subscribers a discount code. This ensures each group feels appreciated and receives relevant offers.
3. Nurture the relationship and provide ongoing value
Keep the conversation going by sending each follow-up a few days apart, and limit the series to just 3 or 4 texts. In the second message, share a virtual contact card to facilitate easy access to your information and foster stronger connections.
Note that virtual contact cards are sent as MMS messages, which means they will only be delivered through number types that support MMS.
Turn high-intent browsers into buyers:Add text messages to your abandoned cart flow
Adding text messages to your abandoned cart flow is a great way to nudge conversions for high-intent shoppers who have left something in their cart. Note that if you are sending this flow to recipients in the US, you must adhere to a few requirements.
1. Use double opt-in to send text message reminders
If you plan to send abandoned cart reminders, always use double opt-in when collecting consent. Maintain strong deliverability by ensuring all new subscribers confirm their subscription before they join your list.
2. Only send 1 reminder per recipient within 48 hours
In the United States, you can only send 1 reminder text per recipient in an abandoned cart flow, and the message must be sent within 48 hours of someone abandoning their cart. After your message, rejoin the text message flow branch to continue messaging recipients via email.
3. Make an impact in 1 message
Add value right away to encourage shoppers to complete their purchase. Offer an incentive like a discount or free shipping, and consider using MMS to feature the abandoned product in their cart. To see what works best, A/B test your text message with and without media.
Before adding text messages to your abandoned cart flow, check the local laws and regulations related to text message marketing in the areas where your customers are located.
Add text messages to the browse abandonment flow
Give passive browsers a reason to return to your site and encourage them to move forward in the customer journey by adding text messages to your browse abandonment flow.
1. Personalize the experience with a conditional split
Catch a browser's attention directly on their mobile device. Use a conditional split to create different paths in your flow based on text messaging consent. Text messaging subscribers will get a text reminder, while email subscribers will receive an email reminder.
2. Add an incentive to your message
Encourage a purchase by including a discount in your messages. Use a unique coupon code to ensure that no 2 recipients will have the same code, limiting the likelihood that a window shopper will share the code with others.
3. Switch it up: try email before text messages
For a different approach, send an email first and then follow up with a text. Instead of splitting your flow, simply add a text message under the first email. Now, subscribers who do not take action within a few hours of receiving the email will also receive a text message.
Add text messages into a back-in-stock flow
Automatically notify people who specifically subscribe to receive updates for when a particular product is back in stock.
1. Combine text messages & email to maximize engagement
If a product has sold out before, buyers will want to know when it's restocked to avoid waiting again. Add a conditional split to send a text message, as well as an email, to back-in-stock contacts who have given text messaging consent.
2. Include the name of the product in your message
Make it easier for subscribers to know why you are communicating with them. Use an event variable to dynamically insert the name of a product. Then, remind subscribers to take action before the product is gone.
3. Insert catalog tags in your message
Reference specific product information from your catalog within your messages. At the end of your text message, insert catalog tags for the item that’s back in stock. Note that catalog tags are specific to your integration.
Klaviyo currently supports back in stock flows for accounts with Shopify, BigCommerce, or Magento 2 integrations
as well as accounts with inventory-aware custom catalog feeds.
Make customers feel supported in their purchase:Add text messages to your post-purchase flow
Although retention flows don’t typically have the same conversion rates as the flows mentioned above, they are extremely important for maintaining relationships with customers and priming them to make another purchase in the future.
1. Reach customers directly on their mobile device
Diversify the type of communication sent to your customers by adding text messages to thank you or order confirmation flow. After the trigger, add a split based on text messaging consent. We recommend only sending 1 text message with no delay.
2. Thank your customers and encourage engagement
Use your text messages to thank customers and provide order details. Then, ask for a review or promote your loyalty program. Feel free to add 1 or 2 emojis, but don't overdo it—too many emojis can make your message look like spam and reduce the available character count.
3. Stay relevant with personalization
Tailor your post-purchase flow to be as relevant as possible to all recipients. Use flow personalization tactics to create unique experiences within your flow based on order value or order collection, and if subscribers are new vs. returning customers.