Understand flows in Klaviyo
In Klaviyo, flows are automations that automatically engage subscribers based on their actions and behaviors. That is to say, flows are different from campaigns. Think of it this way:
- Campaigns: One-time messages sent to a selected audience at a scheduled time.
- Flows: Automated messages triggered by a customer action, event, list membership, or other criteria.
Throughout this course, variations of the terms “mobile messaging" and “text messages” will refer to SMS, MMS, and RCS messages in Klaviyo. Before exploring how text messages fit into flows, here’s a quick refresher:
Watch the video below to review how flows work in Klaviyo.
In Klaviyo, flows can support both transactional and marketing messages.
- Transactional messages share updates related to a specific order, such as confirmations and shipping notifications.
- Marketing messages build relationships and encourage action, such as welcome series messages, abandoned-cart reminders, replenishment notifications, offers, review requests, and more.
Benefits of using text messages in flows
When you incorporate text message marketing into your flows, you can drive more value than ever for your subscribers and increase the likelihood for engagement and conversion.
Click through the tabbed gallery below to explore the benefits of using texts in your flows.
Meet subscribers where they are
When you incorporate text messages into your existing flows, you add an additional touchpoint for your automated messages.
Configure your flows to send messages depending on the channel they’ve subscribed to or prefer to hear from you most. This allows you to reach all of your subscribers the way they’d like to be reached by your brand.
When you meet subscribers where they are, you increase the likelihood of engagement and conversions.
Strengthen customer relationships
Text messages are personal by nature. Your closest family and friends likely reach you most often by your phone, whether by a phone call or text message. They probably don’t frequently communicate with you via email.
Flow messages are already highly personal and relevant because they are automated in response to individual subscriber actions.
So, when your brand communicates these relevant messages via text, your message is right alongside those of their inner circle.
This proximity to your subscribers’ lives helps you build stronger relationships and brand loyalty.
Get your messages seen quicker
On average, most people check their unread text messages before those from other channels.
Text as a channel relays urgency in every message, motivating recipients to read them more quickly.
Your subscribers want to know about their expiring cart and recent updates to their order, and by sending them texts, you can get that message in front of them more quickly than ever.
Use text messaging intentionally
Remember: Subscribers who opt in have explicitly said they want to hear from your brand, so don’t be afraid to text them! Use text strategically throughout your flows alongside email and other channels, especially when immediacy can add value.