5 of the best Email Flows Every Ecom Brand Should Have (And How to Nail Them)
If you’re running an ecommerce brand and not leveraging the best email flows, you’re leaving an obscene amount of money on the table. The following email marketing flows can hep you engage with customers, build loyalty, and drive more sales—all while you sleep.
1. Welcome Flow (the obvious one)
Why You Need It: This will be one of your best email flows for revenue. First impressions matter. A welcome flow sets the tone for your relationship with a new subscriber or customer. It’s your chance to showcase your brand, share your story, and guide them through their first steps with you.
If you’re an info-heavy brand, this is where you nurture and provide information about how to use your products.
How to Nail It:
- Email #1: Greet your new subscriber with a warm welcome and introduce your brand with your welcome offer.
- Email #2: Share social proof—customer reviews or testimonials to build trust.
- Email #3: Provide more about your story / unique features of your brand.
- Email #4: Urgency about the discount expiring. Plain text works a charm.
2. Abandoned CHECKOUT Flow (Not Cart)
Why You Need It: Not everyone who adds items to their cart will complete the purchase. An abandoned cart flow reminds them of what they left behind and encourages them to come back and finish their purchase.
How to Nail It:
- Email #1: Send a friendly reminder about the items left in their cart.
- Email #2: Highlight customer reviews and product benefits to overcome objections.
- Email #3: Use urgency about their “checkout expiring”. For people who’ve never ordered, consider offering a discount to incentivize the purchase.
3. Post-Purchase Flow (Nurture & Squeeze The Juice!)
Why You Need It: Your customer journey doesn’t end with a purchase. A post-purchase flow can help build loyalty, increase customer lifetime value, and reduce buyer’s remorse. This is one of the best email flows for creating repeat customers.
How to Nail It:
- Email #1: Thank the customer and confirm their order details, ask them to follow you on your socials.
- Email #2: Give them tips on how to use their new product.
- Email #3: Request a review or feedback to engage them further.
There are many ways you can approach this depending on what the subscriber bought. Consider offering immediate upsells, or providing discounts on their second order, and segment based on what the customer bought.
i.e if you’re a supplement brand and they bought Tongkat Ali, cross sell with something complementary like Turkesterone.
4. Customer Winback Flow (Don’t Let A Good Customer Go)
Why You Need It: Re-engaging inactive customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, especially when you do it with email marketing. A winback flow helps remind lapsed customers why they loved your brand in the first place.
How to Nail It:
- Email #1: Remind them of the products they loved and offer a special discount to welcome them back.
- Email #2: Share new product launches or updates that might interest them since their last order.
- Email #3: Create a sense of urgency with a limited-time offer. Plain text is best here.
5. Browse Abandonment Flow (For those window shoppers)
Why You Need It: Customers who browse your products but don’t add anything to their cart are still showing intent. This flow nudges them back to your site by reminding them of what they viewed.
How to Nail It:
- Email #1: Remind them about the product they browsed with a strong message to buy.
- Email #2: Include customer reviews or a case study to build credibility in your brand.
- Email #3: Share related products or products they may like instead (they probably aren’t interested in buying the product they were viewing at this stage, so try something similar, only if it’s relevant).
BONUS for the best email flows: Add To Cart
Checkout this post to learn what that is in email marketing. (hint: it’s not the same as the checkout flow)