adminser Shopify is my e-commerce platform. Shopify provides many templates that can be used to create online shops. To make my essential website, I used one of their premium templates. Then I customized it with my brand colors and fonts. Mailchimp was the first email software I used because it was widely used online by many merchants. Shopify and Mailchimp ended their business relationship about a year ago. This meant that Shopify merchants needed a third-party app to sync to Mailchimp or to find another email platform.
After learning that Mailchimp and Shopify had parted ways, I began researching other software for my email needs. The business group suggested Klaviyo I am a part of. It was easy to use, and I spoke with other switched users. It was liked by the people I spoke with and more potent than Mailchimp.
If you are starting, I recommend you review the Get Started Training Session videos. This series covers all aspects of Klaviyo. I did not do this; it would have saved me many headaches.
Chat
Klaviyo initially seemed complicated, but it got easier as I used it more. To have chat access, I purchased the paid version. Chat is an invaluable tool when I have trouble understanding something.
Many of my emails bounced when I first sent an email to Klaviyo. I was unsure what was happening. Klaviyo came up to me and explained the situation. They suggested that I use segments instead of the entire newsletter file. After talking with them, I learned how to create pieces. Then, I started using them when I made my email campaigns.
Automated emails (flows)
Klaviyo refers to their automated emails as flows. I set up a flow to send to my clients when they sign up to be part of The Exclusive Jewelry Club for my website: creativejewelrybymarcia.com. My flow is composed of three emails. These emails are a welcome series introducing the new client to Creative Jewelry By Marcia.
Every email is personalized with the recipient’s name. I love not having to worry about emailing everyone who signs up.
I currently have one flow, but I have plans to create more. The abandoned cart is the following flow I will make. Have you ever started an order but got distracted and forgotten to complete it? Shopify currently only sends one email to customers. I will turn off that email and create two emails for clients when they haven’t finished checking out.
Segments
My first email had many bounces and low open rates. Klaviyo seems more strict than Mailchimp in sending emails. Klaviyo suggested that I segment people so that the email is sent to only some in my newsletter. I had to create criteria to select which people I wanted to include in my email messages. I made a segment that chose people who subscribed to my newsletter and opened an email within the last # few days. This segment eventually improved over time.
As I got more experience with segments, I began to use them more. I created another feature to resend the email to non-openers the next day. This has increased my open and click-through rates. For the email I send the next day to non-openers, I get between 10-17% available rates. You must change the subject line of the resend email when you do this. The rest of your email can remain the same. You can schedule the original and resend emails simultaneously. Make sure you check “Determine Recipients At Send Time.” This feature will prevent you from resending the email to recipients who have already opened it. The segment will be recalculated when you send it by checking this box.
To ensure that people are being added correctly, you should periodically check your profile against your newsletter. That was the first thing I did when I noticed that Shopify wasn’t adding people as they should. Klaviyo and Shopify were both helpful through chat. This is now checked every month with segments I created.
Email Templates
Klaviyo allows you to create a wide variety of email types.
You don’t need to start over with your email campaign if you don’t want to. Klaviyo offers over 50 themes and more than 15 basic themes. You can also import templates and save them for later use.
Metrics
Klaviyo provides me with much more information than Mailchimp about the activities of my visitors on my website. Klaviyo has a fantastic metric area that provides all kinds of analysis about your list. Klaviyo has been my favorite tool for more than a year. I am still learning new things about it every day. Klaviyo’s best feature is looking at my email list and seeing what jewelry they have purchased in my store.
