10 Email Automation Workflows You’ve Never Heard Of — That Really Work
Share
10 Email Automation Workflows You’ve Never Heard Of — That Really Work
You’ve probably heard of welcome emails, cart abandonment, and post-purchase flows. That’s table stakes. But if you want to build a serious retention engine—one that actually scales customer LTV—you need to go deeper.
At Sticky Digital, we build lifecycle automations that most brands (and even agencies) don’t think to use—but that quietly drive outsized results.
Here are 10 underused, high-performing email flows you’ve probably never implemented—but absolutely should.
1. First-to-Second Purchase Accelerator
Why it matters: The leap from first-time buyer to repeat customer is the most critical moment in retention.
What we build: A behavioral-based flow that nudges first-time buyers toward a second purchase using smart product recommendations, reorder reminders, and social proof specific to their order history.
2. Discount Usage Reminder Flow
Why it matters: Too many brands send discounts… and never follow up.
We create: A 2–3 touchpoint automation that reminds customers to use their active promo codes, with urgency and relevancy personalized to their last engagement.
3. Pre-Lapse Education Series
Why it matters: Most brands wait until it’s too late to win back churned customers.
We launch: A proactive flow triggered 15–30 days before a customer typically lapses—educating them, reinforcing product value, and offering engagement-based reactivation without relying on discounting.
4. Order Milestone Flow
Why it matters: Customers want to feel seen, especially when they’ve been loyal.
We trigger: Flows at purchase #3, #5, or #10 with celebratory messaging, early access, and loyalty nudges. These flows humanize your brand and deepen LTV.
5. Post-Cancel Reframe Flow
Why it matters: Most brands treat churn as the end. We treat it as a new beginning.
We send: A “thank you anyway” flow with unexpected gratitude, no hard sell, and slow-drip reminders of what they’re missing. This can reignite customers who would otherwise disappear for good.
6. Cross-Category Nudges
Why it matters: If you’re only selling within category, you’re capping your AOV.
We build: Logic-based flows that identify customers who’ve bought in one category but never explored another—and introduce them with use case-focused messaging and curated product picks.
7. Review Ignition Sequence (That Doesn’t Feel Robotic)
Why it matters: Reviews build trust. But bad review emails get ignored.
We create: A multi-touch flow that combines storytelling, UGC, and real-life photos that make the review ask feel human—and prime customers to share more meaningful insights.
8. “Almost Loyal” Flow
Why it matters: Not every high-frequency customer joins your loyalty program.
We trigger: A flow for customers who meet spend or frequency thresholds but aren’t in your loyalty program—educating them on benefits and frictionlessly nudging them into the ecosystem.
9. Subscription Pause Rescue
Why it matters: Not all churn happens at cancelation—some of it happens during skips and pauses.
We send: Behavior-triggered emails after a pause or skip, designed to reinforce product value, offer swap options, or re-engage with bundles and one-off reactivation campaigns.
10. Product Use Follow-Up (Non-Consumables Edition)
Why it matters: Most brands do this for supplements. Few do it for apparel, tech, or lifestyle products.
We build: Follow-ups post-delivery that share styling tips, care instructions, advanced feature unlocks, or real-user examples—designed to reduce return risk and increase long-term satisfaction.
These Flows Don’t Just Look Smart. They Work.
Automations shouldn’t just live in the backend. When built right, they become your most efficient growth engine—quietly driving retention, AOV, and loyalty in the background.
At Sticky Digital, we build email ecosystems in Klaviyo that go far beyond the basics. And if you’re stuck with just a welcome series and abandoned cart? You’re sitting on untapped revenue.