Ads get people to your store. Email and SMS bring them back, and that is where a lot of the profit is. Here is the order I would build it in for a Shopify brand, with results from client work at Riches & Saint.
Start with flows, not campaigns
A flow is an automatic message sent when someone does something. Set these up first, because they run every day without you:
- Welcome series for new subscribers.
- Abandoned cart for people who left something behind.
- Browse abandonment for people who looked but did not add to cart.
- Post-purchase to thank buyers, set expectations and bring them back.
Campaigns, like a sale or a new drop, come after the flows are working.
What we have seen
These come from real client accounts, so your results will differ.
- Email and SMS together brought in 13% of one client's revenue on a mature list, with zero spam complaints.
- One apparel list opens at about 62%.
- Another apparel list went from a lower open rate up 9.5 points to 47% after we refreshed the creative.
- A five-day sale for a streetwear client brought in about $71,000 and 300 orders, and nearly $20,000 of it came from SMS.
Why creative matters more than people think
The lift from 47% opens did not come from a clever trick. We made the emails look and sound like the brand, and the list responded. A plain template to an engaged list can work, but a branded one earns attention and clicks. This is why we handle design and marketing under one team.
Email vs SMS
- Email is for storytelling, launches, education and longer offers. Send it more often.
- SMS is for time-sensitive moments like a drop, a restock or the last hours of a sale. Send it less often and keep it short.
Get proper consent for both, make unsubscribing easy and respect it. Your list is only worth something if people want to be on it.
A simple starting plan
- Install Klaviyo or your email platform and connect it to Shopify.
- Build the four flows above.
- Add a sign-up offer on your site.
- Send one campaign a week, then adjust based on what gets opened and bought.
- Add SMS once your email is steady.
If you would rather have a team do it, that is what Riches & Saint does. Book a free 10-minute call and we will tell you where the money is hiding in your list.
Quick answers
How often should I email my list?
Most brands do well with about one to three emails a week once the flows are running. Watch your unsubscribes and spam complaints and adjust.
Is SMS worth it for a small Shopify store?
It can be, especially for drops, restocks and sales. Start with email, then add SMS once you have a growing list and a reason to text.
Keep reading
Why work with Riches & Saint
Strategy first, then design, then the build. Everything under one roof, so your brand actually sells.
- Creativity meets conversion. We do not make pretty things that do not sell.
- Branding, websites, content, ads, email and SMS all done by one in-house team.
- 390+ brands grown across 20+ industries, from startups to global names.
- Two owners, Lola and Izu, who are still involved in the work.
Say hello
Speaking, coaching & press
I reply within 2 business days.