In my role as director of retention at KULIN, a brand-first performance marketing agency, something has been becoming more and more obvious: most retention problems aren't about implementation. They're strategy problems that look like implementation problems.
What I’ve found in the last year or so is that my marketing challenges get easier when I have the right prompts to get to strategy solutions faster.
I sat down with marketing experts from all over the world to collect our most effective prompts.
1. A smarter post-purchase flow map
Post-purchase flows tend to get built once and then ignored, often for way too long. A lot of brands assume customers already understand the set-up and usage of your product, or what next steps they should take. That’s usually the hole in the flow, and this prompt makes it stand out immediately.
This prompt gets you to rethink the post-purchase flow experience from the customer’s point of view so you can confirm that the timing and messaging still make sense for both first-time and repeat buyers. It’s also helpful when you’re working with a flow someone else originally set up and you need to figure out the logic behind it.
The post-purchase sequence builder prompt
[Brand] sells [product] with an average order value of [AOV] and a typical repurchase window of [timeframe]. Map out the ideal post-purchase email touchpoint sequence in Klaviyo.
For each touchpoint, include:
• The goal
• Suggested time delay
• What the email should focus on
Factor in first-time vs. repeat buyers where relevant.
Email marketing AI pro tip: Give the AI your customer buckets upfront—new vs. returning, hero product vs. accessory, high AOV vs. low—and ask it to map each one separately. The output will be significantly more useful than a one-size-fits-all sequence.
2. A campaign performance analysis that goes beyond averages
Manually labeling campaigns and calculating averages takes ages. Remember when we used to do that before AI? This prompt cuts straight to the patterns so you can see which themes are performing and which ones are dragging down your metrics. It also gives you practical next steps instead of a long list of raw numbers.
The campaign performance analyzer prompt
Attached is a CSV export of all email campaigns sent in the last 365 days from Klaviyo.
Analyze the data and tell me:
1. Which campaign types, themes, or subject line patterns drive the highest open rates, click rates, and placed order revenue?
2. What's underperforming relative to the account average?
3. Based on the patterns, what should I do more of and what should I pull back on?
Email marketing AI pro tip: My team and I have seen the best results come from asking follow-up questions once you see something interesting in the data. The more context you add, the more specific and useful the insights become.
3. A segmentation gap report
Most segmentation reviews focus on what already exists. This prompt forces you to focus on the people you’re not speaking to yet and helps you understand why each new segment actually matters from a revenue or customer experience point of view.
The segmentation gap finder prompt
I manage a Klaviyo account for an [industry] brand with [list size] subscribers.
Here are the segments we're currently sending to: [describe or list them].
Identify the gaps. Who are we likely missing, and which segments should we build next? For each suggestion, explain the business case for messaging them separately.
Email marketing AI pro tip:After you see the suggested segments, compare them against your recent campaigns. You’ll spot audience groups that have been getting content that doesn’t fit them, and others that haven’t been contacted at all.
4. A list of subject lines worth testing
Email marketers need enough solid subject line options to make a real choice without wasting time scrolling through a huge list. I use the prompt below, which asks for just 6 subject lines, and have the AI split the angles between curiosity and clear benefit. This gives me a way to test what my audience responds to.
The subject line-generating prompt
Write me 6 subject lines with preview text for this campaign: [paste brief or describe email].
Give me 3 that are curiosity-driven and 3 that lead with a clear benefit. Max 9 words per subject line, 60 characters for preview text.
Email marketing AI pro tip: Making sure the AI sticks to the character limit is the most helpful part. Everything comes back ready to use without you having to do any trimming.
5. A flow audit with teeth
A broad flow audit usually turns into generic advice. This prompt focuses the review on the pieces that actually drive performance, like subject lines, copy clarity, CTA strength, and whether the targeting logic still makes sense. The request for clarifying questions helps prevent incorrect assumptions before the analysis even starts. This prompt is most useful when the email designs, triggers, and details are mapped in a Figma/Canva file, then exported into your AI chat.
The flow audit prompt
Audit the attached email flow for [Brand].
Evaluate each email across these dimensions:
• Subject line and preview text effectiveness
• Copy clarity and brand voice
• CTA strength and placement
• Audience segmentation logic
The goal of the flow is [goal or objective]. Flag any gaps in the customer journey or missed personalization opportunities.
For each issue you identify, provide a specific, actionable recommendation, not general best practices.
Ask any clarifying questions before outputting your audit.
Email marketing AI pro tip: Abandonment flows often reveal the quickest wins. Small adjustments here tend to lead to strong test ideas and clear performance lifts.
6. A retention flow health check
Victoria ap Gwynedd, CRM consultant at Unified.co, uses this retention flow audit prompt as a quick way to identify any low-performing flows. “It’s a great way to run a quick health check audit,” she says.
The retention flow health check prompt
I want a full retention flow audit for [Brand] over [timeframe].
Please pull the following analysis: overview list all active flows currently running.
For each flow, show:
• Flow name trigger type (post-purchase, win-back, browse abandonment, welcome)
• Total recipients YTD, open rate, click rate, conversion rate, and revenue attributed
Flag any flows with below-benchmark performance (open rate <20%, conversion rate <1%).
Email marketing AI pro tip: Replace the benchmarks above with what’s most relevant in your industry.
7. A conversion velocity snapshot
Ap Gwynedd’s next prompt helps you understand how long it takes subscribers to make their first purchase after opting into email, and whether this conversion velocity has changed over time.
Specifically, this prompt helps ap Gwynedd and her team determine if a welcome flow needs to be tweaked and if the brand is encouraging the right people to opt in.
The conversion velocity tracker prompt
What is the average time from email sign-up to first purchase? And how does this trend over the last 2 years?
Email marketing AI pro tip: Use this prompt to optimize the full customer journey, including:
- Acquisition ads
- Sign-up forms
- Welcome flow
- Lapsed welcome flow
- Campaigns to leads
8. A multi-lens retention strategy session
Stefan Milicevic, strategy director at Underground Ecom, developed the prompt below to conduct a research and development council that helps his team take a step back and look at the fundamentals of a business. “This helps you solve root causes, instead of constantly running around trying to fix symptoms,” he says.
This helps you solve root causes instead of constantly running around trying to fix symptoms.
It can help solve any underlying retention marketing issues with businesses of any size, type, or niche by using multiple personas and angles to analyze problems. “This approach is easy to scale and incredibly effective,” Milicevic says.
First, describe the retention marketing problem you're wrestling with. Be specific: What's the current state? Where are customers dropping off? What have you tried? What's the business constraint (budget, timeline, team capacity)?
Then, run the council session below and synthesize their debate into a memo that surfaces the real leverage points and trade-offs you're facing.
**[Describe your retention challenge here.]**
The multi-lens retention strategy prompt
You are facilitating an R&D council session focused on **retention marketing strategy**. 5 strategic advisors will debate the business problem presented, then you'll synthesize their perspectives into an actionable memo.
The 5 advisors:
**Growth strategist**
**Product architect**
**Direct response strategist**
**Audience builder**
**Monetization strategist**
---
**RULES FOR THE ADVISORS:**
• Each advisor delivers 3–4 focused paragraphs. Direct, specific, no filler.
• Reference the actual business context you provide, not generalities.
• **The advisors MUST disagree with each other.** If everyone aligns, identify the real tension hiding underneath. Where would they prioritize differently? What trade-off does each advisor accept that another rejects?
• Each advisor should reference or challenge what another advisor said. This is a debate, not a roundtable.
Email marketing AI pro tip: The more detailed and data-driven your input, the better the output will be. Try to give each “advisor” the data from their vertical.
9. A prioritized experimentation roadmap
“Most teams use AI for implementation, but not for deciding what to test next, which is where the real leverage is,” says Zac Fromson, cofounder of Lilo Social.
Most teams use AI for implementation, but not for deciding what to test next, which is where the real leverage is.
Fromson’s prompt below turns AI into a strategic partner that helps prioritize experiments based on business impact, not just ideas.
“This prompt also forces hypothesis-driven thinking, which dramatically improves learning velocity,” Fromson explains. “Instead of random A/B tests, you get a structured roadmap tied to revenue outcomes.”
The experimentation roadmap builder prompt
You are a lifecycle marketing experimentation lead for a $[X] DTC brand. Based on the data below, generate a prioritized testing roadmap for email and SMS.
Include:
• 10 test ideas across flows + campaigns
• Hypothesis for each (what behavior we’re trying to change)
• Expected impact (revenue, CVR, AOV, LTV)
• Effort level (low/medium/high)
• Where it fits in the funnel (acquisition, conversion, retention)
• Suggested success metric + sample size guidance
Email marketing AI pro tip: Once you start using this prompt regularly, stack your inputs. The more specific your data (top flows by revenue, key drop-off points, current AOV and LTV, etc.), the tighter the prioritization gets. Start with your 3 lowest-effort, highest-impact ideas and build from there.
10. A margin-aware offer framework
“Most email prompts focus on copy, but offer strategy is the biggest revenue lever in lifecycle marketing,” Fromson says. "This prompt helps teams stop over-relying on blanket discounts and instead align incentives with customer intent and profitability. It introduces strategic thinking around margin protection while still driving conversion. It's especially powerful for brands stuck in constant promo cycles."
This prompt helps teams stop over-relying on blanket discounts and instead align incentives with customer intent and profitability.
Fromson adds that the structure makes a real difference in practice. "By factoring in AOV, margins, and customer behavior, the prompt makes sure discounts are used intentionally to drive conversion without eroding profitability,” he explains.
“It also introduces structure across the lifecycle, so offers are tailored to customer intent instead of being one-size-fits-all, Fromson continues. “Ultimately, it helps brands move from reactive promotions to a more strategic, margin-conscious approach that still maximizes revenue."
The offer strategy framework prompt
You are a pricing and retention strategist. Based on this brand’s margins, AOV, and customer behavior, recommend the optimal discount and offer strategy across lifecycle emails.
Include:
• When to introduce discounts vs. hold margin (by flow stage)
• Suggested offer types (%, $, bundles, gifts, urgency mechanics)
• How to differentiate offers between segments (new vs. repeat, high LTV vs. low intent)
• Risks of over-discounting and how to mitigate them
• 3 testable offer frameworks for: welcome, abandonment, win-back
Email marketing AI pro tip: “It’s so effective because it forces you to root your offer strategy in real unit economics rather than guesswork,” Fromson says.
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