The World's Best Email and Retention Podcast

The DTC Podcast Network
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to The World's Best Email and Retention Podcast, or as we've been calling it, TWBERP. Dive into weekly episodes designed to help new and seasoned email and retention marketers make the most out of their email program. Get educated, get inspired, and get your notebook ready because you've got some work to do. Hosted by Pilothouse's Jordan Gordon on the DTC Podcast Network.

  1. 6d ago

    Ep 89: The essential flow everyone is missing, + Aritzia inbox feature. Don't miss this money maker!

    This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Klaviyo⁠⁠⁠⁠. Most brands send a welcome email and immediately dump subscribers into their campaign program. This episode breaks down the automated flow that fixes that gap: the essentials flow. Jordan walks through why campaign revenue is concentrated among people who have visited the site recently, how to run the segment research yourself to confirm it, and why sending more campaigns is the wrong lever to pull. The essentials flow targets active-on-site visitors with deep, conversion-focused emails about your core products — the ones that actually drive purchases but never get the focused sell they deserve. Also covered: how the essentials flow sits above the recommendations flow in the conversion funnel support framework, how to Tetris both flows together without overlap, suppression rules, frequency windows, and how a 40-message lifecycle system replicates six to eight campaigns worth of monthly revenue without inflating send volume. The Aritzia inbox walkthrough shows exactly where the opportunity lives, even for a brand with a strong campaign program. Topics covered: Why most campaign revenue comes from recent site visitorsHow to run the segment research in KlaviyoCampaigns generate intent, automations convert on intentWhat belongs in an essentials flow and how to structure itHow essentials and recommendations flows work togetherSuppression and re-entry rulesThe 40-message lifecycle build framework 00:00 – Intro 02:54 – Where the essentials flow fits in the funnel 03:24 – How to run the segment revenue research 07:22 – Two types of people on your list 09:48 – Campaigns generate intent, automations convert on intent 13:08 – Aritzia inbox walkthrough 18:41 – How to structure the essentials flow 21:07 – Essentials flow and recommendations flow together 27:47 – The 40-message lifecycle framework Work with Pilothouse: ⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC: ⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠ Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast

    31 min

  2. May 26

    Ep 88: The Psychology Behind the Buy: Skims and Percival and What Your Email Program Should Learn

    This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠Klaviyo⁠⁠⁠. Consumer psychology is not a channel-specific tactic. It runs underneath your email program, your site, your advertising, and your pricing. In this episode, Jordan Gordon breaks down the psychological mechanics at work across two brands operating from opposite ends of the gender and aesthetic spectrum: Skims and Percival. Topics covered include relative price anchoring, deliberate purchase behavior, self-concept theory, reactance theory, social proof with and without celebrity, the psychological redefinition of comfort, cultural currency, the mere-exposure effect, the Diderot effect, cognitive legitimacy, and reciprocity as a retention tool. The core argument: if your email program is only pushing margin-driven sends, you are burning the relationship. Brands that give real value on a consistent schedule train subscribers to stay engaged and buy repeatedly. Skims and Percival are used as case studies throughout, with direct application points for email content, welcome flows, post-purchase sequences, and long-term retention strategy. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 03:00 Why consumer psychology applies across all channels 04:00 Price is psychological: the $50 tap water case study 06:45 Deliberate purchase behavior and identity-driven buying 08:45 Social proof: Skims vs. Percival and two opposing strategies 11:00 Comfort is psychological: post-pandemic emotional marketing 13:45 Self-concept theory, tribal emblems, and reactance theory 19:30 Mere-exposure effect, the Diderot effect, and cognitive legitimacy Work with Pilothouse: ⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC: ⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠ Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast

    25 min

  3. May 19

    Ep 87: Top 10 Fixes for a Pooched Email Account

    This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠Klaviyo⁠⁠. If your open rates have collapsed, your list is shrinking, or you're buried in the spam folder, this episode walks through exactly what to do. Jordan covers the 10 most important moves for recovering a damaged email account, from setting realistic expectations and rewarming your list to running email-only promotions and tracking the metrics that actually tell you if the program is healing. Topics covered: How to diagnose whether you have a spam problem or a disengagement problemWhen to rewarm and how to do it without destroying what's leftWhy subject lines matter more than design when your account is poochedHow to establish a safe send size and stick to itThe stale repeat buyer metric and why it's the clearest signal of recoveryWhy list size is one of the most misleading metrics in emailHow to use SMS as a bridge while email recovers 00:00 Intro 02:25 What a pooched email account looks like 04:24 Fix 1: Set realistic expectations 05:49 Fix 2: Optimize your pop-up and list growth trend 08:16 Fix 3: Decide whether to rewarm 10:08 Fix 4: Establish your safe send size 13:19 Fix 5: Two campaigns per week 16:13 Fix 6: Subject lines over design 18:35 Fix 7: Clean up content and URLs 19:34 Fix 8: Run email-only promotions 21:26 Fix 9: Lean into SMS 23:14 Fix 10: Get your metrics in order 25:39 The stale repeat buyer metric Work with Pilothouse: ⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC: ⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠ Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast

    28 min

  4. May 12

    Ep 86: 9 Flows, 20+ Emails: Building Your Conversion Funnel Support Ecosystem

    This episode is sponsored by ⁠Klaviyo⁠. When in doubt, zoom out. Most brands have a browse abandon and a checkout abandon — and call it done. In this episode, Jordan breaks down the entire conversion funnel support ecosystem: all 9 flows, how they connect, and how many emails each one actually needs. What's covered: The difference between lifecycle and funnel support (and why it matters)All 9 flows: site abandon, category abandon, browse abandon, cart abandon, checkout abandon, back in stock, price drop, recommendations, and funnel flusherWhy back in stock and price drop are long-tail revenue machinesHow to set up flow rules so people move down the funnel — never upWhy discounts don't belong in your funnel support (and the Toms email that proves it)The minimum email count for every flow in your library Plus: a live breakdown of browse abandon emails from Thrifty's and Toms — what works, what doesn't, and why hiding your product behind a hero shot is costing you conversions. Referenced episodes: The Only Site Abandon Flow You'll Ever Need The Only Browse Abandon Flow You'll Ever Need Site Funnels Episode 1 & 2 Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & what is conversion funnel support? 03:15 – The 4 core abandonment flows: site, category, browse, cart & checkout 08:30 – How to set up flow rules (people move down, never up) 13:19 – Beyond abandonment: back in stock, price drop & recommendations 19:11 – The recommendations flow: Amazon-inspired product discovery 22:00 – The funnel flusher: when and how to use it 24:25 – How many emails does each flow need? 26:24 – Live email breakdowns: Thrifty's & Toms 34:11 – Why discounts don't belong in funnel support 37:37 – Lifecycle discounting: the clean way to structure offers Work with Pilothouse: ⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC: ⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠ Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast

    42 min

  5. May 5

    Ep 85: Touch Points Have Throughput (And You're Probably Ignoring It)

    This episode is sponsored by Klaviyo. Most ecommerce brands obsess over rates — pop-up submit rate, click-through rate, conversion rate. But rate without throughput is meaningless. In this episode, Jordan breaks down the 15 core touch points every ecommerce brand should be mapping, monitoring, and iterating on — and introduces the framework for how to actually think about them. You'll learn the difference between assets and touch points (and why it matters more now than ever), how to build your minimum viable touch point map, and what views to run through each touch point so you're never flying blind. In this episode: Assets vs. touch points — what's the difference and why it mattersThe 15 core touch points: from unaware landing pages to campaign headersWhy throughput is the metric you should be watchingHow to audit your touch points once a month without losing your mindThe pop-up math that tells you if yours is actually workingPDP real estate — what to put around that add to cart buttonBrowse abandon, cart abandon, and the pre/post cart email frameworkDrop structure — a four email set to monetize any product launch Referenced episodes: 4, 37, 46, 66, 67, 84 Episode Timestamps: 00:00 – Why throughput beats rate every time 05:18 – The 15 touch point map explained 08:13 – Touch points 1-3: Unaware, aware, and retargeting destinations 10:40 – Home fold 1 & 2: Are you sending people the right place? 14:08 – PDP: The highest value real estate on your site 19:53 – The pop-up math that tells you if yours is actually working 24:13 – Welcome, browse abandon, and the pre-cart email framework 30:25 – Campaign header/footer: The highest throughput touch point you're ignoring Work with Pilothouse: ⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC: ⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠ Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast

    38 min

  6. Apr 28

    Ep 84: From Lost Visitor to Loyal Buyer: How Smart Personalization Fixes the Discovery Gap (with Julia Whatley from Rebuy)

    If your store has hundreds — or thousands — of SKUs, your biggest problem isn't your product. It's discovery. Jordan sits down with Julia Whatley, Senior Partner Manager at Rebuy, to break down how smart personalization turns an overwhelming catalog into a guided buying experience. From search-driven add-to-carts to post-purchase subscription upgrades, Julia walks through the full on-site journey and how brands are using Rebuy to lift AOV, drive repeat purchases, and build more intelligent relationships with their customers. In this episode: Why mega-SKU brands have a discovery problem, not a product problemHow one brand hit a 32% AOV boost and 20% bottom-line revenue increaseThe full personalization stack — search, bundles, smart cart, post-purchase, and moreHow to combine Klaviyo segments with Rebuy for truly tailored on-site experiencesThe "complete the look" strategy and the psychology behind purchase behaviorWhat the winning brands of the next three years will have in common 00:00 – Intro & meet Julia Whatley, Senior Partner Manager at Rebuy 03:30 – The mega-SKU problem: why large catalogs create analysis paralysis 04:49 – KM Tools case study: 32% AOV boost & 20% bottom-line revenue increase 06:17 – Walking the full on-site journey: search, bundles, smart cart & more 12:49 – Bundle Builder: how 30% of Rebuy revenue flows through this one feature 25:47 – Secret weapons: Smart Links, geo-targeting & the Rebuy rules engine 30:55 – Klaviyo + Rebuy: why the integration is a need-to-have, not a nice-to-have 34:04 – The brands that will win in the next 3 years Work with Pilothouse: ⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC: ⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠ Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast

    38 min

  7. Apr 21

    Ep 83: 7 Fixes to Your Bottom Funnel – More Revenue from the Same Traffic

    In this episode, Jordan breaks down 7 fixes you can implement today to improve your bottom of funnel and turn existing traffic into more conversions. The throughline: you don’t need more traffic—you need to capture more of the traffic you already have. What you’ll learn: How to turn your PDP into a conversion driver (not a dead end) Why small homepage changes can drive outsized revenue The right way to structure pop-ups (including when to double or triple pop) How to fix your abandonment flows to actually convert Why most brands underutilize reactivation (and how to fix it) The strategic mistake behind most underperforming funnels (trust vs. desire) 00:00 Why BOFU is more traffic 00:41 The fastest way to drive revenue today (email + CRO) 01:50 PDP fixes: keep attention above the fold & drive scroll 04:42 Homepage tweaks that actually move revenue 07:06 Pop-ups done right (timing, double + triple pop) 11:25 Abandonment flows: what most brands are missing 12:54 Reactivation: why 12 months matters 13:54 The full funnel stack (home → PDP → flows) 14:25 The big mistake: trust vs desire (and how to fix it) Work with Pilothouse: ⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC: ⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠ Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast

    21 min
  8. Ep 82: Email & SMS Drove 3.3x Higher Growth (Jordan's Analysis)

    Apr 14

    Ep 82: Email & SMS Drove 3.3x Higher Growth (Jordan's Analysis)

    In this episode, Jordan dove into the data of 20 ecommerce brands to see what actually happens when you add email and SMS into the mix. The result: → 3.3x higher median growth → More revenue from repeat customers → Stronger overall efficiency (MER, ROAS, P&L) Email and SMS don’t just drive extra revenue. They make your entire acquisition system work better. In this episode: Why retention drives disproportionate growthHow repeat revenue compounds over timeWhy email unlocks more ad spendThe metrics that actually matter (and the ones that don’t) 00:00 Why Email & SMS Drive Growth 02:48 The 5 Metrics That Matter 04:42 3.3x Higher Growth Explained 10:01 What This Means for Your Business Work with Pilothouse: ⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠ Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast Subscribe to DTC: ⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠ Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast

    14 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Welcome to The World's Best Email and Retention Podcast, or as we've been calling it, TWBERP. Dive into weekly episodes designed to help new and seasoned email and retention marketers make the most out of their email program. Get educated, get inspired, and get your notebook ready because you've got some work to do. Hosted by Pilothouse's Jordan Gordon on the DTC Podcast Network.

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