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 76: Segmentation Super Episode

    In this Segmentation Super Episode, Jordan Gordon breaks down the exact segmentation frameworks the Pilothouse retention team uses to drive more revenue from the customers you already have. If your Klaviyo account feels messy, underperforming, or overly broad, this is your reset. You’ll learn why bad segmentation quietly kills inbox placement, how to structure high-signal engagement windows, and the practical segment models you can build today to improve campaign performance. From lifecycle and recency to whales, cohorts, and discount behavior, this episode is packed with actionable systems you can implement immediately. Whether you're new to segmentation or looking to level up an already sophisticated program, this walkthrough gives you the playbook to send smarter and earn more from email and SMS. 00:00 Introduction 00:29 The #1 Klaviyo killer: bad segmentation 03:18 Inboxing, engagement, and list hygiene fundamentals 09:08 Core segmentation factors (recency, lifecycle, engagement, product, whales) 24:12 Simple segmentation models you can build today 38:17 SMS segmentation math and optimization 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

    41 min

  2. FEB 24

    Ep 75: Building an Audience in 2026

    How do you actually build an email audience in 2026 without burning your list or wrecking deliverability? In this episode, Jordan Gordon breaks down the math and mechanics behind sustainable audience growth. From unsubscribe modeling to engagement windows, this is a tactical walkthrough of how smart operators forecast list health and protect future revenue. If your list growth feels unpredictable (or worse, quietly shrinking), this episode shows you exactly what to measure and how to model what happens next. Inside the episode: • Why disengaged subscribers quietly kill future revenue • The simple formula that predicts email revenue with surprising accuracy • How unsubscribe rate compounds faster than most teams expect • Why campaigns alone won’t reactivate cold subscribers • The spreadsheet model that forecasts your list through Q4 2026 • How send frequency impacts both revenue per send and list health Email remains one of the most controllable growth channels in ecommerce — but only if you understand the mechanics behind it. 00:00 Introduction 00:40 The core truth about repeat buyers and email reach 01:51 What still matters from the 2025 audience playbook 05:39 Why reactivation requires evergreen engagement content 09:01 The spreadsheet model to forecast your list growth 13:26 The unsubscribe math most brands underestimate 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

    23 min

  3. FEB 21

    Ep 74: How to Attribute Your Post-Click Ecosystem (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of this deep dive, Jordan breaks down how to attribute your post-click ecosystem without relying solely on platform reporting. From estimating CRO uplift to sizing Rebuy’s true contribution and pressure-testing retention performance, this episode walks through the math and the mindset operators need to understand where low-cost revenue is really coming from. In this episode: How to estimate CRO revenue impact using direct linear conversion rateTwo practical ways to measure Rebuy performanceWhy MER comparisons often mislead operatorsThe retention metrics that matter more than repeat rateHow to size each growth lever against total Shopify revenue 00:00 — Why Post-Click Revenue Matters 00:29 — Measuring Rebuy’s True Impact 06:42 — How to Calculate CRO Revenue Uplift 13:25 — Comparing Channel Revenue Rates 14:49 — The Retention Metrics That Actually Matter 30:22 — Final Framework and Key Takeaways 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

    36 min

  4. FEB 17

    Ep 73: 5 Retention Metrics I Track (And 1 I Ignore)

    Most brands track repeat rate. I don’t. In this episode, Jordan breaks down the five customer retention metrics he actually uses to judge whether an email and SMS program is driving real business results — and the one popular metric he ignores entirely. Because the truth is: strong retention programs don’t always make your email metrics look better. In fact, sometimes open rates and click rates go down while revenue goes up. This episode covers how to measure what actually matters, including: Why repeat rate can send the wrong signals How to track repeat buyers year over year A leading indicator for second purchases and funnel health How to measure reactivation from “stale” customers What your active repeat buyer base says about long-term growthThe one “master metric” that shows if retention is driving incremental revenue 00:00 — Introduction 03:25 — The metric I don’t track: repeat rate (and why) 04:54 — Metric #1: Repeat buyers year over year 06:20 — Metric #2: Same-quarter repeat (a leading indicator) 09:13 — Metric #3: Stale repeat buyers (95+ day gap) 12:35 — Metric #4: Active repeat buyers as a share of your base 15:31 — Metric #5: Repeat buyers as a share of incremental growth 19:26 — What happens when retention starts driving the business 21:19 — Final thoughts on measuring real retention impact 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

    22 min

  5. FEB 10

    Ep 72: How to Attribute Your Post-Click Ecosystem (Part 1)

    Attribution doesn’t stop at ads. In this episode, we walk through how to measure the full post-click ecosystem (from email and SMS to CRO and retention) and how these channels work together to drive low-cost revenue. Jordan shares a practical model for evaluating channel impact beyond standard multi-touch attribution, why some of your most important revenue drivers get under-credited, and how to identify opportunities to improve marketing efficiency without spending more. If you’re trying to understand where your real growth is coming from, this is a foundational episode. #ecommerce #emailmarketing #retentionmarketing #attribution #digitalmarketing #dtc #pilothouse #cro #smsmarketing #shopifymarketing 00:00 — Introduction 00:50 — Defining the post-click ecosystem and how to think about it 02:03 — What rising ad costs can reveal about your retention strategy 08:22 — How multi-touch attribution fits into the bigger measurement picture 19:03 — The 14-metric framework for evaluating your full ecosystem 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. FEB 3

    Ep 71: Predict Your 2026 Email Revenue

    Email is still the most predictable revenue channel in ecommerce—but most brands don’t forecast it correctly. In this episode, Jordan Gordon breaks down a simple, highly accurate system for predicting your 2026 email revenue before the year even starts. You’ll learn how to model email revenue using six core components of a healthy email program, including campaigns, welcome flows, post-purchase, reactivation, and abandonment—without relying on gut instinct or vague growth assumptions. Jordan walks through the exact metrics to pull from Klaviyo and Shopify, how to apply top-of-funnel vs list-growth factors correctly, and why email revenue is far more controllable than paid media. #emailmarketing #emailrevenue #retentionmarketing #ecommercegrowth #klaviyo #customerretention #lifecyclemarketing #dtc 00:00 Introduction 00:59 How to predict your 2026 email revenue 05:03 The two growth factors that drive email revenue 09:19 The six core components of an email program 12:43 Forecasting campaign revenue using revenue per email 18:05 Predicting welcome flow revenue 27:41 Modeling abandonment revenue from site sessions 31:36 Applying list growth vs top-of-funnel growth correctly 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

    35 min

  7. JAN 27

    Ep 70: Diagnosing a Drop in Email Revenue

    When email revenue drops, most teams guess. This episode shows how to diagnose it systematically. Jordan breaks down the two real drivers of email revenue decline: fewer emails sent and lower revenue per email sent — and walks through the exact hierarchy of metrics that explain what’s actually happening inside Klaviyo. You’ll learn how to: Identify whether the problem is frequency, send size, segmentation, or list healthUnderstand how segment mix and message mix impact revenueSeparate real performance issues from attribution noiseEvaluate inboxing, relevance, and engagement the right wayUse Shopify, Klaviyo, and attribution models to determine whether purchase behavior actually changed #EmailMarketing #Pilothouse #CustomerRetention #LifecycleMarketing #EmailAnalytics #Segmentation #MarketingAttribution #InboxDeliverability #EcommerceMarketing #DTC 00:00 — Introduction 01:00 — The only framework you need: emails sent vs revenue per email sent 03:12 — The real reasons email volume declines 05:33 — Segment mix: the silent lever behind performance 10:48 — Tune-out vs opt-out: what’s actually shrinking your list 15:40 — Why relevance and inboxing determine revenue per email 26:34 — Attribution reality: when revenue falls but growth improves 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

    32 min

  8. JAN 20

    Ep 69: Email Metrics and Reporting That Matter

    Most brands look at the wrong email metrics. In this episode, Jordan explains how to build a real retention engine in 2026 by focusing on the numbers that actually drive growth: clicks, inbox health, segment performance, and list quality. You’ll get a simple dashboard framework you can set up in minutes to see exactly what’s happening inside your email program — and stop getting fooled by misleading attribution. If email is a big part of your revenue (or should be), this is a must-listen. #EmailMarketing #RetentionMarketing #EcommerceGrowth #MarketingMetrics #CustomerRetention #EmailAnalytics #DTC #EmailDeliverability #DataDrivenMarketing #MarketingPodcast 00:00 – Introduction: Why Retention Beats Acquisition 03:04 – The First Metric to Check 06:52 – Start With Clicks, Not Revenue 10:16 – When Lower Metrics Are a Good Sign 14:08 – Tracking True List Growth 23:19 – Inbox Health by Domain 32:55 – Cleaning Up Underperforming Automations 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

    36 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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