Ad costs keep rising and platform algorithms change without telling you. A list you built yourself is subject to neither.
Build the list from day one
Every order gives you a number and an email. Make sure you have explicit consent for marketing contact — without it, messages are intrusive and non-compliant.
Match the channel to the message
- SMS: urgent and short — confirmation, shipping, an expiring reminder.
- WhatsApp: anything that invites a reply — enquiries, order follow-up, service.
- Push: repeat customers who installed your app.
- Email: longer content and detailed offers.
Messages that actually work
- Order confirmation and shipping updates — always the highest opened.
- Abandoned cart reminders within hours.
- Repurchase prompts for consumables at the expected time.
- Back-in-stock alerts for a product the customer asked about.
Keep frequency low
A weekly message with no reason costs you subscribers. The rule: send only when you have something useful to the recipient, not to you.
Make unsubscribing easy
Hiding the opt-out turns an uninterested subscriber into a complainant. Better they leave quietly than report your messages.