multichannel

Top 5 New Klaviyo Features for Small Businesses

/ Klaviyo How-To, Marketing Strategy /

Looking for the latest new Klaviyo features to improve your email and SMS marketing? Klaviyo is a powerful marketing platform designed specifically for eCommerce brands. Its latest updates give small businesses even more tools to increase sales and engagement. From advanced analytics to seamless omnichannel marketing, here’s what’s new in Klaviyo.

Klaviyo’s New Marketing Analytics

Klaviyo’s Marketing Analytics add-on takes your data to the next level. This premium feature helps eCommerce brands analyze purchase patterns, track customer cohorts, and optimize automated flows based on customer behavior. 

Whether you’re building your first email automations or fine-tuning your segmentation strategy, these deeper analytics make it easier than ever. You can learn more about Marketing Analytics here.

Share Reviews with Potential Customers

In 2025, social proof is absolutely essential for small business success. By integrating reviews into your marketing emails, you build trust and help potential buyers feel confident in their purchases. Klaviyo makes it easy to showcase customer reviews, with new features like:

  • Viewing and managing reviews directly in Klaviyo
  • Easily dropping star ratings and testimonials into your email campaigns
  • Syncing reviews across Shopify, the Shop app, and other platforms

The new review features from Klaviyo streamline the entire process, so you can spend less time worrying about reviews and more time making sales.

Omnichannel Campaign Builder (in Beta)

Klaviyo’s new Omnichannel Campaign Builder—currently in beta—lets you align your messaging across email, SMS, and other marketing channels. This feature is especially valuable if you:

  • Need to deliver multi-channel campaigns to clients or higher-ups
  • Want consistent branding and timing across different platforms
  • Manage campaigns that involve multiple marketing touchpoints
  • Need to plan in advance for Black Friday and other major holidays

Klaviyo is actively improving this tool, so keep an eye out for more updates! Pure Firefly predicts a complete public launch is on the horizon for this year.

Boost Conversions with Customer Hub (in Beta)

The Customer Hub is a game-changer for eCommerce brands using Shopify and other platforms. This new feature creates a side menu where customers can log in while shopping, giving them instant access to:

  • Personalized product recommendations
  • Order history and tracking
  • Live support chat
  • Exclusive offers or loyalty rewards

By keeping shoppers engaged without disrupting their experience, the Customer Hub can help boost conversions and drive repeat purchases. If you haven’t already, be sure to enable this feature in your Klaviyo account!

Backfill Anonymous Shopper Activity

Klaviyo now uses Shopify’s web pixel to track and sync anonymous shopper behavior. This allows you to effectively target potential customers before they log in or make a purchase. When you backfill anonymous shopper activity, you can see:

  • Products a subscriber viewed before signing up
  • Customer interactions from previous website visits
  • Even more possibilities for personalized follow-up emails

As of 2025, this feature is Shopify-specific, but it’s expected to roll out to other eCommerce platforms soon.

Make the Most of New Klaviyo Features with Pure Firefly

Want to implement these new Klaviyo features but don’t know where to start? Pure Firefly specializes in Klaviyo email marketing, automation, and campaign strategy. Whether you need custom templates, advanced segmentation, or expert guidance, we’re here to help. Contact us today and let’s elevate your email marketing!

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how to choose your email marketing partner

How to Choose an Email Marketing Freelancer or Agency

/ Marketing Strategy /

Looking for the right email marketing partner to support your nonprofit or small business? Whether you’re seeking a freelancer for flexible, on-demand support or full-service email marketing agency, finding the right fit makes all the difference in your campaign success. Here’s how to choose the best partner for your needs.

Where to Find Email Marketing Support

When looking for an email marketing partner online, you’ll typically start in one of two places: 

  • Freelancer Marketplaces – Websites like Fiverr (for budget-friendly options) and Upwork let you browse profiles, compare pricing, and hire freelancers based on past client reviews. They offer a wide range of options, which can be helpful for finding the exact fit.
  • Email Marketing Partner Directories – Platforms like Mailchimp’s Expert Directory and Klaviyo’s Partner Directory list certified freelancers and agencies specializing in their respective tools. If you’re already committed to an email marketing tool, this is a great place to find partners with verified experience.

Wherever you start, be sure to read profiles thoroughly and pay attention to any reviews.

Choosing a Freelancer vs. an Agency

The choice between a freelancer and an agency depends on your budget, needs, and workflow preferences:

  • Freelancers are typically more affordable and flexible, making them a great choice for businesses that need quick turnarounds or prefer a one-on-one working relationship.
  • Agencies generally provide more structure. They may support you with a team of specialists, detailed strategy, and reporting. They are ideal for long-term support and businesses that need comprehensive services.

Imagine your ideal. If you want to come up with an idea and have an email ready within a day or two, a freelancer is probably the right fit. If you’d rather have a professional review your website, recommend, and execute campaigns for the next month, you likely need an email marketing agency.

Look for Email Marketing Certifications

Not all email marketers are created equal. Check whether your potential freelancer or agency has certifications in your email marketing platform (like Mailchimp or Klaviyo). Bonus points if they hold additional credentials in SEO, social media, copywriting, or other skills that complement email marketing. 

Just be sure to research certification titles, as some are more rigorous than others.

Check Out the Portfolio

A strong portfolio is one of the best indicators of expertise. Look for:

  • Work that aligns with your preferred style
  • Email designs for a wide variety of industries
  • Mobile responsiveness and interactivity, when possible

Make sure your chosen email partner follows design best practices — hierarchical layouts, consistent branding, and accessible fonts/colors.

Confirm Experience in Key Areas

Along with email marketing, there may be other skills you’d find helpful in an ideal email marketing freelancer or agency. For example…

  • Your CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive)
  • Social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Hootsuite)
  • Automation tools (Zapier, Make)
  • AI content generation

While these added skills may not be your top priority, a well-rounded partner can make collaboration smoother in the long run.

Talk Through Your Goals

Once you’ve confirmed a potential email marketing partner has what you need, it’s time to schedule an interview! Use this time to clearly communicate your marketing goals, and ask any  additional questions that will help you locate your dream partner. An interview is a great time to touch base on time zones, communication styles, security expectations, and any other nitty-gritty concerns. 

If their working style aligns with yours, you may have found the perfect fit!

Find Your Email Partner in Pure Firefly

Need a dependable email marketing agency that understands small business needs? At Pure Firefly, we specialize in Mailchimp and Klaviyo, and offer both strategic guidance and hands-on execution. Check out our portfolio to see some email design samples, or contact us for a free intro call!

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Mailchimp SMS for Small Businesses: The Ultimate Guide

/ Mailchimp How-To, Marketing Strategy /

SMS is a valuable tool for reaching your contacts with the right message at the right moment. In 2023, Mailchimp launched its SMS Tool, allowing users to integrate SMS messages into their existing email strategy. After 1 year with the tool, we’ve helped clients navigate the entire process– From getting messaging set up to sending SMS and analyzing the results. Here is our ultimate guide to Mailchimp SMS, with expert-backed tips to optimize your strategy.

What is SMS? 

SMS stands for short message service. In layman’s terms, that’s a text message. With Mailchimp SMS, you can send messages directly to your subscribers’ smartphones. When you add an image to your SMS, it becomes an MMS. MMS stands for multimedia message service. AKA: Text messages with pictures. 

Getting Started: Mailchimp’s SMS Application

Before you can send SMS or MMS with Mailchimp, you’ll need to fill out an application. This helps Mailchimp ensure you are a legitimate business following all relevant regulations, so they can protect all their users.

The application features a few key steps:

  1. SMS Goals: Choose from a list of approved uses for SMS, including order notifications, promotional campaigns, and more. Be sure to check your intended use against the list of “Unapproved ways of using SMS.” Unapproved use may result in account suspension.
  2. SMS Experience: Select your level of SMS experience or hit “Skip” to receive default how-to pop-ups from Mailchimp.
  3. Business Information: Fill out key business details including website, address, and Tax ID.
  4. Phone Number: Create a new phone number or send using an established number for your business.
  5. Sender Information: Choose your SMS audience (We recommend a single-audience strategy.) and fill in some additional information about your business.
  6. Terms & Conditions: Mailchimp requires terms & conditions and a privacy policy for SMS users. You can use Mailchimp’s template language, or link to existing pages on your website. Check out Mailchimp’s guide to creating a privacy policy.
  7. Credit Subscription: Choose how many credits you’d like to buy per month once your application is approved.

Mailchimp takes up to 5 business days to review your application, during which time you will see a “processing” status. Once your SMS application is approved, you’ll get an email from Mailchimp & be ready to send immediately!

How Mailchimp’s SMS Credits Work

Mailchimp SMS is available to users on the Essentials plan or above. Once a user completes their SMS application, they can choose to purchase anywhere from 1,000 to 450,000 credits per month. Users spend credits every time they send a message.

How do you know how many SMS credits you’ll need? It may take a little math. Mailchimp SMS messages consume 1 credit per 153 characters, or 1 credit per 63 characters if you use emojis. MMS messages consume 3 credits per 1,600 characters. 

Once you know how many credits your message is likely to use, you can multiply that # by the number of subscribers you’ll be reaching.

So, if you send 3 messages per month to 1000 recipients, and each message is under 153 characters long with no emojis, you’ll need 3000 credits per month.

Small businesses on a shoestring budget may want to start with 1000 credits and purchase more as needed.

Sending SMS & MMS Campaigns

Just like with email, Mailchimp users can schedule SMS messages in advance to moderate their send frequency. The SMS builder is a fairly simple interface, with a text box where users can type in their message, and an option to add an image. Images in MMS campaigns should be no wider than 640px and no taller than 1138px. If you’ve optimized image sizes for email before, you’re already on the right track!

Using SMS in Mailchimp Journeys

SMS messages can also be sent automatically using Mailchimp’s customer journeys. Just add a “Send SMS” journey point and customize the message to your preference! 

Here are some journeys small business owners can use to increase revenue with SMS:

  • Welcome new subscribers as they sign up (This can help decrease unsubscribes down the line!)
  • Send order notifications
  • Trigger reminders when a subscriber registers for an event
  • Send abandoned cart texts to accompany your emails
  • Use date-based automations to beat the competition during holiday rushes (Hello, Black Friday)

How Do I Know if an SMS Campaign is Successful?

Mailchimp offers a range of reports to analyze your SMS campaigns’ performance. For a general benchmark on engagement, click rates and open rates are a great place to start. According to Forbes, SMS open rates can be as high as 98%. However, your first few SMS messages are unlikely to reach such a high open rate and open rates don’t necessarily equate to high click-throughs.

SMS success is best measured in the context of your larger business goals. For example, if you’d like to increase revenue by 25% this quarter, see what percentage of your sales come from SMS. It can also be valuable to evaluate your first quarter using SMS against the same quarter the previous year.

If you’re not seeing the growth you’re hoping to achieve, don’t worry! It can take time to perfect your strategy and reach the right people with the right messages at the right times.

What Not to Do: SMS Practices to Avoid

As you develop your SMS strategy, be sure to avoid the most common pitfalls for new users!

  1. Never cold-SMS: All SMS subscribers MUST be actively opted in
  2. Don’t Send Too Frequently: Keep your messages to 1 per week at absolute maximum
  3. Message with a Purpose: Don’t send SMS just for the heck of it– Always share something valuable for your subscribers
  4. Keep it Personal: Use merge tags to personalize your messages
  5. Don’t Forget Your Numbers: Monitor campaign analytics to ensure your messages are bringing the intended results

When in doubt, put yourself in your subscribers’ shoes! If a message would annoy or upset you, it’s likely to do the same for your customers.

Optimize Your SMS Strategy with Pure Firefly

Pure Firefly was founded to provide high-quality, cost-effective marketing solutions for entrepreneurs, nonprofits & small businesses. As an agency with a combined 10+ years of experience, we’re committed to staying ahead of the curve in digital marketing. To get started with SMS, try booking a training call with one of our experts. Or bring us on a retainer for help with all your Mailchimp needs! We offer a wide range of services to fill your marketing needs.

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Stress-Free Black Friday Email Marketing for Small Businesses

/ Marketing Strategy /

In the race of Black Friday email marketing, small businesses may find themselves overwhelmed with questions. Here are answers to 5 of the most frequently asked questions about Black Friday email marketing for small businesses. By developing an effective strategy in advance, you can get ahead of the Black Friday frenzy and spend more time enjoying the holiday. (For maximum relaxation, you can always work with an email marketing partner.)

How Many Black Friday Emails Should I Send?

Small businesses need to strike a send frequency balance between staying at the top of their subscribers’ inboxes and overwhelming them with too much messaging. Typically, Black Friday sales should warrant between 3 and 5 emails. Here are some campaigns any small business should consider when preparing for Black Friday / Cyber Monday:

  1. “Coming Soon:” Let subscribers know what you’ll be offering at least a week in advance
  2. “Sneak Peek:” Give VIP customers a closer look at your deals
  3. “It’s Here:” Announce when the sale has begun
  4. “24 Hours Remain:” Remind subscribers not to miss this sale
  5. “Don’t Forget to Check Out:” Use an abandoned cart automation to recover missed sales

Because Black Friday is such a major retail holiday, some small businesses may want to update their routine automations with a temporary banner or Black Friday Shoutout. An email marketing agency like Pure Firefly can work with you to create automations that convert.

When should I start planning for Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

In order to effectively execute a Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday Campaign, small businesses should leave plenty of time for planning and promoting their sale. Small businesses should start planning their Black Friday email marketing in August. By starting in August, you leave your team plenty of time to develop a multi-channel marketing strategy and prepare to fulfill an influx of orders.

What marketing channels should I use to promote my sale?

Today, more and more people are using their mobile devices to access information. This makes digital marketing channels like email and social media more important than ever. If you use an email marketing platform like Mailchimp, you may find that you have a variety of useful tools already at your fingertips. Consider booking a training session with a digital marketing expert to look at your marketing options and build out a strategy in advance.

How can I stand out during the Black Friday rush?

Small businesses looking to stand out should use email marketing to reach previous and potential customers alike. Build anticipation a week or two in advance and use segmentation to target different types of customers. For example, you may reward customers who have purchased more than 3 times by opening the sale to them in advance. An abandoned cart automation can also make a huge impact on your Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales as well.

Be sure to sync up personalized, engaging email content with your marketing on other platforms. By meeting your customers where they are, you can ensure that your sale stays top-of-mind and stands out amongst competitors.

How do I know what’s working?

To evaluate your Black Friday / Cyber Monday campaign’s success, take a look back at last year’s performance and set a goal for this year. You may want to exceed last year’s Black Friday revenue by $1,000, or maybe you want to acquire 50 new customers. Most small businesses will find it most effective to evaluate success using a combination of various metrics. For example, your Black Friday announcement email may have earned a massive click rate but a low revenue if your site crashes or users are not impressed by the products you offer. 

Is it your first year setting Black Friday marketing goals? Try comparing metrics to your most recent sale, or work with a marketing expert to set goals that work best for your business.

Prepare for Black Friday with Pure Firefly

Pure Firefly is a full-service email marketing agency that specializes in working with small businesses and nonprofits. As a small business ourself, we understand how every moment makes a difference when growing your business. Save time and stress by hiring us to develop your Black Friday campaign, or book a strategy call so we can work with you to refine your plan.

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Are You Ready for Mailchimp’s New SMS Tool?

/ Mailchimp How-To /

Technology is constantly evolving, and so are Mailchimp’s marketing channels with the upcoming addition of SMS marketing. SMS (Short Message Service) has been around since the early 2000s, but only recently emerged as a powerful marketing tool. Mailchimp’s SMS feature is currently in beta testing, but you can still take steps to prepare for the tool’s

What is SMS Marketing?

SMS marketing involves sending short, concise text messages to subscribers’ mobile phones. Because mobile phones are so integrated into most people’s day-to-day life, SMS is a great way for businesses to communicate directly with their audience. It’s especially well suited to time-sensitive messages like promotions, event reminders, and more. SMS marketing provides a direct and personal way to engage with customers, often leading to high open rates and quick response times.

Gather Opt-In & Phone Numbers

Before you can start using Mailchimp’s SMS tool, it’s essential to get permission from your subscribers to send them text messages. Implementing a clear opt-in process is crucial for legal compliance and demonstrates respect for your audience’s preferences. Update your subscription forms to allow users to provide their phone numbers and opt-in for SMS communications. 

You can also send a landing page for your current subscribers to opt-in for SMS. That way, you’ll have contacts to send to when your SMS campaign is ready to launch. Make sure to communicate the value of receiving SMS messages from your business and consider offering a special discount to encourage opt-ins. 

Wondering how to optimize your opt-in process? Try a strategy call with one of our Mailchimp experts.

Build Your SMS Strategy

Like any other marketing channel, SMS requires a well-defined strategy to maximize its effectiveness. To avoid being overwhelmed, remember to market smart. Determine your goals for using SMS, whether it’s to promote new products, send exclusive offers, or provide timely updates. Consider the send frequency of your SMS messages and strike a balance between staying top-of-mind and avoiding overwhelming your subscribers. Craft concise and engaging content that delivers value in each text message. 

As Mailchimp rolls out SMS tools to more users, they are likely to launch more help articles on SMS strategy. For now, their post on 5 Key SMS Strategies is a great place to start.

Apply for Mailchimp SMS

To access Mailchimp’s SMS tool, you’ll need to apply for it once it becomes available. Keep an eye out for announcements from Mailchimp regarding the public launch of the SMS feature and the application process. Once the application is live, be prepared to confirm your business information and compliance contact details. While SMS is in beta, availability is likely to be limited, and the application process may change once the tool launches.

Understand Mailchimp SMS vs. MMS

Mailchimp’s SMS tool will be able to send both SMS (text-only) and MMS (multimedia) messages. Understanding the differences between the two will help you optimize your communication strategy. SMS messages contain only text, while MMS messages can include images and videos. SMS messages are technically limited to 160 characters, but users can insert over 160 characters and allow Mailchimp to break it up into multiple messages. Consider the type of content that will best convey your message, and be sure to consider image size when sending MMS.

UPDATE: SMS Now Available on Standard Plan

Since the first draft of this article was posted, SMS has become available to all users on Mailchimp’s standard plan or above! To learn more about Mailchimp’s SMS tools, check out our guide to SMS for small businesses.

Build an SMS Strategy with Pure Firefly

You can never be too prepared. While Mailchimp SMS is still in beta, consider developing your strategy with a Mailchimp Pro Partner like Pure Firefly. Pure Firefly is a leading marketing agency offering comprehensive digital marketing services and one-on-one strategy calls. From implementation to data analysis, Pure Firefly can assist you every step of the way. Contact us at any time to set up a consultation.

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The Value of Multichannel Marketing

/ Marketing Strategy /

What I Learned This Week About The New Campaign Manager: Multichannel Marketing

Mailchimp’s new Campaign Manager is optimized for multichannel marketing. It allows users to track campaigns beyond email, across SMS, social media, direct mail, and digital ads. What’s the benefit of managing multiple channels in one place?

Picture this: Your favorite online shop sends you a coupon in the mail. After a week, this mailer makes its way from your mailbox to your coffee table, to somewhere underneath that growing stack of bills you mean to pay. 

Then, just when you thought the savings were lost forever, you get an email with that very same coupon code. This is just one scenario where multichannel marketing saves the day.

Using Mailchimp’s Campaign Manager, users can build connections across platforms in order to respond to customer needs. Users can now reinforce their brand identity across all of Mailchimp’s marketing tools. Email marketers can reap many benefits, including

  • Synchronize messaging between platforms and strengthen brand identity
  • Engage with customers at the right moment, on the right platforms
  • Boost engagement across marketing channels

With multichannel marketing, users meet customers where they’re at, and connect messaging across channels to boost engagement and sales.

Need help coordinating your multichannel strategy? Book a call with Pure Firefly!

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