Why Every DTC Brand Needs a Sunset Flow (Before It’s Too Late)

Guys, I have a confession.

I’m a passionate de-clutterer.

And it all started ten years ago, when I was living in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.

One day I’m scrolling through a blog when suddenly this review headline stops me dead in my tracks.

“The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo.

I read the first few lines of the review and immediately buy the book.

If you aren’t familiar with Marie or her book, it’s basically a system for decluttering your home.

The main principle is to keep the things that spark joy.

Everything else? Gone.

At first, it sounds kinda woo-woo.

But then I tried it.

I filled four giant trash bags of “joyless” stuff.

That moment changed how I see clutter,  and not just in my home.

Funny enough, that same “does it spark joy” principle applies to email marketing. 

Why You Need A Sunset Flow 

If you’re spending money to drive cold traffic, you know how tough it is to get a positive ROAS.

Sure, the goal is a first-visit purchase.

But most people need 5 to 12 touches before they buy.

That’s why getting the email is so important.

Email is the cheapest way to
bring people back to your site.

But there’s a catch.

As you add thousands of new emails, a lot of them just sit there.

They never open. Never click. Never buy.

And Gmail notices.

If someone hasn’t engaged in a while, they’ll show a prompt asking,

“Do you want to unsubscribe from these emails?”

So if you’re not cleaning your list, Gmail might do it for you.

And if you’re not actively cleaning your list, it turns into a cluttered, unengaged mess.

Which is a problem for two big reasons:

1. Hurts Your Deliverability
   
   When inbox providers like Gmail or Yahoo see thousands of people ignoring your emails, they will gradually lower your domain reputation which overtime will start sending your emails to the spam folder. That’s not good. 

2. Higher Costs
   
   Klaviyo charges by list size. So you could be paying thousands of dollars a month to store people who will never buy from your brand. Talk about NOT sparking joy. 

That’s why you MUST set up a Sunset flow. 

How To Set It Up A Sunset Flow 

When it comes to Sunset flows I take a pretty ruthless approach.

First I build a segment in Klaviyo like this:

• Subscribed to email

• Never placed an order

• Haven’t opened an email in 180 days

• Haven’t clicked an email in 180 days

• Have received 30+ emails

• Haven’t visited your site in the last 30 days
  

If they check all those boxes?

They’re gone. 

Unlike the cliché agency playbook, I don’t send them two emails begging them to click to stay on the list.

I just suppress them.

I know it’s hard for a lot of brand owners to remove prospects from their list.

You spent money to get those emails. It feels wasteful.

But here’s what happens if you don’t regularly clean your list:

Month after month, your open rates start to drop.

Then clicks drop.

Then revenue quietly starts to slide.

And six to eight months later, people start asking,

“Wait… what’s going on with email?”

No one knows.

Everyone’s pointing fingers.

It’s not one big mistake. It’s death by a thousand cuts.

That’s why sunset flows matter.

They keep your list clean and your performance strong.

That’s exactly how I’d set up a sunset flow to clean and protect your list.

And if you need help doing that, click the link below to see if we’re a good fit.

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