Klaviyo setup for membership businesses

The member lifecycle

1. 01

   Join

   Welcome and first steps.

   Output: Active member

2. 02

   Onboard

   Help using key benefits.

   Output: Early value

3. 03

   Engage

   News and events.

   Output: Ongoing interest

4. 04

   Renew

   Reminders before the date.

   Output: Renewal

5. 05

   Win back

   After lapsing.

   Output: Returning member

Onboarding

Members who use their benefits early are more likely to stay. An onboarding flow over the first weeks can point to the most valuable features, explain how to book or log in and invite a first event. Base it on what your most loyal members actually use.

Renewal reminders

If each member's renewal date is stored on their Klaviyo profile, a date property flow can send reminders at set points before it. Renewal and payment notices that simply tell members about their account are service messages; ICO guidance says adding marketing material makes a message marketing, so keep promotions out of them.

Data worth syncing

Example: a climbing wall membership

Membership setup checks

Lapsed members

Former members who agreed to marketing may welcome a reminder of what they are missing or a reason to return. Keep winback short and respectful, and stop after a few messages if there is no response.

Measuring results

Track renewal rates and returning members in your membership system before and after the flows go live. Those figures matter more than open rates.

Failed payments

When a renewal payment fails, a prompt, clear notice explaining how to update payment details can save a membership that would otherwise lapse by accident. It is a service message about the member's account, so keep it free of promotion. Payment status needs to reach Klaviyo from your payment or membership platform for this to work.

Segments by level and use

Members at different levels, or who use different benefits, want different news. Segments by membership level, join date and activity, such as event attendance, let you send relevant updates instead of everything to everyone. Klaviyo's segments update themselves as conditions change.

Trusted sending

Renewal reminders that land in spam lead to accidental lapses. Set up a branded sending domain and confirm authentication meets Gmail's sender guidelines.

Marketing to members

Offers, partner promotions and event marketing to members are marketing. Send them only to members who agreed or meet the soft opt-in conditions under ICO guidance.

Welcome information

The first email after joining should confirm the membership, explain how to use it and say who to contact with questions. Treat it as service information and keep it clear and useful. Members who feel welcomed early are easier to keep, and the email answers questions that would otherwise reach your team.

Events and attendance

If you run events, syncing attendance lets you thank attendees and invite similar events, and spot members who have not attended in a while.

Before and after

Note renewal rates for the months before the flows went live, then compare. It is the clearest sign of whether the emails help.

Your account

Keep the Klaviyo account in your organisation's name, and give staff or volunteers their own user roles.