Draft a Welcome Email Series With Klaviyo's AI

What This Does

A first-time buyer who hears nothing from you after checkout is a missed chance to turn a one-off sale into a repeat customer. Klaviyo's AI drafts the flow structure and a first pass at the email copy for a welcome series, so building one isn't a from-scratch writing project squeezed into a slow afternoon that never actually comes.

Before You Start

• Flows AI and the full email content generator require a paid Klaviyo plan. Klaviyo's free tier (up to 250 profiles) includes the subject-line generator but not flow building or full-body AI content, so check your plan under Settings → Billing before you start
• You have a short brief ready: what you sell, your typical first-time-buyer offer (if any), and two or three sentences on your brand's tone
• You're logged into Klaviyo with an active store integration (Shopify, Etsy via a connector, or your platform's equivalent) so the flow can trigger off a real first purchase

Steps

1. Start a new flow

In the left sidebar, click Flows, then start a new flow. Klaviyo offers a guided option for new users, sometimes phrased as "build a Welcome series," that scaffolds the structure automatically.

2. Let AI draft the flow logic

Describe what you want in plain language: the trigger (first purchase or list signup), how many emails, and the spacing between them. A common structure is three emails: a thank-you and what to expect, a bit of brand story or product care info, and a light nudge toward a second purchase. The AI drafts the flow's trigger, timing, and branches, which you can still edit by hand in the drag-and-drop builder.

3. Generate a first draft of each email

Open an email step in the flow and look for the AI content tool in the editor. Give it a short prompt describing that specific email's purpose: "thank-you email after first purchase, warm and personal, mention our return policy." It drafts a subject line, preview text, and body copy.

4. Rewrite before you turn it on

Read the draft closely. Klaviyo's AI-generated body copy tends to read generically, more like a template than something specific to your store, and often needs a real rewrite rather than a light edit. Replace generic lines with actual details: your product names, your real turnaround time, a specific reason someone chose you. If the draft feels flat, it's often faster to take Klaviyo's structure and rewrite the copy yourself or with a general chatbot, using Klaviyo's draft as the outline rather than the final text.

5. Test and activate

Use Preview & Test to see how the emails render on mobile, then turn the flow on once you're satisfied with all the copy.

Real Example

Scenario: You've been selling on Etsy for eight months and have never sent a single automated email after checkout.

What you type into the AI content tool: "Thank-you email for a first-time handmade jewelry buyer, warm and personal tone, mention that pieces are made to order and ship within 3-5 days, include a small discount code for their next order."

What you get: A draft subject line, a few short paragraphs, and a CTA button suggestion, none of it ready to send as-is, but a real starting structure instead of a blank editor.

Tips

• Use the AI for structure and speed, not final wording. Its strongest features are flow logic and subject-line variations. Body copy needs a real pass from you before it sounds like your store
• Write the flow's timing around your actual fulfillment schedule. If handmade items ship in 3-5 days, don't send a "how's your new item?" email on day two
• Once the welcome series is live, check its performance against your other campaigns after a few weeks. If open rates lag, the subject line is usually the first thing worth testing, and Klaviyo's generator can produce quick alternatives to A/B test

Tool interfaces change. If a button has moved, look for similar AI/magic/smart options in the same menu area.