Hey, it's Geb from Email Rev Lab!
I signed up on LivBalance's website today.
Their pop-up fired fast. The email hit my inbox in under 60 seconds. That's rare. Most brands fumble that part.
But here's the problem nobody's talking about.
It landed in Promotions.
Not Primary. Promotions. Right next to every other coupon email your subscriber gets from every other brand competing for their attention.
The Brand:
LivBalance is on a mission to give Filipinos trustworthy supplements that support not just beauty, but total health. Their products are manufactured in Taiwan and carry ISO, HACCP, and Philippines FDA registration. That's a serious quality story for the Filipino market.
They've got retail presence at Mitsukoshi BGC and Ayala Malls. That's not a hobby brand. That's a real business with real infrastructure.
Which is exactly why landing in the Promotions tab stings more.
You've built the certifications. You've built the retail presence. But if your welcome email looks like a coupon blast, subscribers treat it like one.
The Pop-up Test:
The offer is solid. 10% off, framed as a welcome gift for first-time buyers. Clean design, product shot, simple two-field form.
But the copy says: "Thank you for being here. It's our welcome gift exclusively for first-time buyers only."
That's passive. It sounds like something you'd read on a thank-you card.
First-time visitors don't need gratitude. They need a reason to trust you fast.
The Tech Test:
Delivery speed is excellent. Under 60 seconds. That part is dialed in.
The issue is inbox placement. Landing in Promotions means your subscriber has to go looking for the code. Most won't.
The Inbox Test:
Subject line: "Here's your 10% OFF 🎉 - Welcome!"
It does the job. But it reads like a discount email. Combined with the Promotions tab placement, this is a one-two punch that tanks open rates before the email even gets a chance.
The Email Creative Test:
The welcome email is clean. The coupon code is front and center. Product bundles are featured.
But the email opens with "Hi there!" LivBalance collected the subscriber's first name in the pop-up form. Not using it in the email is a Klaviyo setup gap, not a copy problem.
The Fix (Klaviyo, 3 steps):
In your Klaviyo welcome flow, change the subject line to something curiosity-driven. Try: "Your body needs this more than the 10% off." This shifts inbox behavior over time as subscribers engage.
In the email body, replace "Hi there!" with the first name merge tag: {{ first_name|default:'Hey' }}. The pop-up collects it. Use it.
Add a plain-text version of the welcome email in Klaviyo. Gmail deprioritizes HTML-heavy emails to Promotions. A plain-text fallback improves Primary placement rates.
Most supplement brands lose 30-40% of their pop-up signups to Promotions tab placement and generic subject lines. LivBalance is close. Three settings stand between them and Primary.
Here's what I'm curious about: what's their welcome flow open rate right now? Because with inbox placement like this, I'd bet it's sitting under 35%.
LivBalance has the certifications, the retail presence, and the mission to be the go-to, trustworthy supplement brand in the Philippines. They just need their email infrastructure to match.
I send these audits daily because bottlenecks like this can be fixed in one day with the right information.
Want me to audit your Klaviyo account the same way?
Reply to this email and I'll send you a free breakdown of where your welcome series is leaking revenue.
Geb Vence
P.S. I run Email Rev Lab. We've generated $334k+ for brands by building systems that feel like conversations, not ads. I only work with 3 brands per month. Schedule your call here.