The Subscription Upgrade Flow: Enlarge Subscription Orders to Maximize LTV

Subscription customers create some financial security in your business.

Every month, their orders give you some level of “revenue floor” that gives you predictability and stability.

So finding ways to grow it (especially on autopilot) is a smart move.

You have two levers to pull when growing subscription revenue:

1. Increase your subscription customer base
2. Increase the value each member of that base brings

The first one is necessary at the very start, hence why you need a Push to Continuity Flow.

But that second option is MUCH more lucrative once you have an inflow of subscription customers.

Let’s do a simple math problem to illustrate:

• 500 subscribers
• Each worth $40/month
• Total subscription revenue = $20,000/month

Option A: Acquire 10 new subscribers

510 × $40 = $20,400 monthly revenue.

That’s a $400/month increase from $20,000. In other words, 2% more monthly revenue.

Option B: Get 10% of current subscribers (50 people) to double their subscription by adding one more of the same item.

That means 450 customers are at the $40/month level, while 50 have jumped up to $80/month.

450 × $40 = $20,000

50 x $80 = $4,000

$20,000 + $4,000 = $24,000 month revenue.

That’s an additional $3,600 without adding a new subscription customer…

But more importantly, it’s a $4,000 increase from $20,000.

In other words, a 20% monthly revenue increase… representing 10x larger of an increase from $20,000 vs. Option A.

Converting 10% of your subscription base is pretty easy for many types of products and pricing structures.

One more bag of snacks. One more candle. 1-2 more bottles of household cleaner. Another bottle or two of skincare balm.

These things run out. The case for doubling up is obvious. 

All you need is a Subscription Upgrade Flow. 

This flow sells customers on increasing the quantity or size of the same subscription product they already use…

Because if someone reliably uses it every month, there’s a good chance they’re open to getting more of it.

In this article, you’ll discover the benefits of installing a Subscription Upgrade automation, then learn the basics of building one.

Table of Contents

Benefits of the Subscription Upgrade Flow Theoretical Examples of Subscription Upgrades How to Make a Subscription Upgrade Flow Multiply Your Subscription Orders… Without New Customers What To Do Next

Benefits of the Subscription Upgrade Flow

The primary benefit of this flow is getting customers to move onto larger subscriptions — particularly after they use and enjoy the product.

It gets them right at a “habit escalation” moment. As you’ll see later, they get this flow mid-way through using one of their monthly deliveries (such as midway through their jar of lotion or supplement bottle).

Such a nature translates into a few key benefits:

Boosts Recurring Revenue Directly

A Subscription Renewal Flow alone protects your retention and adds a bit of one-off revenue. That revenue seems recurring since you’ll make sales every month…

But it’s not. Ultimately, those additions are one-offs. 

Unlike add-ons, the Subscription Upgrade Flow increases recurring revenue directly. If the customer goes from 1→2 units/month, you’ve doubled their subscription value.

Get this running and your “recurring revenue floor” starts to rise. That can create some serious financial security for (or growth in) your business.

Improves CAC: LTV Ratio

Your CAC remains the same. However, your subscribers’ value jumps in absolute terms and in their subscription value.

Thus, LTV climbs without a change in CAC. That means more profit in your pocket.

Leverages Better Order-Level Efficiencies

Larger sizes and double-strength products cost less per unit to produce.

This is because certain costs — fixed and semi-variable costs — don’t increase proportionally.

For example, rent/mortgage, insurance, software, and so on cost the same regardless of how many units you sell.

Other costs can scale with product, but not immediately. Labor, electricity, equipment usage, etc.

Even packaging doesn’t scale directly with production in all cases. 2x the product requires more packaging, but not necessarily 2x.

Regardless, more/larger units sold = same costs spread across more units = lower cost/unit = more profit/unit.

Thus, you could sell that larger version at a “size/bulk” discount, yet arbitrage between the increased production cost and the higher price.

For instance, say a product costs you $10 to make, and you sell it for $11. That’s a $1 profit margin.

You sell a double-sized version, but it costs you only $17 all-in to make, thanks to labor and packaging savings.

You could sell it for $19, doubling the profit margin (from $1→$2) despite offering a discount ($19 vs. $20 for double the size).

The customer saves money on a product they use frequently. You keep more of the money as profits.

The math can get more complex if you have a standard Subscribe & Save discount AND add a “bulk discount”. The math in this example may not represent real-world costs and margins.

But again, it’s all math. If the math works, you come out with more profits despite a more attractive price.

Reduces Churn

The Subscription Upgrade Flow trims your churn rate via two mechanisms:

1. Prevents running out early: Customers get more product, reducing the risk of running out and breaking their routine. This maintains habit formation — purchase and use are unbroken, unthinking parts of their routine. If that breaks, it takes psychological effort to get back on.

2. Reduces emergency one-off orders: Customers often buy from Amazon (Prime/fast shipping) if they need something fast. That’s lost revenue for you.

Theoretical Examples of Subscription Upgrades

Below are some bullet-point examples of ways a Subscription Upgrade Flow could upgrade different subscription products (the reasoning/messaging).

Not every niche is covered here, but many are. If your niche is not listed, you’ll still have inspiration and ideas to craft a creative, compelling spin on the “upgrade to more” idea.

Skincare

• “Seeing great results on your hands? Add another bottle to spread the youthful glow to your face/arms/etc.

• “Want stronger results? Try the Pro-Strength serum (same formula, double the concentration but NOT double the price).”

CBD

• “Daily use drains the salve quickly once you start using it on more achy areas of your body. Upgrade to our Large Salve so you can enjoy daily relief without waiting on your next shipment.”

• “Got more intense aches and pains? Try our Double-Strength Formula for stronger relief with every application.”

Coffee/Tea

• “Brewing every morning? Maybe your family’s begging for the coffee/tea now, too? Upgrade to 3 bags/month so you never run out (and add another 3% off to your subscription discount).”

• “Caffiend? Upgrade to the larger 2lb bag so you’re never left without your morning Joe fix.”

Candles

• “Burning your candle daily? Grab our larger 3-Wick version for a longer lifespan that covers more space.”

• “Loving this scent? Add another to your monthly box and enjoy the aroma throughout more of your space.”

Supplements

• “Studies show using X more of Y supplement potentially helps you lose 10% more weight per month. Grab our larger size/add another bottle to accelerate your progress.”

• “If your days are getting more stressful, switch to the higher-potency version of our all-natural sleep herb so you can get better rest despite the chaos.”

Meal Delivery

• “Love your order? Finishing it a bit too early? Upgrade to the Larger box — more food, lower cost per pound.”

• “Grilling more often? Got a family to feed? Move up to the Family Pack for better per-pound value and fill those hungry bellies.”

Snacks

• “If your monthly order is gone by Wednesday (maybe some pantry raiders are snagging your snacks), upgrade to the 4-pack so it lasts longer.”

• “Love this flavor? Add an extra bag so you never reach for the junk food… nor regret that ‘I can’t put the bag down’” moment as much.”

Pet Supplies

• “Growing pup? Upgrade to the larger bag so meals stay consistent as their appetite increases.”

• “Keep your puppy’s training on track — add a second bag of treats to your monthly order.”

How to Make a Subscription Upgrade Flow

Here are the basics for building a Subscription Upgrade Flow:

Triggers/Filters

This flow should trigger 15 days after their subscription for any subscription interval 30 days or longer.

For shorter subscriptions, you have a few choices:

• Don’t send this to them at all
• Leave it at 15 days anyway

On the latter, say it’s a weekly order. It triggers the day after their first renewal (second order). 

If it’s biweekly, same thing. Just further out. 

The timing still is fine even if it seems super early on (such as after a mere two weeks with weekly orders).

Getting emails urging upgrades the day after an order works out ok since they have stuck around long enough for a second subscription order.

Might need to do a bit of “has not received email” logic to ensure this doesn’t clash with the Renewal Reminder flow, though. That takes precedence.

For monthly or longer, well, the timing is fine there, too. They receive this flow further from their qualifying renewal order.

As for filtering people out…

Anyone who edits their subscription items should be filtered out at least. Bonus points if you can filter them out ONLY if they ADD more to their subscription.

Email Content

This one’s short. 

The first email is about doubling down on what works and ensuring they don’t run out of the product they love… segueing to the idea of upping their subscription amount.

The second email leverages proof. You show the reader that smart customers upgrade their subscription to more of the same for XYZ reasons, and back it up with a couple of testimonials.

The third email takes a page from my friend Chris Orzechowski’s email marketing playbook. It’s a spin on his “92-Word Email” that nudges prospects off the fence.

Throughout the emails, mention bonuses (like additional discounts, free items, or other perks) that come with increasing their subscription, if any.

All that said…

You could add more emails here. I always build upon foundational flows to see how I can get more out of them.

And with a flow like this, I can see room for emails that touch on the importance of maintaining lifestyle, having more for family, sharing, and so on.

But that is niche-dependent. More up to you on how to approach writing those emails from the general ideas I listed in the previous line.

Getting a “minimum viable flow” in place matters most. Enhance and optimize later.

Segmentation

Segment by category. That way, you can tailor the messaging to the type of item customers subscribe to.

For instance, let’s look at Paleovalley. They sell keto/animal-based snacks and drinks of all kinds.

One of their Subscription Upgrade flows might cover all of their meat stick products. Another might talk to the protein powder customers.

“What about people subscribed to multiple things?”

Focus on the top-seller. Set filters so they only get the Upgrade flow for the highest-selling product they’re subscribed to… similar to the Renewal Reminder flow.

Multiply Your Subscription Orders… Without New Customers

Once a customer is subscribed and getting results, it’s easier to get them to buy more of the same product. The Subscription Upgrade Flow helps you do that on autopilot.

In just a few emails, you can get them to add another jar, bottle, tub, etc. Suddenly, that customer’s worth at least 1.5x, if not twice as much (depending on your pricing/Subscribe & Save discount)…

All while getting even better results.

Go build a Subscription Upgrade flow now (or work with me to do it)! The earlier it’s in place, the faster you’ll see some customers double up on the products they love — and put more profits in your pocket.

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