Top ESP features you’re probably not using

Email service providers (ESPs) have come a long way from basic send-and-track tools. Today’s platforms are built to power hyper-personalized customer journeys, automate retention strategies, and integrate seamlessly with your entire marketing stack. But even experienced lifecycle marketers often use only a fraction of what their ESPs can do. True impact comes when your ESP connects effortlessly with the rest of your data ecosystem, from warehouses and CDPs to other marketing tools, unlocking next-level personalization and efficiency.

If you’re focused solely on campaigns and flows, you might be missing out on features that could dramatically improve performance, efficiency, and customer insight. 

Let’s explore a few powerful ESP capabilities you’re probably overlooking:

1. Dynamic content and conditional logic

Dynamic content lets you show different messages to different audience segments within a single email. Instead of cloning multiple versions, you can use merge tags and logic blocks to display product recommendations, banners, or CTAs based on a subscriber’s behavior, purchase history, or location.

Start small by personalizing hero images or product grids, then expand into conditional messaging for offers and loyalty tiers.

Pro tip: Pair your dynamic content with segmentation rules in your ESP. The more accurate your data sync, the stronger your personalization.

If your ESP supports Handlebars, Liquid, or Jinja syntax (like Klaviyo, Simon AI, or Bloomreach does), you can use conditional logic to personalize content directly in your email HTML.

2. Predictive analytics for smarter targeting

Many ESPs now include predictive models that forecast behaviors such as likelihood to purchase, churn, or open. These insights let you tailor your messaging cadence and incentives for each customer group.

For example, use “predicted next purchase date” to send replenishment reminders right on time, or create segments of “high churn risk” customers to trigger win-back journeys.

This type of targeting not only increases conversion rates but also helps you protect deliverability by reducing over-sending to disengaged users.

3. Send-time optimization

Still sending every campaign at 10 a.m.? Most ESPs now offer machine learning–driven send-time optimization, analyzing when each subscriber is most likely to engage based on historical data.

Sending your email when recipients are most likely to open it significantly boosts engagement. More than 50% of email opens happen between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., so using optimized time helps ensure your message lands in that window.

4. Multi-channel orchestration

Your ESP might already support SMS, push notifications, or in-app messages, but these features often go underused. Integrating these channels within your lifecycle flows can bridge engagement gaps between inbox and mobile.

Try combining an email reminder with an SMS follow-up for time-sensitive offers or abandoned carts. According to Omnisend, campaigns that use at least three channels have 287% higher purchase rates than single-channel ones.

5. A/B and multivariate testing beyond subject lines

Most marketers test subject lines, but your ESP’s testing features likely go much deeper. Experiment with message frequency, layout, CTA placement, or product recommendations.

Testing within lifecycle flows (not just campaigns) can uncover major performance wins, such as identifying which welcome message drives the most conversions or which incentive best reactivates dormant users.

Pro tip: Test one variable at a time and run it long enough for statistical significance.

6. Data enrichment and integrations

Your ESP can often act as more than a sending tool; it can become the hub of your customer data. Explore native integrations with your CDP, CRM, or ecommerce platform to unlock advanced segmentation and cross-channel reporting.

The richer your data, the more relevant your automations. For example, syncing product catalog data allows you to automate back-in-stock alerts or personalized recommendations with minimal effort.

Bringing it all together

Your ESP already has the potential to power a world-class lifecycle marketing strategy—it’s just a matter of unlocking its full toolkit. Start by exploring one new feature per quarter, testing its impact, and scaling what works.

You don’t need a new platform to elevate your lifecycle program. You just need to use your existing one to its full potential.

Looking to get more from your ESP? Scalero helps brands optimize their lifecycle stack for performance, from integrations to advanced automations. Let’s talk.