Email Migration

System Migration

Company

Appfire

My Role

Project Manager

Tools

Jira Klaviyo Salesforce Marketing Cloud Slack

Timeline

2022 – 2023

Description

Led full email platform migration from Klaviyo to Salesforce Marketing Cloud, preserving deliverability, segmentation, automation flows, and campaign continuity while managing internal resource gaps.

Context

Appfire migrated from Klaviyo to Salesforce Marketing Cloud to scale email operations. Midway through planning, 3 key team members left, creating operational gaps. I took full ownership of the migration, partnering with Salytics (SFMC vendor) to lead the platform transition, manage technical configurations, maintain data integrity, oversee QA, and ensure global email operations continued without disruption.

Challenge


The migration introduced significant technical, operational, and resource challenges:

  • 20+ active automation flows, transactional emails, and campaigns required full rebuilds.

  • Subscriber data, segments, and consent fields needed complete extraction, mapping, and verification.

  • DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), sender reputation, and deliverability had to be protected.

  • Vendor (Salytics) required active oversight and daily coordination to execute build phases.

  • Cross-functional teams across marketing, compliance, legal, and engineering required alignment and approval cycles despite internal resource turnover.

Process


Discovery & Audit

  • Conducted full Klaviyo audit: flows, segments, suppressions, engagement, transactional triggers.

  • Mapped data dependencies, API integrations, consent history, and compliance flags.

  • Identified automation complexities requiring rebuilds in SFMC Journey Builder.


Vendor Coordination & Ownership Transition

  • Assumed full ownership of project management following internal resource exits.

  • Acted as primary liaison with Salytics, driving daily task prioritization, issue resolution, and milestone management.

  • Managed handoffs between vendor technical teams and internal stakeholders for content, design, and compliance.


Data Extraction & Mapping

  • Exported and cleaned subscriber lists, consent fields, suppression lists, and engagement data.

  • Normalized data for SFMC data extensions and ensured clean segment logic replication.

  • Verified cross-system data syncs for Salesforce CRM integration.


Automation & Campaign Rebuild

  • Oversaw rebuild of 20+ flows inside SFMC Journey Builder, ensuring conditional logic matched Klaviyo architecture.

  • Coordinated template rebuilds inside SFMC Content Builder while preserving brand styling, personalization, and dynamic content rules.

  • Validated transactional triggers, webhook events, and API call functionality.


Technical Configuration

  • Managed DNS authentication cutover: SPF, DKIM, DMARC alignment.

  • Conducted inbox placement testing, IP warming strategy, and deliverability monitoring.

  • Integrated Salesforce CRM triggers and synchronized real-time customer event data.


QA & Testing

  • Executed full multi-round QA cycles across all flows, transactional messages, and segments.

  • Verified trigger accuracy, personalization fields, time delays, and suppression logic.

  • Conducted rendering tests across major ISPs, devices, and inbox providers.

  • Confirmed compliance with CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and internal legal requirements.


Stakeholder Management

  • Held weekly cross-functional migration checkpoints with leadership, compliance, marketing, and engineering.

  • Documented all configuration changes, vendor task completions, and open risk logs.

  • Facilitated executive sign-off on final go-live cutover plan.


Go-Live & Post-Migration Monitoring

  • Coordinated controlled cutover window, monitoring bounce rates, inbox placement, and reputation metrics in real time.

  • Verified continuous flow triggers, transactional message delivery, and CRM data syncs post-launch.

  • Conducted post-launch audits for 14 days to validate full operational stability.

Solution


Successfully delivered full migration of global email operations from Klaviyo to Salesforce Marketing Cloud — preserving deliverability, maintaining subscriber integrity, and rebuilding full automation architecture under complex resourcing constraints.

Results


  • ✅ Migrated 20+ flows, campaigns, and transactional systems with zero downtime.

  • ✅ Managed full vendor relationship (Salytics) and technical delivery.

  • ✅ Maintained 100% deliverability and subscriber list integrity.

  • ✅ Protected sender reputation and DNS authentication throughout platform cutover.

  • ✅ Built complete internal documentation, QA processes, and ongoing operational playbooks.

  • ✅ Navigated resource loss by independently managing cross-functional teams and external vendors.