Automated emails can be a strong asset for businesses already running or thinking about investing in email marketing. Accumulating an email list and developing regular newsletters or promotional content is a great start, but you can do even more with the contacts you’ve collected.
Standard campaigns usually involve manually sending out emails to your list all at once; automated emails are sent when triggered by specific actions or behaviors. When an email reaches the right person at the right time, the message has a real shot at resonating.
What is email automation?
Automated email marketing is the practice of setting up emails that send themselves based on specific subscriber actions or behaviors. Rather than crafting and sending every message individually, you build the email once, define what sets it off and let it run.
It is worth noting that the automation refers to the send, not the email itself. The content, tone and targeting should be personalized to the recipient and the reason they’re receiving an email. If recipients feel the emails they receive are too generic or excessive, they’ll perceive them as spam and treat them as such.
This is why balance matters. Automations are not about finding every possible reason to reach out to a subscriber. Rather, this tactic is about identifying moments where a timely, relevant email can actually make a difference.
Potential Email Workflow Automations
Automated email workflows are designed to address different points in the customer journey. Not every one will be relevant to your business, but the ones that do represent real opportunities worth taking advantage of.
Welcome Workflows
A welcome email is the first communication a new subscriber receives after signing up, whether they opted in for a newsletter, a promotion, a download or any other offering. This initial email sets the tone for the experience, allows you to introduce your brand and lets subscribers know what they can expect from you going forward.
Beyond the introduction, including an incentive like a discount or exclusive offer gives new subscribers a reason to take action right away. Welcome emails consistently see some of the highest open rates (when sent to primary inboxes), so taking advantage of that early attention can go a long way toward turning a new subscriber into an engaged customer.
Browse Abandonment Workflow
This email is sent out when someone visits your website, spends time looking at products or services and then leaves without taking any action. People who receive this email showed interest but haven’t followed through… yet.
Browse abandonment workflows are a good addition because they reach people at a moment when your brand is still fresh in their mind. A timely follow-up can serve as a gentle nudge that brings them back to what they were looking at and moves them closer to a decision. Just try to keep these emails from being too pushy. The goal is to bring them back, not push them away.
Abandoned Cart Workflow
When someone adds a product to a cart only to abandon it before purchase, an abandoned checkout email is sent to bring them back. This workflow is commonly incorporated for good reason.
Just because someone failed to fully complete the checkout process doesn’t mean they’re no longer interested in the product or service. People get distracted, run out of time or take a moment to consider the purchase further before fully committing.
Post-Purchase Follow-Up Workflow
Once a customer completes a purchase or books a service, an automated follow-up sequence kicks in to keep them informed and engaged. This can include an order confirmation, a thank you, tips for getting the most out of what they bought or signed up for, or a request for a review down the line.
Hearing from a brand after a transaction reassures customers that they made a good decision and keeps your business top of mind during a period when they are most engaged. A well-timed review request, for example, is far more likely to get a response in the days following a purchase than it would be many weeks later on.
Reengagement Workflow
Over time, some subscribers will stop opening your emails altogether. A re-engagement automation targets those inactive contacts with the goal of winning back their attention before they disengage completely.
What makes this automation worth having is that the people receiving it already know your brand. They signed up for a reason. Reengagement emails, whether they contain a compelling promotion, an exclusive offer or simply a check-in, give recipients a reason to reconnect.
