An electronic mail automation workflow is a sequence of emails which might be routinely triggered based mostly on consumer conduct, preferences, or a set schedule. Attempt pondering of it as your electronic mail advertising on autopilot, however with a private contact.
As an alternative of sending a one-off blast to your whole listing, you arrange logic-based flows that react to what your viewers does (or doesn’t do). For instance:
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Somebody indicators up on your publication? Increase – they get a welcome electronic mail.
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They click on a product hyperlink in that welcome electronic mail? Increase once more – they get a follow-up that includes that product.
Electronic mail automation isn’t nearly saving time – it helps construct higher relationships by sending emails after they’re most related.
A typical query electronic mail senders ask when constructing out their first campaigns is, what’s the distinction between a marketing campaign and automatic workflow? Nicely, with handbook marketing campaign, you choose a date, write an electronic mail, select a listing, and hit ship. Everybody on that listing receives the identical message on the identical time, no matter the place they’re within the buyer journey or how they’ve interacted together with your model.
With automated workflows, you set particular circumstances similar to “if somebody indicators up for a publication” or “if somebody abandons their cart” they obtain a sequence of focused emails on the most related moments. The content material can be tailor-made to their conduct and timing.
Attempt pondering of conventional campaigns like public broadcasts – nice for bulletins, however not at all times private. Automated workflows, alternatively, are extra like one-on-one conversations that evolve based mostly on every recipient’s actions. Which means much less repetition, fewer errors, and extra strategic focus. Plus, automation scales effortlessly as your listing grows.
So, are you prepared to start out constructing your first electronic mail automation workflow? Right here’s a step-by-step information that dives deeper into every a part of the method:
Begin by figuring out what you need the workflow to attain. Clear, measurable objectives assist form each component of your electronic mail automation technique. Some examples embrace:
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Rising conversions from new leads
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Boosting retention and lifelong worth
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Decreasing cart abandonment
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Educating customers on product options
Ask your self: what’s the top motion I need the recipient to take? This can be a essential first step to take earlier than constructing out any automation workflows.
Efficient automation is dependent upon delivering related content material to the correct folks. Bear in mind, not everybody in your listing is identical (or on the identical stage of the client’s journey) so sending the identical content material to everybody dilutes its affect.
Use segmentation to interrupt your viewers into smaller teams based mostly on:
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Demographics (age, location, job title)
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Conduct (electronic mail opens, web site visits, buy historical past)
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Lifecycle stage (lead, buyer, loyal consumer)
The extra customized your segments, the extra participating and related your content material will really feel for subscribers.
A set off is the place to begin of your automation workflow – it’s the particular motion, conduct, or situation that tells your electronic mail platform, “Go!”. Frequent triggers embrace issues like signing up for a publication, making a purchase order, abandoning a purchasing cart, and even reaching a birthday or membership anniversary. These are pure touchpoints to ship worth or immediate motion.
The set off ensures that the content material you ship is well timed and related, making automation really feel extra private and considerably simpler.
Earlier than constructing your workflow in an automation device, strive sketching it out. Embrace every electronic mail, its timing, and the actions that can change the subscriber’s path (like opening an electronic mail or clicking a hyperlink).
Additionally, understand that not each consumer will observe the identical path. You’ll need to map out branches similar to: “If the consumer clicks, ship supply electronic mail; if not, ship reminder.” This allows you to customise follow-ups based mostly on actual engagement. This visible planning additionally helps stop gaps or overlaps and makes it simpler to troubleshoot later.
Right here’s an instance of a logic workflow constructed utilizing Mailjet’s electronic mail automation device.
When you’ve selected a logic on your workflow, it’s time to create content material and design emails for every step. Now, each electronic mail in your workflow ought to have a transparent function and transfer the recipient towards your general purpose. Once more, that is essential as it is going to enable you information your copy and to some extent, the design.
Begin with compelling topic traces to drive opens, and use easy, participating copy to keep up curiosity. Your CTAs needs to be action-driven and straightforward to identify.
Additionally, be sure that your emails look nice on cellular units. Use responsive design, brief paragraphs, bullet factors, and huge buttons for CTAs. A clear and enticing structure helps enhance readability and will increase the chance that recipients will take motion.
For instance, in a welcome sequence, your first electronic mail may introduce your model and values. The second might supply helpful assets or best-selling merchandise, and the third may embrace a particular low cost. Each needs to be visually interesting, straightforward to skim, and written in a tone that displays your model.
Mailjet’s Electronic mail Editor affords the simplicity of drag-and-drop design, permitting you to fine-tune the feel and appear of your responsive advertising emails as a substitute of studying the best way to use complicated software program. Or, you should utilize one of many responsive electronic mail templates for a great-looking publication to seize your viewers’s consideration.
Timing is all the pieces in electronic mail automation. Ship messages too quickly and also you may annoy subscribers; wait too lengthy and also you threat dropping momentum. Spacing your emails strategically builds belief and retains your viewers engaged with out them feeling you’re hitting them over the top each time they open their inbox.
To get a deal with on what “good spacing” is, strive utilizing your information as an preliminary information. Think about your viewers’s typical decision-making timeline, the shopping for cycle, and former electronic mail efficiency. Chances are you’ll need to ship a follow-up 24 hours after a set off or house emails a number of days aside to nurture curiosity extra progressively.
As an illustration, in an deserted cart workflow, sending the primary reminder electronic mail one hour after the cart is deserted, adopted by a second electronic mail 24 hours later with a reduction code, is a standard and efficient timing technique. These delays could make the distinction between a accomplished buy and a misplaced alternative.
Earlier than launching your workflow, check each element to verify it really works as anticipated. You’ll need to:
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Test that hyperlinks are practical
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Personalization fields populate accurately
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Emails show correctly throughout units and electronic mail purchasers.
Additionally, simulate completely different buyer journeys by the workflow. Stroll by every path– clicked, didn’t click on, opened, didn’t open – and confirm that your circumstances and delays are triggered as supposed. This step helps you catch logic gaps or damaged branches early.
Mailjet additionally has an easy, easy-to-use automations function constructed into the platform
As soon as your workflow is dwell, preserve an in depth eye on its efficiency. Monitor metrics similar to:
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Open charges
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Click on-through charges
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Conversions
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Unsubscribes
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Bounce charges.
These electronic mail key efficiency indicators (KPIs) reveal which elements of your workflow are working – and which want work.
Use analytics to determine drop-off factors and optimize accordingly. If a big share of customers are opening however not clicking, your CTA may have tweaking. If a particular department underperforms, revisit the messaging or timing for that section.
For instance, in case your re-engagement workflow reveals a pointy drop in engagement after the primary electronic mail, take into account adjusting the topic line, redesigning the structure, or providing a extra compelling incentive within the follow-up. Small adjustments can result in vital enhancements in outcomes.
In-house electronic mail consultants Julia Ritter, Thomas Knierien, and Natalie Lynch walked by frequent automation workflows similar to welcome emails, abandonment workflows, and re-engagement campaigns, in addition to the best way to set them up utilizing Mailjet in a current Electronic mail Academy session.
Now that you know the way to construct a workflow, listed here are a number of real-world examples of automation sequences (three emails per workflow) that you possibly can take into account including to bolster your electronic mail technique. These examples might be tailor-made to go well with completely different industries, audiences, and objectives.
Goal: Make an incredible first impression and introduce subscribers to your model.
The way it works: Triggered when somebody indicators as much as your mailing listing. The primary electronic mail sometimes welcomes subscribers and supplies a fast intro to what it’s you do. The second electronic mail shares well-liked content material or product highlights, whereas the third electronic mail affords a limited-time subscriber low cost or invitation to discover extra.
Instance: An ecommerce model may ship a welcome electronic mail with a quick story in regards to the firm, adopted by a curated listing of bestsellers, and wraps up the sequence with a 15% low cost code for first-time patrons.
Goal: Get better misplaced income by reminding customers to finish their purchases.
The way it works: Triggered when a consumer provides objects to their cart however doesn’t try. The primary electronic mail reminds them of the objects, the second may showcase product advantages or critiques and the third features a time-sensitive low cost.
Instance: A trend retailer sends an electronic mail one hour after abandonment displaying the objects left behind, adopted by a second electronic mail 24 hours later with a buyer overview of one of many cart’s tiems, and a ultimate 10% off electronic mail 48 hours later to shut the sale.
Goal: Enhance buyer satisfaction and encourage repeat enterprise.
The way it works: Triggered after a buyer makes a purchase order. The primary electronic mail thanks them and confirms the order, the second supplies useful data or recommendations on utilizing the product whereas the third electronic mail recommends associated merchandise.
Instance: A tech gadget model follows up a smartwatch buy with an order affirmation, a “the best way to get began” information, and a ultimate electronic mail showcasing appropriate equipment.
Goal: Information leads from curiosity to conversion by schooling.
The way it works: Triggered when somebody downloads a information or indicators up for a webinar. The workflow delivers a sequence of instructional emails—articles, case research, success tales—and ends with a powerful CTA for a demo or free trial.
Instance: A B2B SaaS firm delivers an eBook on automation traits, then follows up with a case research, a buyer testimonial video, and a ultimate invitation to guide a 1:1 demo.
Goal: Win again the eye of inactive subscribers.
The way it works: Triggered when a contact hasn’t opened or clicked emails for a set time frame (e.g., 90 days). The primary electronic mail may say one thing alongside the traces of “We miss you!” and highlights current firm updates. The second affords an incentive whereas the ultimate electronic mail asks in the event that they nonetheless need to hear from you.
Instance: A subscription field model targets inactive customers with a playful “Nonetheless love surprises?” electronic mail, adopted by a 20% low cost, and finishes the workflow with a message letting them replace preferences or decide out.
These examples function an incredible place to begin, however the true energy of automation workflows lies in customizing them to your viewers and enterprise wants. The extra related your content material and timing, the simpler your workflows can be.
Additional studying: In case you’re new to the world of workflows, have a learn by these electronic mail advertising automation finest practices earlier than beginning to construct your personal. They’ll present an incredible blueprint to start out from.
In case you’re already a Mailjet buyer and have been curious on the best way to construct your first automation workflow, Mailjet’s Senior Product Supervisor, Natalie Lynch, does an incredible job of outlining the important thing steps on this brief, 5 minute video:
The assist crew additionally put collectively a step-by-step course of you possibly can observe alongside at your personal tempo.
And should you’re not a Mailjet buyer, properly, why not give the e-mail advertising platform a strive for your self?
Use Mailjet’s Electronic mail Automation workflows to streamline your communications. Ship clients triggered emails that arrive of their inbox as they attain essential milestones of their buyer journey.
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