Email Automation: 5 Steps to Engage Customers

With the competition in inboxes rising, brands put more effort into email communication. Luckily, they don't have to send every email manually.  

Email automation allows businesses to create and deliver messages at the right time. These messages are triggered by a certain occasion (e.g., a subscriber's birthday) or an action (e.g., an email sign-up).  

Unlike manual emails, email marketing automation helps you send timely messages to a large audience without losing in terms of personalization. You can effortlessly tailor your email campaigns to each recipient's behavior, enhancing engagement and conversions. 

The power of automation reduces the manual workload while ensuring consistent communication and minimizing the chances of human error. Plus, it allows you to access detailed analytics to optimize future campaigns.

In this article, we'll explore why you need email automation tools to supercharge your emails and analyze the most effective steps to improve user experience. 

Why Should You Use Email Automation Tools?

A successful email automation strategy is as effective as the email automation tool used to execute it. Here are the main reasons why robust software is beneficial to your business:  

Saving time: 
Day-to-day tasks like list segmentation, email creation, or analyzing reports take time. Using email automation tools simplifies these processes, allowing you to focus on creative projects. 

Accessing pre-made automated workflows
Email marketing automation software has prebuilt automated workflows that save marketers the trouble of creating them from scratch. They're customizable, too, allowing you to remove, add, or duplicate steps based on your requirements.

Managing email lists 
Email automation tools organize recipients into segments based on criteria like demographics and past purchases. They also help brands sanitize their lists and reduce email bounces by removing inactive email addresses.

Optimizing email performance 
You can easily track email performance through detailed analytics on open rates, conversion rates, and sending times. Email automation software often includes features for A/B testing subject lines, graphics, and copy, helping brands identify the content that best resonates with their audience.

Scaling your email marketing
As your business grows, you'll have to handle growing lists and complex needs. Email automation tools help you scale your email marketing by managing large volumes of customized communications without additional effort. By setting the right automated workflow and using behavioral triggers and dynamic content, you ensure laser-focused personalization and consistent outreach—regardless of the number of subscribers on your lists.

A robust email marketing automation tool comes with the benefits analyzed. To choose your tool, though, you should consider any limitations or requirements you have.  

For businesses in need of ready-made and complex workflows with a range of triggers, Mailchimp's built-in automated journeys are a great option. But if you're on a tight budget, this strength could turn into a weakness. With Mailchimp, only high-tier plan users can create workflows with multiple starting points and steps. 

These plans get even pricier as your list grows. Plus, if the same contact is in different lists, they count as unique subscribers, and you'll be charged multiple times. So, its pricing structure is less competitive than other alternatives to Mailchimp that offer scalability and flexible pricing. 

Email Automation: 5 Steps to Engage Customers  

Automating your marketing opens new possibilities for engagement and growth. From building customer loyalty to recovering lost sales, let's see what email automation can do for you.

 1. Welcome and onboard new subscribers 

If there's an email subscribers expect, it's the welcome email once they join your list. Some brands use a single email to express their excitement for users subscribing.  But email sequences work even better. Start with a warm welcome message and follow up with an email series that will get them familiar with your brand.

Tips and tricks:

• Automated welcome emails are your opportunity to make a great first impression and set expectations for future communications. For example, if readers subscribed to your newsletter, the welcome email could answer the following questions: What kind of email content will you deliver? How often? How will it benefit your readers?
• The main reason for sending such an email is to show appreciation. It’s even better if it comes in the form of a thank you note from the company’s founder(s) so subscribers can meet the people behind the brand.
• Welcome emails aren’t promotional emails. Surely, you should talk about your products or services. But make sure to keep your copy simple and focused and use your CTA to lead readers to your site to explore them further.
• To onboard subscribers, offer helpful resources, such as blogs or FAQ articles. If you have a lot to share, don't stuff them in one email. Instead, give readers the basics and let them know there's more to come.

Example:

Moosend's welcome email template is an example of how to thank subscribers and inform them about the types of email content they'll receive. Also, the email copy and the relevant calls-to-action urge them to explore useful resources on the company's blog. 

2. Nurture leads down the line

Once you welcome your newly added contacts, it's time to build rapport and trust. The best way to do that is through automated lead nurturing email campaigns. Nurturing leads down the line allows for genuine connections, warming them up to move along the sales funnel. 

Tips and tricks:

• Use automated lead nurturing emails to introduce your brand better. There’s no better occasion to tell your brand story, share the vision behind its creation, and communicate your values.
• Study your leads’ interactions with your brand to personalize the email content. For instance, if a subscriber registered to an upcoming webinar, set up an automated email sequence to share what they'll learn or direct them to related topics on your blog. That way, you keep them engaged all the way up to the actual date.
• Show that you're an industry leader by including relevant tips in your emails. Consider collaborating with authoritative figures in your niche for more expert insights. The key is to keep teaching them something new and exciting in every email.
• The main objective of nurturing subscribers is to familiarize them with your brand and keep it top of mind. To do so, you have to stay true to your brand identity. So, use a consistent tone and image in all your emails so readers can instantly connect them with your company.

Example: 

Here's an informative email from Harry's. While it's focused on delivering valuable tips this email also features relevant products.

Subject line: Small steps for a smoother shave

3. Recover lost sales with cart abandonment

Abandoned cart emails are triggered when visitors add products to their shopping cart but leave without purchasing. It might be that they forgot all about it, or that the delivery costs exceeded their budget. Whatever the case, you can still win them over with an effective cart abandonment campaign.

Tips and tricks:

• Some businesses limit their cart abandonment efforts in a single email, motivating users to complete checkout. It doesn't always do the trick, though. In which case you should consider sending an email sequence of two or three emails at specific time intervals, using different content or incentives to entice them. 
• The first email must land in recipient inboxes immediately after cart abandonment. If it's part of an automated sequence, try not to get too pushy in this first message. Keep your email copy short, focusing on reminding them of the items they left behind.
• If the first email doesn't work, use the next emails to show how your product or service addresses common pain points or follow-up with an exclusive discount. Another effective method is to add customer reviews to your emails as social proof and earn credibility points.
• Scarcity and urgency complement abandoned cart emails in the most effective way. You could highlight limited availability or send a promo code that's about to expire. In the second case, including a countdown timer might prompt them to act quickly.
• This type of automated campaign is all about the abandoned product or service. So, feature high-quality product images to urge recipients to go back to their cart and complete the order.

Example:

7 For All Mankind uses compelling product images and actionable CTAs to motivate readers to return to their site and buy the products. Add to that a tempting discount and what you get is an abandoned cart email that doesn't need much to hit its target.

Subject line: Your bag is full, get your favorites!

4. Win unengaged subscribers back

Chances are some subscribers might turn away from your value proposition. The challenge is to remind them why they signed up to your list or interacted with your brand in the first place. Re-engagement emails help you retain inactive subscribers and persuade them that you have the solution to their problems. 

It's worth investing in this type of automated workflow since increasing customer retention by 5% could boost your revenue by 25-95%. 

Tips and tricks:

• Re-engagement emails must be short, simple, and to the point. Don't frustrate readers with complex layouts, long blocks of text, or irrelevant details.
• Several email tactics might work to wake dormant customers up. Special offers, exclusive deals or content, and limited-time promo codes are great incentives to prompt them to action. You could also use FOMO to remind them of what they'll be missing out on. Its power lies in the fact that consumers are more likely to act when they know they'll lose something rather than gaining something.
• Use creative email subject lines and copy. Employ your wittiness and humor to catch attention—especially if it fits your brand tone. It never hurts to say that you miss them to make them feel special. Just make sure you don't get too intrusive. 
• A customer turning dormant could be a blessing in disguise. Use your re-engagement email to ask for feedback on why they turned away and where you could improve. Even if they don't come back, you'll gain valuable insights for future campaigns.

Example:

Right from the subject line, Blue Apron's email reminds recipients of the benefits they enjoyed while using the service. Paired with a minimalist design, clear and brief copy, a bold and prominent CTA, and an enticing discount, this is a re-engagement email that ticks all the boxes. 

Subject line: Come on back - we made dinner easier! 😋

5. Reward your most loyal customers 

Loyalty and rewards emails generate excitement and keep subscribers engaged. When you update customers on their current balance or highlight recent rewards through email, you motivate them to keep going. That's why sending automated emails to loyal customers not only increases customer retention but also leads to more sales.

Tips and tricks:

• Subscribers join loyalty programs to gain something. That's why it's imperative to communicate the benefits clearly—get to the point and tell them exactly what's in it for them.
• One option to reward loyalty through email automation is to send emails at regular intervals with personalized discounts based on past purchases. Or you could use your emails to inform them that they have early access to new product launches or events.
• Many businesses set up a points-based loyalty program where users are rewarded for actions like making a purchase or referring a friend. Build automated sequences to show them their points balance, inform them they have enough points to redeem a reward, or remind them to use them before they expire.
• Collecting points and getting rewarded for it is a fun process. So, ensure your automated loyalty emails are fun, too. Make a celebration out of it using emojis, animation, and compelling images of the products or services they can redeem. 

Example:

Just mentioning the word “surprise” in the subject line is enough for recipients to open this email by ZoesKitchen. Not to mention that it lets them know beforehand that they'll get a special reward. The addition of a compelling image of the cookie they'll enjoy as a reward combined with an actionable CTA makes the email even more effective.

Subject line: ✨ Surprise! A Special ZK Reward For You

Keep Subscribers Engaged with Email Automation

Email marketing automation has proven to be a game-changer, helping marketers and business owners streamline their campaigns and keep their subscribers engaged in the long run. 

To maximize its benefits, it's essential to research and test different email automation tools before making a choice. Selecting the right tool could make or break your email automation efforts as it impacts your campaign success. 

We've discussed the key steps on how to use email automation to communicate with your audience throughout the customer journey. Plus, we've shared inspiring examples of effective campaigns from popular brands. Use them and our tips as a guide to creating emails that aren't just automated but optimized for success.

Email examples taken from ReallyGoodEmails and Moosend 

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