Email automation goes beyond the initial welcome and order confirmation email. Implementing an email marketing workflow instead of individual automated messages allows you to do much more.
The goal is to nurture lasting relationships and keep customers engaged. The meaningful triggers in an email workflow do this quite effectively. They keep your brand front and center for your customers and make them feel welcome.
Moreover, you can create a personalized experience that turns occasional conversations into continued brand loyalty.
However, creating these workflows takes a lot of work. There’s a step-by-step process you need to follow to get it right.
So, let’s discuss the five stages of an email marketing automation workflow, three examples, and a template!
A Basic Introduction to Email Marketing Workflows
Creating effective email workflows starts with understanding them. Email marketing workflows (automated sequences of emails) guide subscribers through a structured journey. It might seem like you have all the say in its progression.
However, it’s in the customer’s hands since you’ll use their behaviors and interactions with your brand to create the workflows.
For example, if a customer takes action on a previous email, you must send a new offer or message.
However, if the customer ignores the previous email, sending a follow-up would be a better idea. At this point, you might wonder, “Is creating these workflows even worth the time and effort?”
The simple fact that these workflows eliminate repetitive tasks and increase productivity is enough to answer your question.
Moreover, they help you build meaningful customer relationships. They act as a buffer between your salesperson and the customer. People don’t like it when businesses call them immediately after their first interaction with the brand.
You need to engage strategically with customers and gradually convince them to make a purchase. With personalized emails based on their triggers, they’ll be ready for that sales call in no time.
Sales teams won’t have to make much effort to score the deal since the workflows will have educated the customers. You could also use a promotional email workflow to get them to make a purchase.
Besides, sending relevant content through email workflows makes the customer feel listened to.
For example, sending a feedback request immediately after they’ve made a purchase will make them feel like you genuinely care. If you set out to do this manually, it will take time and might not have the same effect.
5 Stages to an Effective and Successful Email Marketing Campaign Workflow
Did you know that 46% of smartphone users want brands to use email to contact them? Marketers who know this fact are already implementing automation to make the most of it.
Following in their footsteps would be an intelligent decision. However, as mentioned earlier, you need to follow the proper process to ensure you get everything right. If you’re unsure where to start, the following sections might help.
You’ll learn five stages of an effective email marketing campaign workflow and what each stage includes.
1. Lay the Groundwork With Proper Planning
Taking a step-by-step approach to creating email workflows means starting with proper planning. You must know what you want each workflow to achieve. Without this information, you won’t know what triggers to set or content to include in each email.
Therefore, start by setting goals, such as turning leads into customers or increasing engagement. But remember, these should align with your overall small business email marketing goals.
Next, research the market and see what type of people you want to attract. Moreover, look at the type of content they like and respond to. This will help plan your content and set a timeline for the workflows.
Another part of planning is choosing an email marketing tool. Such tools help you create workflows and automate your emails. Get free trials and use the tools for some time to choose one that aligns with your goals and needs.
2. Segment Your Audience
The previous stage will have given you a clear idea of your target audience. Now, it’s time to segment them based on demographics, behaviors, history, etc. Doing so will help you personalize your content to make it more effective. For example, you can make customers within close proximity feel special with location-based promotions.
If you already have an email list, you must decide how to segment your audience. The tool you chose in the previous stage will help with this task. Once you’ve created these segments, you can plan relevant content for each.
However, if you still need to build an email list, design pop-up forms for your website. Incentivize customers with free resources and offers in exchange for their email addresses.
3. Automate Your Workflows
Triggers are the most crucial part of email workflows. Without them, the tool won’t know when to send the automated messages.
So, start by designing email sequences based on customer actions. Some examples include card abandonment, sign-up, and clicking a link.
But remember, this is still the planning stage where you define your workflows. So, before jumping into content creation, create templates, charts, and diagrams for each. Write if/else conditions to decide what to do when the time comes.
You must also decide on time delays and the number and type of campaigns in each workflow. This will determine how the campaign progresses.
4. Implement the Strategy
After planning your workflows and triggers, it’s time to implement the email marketing strategy. This is the stage where you’ll create the actual email content.
You already know the type of content each trigger needs. So, design visually appealing emails and align them with your brand. Next, write the content for each. Remember to personalize the content to make it relevant to the customer.
To do this, you’ll have to create editable templates for each message. Keep some fields where you can add content specific to your customer’s needs and preferences.
However, creating email workflows isn’t a one-and-done process. You’ll have to create multiple email versions and test them to determine which performs best.
5. Monitor and Optimize at Regular Intervals
The last stage involves monitoring and optimizing your workflows at regular intervals. Tracking metrics like open rates, conversion rates, etc., will help you learn how well your workflows perform. They will also help you find what’s amiss so you can act accordingly.
Take those insights and make the appropriate changes to get better results. Again, this isn’t a one-time process. You need regular testing, monitoring, and optimization to find success with email workflows. A smart approach would be to create a schedule for these tests.
3 Email Marketing Workflow Examples To Boost Engagement
Now that you know how to create effective workflow email marketing, you should be ready to start the process. However, looking at some examples before you jump in would work in your favor.
There are several types of emails you can automate. Each one requires a slightly different trajectory. Therefore, knowing what emails you can send in each campaign will help you design a more strategic approach.
So, let’s look at three email marketing workflow examples that boost engagement!
1. Upselling and Cross-Selling Emails
Things don’t end once the customer has made the first purchase. Your road to success lies in encouraging those customers to keep returning and become loyal. That’s where upselling and cross-selling emails come into the picture.
Suppose a customer has purchased an air fryer from your online store. You can email them promoting your air fryer basket liners immediately after the purchase. Next, give them an exclusive offer on air fryer accessories, and finally, offer them an upgrade.
2. Customer Feedback and Review Requests
Positive reviews can help every business, whether a small business or an established enterprise. Every converted customer is an opportunity to get feedback and reviews.
So, in the previous example, send a review request email a few days after the air fryer purchase. Your subject line could say something like, “How’s your new air fryer? Share your thoughts!”
Next, proceed with a thank-you email if you get their feedback. If you don’t receive a response, you can send a follow-up email politely reminding them to share their thoughts.
3. Lead Nurturing Email Workflow
The main goal of email marketing is to build meaningful relationships with customers. It’s about sending personalized emails and educating and nurturing leads until they’re ready to purchase.
Therefore, this discussion about email workflows will be incomplete without the mention of a lead nurturing email workflow.
However, this workflow is different and more complex than the others. Here, you must keep track of your customer’s journey, noting where they are and acting accordingly.
For example, a new customer would be in the awareness stage. You need to welcome them and introduce your brand. You’ll also need to send educational and informational content at this stage.
As the customer transitions to the consideration stage, you can send them product comparisons and recommendations.
Then comes the decision stage, where customers are ready to purchase but need encouragement through offers and discounts.
From there, the customer will reach the loyalty stage, where they might join loyalty programs. The next step is to promote your loyalty programs.
Lastly, the customer will become a brand ambassador. Only a few people reach this stage where they advocate your brand to others. At this stage, emails with exclusive access and VIP offers make sense.
Use This Email Marketing Workflow Template To Recover Abandoned Carts
Abandoned carts are every business’s worst nightmare. They tie up stock and reduce inventory without actual sales, impacting your inventory management and potential revenue.
To avoid this, let’s look at an email marketing workflow template to recover abandoned carts:
A. Initial email: Send an email within a few hours of cart abandonment. Remember to include a reminder of the items in the cart with a direct link.
B. Customer opens the email: If the customer opens your initial email, there can be two possibilities.
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Customer completes purchase: Send a thank-you email with order confirmation and delivery details. After a few days, send personalized recommendations based on this purchase.
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Customer doesn’t purchase: Follow up with a second email. Include a special offer or discount to encourage completion.
C. Customer does not open the email: Use a different subject line or content in a follow-up email. Possibly include a new incentive to catch their attention.
D. Final incentive: If there’s still no purchase, send a final email with a strong incentive. Consider a limited-time discount or offer.
E. Feedback request: You can send this email when the customer completes the purchase and even when they don’t.
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Customer completed purchase: A few days after the purchase, ask them about their experience with the product and your business. This will keep them engaged and push them toward loyalty.
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Customer doesn’t purchase: Ask them what’s wrong and assure them that you care about their suggestions. Implement the suggestions if they reply and discard the lead if they don’t.
Frequently Asked Questions About Email Workflows
Before we wrap up this discussion, let’s look at some frequently asked questions about email workflows.
Why is it important to have an email marketing workflow?
It’s important to have an email marketing workflow because it ensures consistent, timely, and personalized communication with your audience.
It also saves time through automation and keeps your customers engaged. Engaged customers are more likely to take action, making your email marketing efforts more effective.
What common triggers can I use in email workflows?
The most common triggers you can use in email workflows are subscribing to a newsletter or clicking a link.
However, those aren’t your only two options. You can also send emails about abandoned shopping carts and making a purchase. Birthdays and special occasions are also examples of effective triggers.
How do I measure the success of an email workflow?
The first step in measuring the success of an email workflow is to track key metrics. Things like open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates give you actionable insights that help you improve your efforts.
You can even ask your customers or subscribers to rate your email marketing campaigns. Use social media polls to generate engagement and get more insights into your marketing efforts.
Automate Your Email Campaigns To Increase Engagement and Retain Customers
Now, you know how an email marketing workflow can help your business. It makes your campaigns more effective by sending meaningful messages. Using the customer’s actions and behaviors as a trigger makes the campaign more personal.
It makes customers feel like you care, increasing engagement, customer loyalty, and conversions. To make the most of email marketing workflow, remember to automate it for better results with ease.
Beambox makes it easy to run email campaigns and collect contact details through a captive portal. Beambox also allows for SMS marketing and personalized emails.
Want the best email marketing? Start your trial today!
