Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to nurture leads, engage customers and increase sales.  

However, sending one-off emails can be extremely time-consuming. That’s where email automation comes in – it allows you to easily set up triggered emails to be sent when subscribers take (or don’t take) certain actions. 

So, what is email automation exactly?  

It is a technology that sends pre-written emails automatically when triggered by a specific date, event or subscriber behaviour. For example, you could set up a welcome email to go out as soon as someone subscribes to your list. Or you could have an email sequence that sends a series of helpful information over the course of a few weeks to nurture new leads. 

 

The benefits of email automation 

Saves time – Once your automations are set up, they’ll run on their own without any manual work from you. This allows you to spend time on other high-priority business tasks instead of constantly nurturing leads and engaging customers one email at a time. 

More personalised communication – Automation tools let you tailor content with subscriber names and other data to provide a more 1-on-1 feel even at scale. 

Increases efficiency – Sending one well-timed, relevant and personalised email is much more effective than generic communications or those sent at random intervals. Automations ensure your emails land in subscribers’ inboxes just when they need them. 

Improves lead nurturing – Multiple automations can be strung together as an email sequence to help move cold leads down the sales funnel by giving them valuable information at each stage. 

Higher open & click-through rates – Subject lines and content that are ultra-relevant as a result of behavioural triggers achieve greater email engagement. 

Tools to use for email automation 

There are many user-friendly automation platforms available these days that don’t require any technical expertise. Some popular options include: 

Mailchimp – The leading email marketing platform which lets you create complex automation with easy drag-and-drop tools. 

Drip – Specialises specifically in automation for lead nurturing to turn your cold traffic into happy customers. 

Acuity Scheduling – Great for appointment-based businesses with automation focused on scheduling reminders and follow-ups. 

HubSpot Marketing Hub – All-in-one marketing suite for small businesses including intuitive email workflow builders. 

MailerLite – Another great tool for email marketing with easy-to-use tools that allow you to create professional emails easily. 

Emails Worth Automating 

Welcome emails set the stage when subscribers first sign up. Send an immediate, personalised welcome email to greet new subscribers, help them get acquainted with your brand and encourage continued engagement. 

Lead nurturing drip campaigns gently educate and sell to cold leads. This is often done through 4-5 emails spread out over days or weeks automatically after they join your list. 

Win back disengaged subscribers with re-engagement emails. Target inactive subscribers who haven’t opened in a while to reintroduce your brand, offer incentives and bring them back into the fold. 

Appointment-based businesses rely on confirmation and reminder emails when someone books a session. Avoid double bookings and no-shows by automating timely reminders leading up to scheduled appointments or classes. 

E-commerce order receipts confirm purchases and summarise order details, which is essential for customers as well as your own records. Receipt automation ensures every customer gets one immediately upon transaction. 

Schedule a fresh, regular cadence of newsletters going out on specific weekdays or dates automatically. This provides subscribers with valuable content they can rely on at expected intervals. 

Surveys assess customer satisfaction post-purchase. Check if their expectations were met and gather helpful feedback for improvement by sending an automated review request 2-3 weeks after each order. 

Celebrate loyalty milestones like customer anniversaries and reward repeat purchases to delight your VIPs with surprises through triggered celebration emails. 

Automation ensures you execute these mission-critical emails consistently every time. Identify what’s most vital for your audience and business to determine which to prioritise first.  

Implementing strategic email automation is essential to communicate effectively, provide value consistently, stand out from other brands and skyrocket your profits. The tools out there make it easy to set up without needing any developer help or eating into your schedule.  

Automate Your Emails Now

So, take advantage of automation to work smarter, focus your energy on high-level tasks and take your business to the next level. 

At 10X Marketing, we use proven email marketing strategies and carefully curate your email databases, which alongside our email expertise and knowledge, ensure you get the results you want. 

Whether you’re looking to drive brand awareness, increase website traffic or generate more sales, we can help you by creating educational, emotive and entertaining emails that your audience will love. 

 

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