The art of using email automation, the Holy Grail of digital marketing (+ case studies)
Let's face it, personalisation and responsiveness have become fundamental requirements for businesses, but especially for prospects, so email automation stands out as an essential lever for any digital marketing strategy. Today, we're going to show you some marketing automation workflows applied to emailing.
By automating the sending of email messages based on user behaviour and preferences, businesses can not only increase efficiency, but also enhance the relevance and impact of their communications.
This approach doesn't just simplify repetitive tasks; it creates opportunities to proactively engage your customers, while maximising return on investment (ROI). 🔥
Definition and importance of email automation
Email automation allows predefined emails to be sent automatically, based on user behaviour and preferences. But this process goes beyond mere convenience. It facilitates proactive communication, offering regular, personalised interactions with your customers.
This mechanism plays an essential role in marketing. Did you know that 72% of Internet users prefer to receive promotional content by e-mail? According to Marketing Sherpa.
Email automation continuously optimises the prospect journey. Thanks to targeted messages that meet their specific needs, you can achieve a positive return on investment (ROI). This system is becoming a major asset in an ever-changing market.
5 benefits of email automation
Email automation offers a number of valuable advantages for companies looking to improve their marketing strategy.
- For a start, it saves a considerable amount of time. By automating the sending of emails, your marketing teams are freed from repetitive tasks. This frees them up to focus on higher value-added tasks. For example, the sending of welcome emails or newsletters can be planned in advance.
- Secondly, this strategy improves contact segmentation. With criteria based on purchases, behaviour or interests, you can calibrate your messages with precision. In this way, each e-mail becomes relevant, increasing the chances of conversion.
- What's more, automation makes it easier to personalise messages. By incorporating elements such as the recipient's first name or product recommendations, you can strengthen the bond with your customers. This approach boosts engagement and satisfaction.
- And let's not forget the easy access to data and analysis. This allows you to monitor the performance of your campaigns in real time. This means you can adjust your strategy based on the results obtained, guaranteeing maximum effectiveness.
- Finally, automation ensures better deliverability practices. It reduces the risk of messages being sent in spam and ensures that your communications reach their target. In short, email automation is a formidable tool for optimising your digital marketing. ✨
How does email automation work? 5 cases of application
Email automation relies on specific triggers, such as a user signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or abandoning a shopping basket. When these triggers are activated, a workflow is automatically set up, sending a series of personalised emails tailored to the user's actions or profile.
👉 For example, a user who abandons their basket could receive a series of emails reminding them of the items left behind, followed by a special offer to encourage them to complete their purchase.
First application:
One of the first uses concerns the sending of welcome emails. When a new user registers, a welcome email establishes a positive first impression. It shows that the customer is interested in your offers. This message can also contain promotions to encourage a first action, such as an initial purchase.
Second application:
Onboarding emails are also crucial. They offer support to new customers in their use of a product or service. This is particularly relevant for models such as SaaS. By sending a series of onboarding emails, you help users overcome initial hurdles, encouraging them to become more engaged.
Third application:
Personalised reminders are another major application. Whether it's for an abandoned basket or a targeted promotion, these messages encourage customers to complete their action. In fact, over 60% of customers who receive a reminder for an abandoned basket complete their purchase after being contacted again.
Fourth application:
Notifications to sales reps are also essential. When leads reach a certain level of maturity, an e-mail notifies the sales department so that contact can be made quickly. This intervention can increase the chances of conversion ninefold, as Hubspot points out. This encourages the transformation of simple prospects into loyal customers.
Fifth application:
Finally, reactivation workflows are an effective way of rekindling the interest of inactive customers. By personalising messages according to purchase or engagement history, these emails remind potential customers of the value of your products or services and encourage them to return.
How can you implement email automation effectively?
4 tips for best practice
To ensure the effectiveness of email automation, adopt certain best practices.
- Start by sending a confirmation or welcome email as soon as a prospect signs up. This establishes an immediate connection and lays the foundations for a lasting relationship.
- It's also vital to get the timing right. Take account of your contacts' time zones to maximise the chances of your emails being opened.
- Next, don't forget to segment your contacts. This increases the relevance of each message, optimising engagement and conversion rates.
- It's also crucial to personalise messages according to interaction history. These targeted emails generally achieve much higher open and click-through rates.
Get a tool or software
The design and technical aspect of your emails are crucial to their success. Make sure your automation technology integrates seamlessly with your content management system (CMS) to ensure smooth interactions.
Each e-mail needs to be tested before it is sent to ensure that it looks good on different devices.
The choice of tools is therefore crucial not only for maximising the effectiveness of email automation, but also for all your marketing automation processes.
Use tracking and optimisation
Optimising your automated campaigns is an ongoing process. It starts with defining clear KPIs to measure email performance. Analyse open, click and conversion rates to identify where improvements can be made.
Data analysis is essential. Use the insights provided by your tools to fine-tune the effectiveness of your campaigns. Adjust your communication based on feedback.
Maintain regular contact with your subscribers. If some of them stop responding, consider sending reactivation emails to stimulate their interest.
In short, email automation
In conclusion, email automation is a powerful lever in digital marketing. By adopting effective practices and using the right tools, you can not only become more efficient, but also improve the quality of your customer relations while maximising conversion potential.
A clever automation strategy is the key to your commercial success in the digital age. 🗝️
Article translated from French