Whether you have an existing email marketing strategy or are starting from ground zero, we suggest implementing an automated email series into your strategy as soon as possible.

Automated emails are a convenient and effective way to improve your email strategy. By using various email automation tools, you can successfully welcome new contacts and create a positive first impression, re-engage uninterested contacts, and create an automated series to communicate important announcements or events.

Lesson 1: Welcoming New Contacts

Creating an automated welcome email series is the perfect first step for including automation in your email marketing strategy. The purpose of implementing an automated welcome series is to:

• Welcome new contacts and confirm a successful sign-up.
• Create a positive first impression of your business or organization.
• Get new subscribers excited by telling them what to expect in your newsletters.
• Provide new contacts with planning tools to strike while the iron is hot!
• Convert subscribers into social media followers.
• Keep new contacts engaged while they wait for the next newsletter.

Some essentials to include in your welcome email: 

• A strong subject line is the first thing your new contact will see and should ensure a positive first impression on new viewers. The subject line should tell your audience what to expect in the initial email. However, to spice up your welcome email subject line, try using an emoji to express your excitement – be sure to limit yourself to one per email!
• Introduction Paragraph: You can welcome new recipients by expressing a tone of excitement that they’ve signed up for your newsletter! Continue this paragraph with information on what they can expect from your newsletter going forward and how often they will receive it. Lastly, you can wrap up this introductory paragraph with a friendly reminder to follow your social media accounts and add your email address to their contact list. Emails added to contact lists ensure your newsletter does not end up in the spam folder.
• Feature Relevant Content: Include upcoming events, special offers, or reasons for customers to visit your business. It is best to ensure you update this content regularly so new contacts receive updated, relevant information!
• A Call to Action: Once you have your audience’s attention with your snappy subject line and welcoming introduction paragraph, close the email with the next steps you want them to take. Encourage email recipients to redeem a special offer, visit and browse your website, follow you on social media, or check out an upcoming event. Utilize buttons to direct consumers to the relevant information they may be seeking.

Lesson 2: Automated Re-Engagement Campaigns

An automated re-engagement campaign series can be an incredibly useful way to get your unengaged subscribers interested in your upcoming newsletters. This is also a great way to learn more about what your audience likes to see and where you are falling short. You can create one of these campaigns by segmenting out a list of unengaged subscribers (i.e. people who haven’t opened your e-mails over a period of time) and creating a new list to send your automated series to. Here are some best practices and ideas for your automated re-engagement series:

• Include an intriguing subject line.
• Personalization can help to get the intention of these unengaged subscribers.
• Include surveys or polls to get more information on how to improve your future emails.
• Try to keep it short, these contacts are on the verge of unsubscribing- make sure this email series benefits them and lets them know they are important to you.
• Consider including a discount or incentive to grasp their interest. For example, you could include a special offer for completing the survey or poll.
• Include strong calls to action.

Lesson 3: Automated E-mail Announcements

Creating an automated series for important events or announcements can be another way to grab your subscribers’ attention. Utilizing automation tools can increase awareness for upcoming events or special offers and give you a very good idea of how many people are interested in the event, discount, or whatever topic it may be! This can be a great way to get more ticket sales or traffic to your business, provide necessary event information, or give timely updates on event changes.