The Long-Term Benefits of Email Automations

Kaitlin Carpenter
March 31, 2021
How to create long-term value by rethinking email automations from the ground up.

When figuring out how to market your business, it’s easy to get carried away with what’s new: new products, an upcoming sale, what’s trending, what your competitors are doing, that new social media platform you’re not sure whether or not you should be on...

And while some new things are important, it takes significant time and ongoing effort to keep up with all of the things, all of the time.

Here’s the thing: your customers aren’t worried about which product or service is the newest. They care about what meets their needs in the moment. 

That’s why email automations—when correctly planned and customized—are the unsung hero in your marketing toolbox. They’re still sent out to address customer needs in real time, keeping you relevant and timely. But you can plan them in advance. 

There’s still no guarantee every email will be opened (spoiler: they won’t). And this is not about creating emails you can “set and forget.” Even the best automations need a periodic refresh.

But if you flip your assumptions about automated emails on their head and look for what is needed in key moments for your customers, instead of what’s new for your business, you’ll unearth new opportunities to win customers over. 

Here are four of Good and Gold’s favorite opportunities for email automations that don’t sound like a robot sent them.

Anticipate your customer’s needs.

No one knows your customers better than you do! And we’re willing to bet you’ve already thought about what will help them make a purchase decision at key moments. So whether they just made their first purchase, subscribed to your list, or browsed a category on your e-commerce site, think about what would be most helpful to them next. 

Then send it straight to their inbox! (If you make them go search for answers, they might find your competitor instead.) 

Automations to consider: Onboarding or getting started guides, abandoned cart reminders, related products or accessories

Nurture your relationship.

Just like any other relationship, it’s important to not only tell your customer about yourself, but also remind them why they’re important to you. 

If you have a loyalty program, it’s simple to set up automations that congratulate customers on accomplishments, such as reaching a new tier or reward level, or remind them of rewards they can use. You can also celebrate their birthday or customer anniversary with special discounts or promotions.

Automations to consider: Reminders and opportunities for loyalty program members, birthdays and anniversaries, a personal message from you or your team 

Give your customer a chance to shine.

For your new customer, the most exciting moment isn’t when they click “purchase.” It’s when your product arrives! Lean into that moment and use your automations to demonstrate you’re still thinking about them and interested in what they have to say. 

Automations to consider: Use or product care instructions, check in after their purchase arrives, request they leave a review or share a picture on your website or social media

Highlight content from your other channels.

Do you produce a lot of informational content on your website or social media channels? Chances are your customers aren’t seeing every single thing. Help make sure your subscribers never miss helpful content by sending it straight to their inbox, too. You can automate sending your latest blog post, or even repurposing evergreen content like FAQs into a standalone series.

Automations to consider: Regular news or blog posts, new customer onboarding flows, evergreen FAQ content, best-selling product highlights

When set up correctly as part of your overall email marketing strategy, these automated emails aren’t simply transactional. They address customer needs in real time, are personalized based on your relationship and each customer’s actions, and keep your company top of mind—and top of inbox—with minimal extra effort.

Ready to dial in your automations?

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