What is email automation?

Email automation refers to any message that your email service provider (ESP) automatically sends to a user in response to their action (or lack thereof) on your website or a range of other preset rules. Think about factors like date, time and customer preferences.

In other words, each ‘trigger’ email is carefully crafted for a specific touchpoint or event, gently nudging the customer through your sales funnel.

This can all take place with as few manual tasks as you like, churning away in the background to constantly market your brand in a personalised way that adds more value to the recipient.

The key takeaway? Email automation enables your business to send one-to-one emails to the right person at the perfect time. All without your team lifting a finger.

In fact, research suggests that 80% of businesses saw a spike in leads after automating their campaigns, and 77% reported higher conversions.

What is the difference between automated email marketing and a drip campaign?

Many people think automated email marketing and drip campaigns are the same, but there are some key differences.

Think of drip campaigns as one-size-fits-all. They’re pre-scheduled, generic emails sent to everyone at regular intervals, regardless of where they are in their customer journey.

For example, a drip campaign might blast out emails about a sale or new product launch to every subscriber, no matter their interaction with your brand.

On the other hand, automated email marketing is smarter. Unlike a drip campaign, these emails are triggered by specific criteria unique to each customer. That means they’re highly tailored to each person’s journey and interests.

For example, if someone abandons their cart, they get an email with a discount code and a prompt to complete their purchase. Advanced platforms make these emails feel personal and relevant, boosting engagement and conversions.

Here’s how to do it.

How does email automation work?

Sending trigger emails is a breeze when you use the right email marketing platform (more on this below). All you have to do is create a campaign, set a predefined event and test that the email comes through when triggered.

While exact instructions vary depending on the platform, the general steps stay the same.

Let’s walk through the process using an order confirmation email as an example:

1. Sign up for an automated email marketing tool.
2. Build and segment your email list based on factors like purchase history and preferences.
3. Set the email trigger to be the completion of a purchase on your website.
4. Design a compelling order confirmation email with all the information and visual content needed to be useful and engaging.
5. Activate the automated campaign.
6. Track open rates, click-through rates, and feedback, playing around with A/B testing to see which order confirmation email design works best.

What is an email automation workflow?

An email automation workflow is a set of automated emails that are sent in succession depending on specific customer actions or segments.

Email automation tools often come with workflow templates for popular triggers, such as signing up for a newsletter or adding a product to your cart.

Read on to explore the different types of automated emails you can send with automation workflows.

6 examples of automated emails

Here are some of the most popular trigger emails we’ve come across – both as the sender and receiver!

1. Welcome emails

Welcome emails are typically the first messages sent when someone subscribes to your newsletter or creates an account with your business. This makes it a golden opportunity to express your gratitude.

Instead of sending a generic message, craft something personalised to engage the user right from the outset. That’s the beauty of email marketing automation. Each welcome email can speak to the individual recipient.

For instance, you might include a relevant selection of products based on their browsing history or helpful insights from an on-site quiz.

This tailored approach will set you apart in their busy inbox, introducing your brand meaningfully and laying the groundwork for a strong relationship.

Here’s exactly what your business can achieve with a welcome email:

Build some ‘goodwill’

Warm up users to future marketing materials. After all, consumers are far more likely to engage with your comms if the first few emails they receive are personal and friendly, leaving them with a positive impression of your brand (as opposed to being hit with hard sales messaging from the get-go).

If you have any kind of free resources to help with making a purchase or activities related to your offering, here’s where you can cut through the noise by showing mindful consideration for your customers that competitors won’t. And best of all, it’s automated!

Share your brand story

Help invest users in your brand story and ethos with messaging like, “Thank you for supporting a family-owned and operated Australian business. Your purchases help keep the lights on and deliver quality,” or stories about the founder’s journey.

If you have a stand-out brand value, like sustainability or stellar customer service, this is a great place to celebrate it.

2. Cart abandonment emails

An abandoned cart is pretty self-explanatory. It occurs when an online shopper adds an item to their cart but leaves the site without buying it.

Give these users the final push needed to purchase.

Abandoned cart emails help you reconnect with these potential customers and recover lost sales. The objective is to remind them of the offering and its benefits so that they are encouraged to order.

Offering a temporary discount here is a smart tactic to spur action!

Alternatively, lots of businesses include a strong review that connects with the recipient. These don’t have to be product-specific but rather anything that highlights your brand values, from quality and comfort to fair prices and fast delivery.

3. VIP win-back emails

Next up, we have the VIP win-back email. The automation trigger for this message is all about reeling big spenders back in.

The most impactful win-back email automations are based on research into your customer life cycle and working out the duration between purchases by top buyers.

While applicable to most brands, this strategy is particularly powerful for brands with consumable or complimentary products, where you can get a feel for when those VIPs are likely to come back and buy.

To get started, review past customers who have made more than one purchase and see how long it was between sales.

Then, hit new purchasers with a win-back email around that time to convert them into higher lifetime value customers.

5. Birthday emails

Automated birthday emails are some of the easiest and most impactful messages you can send. With just the customer’s date of birth, you can automatically send out these celebratory comms.

Here’s how to make birthday emails truly shine:

• Address the recipient by name and include a heartfelt birthday message.
• Include a special discount or a unique offer as a gift from your brand.
• Use fun and visually appealing designs to make the email feel special.
• Encourage the recipient to use their birthday offer with a clear CTA.
• If the offer is time-sensitive, consider sending a reminder email to nudge them to take advantage of it before it expires.

But birthday emails aren’t just a nice gesture—they’re also highly effective at driving engagement.

The thoughtful message, delivered on a subscriber’s special day, stands out in their inbox and shows that you value them as an individual.

And by featuring enticing, limited-time offers, these emails not only make your subscribers feel appreciated but can also boost your sales.

Don’t know their birthday?

Try applying the same approach to their anniversary of joining your database.

For example, “Hey, it’s been one year since you joined us on our journey! Here’s 10% off site-wide for being a valued part of our story.”

5. Reactivation emails

Along the way, some subscribers may lose interest or stop engaging with your emails. A little encouragement can often bring them back on board.

With email marketing automation, you can easily reach out to inactive subscribers and launch effective reactivation campaigns.

Re-engagement emails, also known as win-back emails, are sent automatically to contacts who haven’t interacted with your emails for a certain period.

Here are some re-engagement email ideas:

• “We miss you” messages
• Special offers to welcome them back
• Invitations to complete customer satisfaction surveys

Sending these emails at the optimal time can help rekindle your connection with lapsed subscribers.

Make sure to personalise the subject line or email content with the subscriber’s first name to grab their attention.

6. Product review email

Wrap up your email series with a product review email. Time it perfectly to hit customers a few days to a week after their purchase, giving them a chance to try out your product.

Thank them for their purchase and ask for honest feedback. Let them know their review helps other shoppers and keeps you on your game.

Here are some key elements to include:

• A personal greeting: Use their name to keep it friendly.
• Thank you note: Show some appreciation for their support.
• Review request: Ask for their review, highlighting how it helps other shoppers and keeps you on your game.
• Easy instructions: Make it simple with clear steps or a direct link to the review page.
• Incentive: Offer a small perk, like a discount on their next purchase, to encourage them to leave a review.

A well-timed, casual product review email can get you the feedback you need and strengthen your relationship with your customers.

The benefits of email automation

Automation stands out as a crucial tool for digital marketing emails. It is simple to implement and seriously scalable. Plus, it’s highly versatile, offering tons of perks for marketing and transactional emails alike.

Here’s why your business should jump on the email automation bandwagon.

1. Maximise engagement with a personal touch

It’s no secret: customers crave personalisation.

In fact, SmarterHQ reports that 72% of consumers only interact with personalised email messages.

And email is the top tool for delivering this bespoke experience.

An automated email platform lets you build meaningful relationships by tailoring messages to subscriber demographics and behaviours.

As described above, automated emails are sent when users trigger specific actions, ensuring the messages are highly relevant and ultimately more likely to be opened and engaged with.

2. Save time and typing

One of the greatest perks of email automation? It saves you heaps of time.

With automation, you’re not stuck sending emails one by one. For marketing teams, this means less time wasted on manually creating email lists, writing copy, designing layouts, and scheduling sends.

Automated emails handle these repetitive tasks, reaching multiple subscribers simultaneously. Simply set up the triggers, and let email automation do the heavy lifting.

This frees up your team to focus on more crucial tasks, like building deeper customer relationships and optimising the actual offering.

3. Raise your retention rate

Today’s customers are quick to switch to brands that understand them better, making retention a top priority.

Email automation is your secret weapon to reconnect with subscribers who’ve gone silent.

Automated win-back emails are perfect for re-engaging inactive customers, with regularly scheduled, relevant messages keeping your brand top of mind.

But you have to get the messaging right.

An email that says, “Hey, we noticed you haven’t stopped by our site in a while. Come explore our latest collection.” will probably be ignored.

But a personalised message like, “Hey Sam, we noticed you haven’t stopped by our site in a while and wanted to make sure you knew about our new offer. The jackets you’ve been buying just got a new look, now 30% off! Come explore our latest collection,” will make a customer feel valued and take action.

One-to-one, real-time communication builds strong, long-term relationships with your users. Plus, it’s far easier and more cost-effective to sell to an existing customer than to win over a new one.

More on this below.

4. Drive meaningful business outcomes

Automated email is revolutionary because it targets users who have already shown interest in your brand by visiting your website.

Research shows that 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts.

These users are further along in the sales process, making them more likely to take the actions you want.

Start by engaging them with content that resonates. Then, follow up with emails about products or services tailored to their needs.

Because timing is everything—when customers receive relevant messages at the right moment, they’re more likely to complete purchases, upgrade accounts, or return as active users.

This might involve guiding new customers on using your product, gathering user feedback, or offering incentives to bring back inactive customers.

5. Scale your marketing strategy

With a manual email series, the number of send-outs you can achieve on any given day is limited by the size of your team and their efficiency.

So, if your customer base doubles or triples, can you maintain the same level of outreach?

Don’t risk the answer being no.

Automated emails scale effortlessly with your growth.

Set your platform to send automated messages triggered by user actions and traits, and you can keep on top of email campaigns without needing extra staff or working into the night.

6 pro tips for email automation

Ready to kick off your automated email campaigns?

Here are some best practices to ensure everything runs smoothly before you start contacting your customers:

Timing

Choose the optimal time to send your message based on the triggering event and the content. If you’re sending a series, space them out to assist your customers without overwhelming them.

And your standard campaigns count against this too! Some platforms feature smart sending that will delay automations for a certain number of hours or days so that you don’t end up with two emails landing in an inbox within minutes of each other.

This can quickly lead to customers feeling like you’re coming on way too strong.

Volume

Sometimes, less is more. Although relevant messages are key, flooding your customers with too many emails can backfire.

Focus on sending messages that are most valuable to your customers and your business, as opposed to bombarding their inbox with a bunch of emails that lack substance.

Testing

When your automated emails are good to go, make sure to test them thoroughly (both before and after sending).

Experiment with subject lines, content, CTAs, timing, and custom metrics that align with your overall marketing goals. That way, you can discover what’s working best and continually refine your strategy for optimal outcomes.

Tracking

On that note, every automated email you send is a chance to gather valuable insights from your customers. So, use Google Analytics to keep track of behaviour.

Make sure to check whether your platform is automatically adding UTM parameters to your emails, as these can help you build a clearer picture of how your email marketing fits into your omnichannel strategy.

Tools like Google’s Campaign URL Builder can make putting these links together a breeze.

After running several automated email series, you’ll start noticing patterns in subscriber engagement. The number of emails needed to spot these trends depends on factors like audience size, content diversity, your industry and baseline conversion rates.

Once you’ve accumulated enough data, it’s time to dive deep into campaign performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.

That includes leveraging the insights to fine-tune your targeting. If your discount emails aren’t getting opened or your recommendations aren’t being clicked, it’s time to try a different approach.

To effectively analyse your campaign outcomes, use a dedicated email analytics dashboard (we round up our top picks in the next section!). This will provide a comprehensive view of each campaign element and its impact on your marketing efforts.

Opt-outs

Ensure there’s an easy way for users to unsubscribe or manage their email preferences. By providing a seamless opt-out experience, your business can weed out non-engaged users and maintain a positive brand image across the board.

Scan readers

Let’s be honest. Most recipients don’t read every single word in a marketing email—instead, they scan for the topics that interest them.

So, structure your email for scan readers with clear content blocks and concise copy with headers and formatting. This makes it easy for recipients to find the information that actually resonates with them and spurs the next move.

That means less scrolling and loss of interest – plus a greater chance they’ll click through and open your next email!

Spam folders

Fixing spam issues takes time, but it’s always worth it. If your emails have been marked as spam repeatedly, it might be a while before they reach inboxes again.

It might seem obvious, but sidestepping the spam folder starts with crafting subject lines that don’t sound spammy.

The subject line is your email’s first impression, and a trashy one might get your email marked as spam immediately by readers or filters. Avoid using all caps, promotional buzzwords, or phrases like “RE:” or “FWD:” as these can trigger spam filters.

Make sure to check and clean up the HTML in your emails, too. Broken HTML or multiple versions can cause emails to be flagged as spam. Some email clients are particular about HTML elements, so ensure your code is clean and functional.

You should also encourage readers to whitelist your emails. This prevents them from being marked as spam and helps maintain your reputation as a sender – the more people who whitelist your emails, the more trustworthy your business appears.

Last but not least, choosing reputable email marketing tools, like Omnisend, Hubspot or Salesmate, can help you avoid the spam folder. These tools make it much easier to create quality content and navigate spam filters, ensuring your emails land where they should.

Text in images

One common pitfall? Over-reliance on text in images. If your copy is confined to your visuals, this can be a major issue. That’s because such emails can be blank before images are ‘allowed from sender’ on many email platforms.

To be safe, always test your email in print or text view to see what it looks like with no images. It should still be readable and make sense without them.

The best email automation tools for 2025

Here, we break down our favourite tools for sending out trigger emails that can nurture, engage, and educate your subscribers.

1. Klaviyo

Pricing: Free for up to 250 active profiles. From there, email and SMS plans start at US$20 per month.

Klaviyo is a top choice for email automation in 2025, particularly for Ecommerce brands. With over 350 pre-built integrations, businesses can seamlessly connect their tech stack to power personalised customer experiences.

For example, its integration with Shopify lets you leverage real-time customer data for advanced segmentation and tailored marketing campaigns that drive sales.

This integration also allows for easy setup and automated workflows, so you can manage your marketing strategy straight from the Shopify platform.

You’ll also find powerful tools for email, SMS, and mobile push marketing on Klaviyo – all enhanced by AI-driven insights and predictive analytics that help businesses grow. Over 146,000 to be exact.

2. Omnisend

Pricing: Get a free plan with unlimited features for 250 contacts and up to 500 emails per month. Paid plans range from US$11.20 to US$85 per month, depending on the number of contacts.

Need an email marketing tool for Ecommerce?

Optimised for online retailers, Omnisend offers pre-built workflows for welcome series, cart abandonment, and post-purchase follow-ups to streamline marketing efforts. That includes cross-selling and upselling, order confirmation and shipping emails.

The platform also features a drag-and-drop builder, advanced segmentation, and real-time analytics for precise targeting and tracking. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with Shopify, WooCommerce, and other Ecommerce giants.

With award-winning 24/7 support and cost-effective plans, Omnisend is a top choice for any brand aiming to boost its online sales.

3. Salesmate

Pricing: Basic plans start at US$23 per month, with Pro features available from US$39 and Premium features from US$63.

Salesmate is a versatile CRM with powerful email marketing capabilities, perfect for sales teams and agencies. It features multi-user access, role permissions, and a drag-and-drop email builder for creating tailored campaigns.

Salesmate excels in automation, allowing you to set up emails triggered by specific actions, such as when contacts move through the sales pipeline or reach milestones.

Seamlessly integrating with Google Apps, Zapier, and QuickBooks to streamline workflow, it also offers advanced segmentation to send personalised messages based on interests.

4. Constant Contact

Pricing: Standard plans start from AU$15 per month, Standard plans from AU$39 per month and Premium plans from AU$162 per month. Exact costs vary with the number of contacts.

Great for small businesses and email marketing beginners, Constant Contact is an easy, end-to-end automation platform.

Designed to make running an SME easier, its smart features give you more time to focus on core growth tasks. Grow your email list with website signup forms, easily manage subscribers, and craft email flows using drag-and-drop tools.

To top it off, simple integration with Facebook and Instagram ads helps you reach clients on social media in a few clicks.

5. Campaign Monitor

Pricing: Lite plans start from £10 per month, while Essential plans (with unlimited emails) start from £2.30 per month. If you want advanced segmentation and premium support, you’re looking at as much as £127 per month.

Campaign Monitor is a top-tier tool for marketing agencies, perfect for crafting automated email flows. It offers multi-user access, role permissions, branded templates, and standout signup forms.

This platform is also packed with all the essentials, like a drag-and-drop builder and robust reporting features. Whether the goal is to send out high-impact transactional emails or eye-catching newsletters, it’s got you covered.

6. ConvertKit

Pricing: Newsletters for up to 10,000 subscribers are free. Creator plans start from US$25 per month, while Creator Pro plans start from US$50 per month.

ConvertKit is a powerhouse for email automation, built for content creators like bloggers and course makers. With advanced targeting, you can deliver personalised content to each subscriber effortlessly.

Plus, its prebuilt automation flows for tasks like course subscriptions streamline your workflow, making it a go-to tool for creators.

7. Mailchimp

Pricing: Depends on the number of emails and contacts, with standard pricing starting from AU$13.74 per month.

With over 930,000 businesses choosing MailChimp, it continues to lead the market in email automation tools. That’s because it offers a robust suite of features designed for brands of all sizes!

Favoured for its simple, user-friendly interface, you can whip up and manage email campaigns effortlessly using the drag-and-drop editor and pre-designed templates.

Meanwhile, advanced segmentation options allow you to target specific audience groups based on behaviour, demographics, and purchase history, making for more relevant and effective communications.

Moreover, MailChimp offers sophisticated automation workflows so you can send timely emails based on triggers like customer sign-ups, purchases, or cart abandonment.

But the standout feature?

Its comprehensive analytics and reporting tools provide crystal-clear insights into campaign performance, audience engagement, and ROI. You can track open rates, click-through rates, and conversions in real time for data-driven decision-making.

MailChimp also integrates with platforms like Shopify, Salesforce, and WordPress to streamline data management.

Complete with scalable pricing plans and extensive support resources, it’s no wonder this is one of the most popular platforms for sending trigger emails.

How to choose the right email automation tool

Your email marketing automation success starts with the platform you pick.

Here’s what to look for:

• Email automation features: Your tool must be able to automate emails based on tailorable triggers. Many platforms lack this essential feature or offer only basic automation without customisation.
• User-friendly workflow and email templates: Save time and strengthen customer relationships with easy-to-tweak templates. Choose a tool offering pre-designed templates that can be adjusted for different use cases.
• Personalisation: As we’ve stressed already, personal touches drive email marketing success. Choose tools that integrate with CRM software to nurture leads and foster business growth.
• Real-time analytics: To measure success and identify growth opportunities, gathering the right data is key. Without tracking KPIs, your strategy’s long-term impact will be limited.
• Mobile optimisation: With 81% of people checking emails on their phones, mobile optimisation is a must. Your tool should ensure a seamless mobile user experience.
• Ecommerce integrations: For online retailers, sending transaction-specific emails is vital. Pick an email tool that integrates with your Ecommerce platform for timely, targeted campaigns.
• Dynamic email list segmentation: Effective email automation relies on precise subscriber segments. Your tool should segment subscribers based on defining characteristics to personalise emails effectively.

Let’s make the most of your email campaigns

While lots of brands bombard their subscribers with emails, few know how to leverage email automation to their full advantage. With trigger emails, you can supercharge your campaign without having to send each email manually.

This is the game-changer, enabling personalised experiences for every customer at scale. When customers feel noticed, they engage. And engaged customers convert. Simple as that.

Not sure where to begin?

We’ve got you covered.

From experienced campaign specialists to skilled copywriters, our digital team is on hand to help you at every point in the email marketing journey. Whatever your goal, we’ll create and implement a practical and impactful email automation strategy tailored to your brand.

For start-to-finish support, call us at (02) 4962 2236 or enquire online today!