Unfortunately (or fortunately), the majority of marketing isn’t what you see on “Mad Men.” Today, marketers focus on a 5×3 inch smartphone to generate leads, re-engage past clients and boost visibility.
But manually sending emails, running campaigns, segmenting leads and typing in customer names is the modern-day equivalent of a Sisyphean task. Let your marketing automation software do the work for you. Here are 16 essential marketing automation workflows to optimize your digital marketing efforts.
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Article Roadmap
- Essential Marketing Automation Workflow Components
- 16 Vital Workflows
- Best Marketing Automation Workflow Software
- Next Steps
Essential Components of Successful Marketing Automation Workflows
Before we dive into the wonderful world of marketing automation workflows, here’s a look into the components that make ‘em tick.
Triggers
Getting triggered is a good thing when it comes to workflows. Triggers are the elements that push workflows from one step to the next. Typically, there are event-based and conditional triggers:
Event-Based: Pre-defined actions trigger automated responses with this type of trigger. For example, when users click a link, make a purchase or open an email.
Conditional: Perhaps you’re part of a targeted demographic, meet certain purchasing requirements or live in a specific location. Meeting any of the above pre-set conditions triggers a response.
Responses
Once triggers activate, then what? Usually, a response.
Sometimes (but not always), it comes in the form of emails. Signing up for a newsletter results in a welcome email, or making a purchase prompts a thank you email. However, it can also mean direct communication via a chatbot, a notification sent to remind sales reps about the next step or adding user information to a contact list.
16 Vital Marketing Automation Workflows
Want to get the most out of your digital marketing using workflows? Class is in session for Marketing Automation Workflows 101. These 19 workflows are a need, not a want, for marketing success.
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Lead Generation Workflows
Like plants need water, businesses need leads to grow. Step up your lead generation with the following workflows.
Welcome Email Workflow
Trigger: Subscribing to a newsletter or purchasing a product or service
If marketing automation workflows were a video game, setting up a welcome email sequence would be the first level. They make a big impact, too. Welcome emails have a 63.91% open rate and an average click-through rate of 14.34% – three times more than regular newsletters.
An Example of a Welcome Email Sequence from Strava.
Typically, a welcome email includes the following components:
- Thank you note
- User information
- Onboarding steps
- Expectations for content
Lead Magnet Workflow
Trigger: Opting in for a download
This type of inbound marketing workflow follows a carrot-and-stick approach. Also known as the gated content workflow, you want to lure in users with the resources they need. Instead of just sending resources and leaving it at that, consider sending the following sequence of emails:
- Thank you note and confirmation of download
FridayPulse’s Approach To Taking the Happiness Test Is a Good Example of Gated Content.
- Helpful tips and additional resources
A Follow-Up Email with Additional Resources Keeps Potential Leads Interested.
- Request for feedback
Abandoned Cart Email Workflow
Trigger: Adding a product to your cart, but not completing the purchase
Users abandoning their carts feels like falling at the final race hurdle. You’re so close, yet so far. You’re not alone. The average online shopping cart abandonment rate is 70.19%. Turn those numbers into opportunities with an abandoned cart email sequence.
Follow up with “almost’ clients with an email containing the following info:
- Reminder about items left in the cart
- Link to purchase
- Additional products they may like
Uniqlo’s Email is a Common Example of Companies Utilizing the Abandoned Cart Email Workflow.
Increase your chances of closing by addressing the reason a customer may have backed out at the last minute. Perhaps offering a discount, another mode of payment or customer service will help seal the deal.
Lead Nurturing Workflows
Now that you’ve got your hands on some precious leads, it’s time to help them grow.
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Onboarding Drip Campaigns
Trigger: Creating an account or making a purchase
Like entering a talking phase with a match on an online dating app, you’ve made a connection. Now you need to make it stick. An effective drip campaign includes the following emails:
- Welcome email
- Follow up with steps to complete onboarding
Make It Easy for Users To Complete the Onboarding Process.
- Reminder with USPs
- Thank you on completion
Tip: Less is more with most onboarding drip campaigns. Too many emails feels spammy.
Lead Scoring Workflow
Trigger: Meeting the set lead score
It’s impossible to give equal importance to every lead your company chances upon. That’s where a lead scoring workflow enters the picture. Create lead scoring rules based on activity and set up automation workflows to organize and prioritize high-scoring leads.
Setting up a lead scoring workflow involves the following steps:
- Create or edit a visual workflow.
- Select Lead as a Trigger for your workflow.
An Example of Constant Contact’s Lead Scoring Workflow. Source
- Enter the lead score you want.
- Add responses with additional triggers for different actions.
Lead Segmentation Workflow
Trigger: Meeting custom attributes
Lead scoring and lead segmentation go hand in hand. You don’t want a high-scoring lead in one demographic to receive an email or offer for another demographic. Segment contacts by:
- Contact details
- Tags
- Custom fields
- Recent activity
- Geolocation
- Interests
Whenever contacts meet these criteria, automatically add them to lists with relevant responses.
Lead Assignment Workflow
Trigger: Meeting pre-defined attributes or following a set of strategies
Manually assigning leads to sales reps can lead to miscommunication and double-teaming leads. Set up automated workflows to assign leads to sales reps based on attributes like territory, life cycle stage or lead status. Alternatively, assign leads using the following lead routing strategies:
- Round robin
- Group-based
- Specific lead routing
- Hybrid distribution
Engagement Workflows
Next, you’ll need to keep your connection strong with a little help from engagement workflows.
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Reminder Email Workflows
Trigger: Completing activities or meeting attributes
Successfully converting a lead is only one piece of the puzzle. Now you need to keep them coming back for more. Sending reminder emails is one way to stay on the radar. Ideally, your reminder email should include:
- Personalization
- USPs
- Link for next steps
Elfster Follows a Time-Based Trigger for Their Reminder Email Workflow.
Special Event Email Workflow
Trigger: Setting milestone dates
Everyone wants to feel special. A little bit of thoughtfulness around special days like birthdays and anniversaries can go a long way toward building goodwill. Trigger special event emails by inputting milestone dates. The best occasion emails are personalized and include a little gift (like a discount code) for the user.
H&M Provides Users an Incentive with Their Special Event Email Workflow.
Re-Engagement Workflow
Trigger: Defining rules for inactive subscribers
The numbers are in, and they’re not looking good on the engagement front. What’s your next step? Implementing a re-engagement workflow helps you reconnect with interested subscribers or remove them from customer lists. Define attributes to trigger emails for inactive users based on open and click-through rates, purchase history and social media activity.
Duolingos Re-Engagement Email Workflows Serve as a Reminder and Streamline Subscribers.
High-performing re-engagement emails often include a discount or reward and the option to unsubscribe.
Post-Purchase Workflow
Trigger: Making a purchase
Hooray, you’ve made a sale! But your job isn’t over yet. Set up a post-purchase workflow to keep customers in the loop on updates with the following emails:
- Payment confirmation
- Order details
- Shipping information
Order Confirmation Emails Keep Customers in the Loop.
Best practices include thanking the customer, showing ordered items clearly, sending a link to track shipping and adding customer support details.
Incentivization Workflow
Trigger: Meeting user activity attributes
We’re not saying Pavloving your customers is the answer, but we’re also not not saying Pavlovian Conditioning works. Set up a workflow to reward past customers or leads who demonstrate exit intent.
A Custom Discount Code Offers Users an Incentive for Repeat Purchases.
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Customer Retention Workflows
Businesses have a 60% to 70% chance of selling to existing customers. Ipso facto, implementing workflows focussing on retaining customers is a wise move.
Feedback Workflow
Trigger: Purchasing a product or service
Getting insights on what’s working (or what isn’t working) is the key to continuous improvement and keeping customers happy. Set up a time-controlled trigger, so your customers have time to try the product, for a feedback email. A customer response should trigger a thank you email and further follow up from customer service in some cases.
H&M Asks Users To Fill an Survey for Feedback.
Top Tip: Add an incentive to increase participation!
H&M Offers a Carrot of a Discount for Filling Out the Survey.
Replenishment Workflow
Trigger: Specifying a timeframe before a user’s product or service ends
We all need a reminder every now and then (especially when it comes to products and services we enjoy). Set up replenishment workflows for products with a limited lifecycle, like skin care, or subscription-based services. A renewal email is triggered by setting a time frame of x number of days before the product cycle ends.
Effective emails include:
- Clear indicators of when services end (in case of a subscription)
- Link for repurchase or renewal
- Benefits and USPs
McAfee Uses a Custom Time-Based Trigger for Their Replenishment Workflow.
Customer Review Email Requests
Trigger: Purchasing a product or service or signing up for a free trial
We’ve all made (or nixed) purchases based on reviews. Building a portfolio of positive reviews will boost business further. Add a request for review at the end of your post-purchase workflow.
An Example of a Feedback Workflow from an Artisanal Coffee StartUp.
Like with a feedback request, it’s important to give the user time to use your product or service. Adding an incentive doesn’t hurt either!
Upselling or Cross-Selling Workflow
Trigger: Purchasing a product or service
One and done isn’t the strategy here. Boost sales by sending recommendations for complementary products. It’s an excellent way to keep happy customers abreast of new offerings and encourage them to upgrade. An example workflow can include triggers for reminders when users click on the link or spend a specific amount of time reading the email.
Most Airlines Use an Upselling Workflow To Shill Upgrades.
Best Marketing Automation Software for Workflows
Setting up workflows without marketing automation software is like trying to make a fire without flint. It’s possible, but it’s very difficult (just ask Survivor contestants). Here are our picks of the best marketing automation software for workflows.
HubSpot
HubSpot is a cloud-based platform built around an inbound methodology. It allows users to automate and manage workflows for tasks like lead rotation, task creation, follow-up emails, lead routing and reminders.
| Feature | SelectHub Analyst Score |
|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | 100 |
| Email Autoresponders | 100 |
| Automated Follow-Up Texts | 50 |
| Lead Assignment Rules | 100 |
| Lead Follow-Up | 100 |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
MailChimp
MailChimp is a web-based system with a focus on email marketing. It offers workflow automation to streamline task management, campaigns, drip emails, targeting and customer journeys.
| Feature | SelectHub Analyst Score |
|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | 100 |
| Email Autoresponders | 100 |
| Automated Follow-Up Texts | 50 |
| Lead Assignment Rules | 100 |
| Lead Follow-Up | 100 |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Get Response
Get Response is a cloud-based tool used for email marketing, website building and funnel conversion. It allows users to build marketing automation workflows by defining conditions based on customer data and behavior. Users can also create personalized automation workflows for campaigns, retargeting and customer journeys.
| Feature | SelectHub Analyst Score |
|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | 100 |
| Email Autoresponders | 100 |
| Automated Follow-Up Texts | 100 |
| Lead Assignment Rules | 100 |
| Lead Follow-Up | 100 |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Constant Contact
Constant Contact is a web-based email marketing tool geared toward small businesses. It supports sending automated welcome emails, communication to non-openers and drip campaigns.
| Feature | SelectHub Analyst Score |
|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | 100 |
| Email Autoresponders | 100 |
| Automated Follow-Up Texts | 100 |
| Lead Assignment Rules | 0 |
| Lead Follow-Up | 100 |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a cloud-based marketing service platform. Users can configure and create workflows to set automation rules for approvals, lead assignments, personalized automated follow-ups, tags and forms.
| Feature | SelectHub Analyst Score |
|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | 100 |
| Email Autoresponders | 100 |
| Automated Follow-Up Texts | 100 |
| Lead Assignment Rules | 100 |
| Lead Follow-Up | 100 |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Next Steps
Planning your next marketing campaign doesn’t have to be as stressful as the traumatic events that led to Don Draper’s best pitches. All you need is a helping hand from marketing automation software and the right workflows. We’ll take care of the software bit. Use our free comparison report to shortlist the best solutions for your company. You’re all set to ace the digital marketing game!
Which marketing automation workflows are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments below!
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