When people think “email marketing”, they usually picture a monthly newsletter. Newsletters are fine. But the emails that quietly bring in the most money are the automated ones. They go out at exactly the right moment, every time, without anyone pressing send.
Here are the five we set up first for almost every client.
1. The welcome flow
Someone just joined your list. This is when they’re most interested in you, so don’t waste it.
- Email 1 (right away): say thanks, deliver what you promised, and set expectations.
- Email 2 (a day or two later): tell your story and why you do what you do.
- Email 3: show your best product, service or result, with one clear next step.
Keep them short. Write like a person, not a brochure.
2. Abandoned cart (or abandoned form)
If you sell online, this one is a must. People get distracted. A friendly reminder an hour later, then another the next day, brings a surprising number of them back.
Not an online store? The same idea works for half-filled quote forms or booking pages.
3. Post-purchase
The sale isn’t the end. A good post-purchase flow says thank you, helps people get the most out of what they bought, and later asks for a review. Happy customers who feel looked after buy again.
4. Win-back
Some customers go quiet. Before you write them off, send a short sequence: “We miss you”, a reason to come back, and maybe a small offer. Even a few returning customers make this worth it.
5. Lead nurture (for service businesses)
If you sell services, most leads aren’t ready to buy today. A nurture flow keeps you in their inbox with useful tips, examples of your work and answers to common questions. When they’re ready, you’re the first name they think of.
Tip: one goal per email. One message, one button. The more choices you give people, the fewer clicks you get.
Don’t forget deliverability
None of this matters if your emails land in spam. Make sure your domain is set up properly with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, clean your list regularly, and avoid sending to people who never opened anything.
Want these set up for you?
We set up flows on Klaviyo, Mailchimp, HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Kit and others. Have a look at our email marketing service, or ask for a free email audit and we’ll show you which flows you’re missing.