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Automation Workflows Guide

Automation lets you send emails automatically based on triggers and create complex email sequences. This guide covers everything you need to know about building automation workflows.

What are Automation Workflows?

Automation workflows are sequences of automated actions that trigger based on events. They help you engage with subscribers at the right time with relevant content.

Automation Features

  • Trigger-Based Automation: Automate emails based on events
    • Subscriber added to list
    • Subscriber tagged
    • Campaign opened/clicked
    • Campaign not opened
    • Form submitted
    • Date-based (birthdays, anniversaries)
    • Custom API events
  • Multi-Step Workflows: Create complex email sequences
  • Conditional Branching: Different paths based on conditions
  • Wait Steps: Add delays between emails
  • Tag & Group Management: Automatically tag or group subscribers

Creating Your First Workflow

  • Navigate to Automation → "New Workflow"
  • Give your workflow a name
  • Select a trigger (e.g., "Subscriber added to list")
  • Configure trigger settings
  • Add email steps
  • Add wait steps between emails
  • Add conditional branches if needed
  • Activate the workflow

Trigger Types

Subscriber Triggers

  • Subscriber Added to List: Trigger when a subscriber joins a list
  • Subscriber Tagged: Trigger when a subscriber gets a specific tag
  • Subscriber Added to Group: Trigger when a subscriber joins a group

Campaign Triggers

  • Campaign Opened: Trigger when a subscriber opens a campaign
  • Campaign Clicked: Trigger when a subscriber clicks a link
  • Campaign Not Opened: Trigger when a subscriber doesn't open within a timeframe
  • Campaign Not Clicked: Trigger when a subscriber doesn't click within a timeframe

Form Triggers

  • Form Submitted: Trigger when a form is submitted
  • Form Field Value: Trigger based on specific form field values

Date-Based Triggers

  • Birthday: Trigger on subscriber's birthday
  • Anniversary: Trigger on specific dates
  • Custom Date: Trigger on custom date fields

Custom API Events

  • API Event: Trigger from custom API calls
  • Webhook Event: Trigger from webhook events

Workflow Steps

Email Steps

Send emails as part of your workflow:

  • Select an email template or create a new one
  • Personalize with variables
  • Set sender information
  • Configure send settings

Wait Steps

Add delays between workflow steps:

  • Wait for a specific duration (hours, days, weeks)
  • Wait until a specific date
  • Wait for a condition to be met

Conditional Branches

Create different paths based on conditions:

  • Check subscriber properties (tags, groups, metadata)
  • Check campaign engagement (opened, clicked)
  • Check form submission data
  • Route subscribers to different email sequences

Tag & Group Actions

Automatically manage subscriber tags and groups:

  • Add tags to subscribers
  • Remove tags from subscribers
  • Add subscribers to groups
  • Remove subscribers from groups

Example Workflows

Welcome Series

Send a welcome email when a subscriber joins, then follow-up emails after delays:

  • Trigger: Subscriber added to list
  • Step 1: Send welcome email immediately
  • Step 2: Wait 3 days
  • Step 3: Send "Getting Started" email
  • Step 4: Wait 7 days
  • Step 5: Send "Tips & Tricks" email

Re-engagement

Send "We miss you" email to subscribers who haven't opened in 30 days:

  • Trigger: Campaign not opened (30 days)
  • Step 1: Send re-engagement email
  • Step 2: Wait 7 days
  • Step 3: If still not opened, send final email

Tag-Based

Send special email when subscriber gets tagged "vip":

  • Trigger: Subscriber tagged "vip"
  • Step 1: Send VIP welcome email
  • Step 2: Add subscriber to "VIP" group

Behavior-Based

Send different emails based on campaign engagement:

  • Trigger: Campaign clicked
  • Branch 1: If clicked specific link, send related content
  • Branch 2: If clicked other links, send general follow-up

Workflow Best Practices

  • Start with simple workflows
  • Test triggers before activating
  • Add delays between emails in sequences
  • Monitor workflow performance
  • Don't create too many competing workflows
  • Map out your workflow logic before building it
  • Use conditional branching for different subscriber paths
  • Set appropriate wait times between steps
  • Test workflows with a small group before full deployment

Monitoring Workflows

Track workflow performance:

  • See how many subscribers entered each workflow
  • Track email open and click rates
  • Monitor workflow completion rates
  • Identify bottlenecks in workflows
  • View subscriber journey through workflows

Next Steps

Now that you understand automation, check out: