Guide to Email Marketing Automation
While many have the naive opinion that email is dead, this limiting belief couldn’t be farther from the truth. With over 4 billion active email users and boasting the highest ROI of any other marketing tactic (a whopping 4200% average return on investment), email marketing is arguably the most effective of marketing automation tactics, and for good reason.
Whether you’re using email for general customer communication, promotional marketing purposes, retargeting campaigns, or post-purchase funnels, email automation can help. B
Because email is historically a manual process, however, many who come from a traditional marketing background still fail to see value and reliability in that of email marketing automation, even if it does make efforts more streamlined, time efficient, and effective.
The following guide focuses on email automation for e-commerce businesses, the role that it plays in the management and success of email marketing strategies, and how to implement them to your benefit.
What is Email Automation?
Largely with the help of email automation software which we’ll discuss later, email automation is simply the act of proactively setting up a certain trigger or action to take place automatically at some desired period in the future.
Some common examples of email automation include but are certainly not limited to email sign-up welcoming messages, retargeting emails based on previous actions, or even an abandoned cart reminder email to encourage a desired action.
In short, the nature of email automation is simple. It takes minute and tedious tasks and automates them so that you don’t have to continuously do it. This, in turn, frees up your time and allows you to better spend your time on actions that greater move the needle.
Email Automation for E-Commerce Businesses
It’s important to note that email automation shouldn’t play a role in the beginning stages of building an email list and growing an eCommerce business. In fact, these beginning stages should be the exact opposite; an all-in effort to do all that you can as a business owner to set your business up for long-term success.
This, for obvious reasons, requires a ton of leg work and long hours in the office (literally and figuratively) without the reliance on automation.
Once you’ve developed a sizable email list, however, and you’ve curated an effective and comprehensive marketing strategy that entails campaign launches and the like, it’s now time to implement email automation processes that will smoothly and seamlessly operate the strategy, allowing you to then place your efforts elsewhere.
Luckily, there are several email marketing platforms available for your deployment that not only help you build out successful email campaigns but also boast automation technologies that you can implement with the click of a button.
With that said, the following section is a summarized outline of some of the best email marketing automation platforms available in 2022. While not all of their accompanying features are likely to be of any use to your eCommerce business or email marketing strategy at large, some of them are guaranteed to come in handy…
Top Email Marketing Automation Platforms of 2022
With several email marketing platforms to choose from, it can be difficult to decipher which ones are likely to be most suited for your specific needs, especially when it comes to automation implementations.
While this article isn’t intended to help you define those needs, it is intended to share all things email automation. In saying that, below is a broad list of top email automation and management platforms for your perusing…
Remember, when determining which platform is most suitable, consider the following to ensure you’re correct in your decision: what plans do they offer? Do they integrate seamlessly with social media platforms? Is there reliable customer service? Do they offer household features like A/B testing? What automation technologies do they boast?
MailChimp
One of the more recognizable names in email marketing, Mailchimp is the go-to platform for many. With an easy-to-use interface, a functional drag-and-drop feature, and versatility on all fronts, It sits atop the list no matter your needs.
HubSpot
Another recognizable name in email and digital marketing, HubSpot is an all-in-one CRM offering services and features for any campaign type. From automation, A/B testing, and reliable data tracking capabilities, not to mention its affordability, HubSpot competes with the rest, no matter your needs.
Klaviyo
For email integration, SMS marketing, and real-time analytics, Klaviyo has you covered. As an expert in email and SMS marketing, it stands atop the rest in any category. However, because of its advanced offerings and innovation in the space, there is a steep learning curve comparatively speaking. Another complaint with Klaviyo, though an incredible platform once adjusted, is its price…
Drip
Similar to Klaviyo, Drip comes with a steeper learning curve than most. That doesn’t suggest, however, that it isn’t a great email marketing tool, because it is! Unfortunately, it doesn’t come complete with mobile integration and optimization features. So, while it’s an incredible email marketing platform for desktops, it might deter you from pursuing it any further because, as we’ve discussed, mobile is essential.
Sendinblue
Comparable to Mailchimp, Sendinblue is known to be incredibly functional and easy to use. Not to mention, it’s cost-efficient and versatile with respect to all of its resourceful features. With i’s modern interface, you truly can’t go wrong.
In Summary
Defining email automation as a means of sending the right campaign to the right email subscriber at the right time for the right purpose is the most appropriate way of explaining both its role and value.
Not only is it a way of freeing up your time so that you can partake in more valuable tasks but it’s also a proven surefire strategy for leveraging your subscriber list.
Personalize your customer communication, optimize your marketing efforts, save time, encourage actions, boost retention rates, and increase overall conversions with the help of email marketing automation and ultimately grow your e-commerce business with ease.
