In the ever-evolving landscape of digital communication, email remains a powerhouse, with 3.9 billion users globally in 2019, projected to grow to 4.48 billion by 2024. Amidst the rise of chat and messenger platforms, the enduring influence of email in online routines is undeniable. For businesses, optimizing email communication is not just beneficial but essential. Enter the realm of “email workflows,” a strategic approach to streamline and enhance marketing efforts.
Understanding Email Workflows:
An email workflow is a sequence of automated emails orchestrated through specialized software. This dynamic tool ensures targeted communication, delivering messages to the right audience at the right time. By automating processes, email workflows optimize resources, segment audiences based on various factors, and guide them toward specific marketing goals.
The Dynamic Nature of Email Workflows:
Email workflows are not static; they adapt to:
Customer lead status
Intent
Predicted actions
Ultimate behavior at each workflow stage
The starting point can be triggered by customer engagement, calendar events, ad-hoc activities, or customer behavior. Subsequently, each workflow progresses through stages based on the audience’s actions and behaviors.
Benefits of Email Workflows:
Time and Effort Savings:
Efficiently operates beyond limited headcounts.
One-time activation on your CRM or automation platform ensures long-term results.
Multi-Purpose Applications:
Tailored to achieve various marketing goals.
Addresses objectives such as subscriber acquisition, product promotion, sales, upselling, and customer retention.
Customizable and Adaptable:
Dynamic and adaptable, responding to outcomes.
Easily tweaked to deliver improved results.
Enables personalized email campaigns based on audience segments.
Personalized Email Campaigns:
Customizable for different audience segments.
Targets specific groups with high-intent calls-to-action or delivers a powerful brand message.
Cost-Effective with High Yields:
Numerous software options available for cost-effective email automation.
Delivers substantial outcomes in lead conversion, sales, revenue, and brand amplification.
Setting Up Effective Email Workflows:
A comprehensive checklist ensures the success of your email workflows:
Define Starting Criteria:
Clearly define triggers or marketing goals.
Ensure flexibility for optimal campaign results.
Verify and maintain accuracy of qualitative data on contacts.
Implement a Calendar Template:
Use a calendar template to track workflows efficiently.
Schedule emails at the right times for maximum impact.
Audience Segmentation:
Understand audience patterns and personas.
Customize workflows based on personas and industries.
Leverage smart content to address specific challenges in the sales funnel.
Build Supporting Assets:
Integrate other tools to enhance email campaigns.
Consider additional communication channels, such as chat or web, to amplify your campaigns.
Implement Branching:
Account for disruptions due to gaps or lags in customer responses.
Develop a ‘complex behavioral workflow’ with branching capabilities for customized workflows.
Allow for Scale and Replication:
Set up workflows to be scalable and replicable across use cases.
Specify criteria while allowing for ease of replication.
Incorporate Testing and Adaptability:
Continuously track the efficacy of workflows.
Be ready to tweak and pivot based on insights and campaign goals.
Conclusion:
Email marketing remains a cornerstone for businesses, offering a prime area for optimization and automation. With email workflows, the potential to eliminate constraints, bottlenecks, and enhance campaign outcomes is substantial. Marketers can leverage this tool for lead nurturing, brand enhancement, sales promotions, and overall optimization. As the State of Marketing Automation 2019 report suggests, 75% of marketers consider email marketing the most suitable channel for automation after social media. The time is ripe to explore email workflows, harness creative potential, and witness enhanced marketing results today!
