How to send behavior-based automated emails

## How to Send Behavior-Based Automated Emails

Behavior-based automated emails are a powerful tool for marketers seeking to increase engagement, improve customer retention, and drive conversions. These emails are triggered by specific actions or inactions that users take on your website, app, or within your email communications. By leveraging these behavioral cues, you can deliver highly relevant and personalized messages that resonate with your audience, leading to better results. This article will guide you through the process of setting up and implementing effective behavior-based automated email campaigns.

Understanding Behavior-Based Email Automation

Before diving into the technical aspects, it’s crucial to understand the fundamental principles behind behavior-based email automation. Unlike traditional email marketing, which often relies on demographics or pre-defined segments, behavior-based emails are triggered by actual user actions. This allows you to send messages that are timely, relevant, and highly targeted, improving the chances of your audience paying attention and taking action.

The key to successful behavior-based automation lies in identifying the right behaviors to track and the corresponding email messages to send. Here are some examples:

• Website browsing behavior: Sending emails based on pages visited, products viewed, or time spent on specific sections of your website.
• Purchase history: Triggering emails based on past purchases, order frequency, or average order value.
• Email engagement: Sending emails based on opens, clicks, or unsubscribes.
• App usage: Sending emails based on app features used, time spent in the app, or actions taken within the app.
• Form submissions: Triggering emails based on forms filled out, information provided, or actions requested.
• Abandoned carts: Sending emails to users who added items to their cart but didn’t complete the purchase.

By analyzing these behaviors, you can gain valuable insights into your audience’s interests, needs, and pain points. This allows you to create email campaigns that address their specific concerns and provide personalized recommendations.

Setting Up Your Email Marketing Platform

To implement behavior-based email automation, you’ll need a robust email marketing platform that supports this functionality. Many platforms offer automation features, but it’s important to choose one that meets your specific needs. Here are some popular options:

• Mailchimp: A popular platform with a user-friendly interface and a wide range of automation features, including behavioral targeting.
• Klaviyo: A platform specifically designed for e-commerce businesses, with advanced segmentation and automation capabilities.
• HubSpot: A comprehensive marketing automation platform that integrates email marketing with other marketing tools.
• ActiveCampaign: A powerful automation platform with advanced segmentation and personalization features.
• Sendinblue: An all-in-one marketing platform with email marketing, SMS marketing, and chat features.

When choosing a platform, consider the following factors:

• Ease of use: Is the platform easy to navigate and understand?
• Automation capabilities: Does the platform offer the automation features you need?
• Segmentation options: Does the platform allow you to segment your audience based on behavior?
• Integration with other tools: Does the platform integrate with your CRM, e-commerce platform, and other marketing tools?
• Pricing: Does the platform offer a pricing plan that fits your budget?

Once you’ve chosen a platform, you’ll need to set up your account and connect it to your website, app, or other data sources. This will allow the platform to track user behavior and trigger automated emails.

Defining Your Target Behaviors and Email Flows

The next step is to define the specific behaviors you want to track and the corresponding email flows you want to create. This requires careful planning and a deep understanding of your audience’s journey.

Start by identifying the key touchpoints in your customer journey where behavior-based emails can have the most impact. For example:

• Website visit: Track pages visited, products viewed, and time spent on site.
• Product page views: Trigger emails with related products or special offers.
• Cart abandonment: Send emails reminding users of their abandoned cart and offering incentives to complete the purchase.
• Account creation: Send welcome emails and onboarding sequences.
• Order placement: Send order confirmation emails and shipping updates.
• Past purchases: Trigger emails with product recommendations based on past purchases.
• Lack of activity: Send re-engagement emails to users who haven’t engaged with your website or emails in a while.

For each behavior, define the following:

• The trigger: The specific action that will trigger the email.
• The email content: The message you want to send to the user.
• The timing: When the email should be sent after the trigger.
• The segmentation: The specific segment of users who should receive the email.
• The goal: What you want the user to do after receiving the email.

For example, for an abandoned cart email, you might define the following:

• Trigger: User adds items to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase.
• Email content: Reminder of the items in their cart, special offer (e.g., free shipping), and a link to complete the purchase.
• Timing: 1 hour after cart abandonment.
• Segmentation: All users who have added items to their cart but haven’t completed the purchase.
• Goal: Encourage the user to complete the purchase.

Once you’ve defined your target behaviors and email flows, you can start creating the email templates and setting up the automation rules in your email marketing platform.

Creating Compelling Email Content

The content of your behavior-based emails is crucial for their success. Your emails should be highly relevant, personalized, and engaging. Here are some tips for creating compelling email content:

• Personalize your emails: Use the user’s name, past purchase history, and other data to personalize the email content.
• Write clear and concise copy: Get straight to the point and make it easy for the user to understand the message.
• Use a strong call to action: Tell the user what you want them to do (e.g., “Complete your purchase,” “Learn more,” “Download now”).
• Include relevant images and videos: Visual content can help to capture the user’s attention and make the email more engaging.
• Optimize for mobile: Ensure that your emails are mobile-friendly, as many users will be reading them on their smartphones.
• A/B test your emails: Test different subject lines, email content, and calls to action to see what works best.

For example, in an abandoned cart email, you might include the following:

• A personalized greeting: “Hi [User Name],”
• A reminder of the items in their cart: “You left these items in your cart:” followed by images and descriptions of the items.
• A special offer: “Enjoy free shipping on your order!”
• A strong call to action: “Complete your purchase now!”
• A sense of urgency: “This offer is only valid for 24 hours.”

By creating compelling email content, you can increase the chances of your audience engaging with your emails and taking action.

Implementing Automation Rules and Workflows

Once you’ve created your email templates, you need to set up the automation rules and workflows in your email marketing platform. This involves defining the triggers, conditions, and actions that will govern the automated emails.

The specific steps for setting up automation rules will vary depending on the platform you’re using, but the general process is similar. Here are some common steps:

• Create a new automation workflow: Give your workflow a descriptive name (e.g., “Abandoned Cart Email”).
• Define the trigger: Select the specific behavior that will trigger the workflow (e.g., “Abandoned Cart”).
• Add a delay: Specify the amount of time that should pass between the trigger and the first email (e.g., 1 hour).
• Add an email action: Select the email template you want to send.
• Add conditions: Define any conditions that must be met before the email is sent (e.g., user is not already a customer).
• Add additional actions: Add any additional actions you want to take, such as updating the user’s profile or adding them to a specific list.
• Activate the workflow: Turn on the workflow to start sending automated emails.

It’s important to test your automation workflows thoroughly to ensure that they’re working correctly. You can do this by triggering the workflow yourself or by using a testing tool provided by your email marketing platform.

Tracking and Analyzing Your Results

Once your behavior-based email campaigns are up and running, it’s crucial to track and analyze your results. This will help you to understand what’s working well and what needs to be improved.

Key metrics to track include:

• Open rate: The percentage of users who opened your email.
• Click-through rate: The percentage of users who clicked on a link in your email.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of users who completed a desired action after clicking on a link in your email (e.g., made a purchase, filled out a form).
• Unsubscribe rate: The percentage of users who unsubscribed from your email list.
• Revenue per email: The amount of revenue generated per email sent.

By tracking these metrics, you can identify areas where you can improve your email campaigns. For example, if your open rate is low, you might need to experiment with different subject lines. If your click-through rate is low, you might need to improve the relevance or clarity of your email content. If your conversion rate is low, you might need to optimize your landing page or checkout process.

Use the data you collect to continuously improve your behavior-based email campaigns. This will help you to maximize your ROI and achieve your marketing goals.

Best Practices for Behavior-Based Email Automation

To ensure the success of your behavior-based email automation efforts, consider the following best practices:

• Start small: Don’t try to implement too many automated emails at once. Start with a few key behaviors and gradually expand your automation efforts.
• Segment your audience: Segment your audience based on their behavior to ensure that you’re sending the most relevant emails to the right people.
• Personalize your emails: Personalize your emails as much as possible to make them more engaging and relevant.
• Test your emails: A/B test different subject lines, email content, and calls to action to see what works best.
• Monitor your results: Track and analyze your results to identify areas where you can improve your email campaigns.
• Comply with email marketing regulations: Ensure that you comply with all applicable email marketing regulations, such as GDPR and CAN-SPAM.
• Provide value: Always provide value to your audience in your emails. Don’t just try to sell them something. Offer helpful information, resources, or exclusive deals.
• Be transparent: Be transparent about how you’re using their data and give them the option to opt out.
• Respect their privacy: Respect your audience’s privacy and don’t send them emails they don’t want to receive.
• Review and update: Regularly review and update your automated email campaigns to ensure they remain relevant and effective. As your business evolves and your customer behavior changes, your email strategies need to adapt as well.

By following these best practices, you can create effective behavior-based email campaigns that drive engagement, improve customer retention, and boost your bottom line.