The 5 x email automation workflow every ecommerce business needs

If you’ve been following me for a while or joined one of my courses, you will have heard me hammer on about the power of email marketing and how an effective email automation workflow can save time while boosting engagement and sales.

Email marketing is one of the cheapest and most effective marketing tactics available to us and is also one of the most underutilised.  Often eCommerce business owners are preoccupied with other marketing channels where they ‘feel’ like they should be showing up more, such as Instagram.  The result is overstretched business owners going down fruitless rabbit holes of time and spent energy, agonising over what to say, whether they need to dance, sing, laugh, mime or point at words on reels, and then giving up and thinking their business is doomed. 

And while they are spending all that time over there, they often have completely neglected their email database - a list of warm leads who have willingly opted into being marketed to! 

I recently chatted with email marketing expert Linda Thomas from Ashlinc Digital, where we explored the 5 most important email automation workflows every eCommerce business should have. We discussed when to send these emails, what to say in each one, and how many emails to include in each workflow. You can listen to the full podcast episode here or watch the interview here:

 Here’s a recap of what we discussed.

Email Automation Workflow number 1:

The Welcome Series:  Between 3 - 5 emails. 

You will have a lot of traffic to your website that doesn’t end with a purchase, so it’s important to have a system for capturing these visitors’ details and building a relationship with them to ultimately convert them into buyers. Ideally, you’ll have a pop-up or opt-in that collects their name and email. This triggers your email automation workflow, starting with a welcome series when someone completes the opt-in.

The first email delivers the discount code or freebie, with a call to action to return to your website and use it.

In the second email, Linda suggests sharing more about your brand story, how you came to be, or an “About Us” message, along with a gentle reminder to use their discount code.

The third email shares social proof and testimonials, such as recent reviews or “As Seen In” features if your brand has been featured in media or won awards.

If you want to include more emails in this flow, you could add themes like “Take a Look at Our Best Sellers,” “Meet the Team,” or a behind-the-scenes look at your manufacturing process.

The goal of this email automation workflow is to build the know, like, and trust factor with your new leads and encourage them to make their first purchase.

Email flow number 2:

The Abandoned Cart Series:  Ideally 3 x emails starting from 4 hours from the time of cart abandonment. 

The Abandoned Cart Flow helps you recover lost leads. With 2-3 strategically timed emails, you can reach out to customers who have left items in their cart without making a purchase and bring them back to your website.

Linda recommends waiting  approximately four hours after the abandoned cart before sending the first email, using a prompt like "Oops, did you leave something behind?" This gives your visitor time to come back to the website themselves if they left a browser tab open, but also generates momentum in their relationship with your brand.

Wait a day before you send the second email, and use this one as your opportunity to offer a discount or to answer any objections stopping your visitor from buying.  

You could send a third, Last Call email to create a sense of urgency. The message in this email could be that the discount is about to expire, or the stock is expiring on a product. Be sure to use a real sense of urgency, though, because shoppers are savvy and they appreciate honesty in communications. So you could attach an actual expiry date to your discount, or communicate genuine stock levels.

Email flow number 3: 

Abandoned Browser Series - 2 x 3 emails

This flow targets customers who have shown interest by viewing products but haven’t added anything to their cart. You can base this on your Abandoned Cart Flow and make small tweaks to the copy and subject line to remind shoppers about the products they were interested in and encourage them to make a purchase.

Because these shoppers haven’t added products to their cart yet, they are still higher in the sales funnel, which means your messaging needs to be tailored accordingly.

Klaviyo is the perfect software for this email automation workflow because it collects relevant user data, allowing you to create abandoned browser automations and build valuable segments and lists for targeted messaging.

Email flow number 4: 

Customer thank you for new customers and returning customers 1 - 3 emails.

The purpose of this automated Klaviyo flow is to build strong relationships with your customers and thank them (obviously) for shopping with you.

With Klaviyo, you can take this thank-you sequence to a new level. You can split this sequence depending on whether this is a new client or a repeat shopper and you can use all the in-depth data to monitor your customer’s interactions with your emails, where they’re clicking or where they’re not, their overall interaction with your brand via their movement through your email flows.

Having a follow-up to your thank you email is also a great way to collect product reviews.  Wait a week or so after your customer's order has been fulfilled in Shopify and then ask them for feedback about their product or experience. Be sure to provide an easy link inside the email for your customers to click on to leave their reviews.  I love stamped.io for collecting reviews. 

Positive reviews are a great addition to your overall marketing strategy because they can improve your buyer confidence and conversions.

Email flow number 5: 

Sunset and win-back flows approximately 3 emails. 

Although Klaviyo will automatically segment inactive subscribers based on hard or soft bounces, it can be helpful to use a Sunset Flow to maintain a clean subscriber list. This email automation workflow targets disengaged subscribers or previous customers who have reduced their interest in your brand. Use this flow to give them a unique offer and try to reconnect with them.

Because these are already disengaged readers, focus on crafting a very enticing subject line to boost your open rate. Generally, 1-2 emails are sufficient, as they haven’t engaged with your other communications.

The Sunset Flow is also commonly called a Win Back Flow, although the Win Back Flow specifically targets customers who have purchased from you in the past.

You can use the Sunset Flow to deliver an offer, give disengaged readers the option to self-unsubscribe, or ask if they want to stay on your mailing list. A Sunset Flow is generally run after 90-180 days of inactivity.

By implementing these five Klaviyo email automation workflows, you'll be well on your way to maximizing customer engagement and boosting your eCommerce sales. Remember to take advantage of Klaviyo's full functionality, even if you have a small subscriber base. Unlike other providers, Klaviyo offers access to all features without requiring additional upgrades.

If you want to learn more about email marketing for your eCommerce business, Linda Thomas from Ashlinc Digital is an expert in the field and offers email marketing packages. You can contact her through her website or social media accounts.