Companies are turning to email automation workflow for B2B marketing to get faster results. This is not shocking since, as statistics indicate, 72% prefer email as the primary form of business communication. This goes along with the fact that 52% of businesses use email as the primary communication tool. By automating the process, it is possible to get better results without investing so much time and energy.
So what is email automation workflow? It is a series of processes by which emails will be generated and sent out automatically. This can include anything in a series of emails sent out based on the subscriber’s data and behaviors.
The idea behind email automation workflow is to generate leads that convert into sales when put through the sales funnel. By integrating different processes into your email marketing campaign, it is possible to reach more customers in a timely manner while generating more conversions. It is a more effective use of marketing resources.
Keep in mind the average click-to-open rate for email marketing was 15.49% in 2019. With the growing trend for customers to take care of more business online than in years past, this number is expected to grow.
How do you take advantage of the trend? Taking the tact used by 89% of marketers seems to be the right answer. Incorporate email automation workflows to get the most out of your email marketing campaign. Here, we will look at the different processes of digital marketing automation and how they can assist you with getting better results in your emails.
We will talk about the following:
- Build the best email list
- Develop and nurture your leads
- Keep subscribers from jumping ship
With this information, you will better understand how to create the best email automation workflows. You will get better results for your effort. You will also maintain the relationships with your customers better which translates to better sales down the road.
Table of Contents
Build the Best Email List
Email automation workflow works best when you have the best email list. Do not fall victim to purchasing an email list from a third party. While it is possible for you to get results from such a list, it can actually do you more harm than good in the long term.
It is necessary to make sure your email list is populated with recipients who are expecting emails. This opt-in process makes them a subscriber rather than a recipient. Your emails will hit the inbox rather than the spam folder. Best of all, the emails will be read rather than ignored or discarded. This is what will develop higher CTR.
Generating your own email lists can be done through a few methods. Among the top methods to gain email subscribers is through the use of luck of the draw giveaway. Through this method, you offer a prize in exchange for subscribing to your email list. While some will unsubscribe, it is important to remember the rate of those who do so is relatively small.
A part of what you should include in your giveaway is the ability to provide details through a survey. This provides you with valuable information for you to then segment your email list. As a side note, third-party email lists are not segmented, so they have no hope to get the same results.
Your email list will offer even better results if it is segmented based on:
- Geographic location
- Lead status
- Source
- Recent interactions
- Demographic
- Purchase potential
The scoring of your leads can be done according to your needs. Experiment with the figures to find things that matter most when going through the sales funnel. Always use information from past leads to assign value. This gives you the best jumping-off point.
Develop and Nurture Your Leads
With your email list intact, make sure you take care of your list. Take some time to get to know the people you are marketing to. With every email you send out, it is a chance for you to learn how you are doing.
Attach to every email the ability to track the ability to convert. What is important is:
- Whether the email was read
- If the email generated a click-through
- The ability of a click through to convert into a sale
These factors make it possible for you to receive information almost instantaneously. This is due to the fact that 21% of emails are opened within the first hour of delivery. Sales based on the email will occur within a short time period thereafter.
This information allows you to craft your message and to further segment your email list. By having segmentation and personalization that is finely tuned, you can concentrate on sending out emails only to those with who it will do the most good. The impact of personalization in Email Automation Workflows is shown in this picture.
The most important factor to be considered is the increase in your Email open rate. This factor determines all of the other actions that come after. Remember, sales do not happen if there is a zero CTR. There is no chance of a high CTR if no one opens the email.
Keep Subscribers from Jumping Ship
To increase the likelihood your email automation will have the best chance at conversion, timing is as important as segmentation. Consider that 61% of subscribers say they would like to receive emails weekly. Only 38% say they would like to receive emails more often than that.
Keeping that in mind, it is all about reaching your subscribers on the timeline they prefer. It has been found that Tuesday is the best day for sending out emails. This is due in large part to the mindset in the workplace. Monday is a day of catching up. Tuesday is the first real day of work around the office. Sending B2B marketing emails on this day is likely to have the best possible effect.
If you are planning on sending out two emails during the week, you are best to make the second one on Thursday. Just like Monday is a day of catch-up, Friday is a day of being checked out. People spend more time thinking about the weekend than work and your marketing email is likely to be ignored as something to catch up on come Monday.
Of course, when Monday rolls around, a marketing email from Friday is just another annoyance. Wednesday is right in the middle of the week when most workers are feeling the most stress over the workweek. Highlighting Tuesday and Thursday makes the most sense for your email to be received properly.
Automate & Schedule
Email frequency is important to maintain your subscribers. You want to remain at the forefront of your subscribers’ minds, but in a positive way. This means concentrating on automatic emails that make the most sense. This can include:
- Welcome email
- Transaction email
- Delivery email
- Follow up email
All of these different emails are a chance to upsell. Include the right links as well as a call to action. Make sure the language is warm, clear, and concise. Value the time of the reader! Above all, personalize the email as per the segmentation guidelines. After all, emails are tantamount to speaking directly to an individual.
The automated email follow-up is among the most important tools you have. This is because you do not have to remember to follow up with a client. Using a follow-up email tool automates the process, or at the very least will remind you to follow up. This follow up email extension makes sure your marketing team is not as stressed and puts the focus back on taking care of the client.
Among the things you should be following up on, include the satisfaction related to the purchase. These are great emails to include a survey. Ask what helped to drive the decision to make a purchase. If you tie a possible reward to the survey it is more likely you will receive the important information you desire.
If there is a complaint, the automated system should alert your team immediately. This requires individual attention. While an automated follow-up email can be sent out that the complaint has been received, it should be followed up with a member of the team personally reaching out. This is your chance to not only hold on to a customer but to let them know you care. Even if the end result is a refund, by taking the time to respond personally it increases the likelihood of a future sale.
Final Thoughts
The shift towards B2B email automation workflow is beneficial to marketers. It allows you to spend less time thinking about the daily marketing process. Rather, time can be spent on developing the next strategy to be used. It takes the pressure off from the current campaign so more time can be spent actually selling.
Increasing sales productivity through these methods makes it possible for you to humanize B2B sales. Keep in mind most people do not make a decision to purchase right away. It can take time. It means following up and fine-tuning your methods. Learn from what works as well as what didn’t work. It is all an opportunity to do better. Using B2B email automation workflow is just one more way you can improve.
