What Is an Email Workflow? The Complete Guide for 2024
Are you generating plenty of leads for your business but struggling to convert them into customers? You‘re not alone. Many marketers face the challenge of capturing leads who aren‘t immediately ready to buy. But ignoring those leads is a huge missed opportunity.
The solution is lead nurturing—providing relevant, valuable content over time to move leads closer to a purchase. And one of the most effective lead nurturing strategies is leveraging email workflows.
In this guide, we‘ll dive into exactly what email workflows are, their benefits, and best practices for using them to nurture leads and drive more sales for your business. Plus, get examples of popular email workflows you can implement. Let‘s get into it!
What Is an Email Workflow?
An email workflow is an automated series of emails that are sent to leads or customers based on specific triggers or criteria. Instead of manually creating and sending one-off emails, you can use email automation software to pre-build a sequence of emails. Contacts who meet the workflow criteria are automatically enrolled to receive the email series.
For example, you could create an email workflow for new leads who download an ebook on a certain topic. The workflow could include 3-5 emails spaced a few days apart that provide additional content related to that topic. The goal is to provide helpful information that moves the lead closer to a purchase.
You can define enrollment criteria for workflows based on demographic information, interests, lead behaviors, or any data you collect. Some common examples of workflow triggers include:
- Filling out a form
- Viewing a specific web page
- Clicking a link in an email
- Reaching a lead score threshold
- Not engaging for a certain time period
The key is that email workflows allow you to automatically follow up with leads based on their actions or characteristics. You can send super relevant emails by leveraging what you know about each lead.
Why Use Email Workflows for Lead Nurturing?
Email workflows offer major benefits for your lead nurturing and email marketing efforts:
- Send timely, relevant emails based on a lead‘s actions or interests
- Save time through automation rather than manual email blasts
- Convert more leads to customers by providing helpful content that addresses their needs
- Ability to precisely target leads based on criteria like job title, industry, behavior, and more
With email workflows, you can deliver the right content to the right leads at the right times. If someone downloads a guide on social media marketing, you know they are likely interested in that topic. You can automatically follow up with more content on social media rather than sending them unrelated emails.
This targeted approach makes leads much more likely to engage with your emails and move towards a purchase. In fact, targeted emails generate 58% of all email revenue (DMA).
And not only do email workflows nurture leads more effectively, but they also save you a ton of time. Set up the workflow once, and the emails are automatically sent to any leads who meet the criteria. You don‘t have to worry about remembering to follow up with different segments.
Hubspot found that marketers who use automation software generate 2X the leads of those using blast email software. And they convert 47% more of those leads to customers. The power of email workflows is clear.
Signs You Should Use Email Workflows
How do you know if your business is ready to start using email workflows? Here are some common signs:
- You‘re generating leads but ignoring ones who aren‘t immediately ready to buy
- You send the same email blasts to your whole list
- You‘re collecting lead data like interests and behaviors but not using it to segment your list
- You‘re sending one-off emails manually and it‘s becoming unmanageable
- Your sales team says the leads you send over aren‘t high-quality
If you can relate to any of those scenarios, email workflows could make a huge difference for your lead nurturing. Rather than letting leads slip through the cracks, you can automatically stay in touch and provide valuable content that drives them closer to conversion.
Email Workflow Best Practices
To get the most out of email workflows, keep these best practices in mind:
- Map out your buyer‘s journey and create content for each stage (awareness, consideration, decision)
- Keep emails concise, compelling, and packed with value—no fluff!
- Always include a clear call-to-action so leads know what to do next
- A/B test different subject lines, copy, CTAs, etc. to optimize your results
- Review email analytics to see what‘s working and make improvements
- Regularly clean your email list to avoid sending to unengaged contacts
It‘s also important to choose the right email automation platform for your needs. Some popular options include Hubspot, Pardot, Marketo, Active Campaign, and Drip. The right tool will make it easy to visualize your workflows, manage your list, review analytics, and scale your email marketing.
6 Email Workflow Examples
Need some inspiration for your first email workflow? Here are 6 common examples:
- Welcome series for new email subscribers
- Lead nurturing series based on content topic interest or persona
- Re-engagement series for leads who haven‘t engaged recently
- Promotion series for a new product or service
- Event promotion series leading up to a webinar or conference
- Post-purchase series to drive customer loyalty and retention
The type of workflow you create will depend on your specific business and goals. The key is to provide helpful content that‘s aligned with a lead‘s interests and stage in the buying journey.
Getting Started with Email Workflows
Now that you know the power of email workflows, how do you get started? Follow these steps:
- Evaluate your current lead nurturing process and identify opportunities to automate with workflows.
- Define your goals for your first workflow. What action do you want leads to take?
- Choose an email automation platform that fits your needs.
- Plan out your workflow strategy. What criteria will enroll leads? How many emails will be included and what topics will they cover?
- Create the emails in your automation platform and set the enrollment criteria.
- Launch the workflow and monitor the results.
- Review the analytics and make adjustments to optimize your workflow over time.
With some advance planning and the right tools, any business can leverage email workflows to nurture leads and convert more customers.
Start Nurturing Leads with Email Workflows
Email workflows are one of the best ways to turn more of your leads into customers. By automating targeted, relevant email sequences, you can engage your leads with valuable content and guide them towards a purchase. The keys to success are understanding your audience, planning strategic content, choosing the right automation platform, and optimizing based on data.
Don‘t let your hard-earned leads go to waste. Start exploring how email workflows can help you convert more leads into loyal customers. Your sales team will thank you, and your business will reap the benefits for years to come.
Ready to dive into creating your first email workflow? Grab our free guide "The Blueprint for Email Workflow Success in 2024" for an actionable plan and best practices to automate your lead nurturing.
