Email marketing remains one of the highest-ROI channels available, with an average return of €36 for every €1 spent. But manually sending emails isn't scalable. That's where email automation comes in.
Email automation lets you send the right message to the right person at the right time — automatically. Once set up, these "flows" work 24/7, nurturing leads and driving revenue while you sleep.
Here are the five essential email flows every business should have running.
Flow #1: Welcome Series
Trigger: New subscriber signs up
Goal: Introduce your brand, set expectations, and drive first conversion
Your welcome series is often your most-opened email sequence. New subscribers are at peak interest — don't waste this opportunity with a single "thanks for subscribing" email.
Recommended Structure (4-5 emails over 1-2 weeks):
Email 1 (immediate): Welcome & deliver promise
- Thank them for joining
- Deliver any lead magnet they signed up for
- Set expectations (what they'll receive, how often)
- Brief intro to your brand
Email 2 (Day 2): Your story
- Share your brand story and values
- Build emotional connection
- Include social proof
Email 3 (Day 4): Value content
- Provide genuinely helpful content
- Position yourself as an expert
- Link to your best resources
Email 4 (Day 6): Soft sell
- Introduce your product/service
- Share customer success story
- Include a special offer for new subscribers
Email 5 (Day 8): Last chance
- Urgency on the offer
- Overcome common objections
- Clear call to action
"Welcome emails generate 4x more opens and 5x more clicks than regular emails. Make them count."
Flow #2: Abandoned Cart (E-commerce)
Trigger: User adds items to cart but doesn't complete purchase
Goal: Recover lost sales
The average cart abandonment rate is around 70%. That's a lot of lost revenue. An abandoned cart flow can recover 5-15% of those carts.
Recommended Structure (3 emails over 24-72 hours):
Email 1 (1-4 hours after abandonment): Gentle reminder
- Subject: "Did you forget something?"
- Show the items left in cart
- Easy link back to checkout
- No discount yet
Email 2 (24 hours): Address objections
- Highlight benefits, guarantees, reviews
- Answer common purchase questions
- Consider offering free shipping
Email 3 (48-72 hours): Final push
- Create urgency (limited stock, expiring offer)
- Consider a small discount (10% off)
- Last chance messaging
Pro Tips:
- Include product images
- Make it easy to return to cart (one click)
- Test timing — some audiences respond to faster follow-ups
- Personalize with the user's name and cart contents
Flow #3: Post-Purchase / Onboarding
Trigger: Customer completes a purchase
Goal: Ensure successful adoption, reduce refunds, encourage repeat purchases
The post-purchase experience is crucial for retention. This flow helps customers get value from their purchase and builds loyalty.
Recommended Structure:
Email 1 (Immediate): Order confirmation
- Thank them for their purchase
- Order details and receipt
- What to expect next
Email 2 (When shipped): Shipping notification
- Tracking information
- Expected delivery date
Email 3 (Day 3-5): Getting started
- Tips for using the product
- Link to guides/tutorials
- Support contact info
Email 4 (Day 7-14): Check-in
- Ask how it's going
- Request feedback
- Offer assistance
Email 5 (Day 14-21): Request review
- Ask for a review/testimonial
- Make it easy (direct link)
- Consider an incentive
Email 6 (Day 30+): Cross-sell/upsell
- Recommend complementary products
- Exclusive offer for returning customers
Flow #4: Re-engagement / Win-Back
Trigger: Subscriber hasn't opened/clicked in 60-90 days
Goal: Re-activate dormant subscribers or clean your list
Inactive subscribers hurt your deliverability. A re-engagement flow attempts to win them back — and if they don't respond, you can safely remove them.
Recommended Structure (3 emails over 2-3 weeks):
Email 1: "We miss you"
- Acknowledge they've been inactive
- Remind them of the value you provide
- Share your best recent content
Email 2: Special offer
- Exclusive discount or content
- "Come back" incentive
Email 3: Last chance
- Ask if they still want to hear from you
- Clear CTA to stay subscribed
- Let them know you'll unsubscribe them if no response
After the Sequence:
Subscribers who don't engage should be unsubscribed or moved to a separate "inactive" segment. This improves deliverability and ensures you're only paying for engaged subscribers.
Flow #5: Browse Abandonment
Trigger: User views products but doesn't add to cart
Goal: Move browsers toward purchase
Not everyone is ready to add to cart on their first visit. Browse abandonment emails gently remind visitors about products they showed interest in.
Recommended Structure (1-2 emails):
Email 1 (4-24 hours): Reminder
- Show products they viewed
- Highlight key benefits
- Link back to product page
Email 2 (2-3 days): Social proof
- Share reviews of the products
- Suggest similar products
- Light incentive if appropriate
Important Considerations:
- Requires tracking cookies and consent (GDPR!)
- Don't overdo it — this can feel invasive
- Works best for high-intent categories
- Ensure you have clear consent for this type of email
Technical Setup Considerations
Choosing an Email Platform:
Popular options that support automation:
- Klaviyo: Best for e-commerce
- Mailchimp: Good for small businesses
- HubSpot: Full CRM integration
- ActiveCampaign: Powerful automation
- Customer.io: For SaaS and apps
Best Practices:
- Segment your audience for relevance
- Personalize with first names and dynamic content
- A/B test subject lines and content
- Monitor deliverability and engagement
- Ensure GDPR compliance (consent, unsubscribe links, data handling)
Measuring Success
Track these metrics for each flow:
- Open rate: Target 25-40%+
- Click rate: Target 3-5%+
- Conversion rate: Varies by flow
- Revenue generated: The ultimate measure
- Unsubscribe rate: Keep under 0.5%
Conclusion
These five flows form the foundation of effective email marketing. Once set up, they work continuously to welcome new subscribers, recover lost sales, onboard customers, re-engage inactive users, and remind browsers of products they liked.
Start with the Welcome Series and Abandoned Cart (if applicable) — these typically have the highest impact. Then add the others as you build out your email program.
Need help setting up your email automation? Contact us — we help European businesses build email systems that drive revenue.