INTRODUCTION
According to Omnisend, automated emails have a 52% higher open rate and 332% higher click rate than regular scheduled email marketing campaigns. That’s because automated email campaigns are designed to reach the right people at the right time.
HubSpot’s workflow and sequence tools both allow you to create automated email campaigns that align with customers’ specific stage in the buyer journey.
Following are some tips on how you can create automated email campaigns in HubSpot.
CREATE WORKFLOWS TO ENGAGE AND EDUCATE LEADS
Hubpost workflows have complex automation options that can include multi-step actions. When used for marketing, they are essentially drip campaigns that can be used to educate new contacts or nurture existing leads.
Set up workflows to appeal to your contacts’ interests or align with their stage in the customer journey. For instance, if your business offers multiple products or services, you should create a workflow tailored to each. Similarly, you should create different workflows for the deal types you define for your business (e.g., new lead or existing customer).
To create a workflow, you will first need to select the object type (often contact- or deal-based). Then define your enrollment trigger, such as a form submission, to funnel contacts into your workflow, and establish your re-enrollment or unenrollment criteria.
Next, add actions to build your workflow. For an email drip campaign, create a flow that includes “send email” actions, delays (such as waiting three days before sending the next email) and if/then (also known as and/or) branching to customize messages based on specific actions.
You also can A/B test your flow by randomly distributing contacts down different paths. For example, you could assign 80% of contacts to an established communications series and the other 20% to a new or refined string of messages.
Of note, you will need to create your marketing emails before adding them to an automation, so make sure to be strategic and intentional with your copy and calls-to-action.
SET UP SEQUENCES TO CONVERT LEADS TO SALES
The sequences tool, on the other hand, allows you to send timed, automated emails from your connected inbox as sales emails. In other words, the emails are associated with a specific salesperson at your company instead of being sent through HubSpot (like marketing emails), making them ideal for follow-ups and personalized outreach. You also can u
se them to nurture mid-funnel leads in the consideration phase or to convert high-intent leads.
Of note, the sequences feature is only available for Sales Hub, Service Hub Professional or Service Hub Enterprise accounts. You must also set up a connected personal email address and have sequences permissions to use it.
To create a sequence, navigate to “Sales > Sequences” and click “Create Sequence.” You can then build one from scratch or use a template if it makes sense for the types of contacts you are trying to reach. Similar to workflows, add actions to create your sequence.
These can include automated emails or reminders to send manual emails or make a call. Select existing sales email templates, or create one, and assign delays (e.g., send after one day) or send windows (e.g., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.) to your automated emails. For task reminders, add details like priority level (e.g., none, low, medium or high) and timing to further organize your sequence.
Sequences will track actions such as email opens or replies, which can help you understand leads’ engagement behavior. In addition, a sequence will automatically unenroll contacts from the series once they reply or book a meeting.
USE WORKFLOWS AND SEQUENCES TOGETHER
Ideally, your organization should use sequences and workflows together to seamlessly connect your marketing and sales efforts. For instance, you can set up your workflow to automatically enroll leads into sequences if they take a specific action, such as submitting a form to schedule a meeting or a demo.
To do this, either edit an existing workflow or create a new one. Within the workflow editor, click the plus icon to add an action. Then select “Enroll in a sequence” and add the desired sequence.
Similarly, you can use workflows to unenroll contacts from a sequence based on an action or change in the deal properties. For example, if the lead converts over the phone, you can have them unenrolled from a “nurturing” sequence when the sales team changes the deal stage to closed. To do this, follow the same steps as above, but this time, select “Unenroll from sequence.”
One more thing to note. You can set up workflows to enroll contacts who have completed a sequence. For instance, leads who convert can be automatically added to a “customer” workflow to encourage repeat sales or send renewal reminders, if applicable.