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Best Automated Email Campaigns for Email Automation
Best Practices and Strategies for Email Automation
Megan Smith
April 30th, 2024
Last Updated: March 2026
Automated email campaigns are pre-built email sequences that send automatically based on subscriber behavior. When someone signs up, makes a purchase, or goes inactive, a trigger fires and the right email lands in their inbox without you lifting a finger.
The most common types include welcome series, onboarding sequences, re-engagement campaigns, abandoned cart emails, and post-purchase follow-ups. Each one targets a specific moment in the subscriber lifecycle to improve engagement, drive conversions, and reduce churn.
Email automation is not about sending more email. It is about sending the right email at the right time, every time.
Table of Contents
Best Automated Email Campaigns at a Glance
The most effective automated email campaigns are triggered by subscriber actions. These workflows help improve engagement, retention, and conversions without manual sending.
Automated Email Campaign | Trigger | Primary Goal | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Welcome Email Series | New subscriber signup | Onboarding and engagement | Introduce brand, share best content |
Onboarding Sequence | Account creation or signup | Educate new users | Walk through benefits and features |
Lead Nurture Sequence | Lead magnet download | Build trust and convert | Send educational content series |
Re-Engagement Campaign | Inactive subscriber | Reactivate audience | Send "We miss you" email with offer |
Post-Purchase Follow-Up | Completed purchase | Retention and upsell | Ask for review, suggest related products |
Abandoned Cart Email | Cart not completed | Recover lost conversions | Reminder with discount |
Product Launch Sequence | New product announcement | Drive conversions | Early access emails |
Newsletter Engagement Series | Subscriber joins list | Increase engagement | Send best content + CTA |
The Importance of Email Automation in Marketing
Email automation saves time, improves engagement, and creates a more consistent experience for subscribers.
The top reasons marketers implement automations (across channels) are:
To streamline marketing and sales efforts (35%)
To improve customer engagement (34%)
To improve customer experience (34%)
To minimize manual tasks (30%)
The core benefit is simple: automation lets you send personalized messages at scale. Instead of one-size-fits-all blasts, subscribers get emails that match where they are in their journey with your brand.
Automations are also helping brands in the newsletter world.
Richard Patey uses automation to sell digital products through his newsletter Digital Asset Investor. He appreciates the way beehiiv allows him to customize workflows and "create a funnel":
"I have low-cost “tripwire” products on the thank you page within the welcome email. So a certain percentage of people are buying that, which helps with the acquisition cost. Then I have sponsorship, affiliate, and higher-ticket products.”
Saeed Ezzati of Superpower Daily uses beehiiv's latest automation upgrades to automate reengagement campaigns and list maintenance. This saves him time each week now that he no longer has to tackle these tasks manually.
Best Automated Email Campaigns to Set Up
That’s why automation matters generally. But what emails should you automate?
Marketers commonly automate several types of emails. Here are the four most popular automated email campaigns:
Welcome emails for new subscribers (83%)
Onboarding or post-purchase (68%)
Subscriber re-engagement (40%)
Cart or browse abandonment (38%)
They're popular because they work, helping brands grow and attract repeat business.
Welcome Email Series
First impressions count. Welcome emails have substantially higher open and click-through rates than your average newsletter.
Welcome emails are typically triggered when a new subscriber joins your mailing list, introducing them to your brand and setting expectations for future communications.
Add a strong welcome email to your campaigns. You can send a single message saying hello or create a full welcome series showcasing valuable content and special offers.
Example welcome email workflow:
Day 0: Welcome email — introduce yourself, set expectations
Day 1: Your best content — one high-value piece
Day 3: CTA — invite them to take one action (follow on social, reply, visit a product page)
Abandoned Cart Email
I'm personally responsible for more than one cart's abandonment issues. It's easy to get distracted or second-guess one's choices when shopping online.
I'm not alone. The average cart abandonment rate across multiple studies is 70.19%. That's a significant source of lost revenue for brands.
Abandoned cart reminders are an opportunity to reclaim those dollars. With an automated reminder, you can nudge potential customers to complete their purchases and boost your conversion rate.
Note: A lot of cart abandonment happens because e-shoppers are just browsing. Consider including an additional discount to incentivize people to commit or send along relevant reviews, helping them with the research that's increasingly integral to online shopping.
Example abandoned cart workflow:
1 hour after abandonment: Reminder email
24 hours after abandonment: Follow-up with social proof
48 hours after abandonment: Discount or incentive email
Re-Engagement Campaigns
Sometimes relationships go stale, but you shouldn't give up. Keep your subscribers engaged and reach out when their interest flags.
Re-engagement campaigns aim to reignite the spark, reinvesting them in their relationship with your brand.
These campaigns typically involve sending targeted content or special offers to inactive subscribers. With a well-crafted re-engagement campaign, you can win back subscribers and maintain a healthy, engaged email list.
Example re-engagement workflow:
Email 1: We miss you
Email 2: Your best content (show them what they are missing)
Email 3: Final offer or unsubscribe option
Post-Purchase Follow-Ups
Automated follow-up emails are a good idea after significant customer interactions such as a purchase.
Post-purchase emails go out after a customer makes a purchase, offering thanks, asking for feedback, or suggesting other products they might like.
Post-purchase follow-ups are a great way to build customer loyalty and encourage repeat purchases. By providing value even after the transaction, you can foster a long-term relationship with your customers.
Include a thank you email, a review request, and an upsell or cross-sell recommendation. Post-purchase follow-ups are one of the highest-ROI automated sequences because you are reaching customers at peak satisfaction.
Onboarding Email Automation
An onboarding sequence educates new users after signup. Where a welcome email greets someone, an onboarding sequence walks them through what to do next.
Use it to explain key features, deliver value early, and guide users toward their first meaningful action.
Example onboarding workflow:
Email 1: Welcome and quick start guide
Email 2: Feature overview
Email 3: Value content (case study or how-to)
Email 4: CTA to upgrade, schedule, or buy
Example Email Automation Workflow
Here is a complete automation example using a lead magnet workflow. This is one of the most common automated email campaign setups for newsletter creators and B2B brands.
A subscriber downloads a free resource. That action triggers the sequence.
Email 1: Deliver the lead magnet. Welcome them. Keep it short.
Email 2: Educational content related to the topic they showed interest in.
Email 3: More value. A case study, a how-to, or your best post on the subject.
Email 4: Soft offer. Introduce your product, paid newsletter tier, or service with a clear CTA.
The whole sequence runs automatically. You build it once, and it works every time a new subscriber comes in through that specific lead magnet.
Most email automation workflows include 3 to 5 emails. Enough to build trust and move toward a conversion, without overwhelming subscribers.
Future Trends in Automated Email Campaigns
This is a fast-changing field, and new trends in email automation are rapidly emerging.
The Role of AI and Machine Learning
AI and machine learning are playing an increasingly important role in email marketing. In 2022, top marketing uses for AI included paid advertising, email messages and subject lines, product recommendations, and predictive analytics.
In addition to analyzing customer data and personalizing content, some AI-powered email tools can analyze initial campaign results more quickly so that brands can refine them.
Interactive and Dynamic Email Content
Another trend shaping the future of email marketing is the use of interactive and dynamic content.
Interactive emails, such as those featuring quizzes or surveys, can increase engagement and provide valuable insights about your audience.
You can even ask people directly about the content they want to read. Just ask Matt Grey of The Soulful Entrepreneur. He’s leveraged beehiiv’s one-click polls to achieve impressive engagement and growth.
Maximizing ROI With Automated Email Campaigns
There you have it. Automated emails are a key tool for marketers of all sizes, and the future will only increase their centrality to the field.
By leveraging the right email platform and automation best practices, brands can personalize their approach, engage their audience on a deeper level, and ultimately, maximize their returns.
Get started by identifying the campaigns that would most benefit your business and selecting a platform with the automation features you need.
If you already have your tools, go ahead and set up your first automated email campaign. Craft a welcome email or cart reminder. Then, let your software do the rest.
Why Trust Us?
beehiiv is the most exciting new player in the email game, building off years of practical newsletter experience. As for me, I regularly write bylined articles about digital marketing, particularly focusing on email and long-form content.
FAQs About Automated Email Campaigns
What are automated email campaigns?
Automated email campaigns are emails sent automatically based on triggers like signups, purchases, or inactivity. These workflows help businesses deliver personalized messages without manual sending.
What is email automation?
Email automation is the process of sending emails automatically using workflows triggered by subscriber behavior. It helps nurture leads and improve engagement.
What is the most effective automated email campaign?
Welcome email sequences are typically the most effective automated email campaigns because they reach subscribers at peak engagement.
How many emails should be in an automation sequence?
Most email automation workflows include 3 to 5 emails. This keeps engagement high without overwhelming subscribers.
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