5 email automation flows every business should set up first

One-off newsletters get the attention, but automated flows quietly do most of the work. Set them up once, improve them monthly, and they keep converting in the background.

1. Welcome series

Triggered when someone subscribes. Send 3–4 emails over a week: introduce your brand, share your best content or bestsellers, add social proof, and finish with a clear offer or call to action.

2. Abandoned cart or abandoned form

For e-commerce, remind shoppers about items left in the cart within one hour, again after 24 hours, and finally after 72 hours with an incentive if margins allow. For B2B, the equivalent is a follow-up when someone starts but does not finish a demo or quote form.

3. Post-purchase

Thank the customer, set expectations for delivery, share how-to content, then ask for a review once the product has arrived. This flow drives repeat purchases and reviews at the same time.

4. Lead nurture (B2B)

Most B2B leads are not ready to buy today. A nurture flow sends one genuinely useful email a week — case studies, guides, comparisons — and alerts sales when a lead clicks on pricing or books a call.

5. Win-back

Target customers who have not purchased or engaged in 90–180 days. Ask what changed, show what is new, and offer a reason to return. Remove people who still do not engage to protect deliverability.

Segment before you automate. The same flow performs very differently for first-time buyers, repeat customers and B2B leads.

Metrics to watch

• Revenue (or pipeline) per recipient for each flow
• Click rate and conversion rate
• Unsubscribe and spam-complaint rate

Test your subject lines with our free email subject tester before you launch.