Automating your email marketing with Shopify can save time, increase customer engagement, and boost sales. By setting up automated email workflows, you can send timely, relevant emails to your customers without manual effort. Whether it’s welcoming new customers, recovering abandoned carts, or following up on purchases, Shopify’s integration with email marketing platforms allows you to easily create and manage these workflows.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating automated email workflows in Shopify.
1. Choose Your Email Marketing Platform
Before setting up automated workflows, you need to decide which email marketing platform to integrate with Shopify. Popular options include:
- Klaviyo: Great for eCommerce businesses, offering detailed Shopify integrations.
- Mailchimp: Widely used, with easy-to-use features and Shopify integration.
- Omnisend: Focuses on eCommerce and offers advanced automation features.
Once you’ve chosen your platform, connect it to your Shopify store. Most platforms offer straightforward integration processes that sync your Shopify data—such as customer information, purchase history, and browsing behavior—allowing you to use this data in your workflows.
2. Define Your Goals for the Workflow
Next, you need to determine what you want your automated workflow to achieve. Different workflows serve different purposes. Here are a few common types of automated workflows:
- Welcome Emails: Automatically send a greeting email to new customers or subscribers.
- Abandoned Cart Reminders: Remind customers to complete their purchase if they leave items in their cart.
- Post-Purchase Follow-Up: Send a thank-you email or recommend related products after a customer makes a purchase.
- Re-Engagement Emails: Reach out to inactive customers with special offers or product recommendations.
Clearly defining your goals will help you create a more focused and effective workflow.
3. Identify Triggers for Your Workflow
Triggers are the actions or events that will start the automated workflow. Shopify provides several triggers that you can use to set up your workflows. Some of the most common triggers include:
- New Subscriber: This trigger starts when someone subscribes to your email list.
- Abandoned Cart: If a customer adds items to their cart but doesn’t check out, this trigger starts an abandoned cart reminder email.
- Completed Purchase: This trigger starts after a customer completes a purchase and can initiate a post-purchase email.
By identifying the right triggers, you can ensure that your emails are sent at the most relevant time for your customers.
4. Design Your Email Sequence
Once you’ve chosen your triggers, it’s time to design the email sequence that will follow. Most workflows include a series of emails rather than a single message. For example, an abandoned cart workflow might include three emails:
- Email 1: A reminder that items are still in the cart, sent a few hours after abandonment.
- Email 2: A follow-up email sent 24 hours later, possibly including an incentive like free shipping.
- Email 3: A final reminder, sent 48 hours later, urging the customer to complete their purchase.
The sequence of emails should be designed to guide the customer through the desired action, whether that’s completing a purchase or re-engaging with your store.
5. Personalize Your Emails with Shopify Data
One of the main benefits of automating email workflows in Shopify is that you can personalize your emails based on customer data. Shopify’s integration with email platforms allows you to pull in dynamic data such as:
- Customer Name: Personalize the email greeting with the recipient’s name.
- Product Details: Include images and descriptions of the products in a customer’s cart.
- Purchase History: Recommend products based on the customer’s previous purchases.
Personalized emails feel more relevant to customers and often result in higher engagement. Use Shopify’s data to make your emails specific to each customer, increasing the likelihood that they’ll take action.
6. Set Timing and Frequency
The timing and frequency of your emails are crucial to the success of your workflow. You don’t want to overwhelm customers with too many emails, but you also want to stay top of mind.
- Timing: Determine how soon after the trigger event each email should be sent. For example, in an abandoned cart workflow, the first email should be sent within a few hours of abandonment, while the second email might be sent a day later.
- Frequency: Consider how many emails you’ll send in each sequence and how spaced out they should be. A welcome series might include three to five emails, while an abandoned cart workflow might only need two or three.
It’s important to test different timing and frequency settings to see what works best for your audience.
7. Add Conditional Logic for Better Segmentation
Many email platforms offer conditional logic that allows you to tailor your workflows based on specific criteria. This can help you send more relevant emails to different customer segments. For example:
- High-Value Customers: If a customer has made multiple purchases or spent over a certain amount, you can send them exclusive offers or VIP discounts.
- First-Time Buyers: You can send a different email sequence to first-time buyers than to repeat customers, offering a welcome discount or introducing your brand.
- Inactive Customers: If a customer hasn’t purchased in a while, you can send a re-engagement email with special offers to encourage them to return.
Using conditional logic allows you to create more targeted and personalized workflows, which can lead to higher conversion rates.
8. Test and Optimize Your Workflow
Once you’ve set up your workflow, it’s important to test it to ensure everything is working correctly. Most email marketing platforms allow you to send test emails and check the flow of the automation.
After launching your workflow, monitor its performance. Look at key metrics such as:
- Open Rates: How many people opened your emails?
- Click-Through Rates: How many people clicked on links in your emails?
- Conversion Rates: How many recipients completed the desired action, such as making a purchase?
Use this data to make adjustments. If your open rates are low, try testing different subject lines. If your click-through rates are low, experiment with different calls to action or email designs.
9. Use Abandoned Cart Workflows to Recover Sales
One of the most effective uses of Shopify automated workflows is abandoned cart recovery. On average, over 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts, but an abandoned cart workflow can help you recover some of those sales.
- Email 1: Remind the customer of the items they left behind. Include a direct link back to their cart for easy checkout.
- Email 2: Offer an incentive, such as a discount or free shipping, to encourage the customer to complete their purchase.
- Email 3: Create urgency by reminding the customer that the items are still available, but they won’t last forever.
By automating this process, you can recover sales without having to manually track abandoned carts or send individual follow-ups.
10. Implement Welcome Series to Build Relationships
A welcome series is another powerful automated workflow you can create with Shopify. When someone subscribes to your email list or makes their first purchase, this series helps introduce them to your brand and build a relationship.
- Email 1: Welcome the new subscriber or customer and thank them for joining. Highlight your brand’s mission or values.
- Email 2: Introduce your best-selling products or categories to familiarize the customer with your offerings.
- Email 3: Provide a special offer, such as a discount on their next purchase, to encourage them to buy again.
By creating a well-timed, engaging welcome series, you can make a positive first impression and build long-term customer loyalty.
11. Send Post-Purchase Emails to Encourage Repeat Business
Post-purchase workflows are another valuable way to engage customers after they’ve made a purchase. These emails help strengthen your relationship with customers and encourage repeat business.
- Email 1: Send a confirmation email immediately after the purchase, thanking the customer and providing order details.
- Email 2: Follow up a few days later with shipping information and tracking details.
- Email 3: After the customer has received their order, send an email asking for a review or suggesting complementary products.
Post-purchase emails keep your brand top of mind and encourage customers to continue shopping with you.
Conclusion
Automating email workflows in Shopify is a game-changer for your eCommerce store. By setting up triggered emails for actions like abandoned carts, new signups, and post-purchase follow-ups, you can engage customers with timely, personalized messages. These workflows not only save time but also increase customer retention and drive sales. By carefully planning your workflows, personalizing them with Shopify data, and continuously optimizing their performance, you can build an efficient and effective email marketing strategy for your Shopify store.