Do you ever sign up for something and wonder how you get a quick email response from that person or business? And because you had such a quick response- were you inclined to open the email and read it? That’s because new leads are more likely to take action within a few days of sending a request for information. The window of opportunity is small and with a competitive market, you want to make sure you have a foot in the door. Creating an automated email can have a big impact on your conversion rates along with saving your business time and money.

So what is an automated email, you ask?

Automated emails or workflows are a series of emails that are pre-designed and set on triggers so that when a client or prospective client takes a pre-determined action, they automatically receive an email based on their action. The email is also set on a timer.

For instance, you might have an appointment form on your website. When a prospective client schedules their appointment, you then have an email that is automatically sent (and personalized) confirming their appointment. You also can take it a step further and have a reminder email scheduled to go out a day before their appointment. Another example is having a newsletter sign-up form on your website. When someone signs up, you have a series of emails that are sent to help them get to know you better, such as:

“Thanks for signing up” (sent immediately)
“A little about me” (sent 2 days later)

How do automated emails help your business?

Think about the emails you send to people. Are you spending time emailing every new client their confirmation or paperwork each time they schedule with you?
Do you answer common questions with each person and how much time does this take out of your day?
What if you could make a template of what you often email and have it set on a trigger so that those emails can go out automatically?

With an automated process, each client or potential client is getting a response from you promptly and you’ll notice you not only have more time to use towards other important parts of your business but you’ll cut back on getting asked so many questions. An automated process can also save you from needing an additional person to handle these tasks!

What’s the cost?

Luckily, we have come a long way in the last year on services available for setting up automated systems. There are many options out there and depending on the size and needs of your business will determine what’s best for you. Systems start as low as $11/month and can be up to $100s/month. My favorite email system is called Flodesk. The reason why I love Flodesk is that they charge a flat fee and allow unlimited email contacts and automations (also called workflows). Some platforms will charge more as your email list grows or nickel and dime you on additional automation features. Flodesk is easy to use and has email examples and automated emails to help you get started. I’ve also noticed after switching to Flodesk from other platforms such as Hubspot and Mailchimp that I had a much higher open rate. This in itself makes the switch worthwhile! Use my affiliate link here and try Flodesk  to try it for free and receive 50% off their subscription price (I receive a small commission)!

If you are interested in setting up your automated emails, reach out -we love setting up automated systems for small businesses!

At Gnarketing we are passionate about helping small businesses streamline their marketing efforts. There are many free or low-cost resources available to help small businesses with their marketing that we would recommend. Here are a few of our favorites.

Canva

Canva has become one of our favorite online graphic design tools. You can create professional-looking ads, social media posts and use stock photography – all for free! The platform is user-friendly so even a mediocre graphic designer can learn how to use the tools. There are many pre-made templates to choose from. Need a logo or infographic? You can do it all in Canva! The premium subscription is only $12.99/month and is worth the value of the tools you can access.

Flodesk

Flodesk has become our favorite email marketing platform. They offer unlimited access to emails, email automation, forms, and you pay a flat fee regardless of the size of your email list. With Mailchimp or Hubspot, you pay more as your email list grows or if you send out a lot of emails. Another fun feature is integrating your Instagram account so your recent posts populate at the bottom of the email. Flodesk also has a lot of templates to help you make professional-looking emails. As an affiliate – you can use this link for 50% off your subscription! (As an affiliate, I receive a small commission on referred customers.)

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is another great resource for email marketing. With a drag and drop platform, you can easily create professional-looking emails. They have features to create a landing page, add a popup form to your website, and can even create an automated email series. E-commerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WordPress will also connect Mailchimp to your website. Many of these features are free however, you will need to upgrade to use more features or as your email list grows.

Grammarly

Grammarly is a free service that does both spelling and extensive grammar checks on your writing, based on your goals. You can set up Grammarly as a chrome extension and it will automatically analyze your emails, blog posts, and most of your online content. When you are writing a lot of content, it’s nice to have a second set of eyes to find those errors and keep your writing looking professional.

These are just a few of the many resources we recommend for you. Let us know if you have others that you enjoy using! If you need help setting up an automated email marketing campaign for your business, don’t hesitate to reach out!

If you haven’t already – check out our Free Social Media Posting Guide!