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10 Engaging Email Automation Examples to Inspire Your Campaign

Emily Santos
Emily Santos
Jun 22, 2023
10 Engaging Email Automation Examples to Inspire Your Campaign
10 Engaging Email Automation Examples to Inspire Your Campaign

In the ever-evolving world of marketing, email automation is a stand-out feature that has changed how businesses engage and retain customers. With this tool, businesses can deliver personalized experiences at scale all while saving time and manual labor.Email automation forges stronger customer relationships by improving retention rates by ensuring customer loyalty through consistent and relevant communications. Overall, it is easy to see why it has become an essential tool in every marketer's arsenal. Today, we look at 10 email marketing automation examples in hopes of inspiring you to implement automation in your email marketing.

What Emails Should You Automate?

Deciding which emails to automate might seem overwhelming initially, but a well-informed approach can help streamline the process.Automation is particularly suited for emails that are a consistent part of your business operations and essential elements of your customer journey. A good rule of thumb is that if an email is repetitive in nature, it can be automated.Some great email automation examples are welcome sequences, onboarding emails, and transactional emails, such as purchase confirmations. It is also great for reactive or behavior-based scenarios—for example, abandoned cart emails. An automated email can be used to send them a reminder of their unfinished transaction.Overall, the decision to automate emails should be based on the necessity for consistent, timely interaction with your audience and the ability to respond effectively to specific user actions or behaviors.

Common Types of Automated Email Marketing Campaigns

To help you explore the possibilities when deciding how to automate emails and which emails to automate, we’ve compiled a list of 10 common types of automated email campaigns, each with their own specific nuances and benefits:

  1. Welcome Emails
  2. Customer Onboarding Emails
  3. Transactional Emails
  4. Abandoned Cart Emails
  5. Upsell/Cross-sell Emails
  6. Birthday or Anniversary Emails
  7. Feedback or Review Request Emails
  8. Renewal or Subscription Reminder Emails
  9. Post-Purchase Follow-up Emails
  10. Re-engagement Emails

Automated Email Examples and Ideas

The following email automation examples illustrate the diverse ways that automated emails can be used to engage, inform, and motivate recipients. While every campaign is unique, these automated email ideas should provide a source of inspiration to help you create your own compelling automated marketing emails.We selected email types that can be highly effective when automated and would otherwise take up significant amounts of time when not.

Welcome Emails

Welcome emails are typically triggered when a new user signs up for your service or subscribes to your newsletter. These emails provide a warm introduction, set expectations, and guide the subscriber through what they can expect from your newsletter. A well-crafted welcome email should include:

  • A personalized greeting
  • Acknowledgment of action taken
  • A thank you message
  • Information about what the subscriber can expect from future communications
  • Engaging imagery and distinct branding
  • Where to find you on socials
  • Consider including an offer/gift/discount code

You can check out Beefree’s welcome email templates for additional inspiration.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Customer Onboarding Emails

Customer onboarding emails are a sequence of emails sent to new customers to help them understand and navigate your services or application.The main purpose of these emails is to help the new user familiarize themselves with your offering and guide them on how to extract maximum value from it. Automating these emails ensures timely and consistent communication, making users feel valued and reducing churn.Key components to include in customer onboarding emails:

  • Step-by-step guides to navigate your service/product.
  • Useful resources for getting started (videos, blogs, FAQs).
  • Contact information for customer support.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Transactional Emails

Transactional emails are automatically sent in response to specific user actions, such as making a purchase, changing their password, or updating account information. These emails enhance customer experience by providing real-time updates and keeping transparency between you and the customer.Essential elements for transactional emails:

  • Clear subject line summarizing the transaction.
  • Details of the transaction/action.
  • Next steps, if required (e.g., the tracking number for a shipped order).
  • Contact information for further queries.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

You can discover some of BeeFrees more detailed best practices for shipping emails here.

Abandoned Cart Emails

Abandoned cart emails are triggered when a customer adds items to their cart but fails to complete the purchase. These emails serve as gentle reminders nudging customers to complete their transactions, thereby helping recover potentially lost sales.Key elements of abandoned cart emails include:

  • Reminder of the items left in the cart.
  • Direct link back to the checkout process.
  • Incentives like discounts or free shipping to encourage purchase.
  • Incentive to buy like a notice about low stock.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Upsell/Cross-sell Emails

Upsell/cross-sell emails are dispatched when a customer has made a purchase or shown interest in a product. These emails recommend related or premium products, fostering a personalized shopping experience and increasing average order value.Three critical elements in upsell/cross-sell emails are:

  • Personalized product recommendations.
  • Clear call-to-action leading to purchase.
  • Explanation of the benefit or relevance of the recommended product.

Birthday or Anniversary Emails

Birthday or anniversary emails are an excellent way to celebrate your customer’s special occasions and celebrate significant milestones in your customer’s journey with your brand. They are a great way to show your customers you value their loyalty and to create a personal connection with them.Key components in birthday or anniversary emails:

  • Personalized congratulatory message that is warm and friendly.
  • Special offer, discount, or gift as a token of appreciation.
  • Encouragement for continued interaction with your brand.
  • Convey a sense of urgency (Research has found that ‘emails conveying a sense of urgency have twice as high transaction rates compared with average marketing emails.’

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Feedback, Survey or Review Request Emails

Feedback or survey emails are sent after a customer has interacted with your product or service, requesting them to share their experience. These emails are key to understanding your customers' satisfaction, gaining valuable insights, and collecting user-generated content, and can assist in improving your offerings.More positive reviews also increase the likelihood of other potential customers purchasing from you, so are great for brand reputability.Key components of feedback or review request emails:

  • A respectful request for a review or feedback.
  • Easy method for customers to provide their input.
  • Inform your customers that their reviews will impact product development.
  • Appreciation message for their time and effort.
  • Consider offering a gift such as a discount code.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Renewal or Subscription Reminder Emails

Renewal or subscription reminder emails are sent to customers to remind them of their upcoming renewal dates for subscriptions or services. These emails are crucial to retaining customers and maintaining steady revenue.Essential elements in renewal or subscription reminder emails are:

  • Clear mention of the renewal date.
  • Steps on how to renew the subscription.
  • Benefits or value proposition of the renewal.

Confirmation Emails 

Confirmation emails are dispatched after a customer has made a purchase. These emails are pivotal in maintaining communication with customers, encouraging repeat business, and fostering customer loyalty.Key elements to include in post-purchase follow-up emails:

  • Clear outline of what they have bought.
  • Thank you note appreciating the customer's purchase.
  • Customer service routes.
  • Request for product/service reviews.
  • Recommendations of related products they might like.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Re-engagement Emails

Re-engagement emails are sent to inactive subscribers in an attempt to get them to interact with your brand again. These emails can be a powerful tool to win back the attention of your audience, potentially recovering lost revenue.Components to include in re-engagement emails:

  • A check-in message expressing that they're missed.
  • Special offer or significant incentive to encourage re-engagement such as a substantial discount, free trial etc.
  • Highlight any positive changes or updates that have been made, new product launches etc.
  • A quick way for the recipient to manage their email preferences.

Additional Tips for Creating High-Converting Automated Emails

Having well-designed automated emails is crucial in not only keeping your audience engaged but also leading them down the conversion path. Reflecting on these examples and considering how they can be adapted to fit your business needs will enhance your marketing strategy.In addition to the inspiration provided by these examples, be sure to check out our article on “Email Marketing 101: What is Email Marketing Automation?” for an in-depth look at email automation marketing best practices for creating effective automated email campaigns.And remember, a good automated email is always a mix of valuable content, engaging visuals, and clear calls to action.Now you’re armed with our email automation examples, are you ready to create your high-converting automated emails? Sign up for a free Beefree account to get started.

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Now, let's be honest—you’ve likely heard about all of these rotating for the last few years. While email marketing has come a long way and is changing faster than ever, there’s only so much you can do within 600x1,500 pixels. However, there are no limits to where your creativity can take you. 

Let’s get into it.  

#1. Unique, tailored experiences 

Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLab Co., says, “We faced the challenge of connecting meaningfully with an audience that expects more than one-size-fits-all communication.” 

When we speak about crafting tailored emails we mean going beyond the recipient's first name in the subject line. We’re talking about optimizing your entire email strategy to design multi-stage touchpoints to nurture leads across the customer lifecycle. As well as, leveraging data to send hyper-personalized, relevant, and engaging emails that feel less like a broadcast message and more like a conversation. 

Many are using AI machine learning algorithms and AI automation to analyze customer interactions, past purchases, browsing habits, website visits, and even social media behavior to curate engaging email content that resonates deeply with the real-time needs of recipients.

For PetLab Co this looked like including content such as an individual’s pet health history or product usage timelines. Damian Grabarzyk expands, “This approach transformed the conversion rate and strengthened customer loyalty. As we look ahead, I see brands in 2025 moving beyond generic personalization to adopt strategies that make customers feel truly understood and valued.”

On the other hand, many are leaning into user-generated content (UGC) for crafting tailored experiences. Customers today are more likely to trust the opinions of peers over branded messages. UGC like customer reviews, testimonials, videos, and photos are the best form of social proof depicting real people using and benefitting from your products or services. 

We see the benefits of using both AI and UGC to get the most out of your email conversions ;). 

#2. AI tools as an addition, not a substitution

Experts at NordPass state, "AI-powered content generation tools are not here to replace email copywriters and marketers. These tools make us more efficient. The smarter the tool is, the better equipped we are to create high-performing email content that drives results." 

AI tools can support us by significantly enhancing the speed, precision, and effectiveness of your emails. For instance while traditionally A/B testing has required a lot of time to analyze small variations with AI you quickly implement and test multiple email elements and make adjustments based on real-time engagement data. There are AI algorithms that can even predict which variations are most likely to resonate with different audience segments, leading to more accurate targeting and faster optimization.

In short, AI tools are revolutionizing the way we craft and optimize our email’s deliverability. There are many different types of AI solutions so we suggest finding the right one for your needs. 

#3. Even more transparency around data

With AI continuing to rise, folks are more and more concerned about where their data is going. That’s where zero-party data collection becomes a key strategy in email marketing, allowing you to gather data directly from customers rather than relying on third-party sources. 

Zero-party data includes information that consumers willingly share, such as preferences, interests, and purchase intentions. This data is often collected through surveys, preference centers, quizzes, or interactive content and is highly valuable because it is shared explicitly, ensuring accuracy and deeper personalization without privacy concerns associated with third-party tracking.

As privacy regulations tighten, zero-party data will empower you to deliver hyper-personalized email experiences while respecting user privacy. This approach will help you build trust, as customers feel more in control of their data, and you gain insights that lead to more relevant and engaging email content.

#4. The death of static emails

With attention span getting shorter day after day, digest-format emails are expected to rise in popularity in 2025. Presenting email content in an easy-to-scan, organized, and minimalistic layout will surely help deliver the most relevant information in a fraction of the time. 

Additionally, interactive emails will allow recipients to directly engage within the email without having to visit a landing page or website. Interactive elements like product carousels, polls, and quizzes create a dynamic experience that keeps subscribers engaged, especially in visually driven industries like fashion brands

So what now? 

You’ve heard these strategies before, but now it’s time to actually put them into action. The brands that win at email marketing in 2025 won’t just be sending emails—they’ll be creating experiences. Whether it’s hyper-personalized content, AI-driven efficiency, zero-party data collection, or interactive emails that break the mold, the key is to stay ahead of the curve.

So, what’s the first strategy you’ll finally implement? Your inbox (and your audience) are waiting.

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What do customers think about your brand’s products? The best way to find out is to ask them directly, which you can do via strategic email campaigns.

Email makes gathering authentic product reviews quick and easy. By collecting sincere feedback, you can build trust, increase sales, boost loyalty, and innovate product improvements. 

That said, requesting reviews via email requires precise timing, personalized messaging, and lots of engagement optimizations. But don’t worry—we’ll walk you through some key steps to create email campaigns that deliver the valuable feedback you need.

Why product reviews matter

Product reviews do more than confirm that you're meeting customers’ needs. Sincere feedback drives loyalty and sales, offers valuable customer insights, and helps you develop a strategic product development roadmap.

  • Fosters customer loyalty: Requesting and listening to feedback makes your customers feel valued and heard. It demonstrates that you prioritize customer satisfaction, which helps you build stronger, long-term relationships. Review requests also act as re-engagement emails by starting new conversations with customers.
  • Increases sales: Social proof drives sales. According to a recent survey by Power Reviews, 90% of potential customers use online reviews to make purchasing decisions. In fact, reviews have more influence over purchasing decisions than product prices. Turning product reviews into customer testimonials and encouraging reviews on third-party sites can significantly boost sales.
Image sourced from powerreviews.com
  • Builds Customer 360 insights: Customer feedback delivers insights into customer needs and sentiments, enriching Customer 360. Exactly what is Customer 360? It’s a unified, 360-degree view of customer data. It empowers you to tailor products and customer experiences to meet individual needs and preferences. 
  • Drives product improvements: Sincere customer feedback reveals what target customers like/dislike about your products. It provides key insight into their value, functionality, and usability, unlocking large-scale development opportunities.

How to create an email campaign to collect product reviews

Want to unlock the power of product reviews? Let’s explore how to create email campaigns that encourage customers to share their feedback.

Segment your audience

Like promotional emails, product review requests shouldn’t be sent to every subscriber.

If subscribers haven’t had the chance to try your product, product review requests will feel irrelevant and may trigger unsubscriptions. So, only send review email requests to customers recently trying your product.

You can do this by segmenting your email list based on where customers are in the buying cycle. Target loyal customers, recent purchasers, and first-time buyers with tailored email campaigns. This ensures that you’re sending emails to customers most likely to respond with insightful feedback.

Write a compelling email subject line

According to Superoffice, 33% of people open an email based on the subject line. 

Image sourced from superoffice.com

To get the click-through rates you want, your email subject lines should be personalized, relevant, and engaging. Here are some examples:

  • Did you love [product]? Or hate it? Let us know!
  • We value your opinion — help us improve!
  • We want YOU to help us make our product better!
  • Up for a discount? Share your feedback for 10% off! 

Learn more > Tips for writing open worthy subject lines.

Optimize for customer engagement

A successful email marketing strategy relies on customer engagement. Here are some key email elements you need to encourage interactions.

  • An attractive email design: With the right layout, color scheme, typography, and images, you ensure easy readability and promote interaction. Use these engagement-boosting email design best practices to help you create a design that boosts conversion rates.
  • Gratitude and value: Thank customers for reading the email and explaining why their feedback is so important. Also, consider including a personalized Gmail email signature with your content details to build trust and encourage customers to engage with your review request. 
  • Personalized, relevant content: Personalized email content motivates engagement. Use customer data platform (CDP) data to tailor messages to individual customers. What is a CDP? It’s a centralized platform that collects and unifies customer information, building comprehensive customer profiles. 
  • Incentives: Offering a small discount can motivate customers to leave reviews, especially first-time buyers. That said, incentives can (sometimes) generate insincere reviews, so stress the importance of honesty. 
  • A strong call-to-action (CTA): Your CTA should direct readers straight to the reviews submission page. Use clear CTAs with bold buttons and typography to make it stand out.
  • Mobile responsiveness: If your emails are slow to load or don’t display correctly on mobile devices, your bounce rate will spike. Leverage solutions that offer advanced mobile optimization features — such as Beefree— to create responsive emails every single time.

Ask specific, concise questions

Complex, drawn-out questions that are too open-ended can disengage customers. So, get straight to the point with concise, direct questions. Here are some examples:

  • What did you think of [specific product feature]?
  • How often do you use our product?
  • What are your favorite/least favorite features?
  • How likely are you to recommend this product?
  • What could we do to improve our product?

Use a mixture of closed and open-ended questions to increase your chances of receiving meaningful responses.

Make it easy to respond

The easier it is for customers to leave a review, the more responses you’ll receive. So, make the process as seamless and convenient as possible. One way to do this is with survey emails.

Email surveys have high response rates. They can be completed within the email with minimal effort, which is a big plus for busy customers. And, they can generate a wealth of quantitative data and metrics that are quick to analyze, leading to faster improvements. BeeFree has an extensive collection of email survey templates to suit every need.

For longer review requests, include a CTA that directly links to the review submission page. Review forms should use simple, clear language, be optimized for mobile, and have a progress bar. 

You could even provide your telephone contact details to allow customers to leave a review via telephone. It’s the preferred communication method for 55% of Baby Boomers according to Hubspot, so it’s worth considering. 

Leverage small business telephone services from Vonage to access call center capabilities like virtual receptionists and CRM integrations, streamlining processes.

Also consider directing customers to leave reviews on popular review sites, such as Google and Amazon.

Optimize email timings

If you send product review requests too early, there’s a chance your customers won’t have tried your product yet. But if you send them too late, your customer might have forgotten their experience. 

So, when’s the best time to request reviews? 

Aim to send review requests within 7-14 days post-purchase. This gives customers a chance to try the product a few times, leading to more sincere, meaningful reviews. Plan for seasonal surges such as Black Friday and incorporate them into your schedules.

Key takeaways

Do email campaigns work for gathering valuable product reviews that drive improvements, boost trust, and increase sales and loyalty? 

Absolutely — but they need to be strategic.

To generate sincere reviews and valuable data, ensure your marketing emails are personalized, engaging, and optimized for convenience. And, use email list segmentation and marketing automation to ensure they’re sent to the right customers at the right time.

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