An automated or “drip” email campaign is a series of emails automatically sent to your subscribers based on a specified action. Automated campaigns save you repetitive work and remove the potential for forgetting to send them. You set it and forget it.
Trigger examples:
- Information request triggers an automatic reply and follow-up sequence.
- New email list subscribers receive a welcome series.
- Abandoned carts set off a series of reminders. These are discontinued or adjusted according to the actions the customer takes.
- Inactive customers can receive a “we miss you” email after specific criteria are met.
A tool to create these automatic emails might be part of the email app you are already using, or it might be worth switching to a new platform for more features (and better pricing). With the right automatic email software, you can plan and initiate well-timed, personalized emails.
First, check your current email software to see if they offer this feature. Some other sales platforms, like Shopify and Gumroad, also offer native simplified drip email sequences.
If you start from scratch, searching for email marketing apps will open a whole can of worms. They come in all sizes with all sorts of features. Zapier’s The Best Drip Email Marketing Apps article recommend some for different needs (below) after many hours of research.
All the apps on their list meet at least the following criteria:
Email personalization so you can keep the essential personal touch.
Segmentation, so the emails are only sent to relevant subscribers. This feature is handy if you have products with different markets.
Analytics, so you know what’s working and where you can improve. Most of the tools on this list include basic analytics, and some offer more advanced help like A/B testing.
Affordability. All the apps on this list have a reasonable starting price point and most charge by the number of subscribers.
Integrations that allow you to link your automated email app with the other tools you use, saving you more time.
The Best Drip Email Apps:
- AWeber (a solid, free option for a list of under 500. $14.95/mo is the next tier. )
- Flodesk for large lists and simple, beautiful email campaigns with minimal effort. Single monthly fee, around $38/mo.
- ConvertKit for solopreneurs is feature-rich and easy to use. Paid plans start at $29/mo.
- ActiveCampaign combines live chat and advanced drip automation. Incredibly flexible campaigns can automate A/B testing in your emails, sync contact data with other apps, and even include SMS messages that correlate to your drip emails. Price from $9/mo for up to 500 contacts.
- HubSpot was chosen for personalized follow-ups to drip sales campaigns. This application allows you to incorporate web page content and blogs into your program. Free plans up to 1000 users, with paid plans starting at $48/mo.
- Kajabi was selected as best all-in-one solution for course and membership creators. Price starts at $119/month for Kajabi Basic, which includes 10,000 contacts and 3 products.
Please share! I’d love to know what you are using and what you like about it.
