We’re all busy. Most of us would probably consider ourselves really busy. But few people are as tight for time as those working in marketing or running their own business.

• Marketing professionals waste almost 6 hours a week doing the same tasks twice. (Insight)
• Over 40% of American office workers check their emails every couple of hours outside of work time. (Statista)
• 90% of surveyed workers spend as much as five hours a day viewing messenger systems. (Zapier)
• Working longer hours doesn’t necessarily mean a better (monetary) outcome. (Our World in Data)

And that was way before the pandemic well and truly fudged the (admittedly already somewhat unicorn) concept of work-life balance.   But what does all this have to do with email marketing funnel automation, you ask? It’s right there in the title: automation. You set and forget (okay, not entirely forget, but you get where we’re going) your emails, and that saves you time and makes you money. But, before we dive deeper into the time-saving benefits of email marketing funnel automation, let’s take a quick step back and examine what a funnel actually looks like in 2021.  

What Is an Email Marketing Funnel Today?

Did you know the first marketing funnel was invented right at the turn of the 20th century? If you’re a trained marketer worth their salt, you probably actually know and even use this already. What St. Elmo Lewis, who essentially was an old-timey door-to-door salesman, pioneered was the AIDA model. This sales funnel concept has been endlessly re-invented as technology—and marketing know-how—has changed. The email marketing funnels we use today are simply a version adapted for the digital world. They could consist of anything from a series of scheduled communications to a series of email automations triggered by a send deadline or a customer’s actions. These email chains work to efficiently channel a lead through a campaign for the product or service you’re hoping they’ll purchase—or at least show lasting interest in.  

Why Invest in Email Marketing Automation?

Saving time is just the start of how automating your email marketing and sales funnels can help your business. How? The short answer: You’ll get more leads or make more sales for less money because customers will remember you. The long answer:

Saves You Money

As the adage goes, time is money. Reduce the time you spend on crafting and sending out emails, and you reduce the money you need to spend on the process, too. Build an email sales funnel that works, and you can reuse it endlessly—with a few tweaks here and there as you test it. This saves you time and can even ensure your process stays the same through vacations, downtimes, and more.  

Makes You Memorable

On average, an inbox has 200 emails in it at any given time. Send just one, and it gets lost in the crowd. By automating your sales funnel and sending out initial and follow-up emails, you ensure your message is always at the top of the digital pile. Be sure to personalize your emails with names and other customer details, too—including that all-important subject line.

Converts Sales

With automation, you have your strategy set in stone. This means your personalized (very important) emails are set to go out at optimum times of the day and week and are optimally spaced, giving them the best chance of being opened.  

How to Create Automated Email Marketing Funnels

The first step is to know who you’re targeting. If you already have a solid email list of interested customers and know a lot about them, use that information to inform your funnel creation. If you don’t, conduct some market research, including taking a good look at your closest competitors and who interacts with them, to find out. Next, you’ll need to choose your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. Most have funnel automation capabilities built into their service packages. Don’t just go with the first platform that pops up on Google: shop around pricing and get recommendations from peers and industry mentors. (Here at Viral Octopus, we love ActiveCampaign!) Finally, you need to work on your content strategy. Consider how what you offer in your funnel meets the specific needs of your target customer base. And don’t forget that lead generation magnet—that attractive, beneficial piece of content that prompts your audience to opt-in. Be sure, too, to optimize each and every email for deliverability. This includes:

• Check your domain health: Your email provider automatically verifies your address and provides DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) and SPF (Sender Policy Framework) authentication records. This helps you avoid blacklisting.
• Optimize your subject lines: Personalize your subject lines to increase the open rate and embrace A/B testing.
• Keep on top of your email list hygiene: Use online tools to verify emails and clean bounced emails.
• Use correct grammar and punctuation: You risk being perceived as unprofessional if you don’t.
• Avoid spam trigger words: We like HubSpots’ extensive list.

All that’s left now is to build that campaign, set up your delivery triggers, and click send on the first email! And don’t be afraid to tweak things depending on user behavior.  

It’s Time to Reclaim Your Day—and Your Customers

Whether you’re a tied-for-time marketing manager or a beaver-busy entrepreneur, you probably think that all this sounds like a lot. Sure, the proven high ROI of an email marketing funnel and the fact that automation would make it easier, faster, and possibly cheaper to undertake all sound incredible. But could I really carve out the hours for the setup and management of this whole, well, thing? Viral Octopus has your back with our gig Email Sales Funnel Automation gig. We’ll compose up to 12 emails complete with graphics and deploy them with triggers on your chosen marketing automation tool. All you’ll need to do is provide us with some information on your company, products or services, and email marketing needs, then sit back and watch your customers convert and commit! So, what are you waiting for? Invest in this gig today!