Email Marketing That Doesn’t Suck: Automations That Build Trust (and Revenue)
We get it — email marketing sounds like something only big brands or professional spam factories do.
But if you’re a small business owner and you’re not using email to build relationships and nudge sales, you’re leaving serious money on the table.
And no, we’re not talking about sending a monthly newsletter into the void.
We’re talking about email automations that work while you sleep — simple, friendly, well-timed emails that welcome new subscribers, warm up leads, and bring old ones back.
This isn’t sleazy. It’s smart, helpful, and human. Here’s how to do it right.
First Things First: What’s an Email Automation?
An email automation is a sequence of emails that get sent automatically based on a trigger — like when someone signs up, downloads something, or hasn’t engaged in a while.
You set it up once. It runs forever.
And done well, it feels less like a funnel and more like a conversation.
The 4 Must-Have Email Automations for Any Small Business
You don’t need 20 workflows. You need 4 solid ones. Let’s break them down.
1. The Welcome Series
Trigger: Someone joins your list via a form, freebie, or checkout.
This is the email equivalent of making a good first impression. Don’t blow it.
What to include (3–4 emails):
Email 1 (immediately): Thank them. Confirm what they signed up for. Share what to expect.
Email 2 (1–2 days later): Tell your story. Why you do what you do. Be real.
Email 3 (3–4 days later): Share something valuable — a tip, a client story, or helpful link.
Email 4 (optional): Light pitch. Invite them to check out your offer or book a call.
Pro tip: Include your face or name. People trust people, not brands.
2. The Lead Nurture Sequence
Trigger: Someone downloads a lead magnet, signs up for a webinar, or browses your offer.
They’re interested, but not ready. This is your chance to build trust, not rush a sale.
What to include (3–5 emails):
Address common fears or objections
Share quick wins or insights that show your expertise
Use storytelling, not just bullet points
Soft CTA: “Want to talk more? Book a free session.” or “Here’s how others got started…”
Example:
Let’s say you’re a freelance designer. Someone downloads your “Brand Style Guide Template.”
Your nurture sequence might walk them through:
How to use it
The 3 biggest branding mistakes
A mini case study of a past client
A soft pitch for your design audit
3. The Abandoned Cart or Inquiry Follow-Up
Trigger: Someone almost buys or submits an inquiry — but doesn’t follow through.
You don’t have to be pushy. Just helpful.
What to include (2–3 emails):
Reminder email (“Hey, did something go wrong?”)
Benefits recap email (“Just in case you forgot why this is great…”)
Scarcity or incentive email (“We’re holding your spot for 48 hours” or “Here’s 10% off”)
💡 Tools that make this easy:
Shopify, Squarespace Commerce, and platforms like Klaviyo or Mailchimp have abandoned cart templates ready to go.
4. The Win-Back Sequence
Trigger: Someone hasn’t opened/clicked in 60+ days.
This is about re-engaging cold leads — or cleaning them from your list.
📋 What to include (2–3 emails):
“Still interested?” email
“Here’s what you’ve missed” email
Last-chance email: “If we don’t hear from you, we’ll unsubscribe you (no hard feelings)”
✅ Why it matters:
Keeping inactive people on your list hurts your deliverability. Better to prune than to pile.
Our Go-To Tools for Small Businesses
No need to get fancy. Here are some easy-to-use platforms that are perfect for small and medium business owners:
Mailchimp: User-friendly, great for beginners
ConvertKit: Ideal for creators, coaches, and consultants
Klaviyo: Powerful automation for ecommerce
MailerLite: Clean interface, generous free plan
Shopify Email: Great if you already run a Shopify store
Metrics That Actually Matter
Don’t stress over every number. Focus on:
Open rate: 30–40% = solid
Click rate: 2–5% is a good goal
Unsubscribe rate: Under 1% = you're doing fine
Revenue per subscriber: Even small lists can earn big if they’re engaged
Real-World Example: Let’s Say You’re a Nutrition Coach…
You offer a free download: “7-Day Gut Health Reset.”
Your automation might look like this:
Welcome Email: Thanks for downloading! Here’s your plan.
Day 2: Quick video tip – “My 3-Minute Morning Gut Routine”
Day 4: Story: “How Jess went from bloated to balanced in 2 weeks”
Day 6: CTA: Book a free 15-min gut health review
Day 10: Reminder or final nudge
That’s 5 emails you write once — and reuse for every new lead. Forever.
Final Word
You don’t need to send a newsletter every Tuesday. You do need to have your most important conversations set up and working for you behind the scenes.
That’s the magic of email automations — and you don’t have to be techy to do it.
At Dove Digital, we help small businesses build friendly, conversion-focused automations that feel like you, not a robot. Want to see how your current emails stack up?
Book a free Email Review Session. We’ll look at what’s working, what’s not, and help you plan your first (or better) automation sequence.
