What’s not simple, however, is finding the right automation tools for your business. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Tons of marketing tools help you automate workflows, but some offer more than others. To help, we’ve put together this list of top marketing automation platforms so you can find the right fit (and yes, Dotdigital is in the mix).

Let’s kick things off by checking out the key features you should consider before picking automation tech.

Key features of marketing automation platforms

Marketing automation platforms are great tools to help marketers reach their goals. With an automation platform, you can:

• Automate personalized email campaigns
• Segment audiences for precise targeting
• Manage multi-channel customer journeys
• Visually build customer workflows
• Nurture and score leads effectively
• Integrate CRM and ecommerce platforms
• Analyze campaign performance for optimization
• Create landing pages, surveys, and forms
• Manage data security and compliance

When assessing your automation needs, you need to look for features such as:

• Email marketing automation
• SMS and messaging automation
• Segmentation and audience targeting
• Testing, optimizations, and predictions
• Personalization capabilities
• Cross-channel journey orchestration
• Analytics and reporting

These capabilities help you tailor different elements of your campaign to individual customers. This includes content, channels, product recommendations, and send times. By making sure your marketing automation tools have these features, you’ll be able to:

• Unify your marketing tech stack
• Streamline workflows
• Maximize marketing budgets
• Create, manage, and automate campaigns across all channels

Top marketing automation platforms in 2025

It’s time to dive into the top marketing automation platforms available in 2025, starting with Dotdigital.

Dotdigital

Dotdigital brings together extensive automation and personalization capabilities to give marketers everything they need to hit sales and revenue targets.

The platform ranks amongst G2’s top performers for:

• Marketing automation
• Mobile marketing
• Personalization software
• Customer data platform

And, we’re ranked the number one communication platform as a service (CPaaS) in the world. Our commitment to seamless mobile marketing experiences is what sets our cross-channel automation platform apart from the competition. 

Key benefits of Dotdigital

Cross-channel automation

Dotdigital supports marketers in providing truly cross-channel experiences. We offer seven core channels:

• Email
• SMS
• MMS
• Web
• WhatsApp
• Live chat
• App push notifications

You can also automate customer journey touchpoints within the platform, including:

• Facebook ads
• Instagram ads
• Google ads
• TikTok ads

With Dotdigital, you don’t need a platform for each channel or custom-built integrations to ensure all channels work together. You can find and automate them all in our all-in-one software. This allows you to sync up your marketing touchpoints and create a seamless experience for customers.

Let’s look at an example to see cross-channel marketing in action. Imagine a customer has added a pair of hoop earrings to their cart, but they’re not ready to complete their order. Using Dotdigital, you can take them on a cross-channel experience that’ll close the sale.

1. Exit intent popover: Use a triggered ‘save my shopping cart’ popover to capture their email
2. Abandoned cart email: Send a reminder about their shopping cart with a unique discount to drive them to purchase 
3. Post-purchase popover: Collect mobile numbers and SMS marketing consent after a purchase
4. Personalized coupon code SMS: Deliver a personalized coupon code via SMS to drive repeat orders
5. Bespoke retargeting ads: If they still haven’t converted, target customers with personalized product recommendation ads on Google, Meta, or TikTok
6. Welcome back popover: Greet your returning customer with a ‘pick up where you left off’ message

This approach keeps you visible and creates memorable, personal experiences.

Triggered automation programs

As well as building journeys, you can use Dotdigital to create flows triggered by customer actions. This type of automation helps improve the relevancy of your marketing. And relevancy is what customers really crave – messages that appeal to their needs in the moment.

In Dotdigital’s drag-and-drop program builder, you can trigger customer flows using:

• Action triggers: Deliver automated messages following a customer action, such as an abandoned cart or high-intent page visit
• List triggers: Automatically send campaigns every time someone joins or unsubscribes from one of your lists
• Date triggers: Use birthdays, anniversaries, or renewal dates to trigger journey flows
• Word triggers: Kickstart campaigns when a particular word or phrase is used in an inbound SMS message

Delivering relevant and timely messages is central to building strong customer connections. When your communications land at the right moment, customers feel understood and valued. It’s a level of personalization that increases engagement and delivers long-term growth.

To learn more about Dotdigital’s automation features, check out our guides:

• 10 automation flows to unlock your data
• 7 ecommerce automation templates to supercharge ROI
• 4 must-have SMS automation templates

Unified single customer view

To build great automation journeys, you need to really understand your customers. Dotdigital’s single customer view (SCV) brings all your customer data together—no matter where it lives—so you always have the full picture. That means wherever your data comes from, everything connects seamlessly in one place.

An SCV, helps you spot patterns, understand what customers want, and deliver super-relevant, personalized marketing. Clear actionable insights mean no more guesswork, just marketing that keeps customers coming back.

With Dotdigital’s SCV, you’ll get an instant overview of key things like:

• Customer info (name, sign-up date)
• Predictions and personas (likelihood to buy, risk of churning)
• Channel preferences (email, SMS opt-in status)
• Memberships and segments
• Purchase history
• Engagement (opens, clicks, visits)
• Recent activity and product recommendations

This makes it easy to find your best customers, reconnect with those at risk of leaving, and generate a segment of your top fans in the click of a button (thanks to tools like WinstonAI’s lookalike segment builder).

With Dotdigital’s SCV, you’re set up to turn data into stronger relationships and smarter, more successful marketing.

Audience and segmentation

Creating lookalike segments isn’t all you can do with Dotdigital. Segmentation lets you personalize customer journeys by getting in front of the right audience with the right message. Dotidigital’s segment builder lets you target groups using real customer data. You can mix and match data like marketing preferences, email clicks, website visits, and order history in a couple of clicks.

Plus, with our AI segment builder, it’s even faster to find the right people. It’s quick and easy to create powerful segments based on eRFM (engagement, recency, frequency, and monetary value), or use predictive insights like likely next order date. So what used to be complex now takes just minutes.

We also have a range of customer dashboards, which show how each segment is performing in with clear visuals and instant insights. You can always see which customers are ready to buy, and where to focus next.

Hyper-personalization

Dotdigital makes hyper-personalization happen by reading every click, scroll, and tap, so your campaigns feel like they are just for them. By tracking web behavior, you can trigger experiences that match what each customer wants. No more need for guesswork or lost opportunities, just spot-on, relevant marketing.

With Dotdigital, you can:

• Personalize your site and emails based on real-time browsing and buying behavior
• Drop in product recommendations tailored to what customers want
• Serve dynamic content that updates with every click, visit, and preference
• Add unique coupon codes to spark more conversions
• Catch attention with offers or subscription options with targeted popovers

Reporting and analytics

Find the stories hidden in your data with Dotdigital’s simple but powerful reporting tools. Our dashboards make it easy for marketers to get the big picture and all the details at the same time.

You can watch sales flow in on dashboards that track revenue, channel performance, and real customer journeys, not just clicks or opens. They let you zoom in on campaign-level stats for email, SMS, and chat to spot which messages drive conversions and where people drop off. Insights are clear, instant, and easy to use.

What’s more, our more advanced ecommerce dashboards go even deeper. Showing everything from personalized product recommendations to abandoned cart recovery and even revenue attribution, you’ll quickly discover what works for your audience. If you want to know what’s moving the needle, it’s already in your dashboard:

• Email and SMS performance, side by side
• Automation and journey reports for every triggered campaign
• Transactional and commerce reporting to see the moments that matter
• Abandoned cart, product recommendations, and retail dashboards built for real ecommerce decisions

WinstonAI

Alongside these features, Dotdigital users also have exclusive access to WinstonAI, our built-in marketing intelligence engine. Covering a range of capabilities, WinstonAI helps you work faster, reach further, and get better results. Let’s look at some of the ways WinstonAI supports marketers:

• Write spot-on subject lines and optimize copy and tone with generative AI baked into the email builder
• Build highly targeted segments in seconds using AI to sort your audience for you
• See what customers will do next with predictive insights, like likely order dates and risk of churn
• Move fast and change your email into an SMS or translate your campaign into another language, all with AI
• Deliver smarter product recommendations that match customers to what they actually want

Adobe Marketing Cloud

Adobe Marketing Cloud is a suite of tools covering analytics, content creation, and campaign management. Marketers might choose this solution because it easily connects with other Adobe products. This makes it a popular option for brands already immersed in the Adobe ecosystem.

The platform has rich integrations, advanced reporting, and many creative features. It’s often chosen by large and enterprise businesses with complex needs. But the flexibility it offers comes with a steeper learning curve, and to get the most out of the platform, you’ll need to be using all the other tools in their product suite.

Attentive

Attentive started as an SMS marketing platform, but now includes email marketing options. It’s popular with small and growing brands for its easy setup and focus on conversational, mobile campaigns.

While Attentive now offers email and SMS, it’s still missing crucial native channels like web, WhatsApp, and app. This can lead to disconnected workflows. As it’s mainly designed for smaller teams, marketers looking for a joined-up experience and full cross-channel capabilities may need to look at broader solutions as their needs grow.

Bloomreach

Bloomreach is an all-in-one marketing and personalization platform. It’s built for brands that want to deliver tailored customer experiences across multiple channels. This makes it a popular choice for large retailers and ecommerce brands.

Bloomreach offers many integration options for enterprise teams, though it can be complex and comes at a premium price. Marketers looking for simpler, more accessible personalization tools may prefer solutions designed for fast, easy setup and seamless use.

Braze

Braze is a mobile-first customer engagement platform. It’s known for marketing automation and personalization for app messaging and mobile campaigns. The platform helps brands deliver customer experiences across push, in-app, SMS, and email.

Braze has expanded its cross-channel features, but its roots remain in mobile. As more marketers look for seamless experiences across every channel, platforms offering mobile support and broad channel flexibility can help teams grow smarter and faster.

Emarsys

Emarsys helps marketers connect in-store and online data to deliver cross-channel experiences. The platform covers the essentials—email, SMS, web, and loyalty—and also offers AI capabilities. It’s a popular choice for brands with complex campaigns and big marketing teams.

The trade-off is a steeper learning curve, with some users needing ongoing support to get the most out of the features. For teams with limited time or experience, an intuitive platform can make all the difference.

Hubspot

HubSpot is best known as an all-in-one CRM and sales platform that also includes marketing automation. It’s well-suited for teams wanting to manage marketing, sales, and customer service from a single place. For marketers focused on segmentation, personalization, or reporting, HubSpot may fall short compared to purpose-built marketing platforms.

Insider

Insider supports brands, especially larger ecommerce businesses, in personalizing journeys across multiple channels. It offers tools for journey orchestration, segmentation, integration, and performance tracking. However, some find integrations clunky and have difficulty accessing the full depth of the platform. As marketers’ priorities shift toward unified, hands-on support and true cross-channel depth, solutions designed for ease of use and actionable insights stand out as prime options.

Iterable

Iterable is a newer name in the martech space, and it’s building momentum, especially in the US. Known for cross-channel orchestration, it helps reach customers across digital touchpoints.

While offering a polished UX, its integrations, commerce, and AI functions are still maturing. For marketers focused on unifying data and maximizing personalization, established platforms with deeper commerce and AI capabilities may offer a more complete toolkit as their needs grow.

Klaviyo

Klaviyo is a marketing automation platform with a focus on email for ecommerce brands. Its simple setup makes it popular for brands just getting started or running smaller-scale operations.

While Klaviyo delivers on core marketing needs, its capabilities are best suited for businesses seeking straightforward campaigns rather than scaling up or crafting deeply personalized experiences. For marketers looking to go further, platforms built for growth and personalization can be a better fit. Seamless cross-channel automation, global customer journeys, deeper insights, scalable support,  and web and app personalization can be achieved with more comprehensive, all-in-one platforms.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Salesforce Marketing Cloud is part of the wider Salesforce suite, combining marketing, sales, and commerce tools in one system. It’s used by larger organizations looking for a holistic view of their customer and a central place for data. Marketers who want maximum flexibility and easy integrations with other tech may find more success with solutions focused on wider integrations.

How to choose the right platform

Picking the right marketing platform isn’t just another box to tick. It’s your recipe for growth, speed, and making everyday work easier. Here’s what to keep front and center as you compare your options:

• Ease of use: Can you get started fast and stay in control, or will you need extra hands just to send a campaign?
• Scalability: Will the platform keep up as your brand and audience grow, or will you outpace it in a year?
• Integrations: Does it plug into your must-have tools, like ecommerce, CRM, and analytics, without the need for custom fixes?
• Customer support: Are there real experts ready to help, or does support feel like a lottery?
• Pricing: Is the cost clear and fair? Make sure the pricing fits your needs now and as you scale

A great platform should make you feel confident, not confused. Trust your instincts. And remember, fancy features mean nothing if they’re hard to use or tough to connect with the rest of your marketing tech stack.

Conclusion

The right marketing platform makes life simpler, helps your team thrive, and keeps your customers coming back. Getting this choice right sets the stage for smarter campaigns, faster wins, and real business results.

More like a gathering of minds than a typical seminar, the session explored topics like practical goal setting, what it means to be bold with your email strategy, and how relevant messages can inspire customer loyalty. Read on to find out our top takeaways from the day.

Be SMART about your GROWTH

Have you heard of the GROWTH framework? The GROWTH framework is a super scalable approach to planning and executing your marketing activities. You can use it for everything from top-level strategy to single-run campaigns because it helps you stay focused, data-driven, and agile. Here’s how…

What is the GROWTH framework?

GROWTH stands for:

• Goals: Without clear goals, you can’t measure success. Setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals will increase focus and accountability
• Reason: Understanding the ‘why’ keeps you focused on the customer needs and business value
• Observe: Review your current efforts to prevent duplication and reveal opportunities for optimization
• Work the plan: Execution without a plan leads to inefficiency, creating a clear roadmap keeps you on track
• Test and learn: Experimentation drives innovation and continuous improvement, so never be afraid to try something new
• Hone and optimize: Regularly refine and adapt your plan for long-term success and better ROI

The power of SMART objectives

Businesses that plan their marketing efforts are 538% more likely to achieve their objectives – but only if marketers have clear goals. SMART objectives like “increase newsletter sign-ups by 15% within the next quarter” will produce better results than simply aiming to “improve engagement.”

To turn objectives into results, marketers should embrace a culture of testing and continuous improvement. Every campaign is an opportunity to learn. Try these top testing tips:

• Test one variable at a time
• Set a clear goal or objective
• Define your success metrics before launching
• Use (Dotdigital) testing tools to help
• Document everything you learn, even if it fails

For more on smarter testing, check out our guide on the A/B/Cs of split testing.

Be brave enough to try something new: Insights from The Royal Ballet School

Maddy Carroll, Audience and Insights Executive at The Royal Ballet School, shared how she used automation to take her email strategy to new heights. Here‘s her story: 

Starting with a blank canvas

Maddy joined the marketing team at The Royal Ballet School shortly after the brand onboarded with Dotdigital. As a result, she inherited something of a “blank canvas” – there were no automations, messy mailing lists, or outdated segments to work her way through. Seeing this as an opportunity instead of a setback, Maddy decided to make the most of her untouched customer data.

Building a foundation for growth

1. Segmentation and integration
   Maddy’s first move was to segment her audiences according to location and interests, and connect Dotdigital to the school’s ecommerce platform. This helped her to track interactions like donations, purchases, and class sign-ups and use that data to inform her campaigns. 

2. Automations that free up time
   With insights into customer interactions, Maddy was able to build automations based on recent engagements and purchase behavior. This freed up her one-person team to focus on high-impact initiatives and creative outreach.

3. Testing, learning, and evolving
   Automation is a great place to test and experiment with your email strategy. When you start small, you can monitor results as customers flow through. If there is an issue, a typo, or a broken journey branch, the program can be paused and issues resolved quickly. As Maddy explains, “it never feels like a big risk.” 

Top advice for marketers

Maddy’s top piece of advice was simple: “Be really brave and don’t hold yourself back.” Do your research, prepare thoroughly, and take the leap to experiment with automation. Agility is key, especially for small or one-person teams. A willingness to adapt and try new approaches can lead to seriously good results.

What customers really want from your brand

The loyalty divide report found that while 78% of consumers feel brands are personalizing their marketing well, only 23% find those messages relevant. Your audience wants more authenticity and relevancy from their favorite brands. Here’s how you can close that gap:

1. Segment and personalize across channels

Email remains the top choice for 61% of consumers, but other channels are gaining ground. Gen Z is more open to push notifications, while Millennials are 34% more likely to engage on messaging apps like WhatsApp – segment and target customers to reach each group on the channels they prefer.

2. Choose the right rewards

Points-based programs and cashback are super popular, but Gen Z and Millennials also value gifts and freebies. Free shipping and birthday discounts are also top drivers of loyalty, so take the time to discover what your customers really want.

3. Identify your brand loyalists

The report revealed that brand loyalists – those are your most dedicated repeat customers – are often women, over 40 years old, who like receiving freebies, birthday rewards, and free shipping. Engaging this audience consistently with value-driven content will see them flourish and grow.

By taking the time to get to know your audience and adapting your approach, you’ll inspire deeper loyalty and keep customers coming back.

Discover hidden gems inside Dotdigital

Even if you’ve been using Dotdigital for years, there are always a few features that slip under the radar. But these sweet little hidden gems can make a big difference to the success of your marketing campaigns. These are some of the standout tools and tricks shared at our event:

1. Personalize without preferences

You don’t always need a full preference profile. Use link groups and campaign tags to target customers based on recent actions, like grouping all donation links to spot interested subscribers, or tagging campaigns to easily identify engaged audiences. This makes segmentation simple, even with limited data.

2. Prevent personalization fails

Avoid awkward “Hi {First_Name}” moments with dynamic content blocks. These let you personalize messages when you have the data (like “Hi Jenna”) and skip it when you don’t, so every customer gets a seamless experience.

3. Manage links even after they’re sent

Never panic over a broken link again. Dotdigital’s link manager lets you update campaign links even after sending, and highlights which URLs are valid or invalid, so you can fix issues before customers notice.

4. Easy image editing in-house

You can resize, filter, and add alt text to images right inside the platform using our image manager, saving you a trip to external editors. Plus, when you add alt text in the image manager, it updates the alt text for that image everywhere. 

5. Streamline cross-channel campaign creation

Creating cross-channel campaigns doesn’t have to add to your day-to-day workload if you use AI to convert your emails into SMS campaigns. With WinstonAI, you can create an SMS based on your top-performing email campaigns with just the click of a button.

The good news is that these features aren’t really hidden. They’re right on hand to help you manage and optimize your campaigns every day. With these tools, it’s easier than ever to personalize your campaigns, manage your content with confidence, and reach customers across multiple channels.

That’s a wrap

The best marketing results come from staying curious and keeping your audience at the heart of every decision. The stories, strategies, and practical tips shared at our event show that even small changes, like refining your segmentation or testing a new channel, can spark big wins. Good marketing isn’t about ticking boxes or following trends. It’s about real connections, creative thinking, and having the confidence to try something new.

So, keep experimenting, keep learning, and, most importantly, keep it connecting. Because when marketers share successes and learnings with other marketers, that’s when the magic happens.

This is exactly where Dotdigital shines. We provide a complete, scalable, and highly supportive marketing automation platform designed to help your business truly thrive. Here’s why Dotdigital stands out as the ideal choice for you.

Seamless marketing automation

If you’re struggling to deliver timely, relevant messages to customers without manual intervention then Dotdigital is your solution. With Dotdigital, your marketing can anticipate every customer move and respond instantly, without you lifting a finger. Dotdigital makes this a reality with powerful marketing automation that’s built for precision and scale.

With our intuitive program builder, you can create dynamic, behavior-driven journeys that adapt to each customer’s unique path. Whether it’s a welcome series triggered by a new sign-up, a cart recovery email based on browsing behavior, or a loyalty reward after a repeat purchase – every message is timely, relevant, and automated.

Dotdigital’s platform taps into real-time web insights, purchase history, and engagement data to trigger personalized communications across email, SMS, websites, and more. You can segment audiences with laser focus, automate complex workflows, and deliver content that resonates – all without adding to your team’s workload.

This level of automation doesn’t just save time, it drives results. By meeting customers where they are, with what they need, when they need it, you turn casual browsers into loyal advocates faster and more efficiently.

Help for Heroes, for instance, effectively implemented customer retention strategies using Dotdigital’s automation tools.

“I appreciate the platform’s user-friendliness and intuitive design. Tasks like creating segments, building emails, designing automations, and integrations are straightforward. Dotdigital assisted in implementing complex customer retention automations to align with our business goals. It is a powerful platform and I would highly recommend it.”

– Dee Bajaj, Ecommerce Marketing Manager, Help for Heroes

Go beyond email automation

Your customers engage with brands through multiple platforms, and their journey is often complex. Relying on just one communication channel can make it difficult to deliver a consistent and personalized experience at every touchpoint. This may lead to a fragmented customer journey.

This is a common challenge, especially since consumers typically use around 10 different channels during their buying journey. To truly connect with them and encourage action, your marketing strategies must reach them wherever they are, ensuring every interaction feels personal.

Dotdigital allows you to move beyond just email. We bring all your essential marketing channels together in one place. So you can deliver the perfect message, on the right channel, at the best time. 

With Dotdigital, you can create smooth customer journeys across:

• Email
• SMS and MMS
• WhatsApp
• Web (popovers, personalization)
• Mobile app push notifications
• Live chat
• In-app messaging

With our drag-and-drop program builder, you can easily create consistent, personalized journeys across these diverse channels. What truly sets us apart is our unmatched global reach: unlike many platforms that offer SMS in just a few countries, Dotdigital helps marketers connect with customers in over 220 countries and territories. We’re ready to support you on new and emerging channels too as part of our dedication to innovative marketing.

This makes sure you can engage your global audience on their preferred local channels, building a truly unified and effective communication strategy.

Finally, you can perfect your entire strategy with comprehensive cross-channel reporting. This lets you gain deep insights and refocus efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact. 

Unify your data

A big challenge in marketing is having scattered customer data. When information is spread across multiple sources, it becomes difficult to get a complete and accurate view of who your customers truly are. This fragmented understanding of your audience often leads to missed opportunities to connect with your audience in a meaningful way.

Dotdigital’s platform solves this problem. Our platform brings together all your customer data from every touchpoint — across email, SMS, ecommerce, CRM, loyalty programs, and more — into a single platform. This creates a single customer view (SCV), a real-time, 360-degree profile of each customer that eliminates data silos and guesswork.

With this complete picture, you can anticipate customer needs, deliver hyper-relevant experiences, and make every interaction count.

With Dotdigital, you can:

• Truly understand your customers: Know their preferences, behaviors, and buying habits at a glance.
• Segment with precision: Create highly specific audience groups based on any piece of data you have – not just email opens.
• Personalize with scale: Deliver messages that truly resonate because they’re based on their full history, not just a guess.
• Predict and act on future needs: With predictive analytics, you can anticipate what customers want next, leading to proactive and effective marketing. 

Hyper-personalization that converts

Customers today crave relevant and personalized experiences. In fact, 71% of consumers expect companies to provide personalized interactions, and many are frustrated when they don’t. 

Dotdigital helps you to tackle these challenges by going beyond basic personalization. Our platform empowers you to deliver deep, data-driven experiences that adapt in real-time — across email, SMS, web, and more — based on each customer’s unique behavior, preferences, and lifecycle stage.

Here’s what you can achieve:

• Behavior-triggered web content: Display dynamic website content based on browsing behavior, purchase history, or engagement.
• Unique coupon codes: Automatically generate and send one-time-use discount codes to drive urgency and prevent misuse.
• Smart product recommendations: Use AI to suggest products based on past purchases, browsing patterns, or what similar customers bought.
• Personalized popovers that convert: Trigger branded, SEO-friendly popovers based on real-time behavior — like exit intent, scroll depth, or time on page.
• Dynamic email content blocks: Swap in real-time content like location-based store info, weather-based product suggestions, or live inventory updates.
• Lifecycle-based automation: Automatically tailor messages to where customers are in their journey — from welcome series and birthday offers to win-back campaigns.

Built to scale

Your business is ready for growth, and your marketing automation platform should support that journey. Dotdigital is built to scale with ease, offering the flexibility, integrations, and support you need – whether you’re running a single store or a global enterprise with multiple brands and markets. You can bring your ideas to life without being blocked by developers, data, or design. 

Here’s how Dotdigital makes sure your marketing can grow as fast as your business does:

• Pre-built integrations: Instantly connect with leading platforms like Adobe Commerce, Shopify, Salesforce, and Microsoft Dynamics. Get up and running fast with proven integrations that sync your data and workflows.
• Custom integrations and APIs: Need something unique? Our robust, well-documented APIs and custom integration capabilities makes sure Dotdigital fits perfectly into your tech stack, no matter how complex.
• Advanced data handling: Effortlessly manage and unify data from multiple sources, enabling real-time segmentation, personalization, and reporting as your business grows.
• Global reach: Engage customers worldwide with native SMS delivery to over 220 countries and territories, ensuring compliance with local regulations.
• Multi-store and multi-site support: Manage multiple brands, stores, or regions from a single platform. Our parent and child account structure simplifies oversight, execution, and reporting across complex business models.
• Language and currency flexibility: Make a strong first impression in every market with multi-language and multi-currency support, making sure your messages are relevant and accessible to all audiences.
• Professional services: From onboarding and custom technical solutions to ongoing consultancy, our expert team partners with you to solve challenges and accelerate your growth.

You’ll never feel limited by your marketing automation platform again, whether you’re launching new products, entering new markets, or expanding your channel presence.

Great support you can count on

Investing in advanced marketing technology is a smart decision, but without the right support, even the best tools can fall short. If you’ve ever struggled with complex setups, lacked expert guidance, or experienced delays in receiving help when you needed it most, you are not alone.

Dotdigital’s support team is there for you, anytime, anywhere. You’ll gain access to experts dedicated to bringing your marketing vision to life, ensuring you receive human support whenever you need it.

What sets Dotdigital’s support apart?

• Dedicated onboarding: Our onboarding specialists ensure a smooth, confident start. From smooth data migration to setting up best practices, we’ll have you up and running in no time.
• Creative services: Need eye-catching email templates, expert creative consultancy, or tailored template kits for emails and landing pages? Our in-house creative team turns your vision into stunning, high-performing campaigns.
• Strategic account management: You’ll be paired with a dedicated account manager who understands your business and helps you achieve your marketing goals using Dotdigital.
• Deliverability expertise: Our deliverability team provides ongoing advice and hands-on support to maximize inbox placement and campaign results.
• Custom technical solutions: From advanced integrations to bespoke automations, our technical consultants help you tailor Dotdigital to your unique needs and business processes.
• Ongoing consultancy: Tap into our marketing experts for strategic guidance, campaign reviews, and data-driven insights that keep you ahead of the competition.
• Responsive, multi-channel support: Whether by phone, live chat, or email, our global support team is available around the clock, with average response times of just 20 seconds and a 99% customer satisfaction score.

Sustainable marketing for a better future

At Dotdigital, we believe in growing your business thoughtfully. As the first carbon-neutral marketing automation platform powered entirely by renewable energy, we provide a future-proof solution.

Making a positive environmental impact is a core priority for us at Dotdigital. Our commitment to sustainability is a key reason why customers choose us again and again. By partnering with Dotdigital, you are not only investing in superior marketing technology but also helping to create a more sustainable future.

Choose Dotdigital today

Looking for the right marketing automation solution? Dotdigital is here to help. Our comprehensive platform gives you everything you need to connect with your audience, boost engagement, and grow your business. Book a demo today.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Abandoned cart automation can be a powerful tool to win back those would-be customers and drive more sales. Our research shows that accounts running cart abandonment campaigns recover an average of $41,807 monthly. That’s a staggering amount of revenue that’s up for grabs.

The good news is, that there are seven proven strategies you can implement to minimize cart abandonment and maximize your conversions. Let’s dive in.

1. Perfect your timing

Timing is absolutely critical for recovering abandoned carts. The longer you wait to re-engage a customer who has abandoned their cart, the lower your chances of returning them.

Data from Dotdigital shows that 45% of all cart recoveries occur within the first two hours. This initial window after a customer abandons their cart is a prime opportunity; it’s essential to act quickly to take advantage of their intent and desire to complete the purchase.

To leverage this advantage, consider setting up default timings for abandoned session follow-ups. With the Dotdigital tag, you can enroll customers in abandoned cart recovery programs almost in real-time. This feature allows you to set default timings for follow-ups that range from just 30 minutes to 12 hours. This flexibility helps you engage customers while their interest is still high, especially during peak shopping periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

It’s also worth noting that higher cart values often have longer conversion windows. When a customer is considering a significant purchase, they will naturally take more time to think it over. For more expensive items, you might want to extend your initial follow-up to the 6-12 hour range.

The key is to test and optimize your timing based on your unique customer data and purchasing patterns. Analyze your historical abandoned cart recovery rates by time interval and use that information to refine your strategy. You may discover that certain customer segments respond better to quick outreach, while others may require more time.

2. Personalization is everything

Once you have your timing dialed in, the next step is to make sure your abandoned cart messaging is as personalized and relevant as possible. Generic “you left something behind” emails just don’t cut it anymore.

Your abandoned cart campaigns should feel tailored to the individual customer and their specific browsing and purchase history. Start by using their first name in the subject line and body copy. Reference the exact products they had in their cart. And leverage data like their engagement level via eRFM modeling to adjust the tone and offers accordingly.

Dotdigital’s eRFM modeling allows you to categorize customers based on their Engagement, Recency, Frequency, and Monetary value – giving you a rich understanding of each individual’s buying behavior and preferences.

You can then use this intelligence to trigger different abandoned cart campaigns. For your highly engaged, high-value customers, you might lead with a strong call-to-action and limited-time offer. But for less engaged segments, you may want to take a softer, more educational approach to gently nudge them back.

AI-powered product recommendations can also be a game-changer for boosting relevance. By analyzing the specific items a customer is interested in, you can surface alternative or complementary products that may better suit their needs or desires. This could be the key to getting them off the fence and completing their purchase.

3. Leverage cross-channel messaging

Today’s shoppers move easily between different platforms and devices, making it essential to use a cross-channel approach for recovering abandoned carts.

Research shows that combining email, SMS, and social media can increase recovery rates by up to 45%. Each channel has its strengths for bringing back customers who have left items in their carts. By using Dotdigital’s unified platform for a cross-channel strategy, you can reach more customers and boost engagement.

SMS is highly effective, with an impressive open rate of 98%. It allows you to quickly send time-sensitive offers and reminders. A simple text like, “Your cart misses you. Complete your purchase in the next hour to save 15%,” can prompt immediate action.

Dotdigital also integrates seamlessly with social media retargeting to keep your products visible as customers browse platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Dynamic ads that show the exact items left in the cart, along with messages that create urgency, can encourage shoppers to return and complete their purchases.

To implement an effective cross-channel strategy with Dotdigital:

• Segment your audience: Use Dotdigital’s tools to group customers based on their preferred communication channels.
• Automate messaging: Set up automated workflows to send coordinated messages across different platforms for a seamless experience.
• Target by device: Adjust your messaging based on how customers interact with your brand on various devices.
• Monitor performance: Use Dotdigital’s analytics to track how well your campaigns are doing and make improvements.

By taking advantage of Dotdigital’s cross-channel features, you can create multiple ways to re-engage customers and guide them back to complete their purchases. This not only helps recover lost sales but also enhances the overall shopping experience.

4. Remove friction

A big part of minimizing cart abandonment is reducing any lingering doubts or concerns a customer may have about completing their purchase. Shopping online still feels like a gamble for many people, especially if it’s their first time buying from your brand.

Use your abandoned cart campaigns as an opportunity to address these potential friction points and build trust. Highlight your returns policy, free shipping offers, customer reviews, industry awards – anything that can help customers feel confident in moving forward.

According to Dotdigital’s research, accessible and comprehensive customer service is also key. If a customer has a specific question or hang-up, make it easy for them to connect with a sales rep or support agent. Dotdigital customers can take advantage of the platform’s live chat functionality, for example, to enable real-time interactions.

These direct conversations don’t just help clinch the sale at the moment – they can also provide valuable intel to optimize your abandoned cart campaigns over time. You’ll start to identify the most common queries and pain points, allowing you to proactively address them in your messaging.

5. Use push notifications

Push notifications offer a powerful way to re-engage customers who have abandoned their carts. By delivering timely notifications directly to their devices, you can remind them of their unfinished purchase and entice them back to complete their order.

One of the key benefits of using push notifications is their immediate impact. These notifications bypass email filters, ensuring high visibility and a direct line to the customer. By personalizing the message with specific product details, you can create a more compelling and relevant call to action.

To maximize the effectiveness of your push notification campaigns, consider timing your messages strategically. Sending notifications a few hours after cart abandonment or during peak shopping hours can increase the likelihood of conversions. Additionally, using clear and concise language, along with strong calls to action, can further boost engagement.

By testing different messaging, timing, and frequency, you can refine your strategy and optimize your results. By leveraging the power of push notifications, you can significantly increase your chances of recovering abandoned carts and driving more sales.

6. Offer discounts strategically

A well-timed discount can be the final nudge a customer needs to complete their purchase. However, it’s essential to deploy these incentives strategically.

Generate unique discount codes and include them in your abandoned cart emails. This not only adds a sense of exclusivity but also allows you to track redemption rates and measure the effectiveness of your offers.

Consider using tiered discounts based on customer engagement or cart value. For high-value, highly engaged shoppers, a more substantial discount, such as 20% off, may be appropriate. For less engaged segments, a smaller discount, like 10%, might be sufficient to encourage action.

The goal is to strike a balance between enticing customers to convert and protecting your profit margins. By testing different discount thresholds and monitoring their impact on abandoned cart recovery rates, average order value, and overall profitability, you can optimize your strategy for maximum effectiveness.

7. Create a sense of urgency

A powerful way to encourage abandoned cart customers to return is to create a sense of urgency. This can be achieved by highlighting the limited-time nature of the offer or emphasizing product scarcity.

For instance, include a countdown timer in your abandoned cart emails, visually representing the time left to claim the items. Alternatively, highlight that certain products are selling out quickly, urging customers to act fast to secure their desired items.

Dotdigital simplifies the process of dynamically incorporating this time-sensitive messaging into your campaigns. By leveraging real-time data on product inventory levels, pricing changes, and other relevant triggers, you can craft compelling narratives that motivate customers to return and complete their purchases.

Remember to balance urgency with a respectful approach. Avoid overly aggressive or manipulative tactics, as this can negatively impact customer perception. Test different approaches to determine the most effective way to create a sense of urgency for your audience.

Boost your abandoned cart recovery today

By mastering abandoned cart recovery, you can convert lost sales into revenue and drive significant growth for your ecommerce business. Utilizing these strategies allows you to re-engage abandoned shoppers and turn them into loyal customers.

To streamline your abandoned cart recovery efforts, consider using a marketing automation platform like Dotdigital. With Dotdigital, you can automate personalized email, SMS, and push notification campaigns to re-engage customers at the right time.

Remember, the key to success lies in continuous testing and optimization. Experiment with different approaches, analyze your results, and refine your strategy over time. With the right tools and techniques, such as those offered by Dotdigital, you can significantly reduce cart abandonment and boost your bottom line.

Smart companies know the magic doesn’t stop when the payment goes through. In fact, that’s where you can build real, lasting relationships. Let’s talk about post-purchase marketing – how staying in touch after the sale can make your customers feel genuinely happy and keep them coming back for more.

What is post-purchase marketing?

Basically, it’s everything you do to connect with a customer after they’ve bought something from you. Forget chasing new leads for a moment; this is all about looking after the people who’ve already chosen you. This is the core of effective post-purchase marketing.

It’s about:

• Making customers feel good about their decision.
• Helping them get the most out of what they bought.
• Building a genuine connection, not just processing a transaction.
• Turning that one-time buyer into a loyal fan who sticks around.

It’s shifting from just making a sale to actually building a relationship.

Why bother focusing on what happens after the sale?

Ignoring customers after they’ve made a purchase is like inviting them to forget about you. Nurturing those who have already invested in your brand is important for strong post-purchase relationship building. Here’s six reasons why focusing on post-purchase marketing is a smart move:

1. Boost customer lifetime value (CLTV)

When customers feel engaged and happy after making a purchase, they are much more likely to return for more. For businesses, even a small increase in customer retention can translate into meaningful revenue growth over time.

2. Enhance customer loyalty and retention

A positive post-purchase experience builds trust and loyalty. When you provide support and show appreciation after the sale, you build trust and foster a sense of loyalty. Customers who feel valued are less likely to be tempted by competitors.

3. Drive word-of-mouth marketing and referrals

By creating a great post-purchase experience, you’re more likely to encourage word-of-mouth marketing and referrals. Happy customers will recommend your products or services to their friends and family, which can lead to new customers without much effort on your part.

4. Gather valuable feedback for improvement

Asking for feedback while customers are highly engaged is a smart move. It allows you to gather valuable insights into how customers perceive your products and overall shopping experience. This feedback can highlight areas for improvement and help you better meet customer needs going forward.

5. Strengthen brand reputation

Providing excellent post-purchase support strengthens your brand’s reputation. When customers feel cared for, they’re more inclined to leave positive reviews and share their experiences, which builds trust and credibility for your business.

6. Cross-selling and upselling opportunities

Understanding what customers have purchased opens the door for cross-selling and upselling opportunities. By recommending relevant products or upgrades, you can increase sales in a way that feels personalized and thoughtful, rather than pushy.

Post-purchase marketing automation strategies

Effective post-purchase marketing goes hand in hand with marketing automation. It allows you to send messages that are timely and relevant, which can greatly improve the customer experience, all while saving you from constant manual work. Here are some key strategies for implementing marketing automation that you might find useful:

1. Send a personalized thank you

While an automated order confirmation is essential, it can often feel bland. Consider following it up with a warmer, separate thank-you email. Use the customer’s name and mention the item they purchased. A simple, genuine message like “Thanks for choosing us! We hope you love your purchase” goes a long way in making customers feel valued, rather than just another order number in the system.

2. Keep them in the loop on delivery

No one enjoys the “Where’s my parcel?” guessing game, as it only causes unnecessary worry. Send a shipping confirmation update (such as when the order is packed, shipped, or out for delivery) to send proactive notifications via email or even SMS messages.

Include a tracking link to enhance transparency, which offers customers peace of mind and shows that you’re managing the process smoothly. This results in less worry for them and fewer “Where is my order?” inquiries for you.

3. Help them get started smoothly

If your product requires setup, has a learning curve, or comes with exciting features, assist your customers. Send a friendly automated email shortly after delivery with links to a quick start guide, a helpful video, or some top tips. Supporting customers in having that ‘aha’ moment quickly allows them to enjoy their purchase without encountering frustrating roadblocks.

4. Share useful content

Think beyond simply selling more products. What related tips, ideas, or content could genuinely help or interest customers based on what they bought? For instance, if they purchased gardening gear, you might send seasonal planting tips via email or even an MMS message with visual guides. If they acquired new software, share guides to advanced features. Providing real value long after the transaction positions your brand as a helpful resource and keeps you gently top-of-mind.

5. Make them feel special

If you have a loyalty program, that’s fantastic. Automate an invitation to join after their first purchase. Additionally, set up automated messages to remind members of their points balance, inform them about rewards they can claim, send a little something for their birthday, or grant them early access to sales. It’s all about making your regular customers feel like valued insiders—part of an exclusive club.

6. Ask for feedback and act on it

Timing is everything when asking for feedback. Configure an automated email or survey invitation to be sent out a while after delivery, giving customers enough time to experience the product. 

Keep it concise. Importantly, if someone takes the time to respond, acknowledge it (even an automated acknowledgment is better than silence). Even better—if you make changes based on feedback, let customers know. This demonstrates that you value their opinions and are committed to improving.

7. Suggest products they love

When done thoughtfully, using purchase and browsing data for automated product recommendations can be genuinely helpful. For example, recommend relevant add-ons (like “People who bought X often find Y useful”), accessories that complement their item, or timely refill reminders. The key is to ensure true relevance—aim for helpful nudges rather than pushy, random sales pitches.

8. Add a surprise

Consider automatically triggering a small, unexpected discount code for their next purchase a month after their first order. 

Alternatively, identify your high-value or long-term customers so your team can occasionally include a freebie or handwritten note in their next shipment. These small, unexpected gestures create big smiles and lasting positive memories.

Four post-purchase examples

The journey after “buy” is paved with opportunities to connect. Your email and mobile messaging strategy can turn one-time buyers into loyal fans. Let’s look at four key examples that go beyond basic notifications:

1. Order confirmation

Think of your order confirmation not just as a receipt, but as your opening act in the post-purchase show. It’s often the very first direct communication after someone clicks “buy,” making it a prime opportunity to solidify their decision and start building that crucial long-term connection.

Sending a well-crafted order confirmation does wonders for new customers. It immediately eases any post-purchase jitters, assuring them their transaction went through smoothly. More importantly, it’s your first chance to showcase your brand’s personality and professionalism, laying the foundation for trust and a lasting relationship.

Take a look at Ritual’s order confirmation email. It’s a masterclass in clarity and customer-centricity, focusing precisely on what’s top-of-mind right after a purchase.

Here’s how Ritual’s email works:

• Purchase confirmation: The email confirms that the order has been successfully placed, including essential details such as the order number, items purchased, and the expected delivery date.
• Brand consistency: By using brand-specific elements like logos, colors, and a consistent tone, the email reinforces the brand identity and keeps the customer engaged.
• Trust building: The clear and professional presentation of the email helps build trust, making customers feel confident about their purchase and the brand they’ve chosen.
• Strategic upsell: The email incentivizes customers to enhance their order by adding another item before a specified date, offering them savings on their next purchase.

Ritual’s email shows that order confirmation email can be a powerful touchpoint, enhancing the customer experience and nurturing a positive relationship from the get-go.

2. Shipping update

After the initial excitement of placing an order, the next question on every customer’s mind is: “When will it arrive?” This is where your shipping update emails step into the spotlight. They’re not just functional notifications; they’re opportunities to build anticipation and reinforce your reliability.

A well-timed and informative shipping update can significantly reduce “Where’s my order?” inquiries and, more importantly, keep the positive momentum of the purchase going. It shows you’re on top of things and value keeping your customers informed.

This shipping update email from Dr. Martens manages expectations and keeps the customer engaged during the important delivery phase.

Here’s how Dr Martens email works:

• Clear and immediate status: The email promptly announces that the order has shipped, directly addressing the customer’s primary concern.
• Essential tracking information: Providing a prominent tracking number and a clear “Track Your Order” button empowers customers to monitor their delivery progress in real-time, reducing anxiety and the need to contact support.
• Reinforced purchase details: Briefly reiterating the order number and shipping address provides a quick confirmation and reduces potential errors or confusion.
• Brand personality: Even in a transactional email, Dr. Martens subtly injects their brand identity through their logo, color scheme, and straightforward, no-nonsense tone, maintaining a consistent brand experience.
• Setting delivery expectations: Clearly stating the estimated delivery date helps customers plan and manage their anticipation effectively.

By providing timely, transparent, and easily accessible shipping information, Dr. Martens transforms a potentially anxious waiting period into a smooth and reassuring part of the customer journey. This builds trust and reinforces their commitment to a positive post-purchase experience.

3. Personalized product suggestions

The post-purchase glow is a great time to gently re-engage your customers and showcase more of what you offer. By understanding their recent purchase, you can send highly relevant product suggestions that feel helpful rather than purely promotional. This is your chance to show you “get” their style and needs, potentially leading to cross-sells and increased customer lifetime value.

A well-executed product suggestion email shows that your relationship extends beyond a single transaction. It’s about anticipating their future needs and offering solutions they might not have even considered yet.

Billabong uses product suggestions to offer relevant and appealing follow-up items.

What makes it enticing?

• Visually appealing products: Billabong likely uses high-quality images of their products, showcasing them in an attractive and lifestyle-oriented way that resonates with their target audience.
• Categorized suggestions: Grouping suggestions into logical categories (You Might Also Love) helps customers easily find items that complement their initial purchase.
• Clear call to actions: The product suggestion block includes a direct call to action (“Shop Now” ) making it easy for customers to explore and purchase the recommended items.
• Brand alignment: The suggested products and overall email design maintain Billabong’s brand aesthetic and target audience preferences (e.g., surfing, beach lifestyle).

By thoughtfully curating and presenting relevant product suggestions after a purchase, Billabong aims to enhance the customer experience, increase average order value, and foster a continuous cycle of engagement and sales.

4. Helpful content

The sale might be complete, but your role as a helpful resource doesn’t end there. Post-purchase is an ideal time to provide valuable content that enhances the customer’s experience with their new product and reinforces their decision to buy from you. This type of email builds trust, positions you as an expert, and can even reduce the likelihood of returns by ensuring customers know how to use their purchase effectively.

Think beyond just pushing more products. Consider what information would genuinely help your customers get the most out of what they’ve just bought.

Let’s explore this helpful content email from e.l.f Cosmetics. The brand understands that makeup can sometimes come with a learning curve and proactively offer guidance.

What makes this approach valuable?

• Focus on product usage: e.l.f. provides tips, video tutorials, or how-to guides related to the specific products the customer purchased or makeup application in general. This empowers customers to use their new items confidently.
• Building expertise: Sharing helpful content positions e.l.f. as a knowledgeable authority in the cosmetics space, building trust and credibility beyond just selling products.
• Boosts engagement: The email includes links to social media channels, e.l.f’s loyalty program, and complementary products, encouraging customers to further interact with the brand and explore additional offerings.

e.l.f. Cosmetics understands that empowering their customers with knowledge is a key part of a positive post-purchase experience. By offering helpful content, they not only ensure customer satisfaction with their products but also cultivate a loyal community that sees them as a go-to resource for all things beauty.

It’s time to take post-purchase marketing seriously

Let’s talk about post-purchase marketing and why it really matters. We’ve delved into the strategies you can use to stay connected with customers.

The main takeaway is simple: the transaction is not the end; it marks the beginning of a deeper and more valuable relationship with customers. By actively engaging with customers after they make a purchase, you are strategically building loyalty, repeat business, and turning satisfied buyers into advocates.

SMS marketing is similar to email marketing, as it allows you to communicate directly with your subscribers on a large scale. Modern customers keep their mobile phones nearby, leading to an impressive SMS open rate of about 98%. This high level of engagement is why many companies are adding SMS to their communication strategies. It’s a channel that really grabs attention, but many still haven’t fully taken advantage of its potential. You can make the most of this effective communication tool with the right SMS software and provider.

Mobile phones help connect users to the wider world. It’s through these devices shoppers are searching for and discovering new brands. They’re already demanding personalized experiences on well-established channels such as email and websites, but the growing dominance of mobile has led to a demand for more personalized mobile experiences.

Personalized SMS experiences

Adding SMS to your marketing channel mix can be daunting; how are you supposed to deliver personalized experiences too? The answer is simpler than you might expect. Marketing automation allows you to send one-to-one communications on a massive scale. 

Using an intelligent cross-channel automation platform like Dotdigital, you can use behavioral triggers to deliver the right messages at the right time. This means that every single recipient is receiving a personalized experience.

With Dotdigital, you can personalize messages just like you would an email. Adding data fields such as first name or location helps you send personalized messages with minimal effort. Advanced SMS marketing tools also offer segmentation capabilities, allowing for even more targeted communications.

1. Subscription confirmation

When you collect phone numbers at the point of sign-up or subscription, you can trigger a subscription confirmation message to be delivered to your new contact. This is especially useful as a double opt-in (DOI) tactic to make sure that your contacts really want to receive your SMS messages.

Subscription confirmation texts not only ensure your messaging lists are full of engaged contacts but also assure that the phone numbers collected are valid. This process is important for compliance and maintaining a clean subscriber list.

2. Welcome message

Welcome emails are a must. They help you introduce your brand while getting to know your new contact. But a welcome text message goes one step beyond to surprise and delight. Adding a welcome SMS to your welcome program is about expressing your brand’s personality. It feels personal and will leave the recipient excited about connecting with your brand. 

3. Announcements

Do you have quarterly product launches? Do you host events every month? Maybe you run semi-annual sales. Whatever your announcement, creating an SMS campaign will help your messages land with impact. This should be a three-stage program:

1. The teaser: let customers know something exciting is coming their way.
2. The announcement: shout it from the rooftops and drive customers into action.
3. The last chance: just before the end of the sale or the event begins, offer customers a final chance to get on board.

4. Abandoned cart or browse messages

There are various reasons for cart abandonment, but distraction is one of the most common ones. Drive customers back to your website with an abandoned browse or cart text message. Customers who are out and about, at work, or on the move are more susceptible to distraction. Using this channel to offer an exclusive discount code can be the motivation shoppers need to complete a purchase. Integrating your SMS service with your ecommerce platform can automate this process effectively.

5. Birthday alerts

Happy birthday messages, especially those delivered via text, once again allow your brand to connect with customers on a human level. You can choose to deliver exclusive discount codes through this channel or drive them to their email inbox with a ‘keep an eye out’ message. This type of personalization significantly enhances customer loyalty.

6. Order confirmation

Transactional emails are essential for building trust and confidence in your brand. Adding SMS order confirmation automations to your marketing strategy not only reaffirms this trust but also allows you to thank customers for choosing your brand.

Saying “thank you” in your order confirmation message is a perfect way to ensure a customer feels valued. And when a customer feels valued, they’ll become a repeat purchaser and a high spender.

7. Surveys and feedback collection

The only way your brand can grow and continue to meet the needs and demands of your customers is if you know what it is they want. The best way to discover this is to ask them directly through surveys and feedback forms. Using SMS to collect this information helps you gather it quickly and effectively. You can even implement A/B testing in your SMS campaigns to optimize your approach.

Take Ipsos, for instance. This leading global research agency sought a high-engagement channel to enhance its online and telephone surveys. SMS turned out to be the ideal solution. By personalizing each message with a unique link, Ipsos achieved high delivery and engagement rates, successfully reaching a broader audience.

8. Win-back and re-engagement campaigns

Winning back a customer when they stop engaging with your emails can be a tough job, especially using the very channel they have stopped responding on. That’s why an SMS re-engagement campaign is a guaranteed win. Remind subscribers about your brand and drive them back to your site as they lapse with well-timed SMS automation.

Getting started with SMS marketing

These eight SMS marketing automation programs will deliver immediate results. SMS doesn’t have to be complicated or long-winded to add to your marketing channels. You can create these as stand-alone programs or add them as stages in your existing programs. However you choose to integrate SMS into your marketing, there’s no better time to get started.

Why choose Dotdigital for SMS marketing?

You can get started with SMS marketing with Dotdigital. Dotdigital offers a unique set of features and benefits that make it an ideal SMS platform for businesses of all sizes. Here’s a closer look at why Dotdigital should be your go-to solution:

• Seamless integrations: Dotdigital integrates effortlessly with your existing marketing tech stack, allowing you to streamline your marketing efforts and create a truly cross-channel experience for your customers.
• Personalization: Dotdigital’s powerful personalization features allow you to send targeted SMS messages that resonate with each recipient. Use data fields like first name, location, and purchase history to personalize your messages and boost engagement.
• Advanced segmentation: Segment your audience based on various criteria to ensure your SMS messages reach the right people at the right time. This targeted approach can significantly improve your campaign effectiveness.
• Easy campaign management: Dotdigital’s user-friendly SMS platform makes it easy to create, manage, and track your SMS marketing campaigns. Schedule campaigns in advance, monitor performance, and make adjustments as needed.
• Exceptional customer support: Dotdigital’s customer support team is always available to help you get the most out of your SMS marketing. They offer a variety of resources, including training webinars, documentation, and live chat support.

Whether you’re looking for a text message service or a comprehensive SMS messaging platform, Dotdigital has you covered. Start using automated text messages today and see the difference.

In this blog post, we will explore strategies for win-back programs that focus on optimizing timing, content, and personalization in both email and SMS campaigns. We will also provide relevant industry statistics to demonstrate their effectiveness.

The importance of a win-back programs

A well-planned win-back automation campaign has two main goals:

Goal 1: Drive repeat purchases

Customers who have made a purchase in the past are more likely to buy from you again compared to first-time shoppers. Nurturing these relationships through personalized marketing efforts can significantly enhance customer lifetime value. In fact, a study by Bain & Company found that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can boost profits by 25% to 95%.

Goal 2:  Foster long-term loyalty

The primary goal is to cultivate long-term loyalty, ensuring that customers prefer your brand over competitors and consistently choose your products or services. Implementing effective customer retention strategies—such as win-back automations—can generate up to seven times more sales compared to customer acquisition efforts.

Timing considerations for win-back campaigns

Timing is everything when it comes to win-back campaigns. Reaching out at the right moment can significantly increase your chances of re-engaging customers and driving repeat purchases. Here are some key timing considerations:

1. Analyze customer purchase patterns 

The foundation of effective timing lies in a thorough analysis of your customer purchase patterns. By examining your customer data, you can determine the average time between consecutive purchases. This will help you pinpoint the ideal moment to re-engage.

While your specific data is crucial, industry benchmarks can provide valuable insights. For example, a study by MarketingCharts found that sending a win-back email between 21 and 45 days after the last interaction resulted in the highest open rate at 12.7%. 

2. Utilize predictive analytics

Modern win-back campaigns greatly benefit from the power of predictive analytics. By using predictive analytics, you can analyze past behavior to identify patterns that predict what’s next. In other words, you can predict the future from today’s data.

These data-driven profiles help identify at-risk customers before they completely disengage. The key is to utilize these insights to develop personalized messaging that resonates with each customer’s specific situation and needs.

3. Consider seasonal factors

Seasonal considerations play a vital role in win-back campaign timing. Understanding your industry’s natural business cycles helps determine the most effective moments for re-engagement. For instance, a winter sports retailer might find success reaching out to dormant customers during the off-season, generating excitement about upcoming products or early-bird sales opportunities. 

However, timing these campaigns requires careful consideration of broader market conditions. Avoiding periods when customers are overwhelmed with marketing messages, such as major holidays or industry-wide sale events, can significantly improve campaign effectiveness.

Email content in win-back campaigns

Crafting compelling email content is essential for successful win-back campaigns. Your emails should be well-thought-out, relevant to your audience, and tailored to drive re-engagement. Pay close attention to the following aspects:

Tone

The overall tone of your win-back email should resonate with your brand message and address your customers’ interests. Depending on your audience, product type, and other factors, your tone can vary:

1. Replenishment: If your products need to be replenished (e.g., cosmetics, supplements), adopt a tone that gently reminds customers it may be time to reorder.
2. Upselling: In cases where there is an opportunity for upselling or cross-selling (e.g., tech gadgets, clothing), communicate with a tone that highlights the benefits of complementary products or promotions.

Product recommendations

Customize product recommendations for each customer based on their purchase history, browsing habits, and preferences. Personalizing these recommendations can increase open rates by 14% and click-through rates by 10% compared to generic emails.

Personalization

Studies have shown that personalized emails can deliver six times higher transaction rates. This shows personalization is a critical element in win-back emails. Ensure your campaigns are personalized, addressing customers by name and showcasing content that suits their interests. This approach enhances the customer experience and improves the likelihood of re-engagement.

Provide incentive

Encouraging customers to reconnect with your brand can be an effective strategy. One way to do this is by offering limited-time promotions, discounts, or exclusive deals. These incentives can motivate customers to engage with your brand again and remind them of the value you provide. According to MarketingSherpa, win-back emails that include an offer have a redemption rate of 2.09%, compared to just 0.51% for those without an offer. This clearly highlights the effectiveness of incentives in encouraging customer return.

Highlight loyalty program benefits and redeemable rewards

If your business has a loyalty program or rewards system, take advantage of these benefits in your win-back automation. Remind inactive customers of the perks they might be missing out on, and encourage them to redeem any accumulated rewards before they expire. This approach can rekindle their interest and motivate them to shop again.

A study by Accenture found that 75% of consumers say they would switch brands if offered real-time discounts and promotions tailored to their preferences. This underscores the importance of loyalty programs and personalized offers.

Create successful win-back automation campaigns today

In conclusion, crafting effective win-back automation campaigns requires a strategic approach that combines precise timing, engaging content, personalized messaging, and compelling loyalty program incentives.

By implementing these strategies and leveraging industry insights, you can reignite customer interest, drive conversions, and foster long-term brand loyalty. Win-back campaigns are not just a reactive measure but a proactive component of a comprehensive marketing strategy that complements your customer acquisition and retention efforts.

I’m Tristan Glenat, Group Product Manager for Connectivity at Dotdigital. I specialize in enhancing our platform’s integration capabilities. I work to seamlessly connect Dotdigital with essential business tools like CRMs and ecommerce platforms, streamlining data flow and improving overall efficiency.

The evolving landscape of ecommerce marketing

The way customers discover and interact with brands has changed dramatically. While paid advertising was once the primary channel for customer acquisition, we’re now seeing a significant shift towards organic discovery, word-of-mouth, and curated content experiences. This shift, combined with increasingly complex data management requirements and rising customer expectations, creates new challenges for marketers.

Some key challenges are:

1. Rising customer expectations

• Personalization has become a fundamental requirement, with customers expecting tailored experiences based on their preferences and behavior
• Cross-platform consistency is essential for maintaining brand integrity
• Real-time responsiveness has become a critical factor in customer satisfaction

2. Shifting customer discovery patterns

• Traditional advertising effectiveness has declined
• Social commerce platforms show engagement rates up to 300% higher than traditional channels
• Community-driven content is increasingly influential in purchase decisions

3. Data management complexities

• Regulatory compliance requirements continue to evolve
• Multi-platform data integration presents significant challenges
• Maintaining data consistency across touchpoints requires sophisticated solutions

Integrating with Dotdigital

At Dotdigital, we’re committed to helping marketers overcome the challenges of the evolving ecommerce landscape by delivering relevant, timely, and personalized experiences at scale. Our comprehensive integration ecosystem is the key to making this possible.

We’ve developed native integrations with leading ecommerce platforms such as Shopify, Adobe Commerce (Magento), BigCommerce, Shopline, Shopware, and WooCommerce. These seamless connections ensure a smooth flow of data between your ecommerce platform and our marketing automation platform, allowing you to:

• Synchronize customer data effortlessly, ensuring your marketing campaigns are always up-to-date.
• Automate workflows based on customer behavior and preferences, delivering highly personalized experiences.
• Measure and optimize the performance of your marketing campaigns to drive better results.

Expanding beyond ecommerce

Our integration capabilities extend far beyond traditional ecommerce platforms. We’ve forged connections with a wide range of marketing and technology tools to empower you with even more comprehensive marketing automation capabilities.

Retargeting tools

Reconnect with website visitors who didn’t complete a purchase using retargeting tools like Facebook Ads and Google Ads. By integrating these tools with Dotdigital, you can drive them back to your site and increase conversions.

Loyalty and inventory management systems

Ensure your marketing campaigns are always relevant and timely by synchronizing customer loyalty data and inventory levels. This prevents promoting out-of-stock items and allows for personalized rewards, enhancing the customer experience.

POS (point-of-sale systems)

Integrate your POS system with Dotdigital to capture customer data at the point of purchase. This enables you to personalize marketing messages and offer targeted promotions based on in-store behavior.

UGC platforms

Leverage user-generated content from platforms like Trustpilot or Yotpo to build trust and credibility. Incorporate customer reviews into your marketing messages to personalize your communications and demonstrate social proof.

Personalization that makes a difference

At Dotdigital, we understand that effective personalization is the key to creating memorable customer experiences and driving conversions. Our integration ecosystem enables sophisticated, journey-based personalization that adapts to each customer’s unique path to purchase.

As soon as you acquire valuable zero-party and first-party data, our platform empowers you to create highly personalized interactions across multiple touchpoints:

• Cross-channel consistency: Deliver cohesive, personalized messages across email, SMS, social media, and other channels, ensuring a unified brand experience.
• Dynamic web experiences: Utilize Fresh Relevance to tailor on-site content based on factors such as location, browsing behavior, purchase history, and customer preferences.
• Behavioral triggers: Set up automated campaigns that respond to specific customer actions, like abandoning a cart or browsing a particular product category.

Introducing our hybrid prediction recommendation engine:

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our hybrid prediction recommendation engine. This innovative feature combines the power of machine learning with your unique business rules to deliver hyper-relevant product suggestions at scale. By leveraging both data-driven insights and human expertise, this engine will help you:

• Increase sales by recommending products that customers are most likely to purchase.
• Reduce cart abandonment by offering personalized product suggestions at the right time.
• Deepen customer relationships by providing tailored recommendations that demonstrate you understand their preferences.

With our hybrid prediction recommendation engine, you can take your personalization efforts to the next level and deliver truly exceptional customer experiences.

The power of automation

One question I often get is how automation can improve customer engagement. The answer lies in achieving scale without sacrificing personalization. Our automation features allow marketers to:

• Craft sophisticated triggered campaigns: Deliver targeted messages at the right time based on customer behavior and preferences.
• Construct diverse journey branches: Tailor campaigns to individual customer personas, ensuring a personalized experience throughout the customer lifecycle.
• Implement effective abandoned browse and cart recovery programs: Reconnect with customers who didn’t complete their purchases, increasing conversions and revenue.
• Launch loyalty and win-back campaigns: Nurture customer relationships, reward repeat purchases, and re-engage lapsed customers.

But what truly sets our automation capabilities apart is their seamless integration with other platforms in your tech stack. You can send custom webhooks to trigger promotions, add leads to your CRM, or even automate sending gifts to your VIP customers. This interconnectedness creates a unified customer experience and streamlines your marketing efforts.

By leveraging our automation features, you can:

• Save time and resources by automating repetitive tasks.
• Improve customer satisfaction by delivering personalized experiences at scale.
• Drive conversions and revenue by optimizing your marketing campaigns.

Getting ready for Black Friday Cyber Monday

As we approach major shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I can’t stress enough the importance of having your integrations and automations properly set up. Here’s what I recommend:

• Define clear, measurable objectives: Establish specific goals for the shopping season, such as increasing sales, improving conversion rates, or growing your email subscriber list.
• Review historical data: Analyze data from your previous Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns to identify trends, successful strategies, and areas for improvement.
• Set up time-sensitive automations: Implement abandoned browse recovery automations within 30 minutes to re-engage potential customers.
• Implement on-site personalization: Utilize Fresh Relevance to create personalized banners and blocks that showcase relevant products, promotions, or content based on visitor behavior.

By following these guidelines and utilizing our abandoned browse and on-site personalization features, you can effectively engage your audience, drive conversions, and maximize your Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

What’s the future of ecommerce?

The future of ecommerce is shaped by exciting trends, including the rise of social commerce and a shift toward headless and composable commerce. Dotdigital’s commitment to integration empowers ecommerce businesses to embrace these emerging trends and stay ahead of the competition.

Social commerce

As shopping becomes more social, we are actively investing in social integrations, particularly with TikTok. You can sync your Dotdigital contact lists with TikTok audiences to enhance your retargeting efforts and capture leads directly from TikTok lead forms into Dotdigital. These integrations, along with TikTok’s shoppable features, allow you to create engaging and immersive shopping experiences that resonate with younger audiences.

Headless commerce

We are witnessing a growing trend toward “modern commerce,” where brands seek the flexibility to choose best-in-class tools that seamlessly connect through APIs. This headless and composable approach enables businesses to create personalized and scalable ecommerce experiences.

AI-powered tools

The future of ecommerce is being transformed by artificial intelligence (AI), which is changing how we shop. From personalized product recommendations to advanced chatbots, AI is enhancing the customer experience.

You can utilize WinstonAI to automate tasks, gain valuable insights, and save time. As AI continues to progress, it will become increasingly important in shaping the future of ecommerce.

Final thoughts

Here’s what I’ve learned in my time at Dotdigital, ecommerce success isn’t just about having fancy tools – it’s about making them work together seamlessly. Whether you’re just starting on Shopify or running a massive enterprise operation, we’re here to help you create those personalized experiences your customers are looking for.

The future of ecommerce is connected, personalized, and automated. With the right integration strategy and tools in place, you will not only meet but exceed customer expectations while driving sustainable growth.

1. Top-notch support

A lot of other marketing automation platforms offer nothing more than basic customer support. We provide a comprehensive support package tailored to empower your marketing team and drive your growth.

At its core, our package includes industry-leading 24/7 phone support with an average response time of 20 seconds, as well as live chat support within one minute. This ensures that you receive prompt assistance whenever you need it.

But that’s just the start. We also offer additional services, including specialized training, creative support, and access to a network of top-tier service partners. These services are designed to enhance your marketing efforts and maximize your return on investment with Dotdigital.

Depending on your package, you may be assigned a dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM). Your CSM will act as a trusted advisor, collaborating closely with you to understand your unique business goals and ensure that you fully capitalize on Dotdigital. They will provide ongoing guidance, training, and support to help you harness the full potential of the Dotdigital platform and achieve your marketing objectives.

This comprehensive approach sets Dotdigital apart from the competition. We don’t just offer reactive support; we provide proactive guidance tailored to your specific needs.

Jessica Fox, CRM Manager at premium organic beauty brand Neal’s Yard Remedies, recommends Dotdigital’s support:

“I work very closely with our account managers to develop and execute new trigger campaigns and have used the implementation team to build out two very successful automations, abandon cart and replenishment. The support at Dotdigital is excellent. I haven’t ever come across a barrier using the platform.”

– Jessica Fox, CRM Manager – Neals Yard Remedies

2. Complex tech stacks made simple

We understand that managing marketing across multiple platforms can be complicated. That’s why Dotdigital offers an all-in-one solution designed to streamline your daily workflow.

Dotdigital seamlessly integrates with your existing CRM and ecommerce platforms, eliminating the need for frustrating data silos. Our robust integration capabilities have been praised by clients across various industries. For instance, Youngevity, a multi-level marketing company, found great success with our platform:

“We found Dotdigital to be the perfect email marketing platform. Dotdigital offer data insights, integrations, and a user-friendly interface. The Dotdigital team’s expertise and guidance have helped us grow email revenue significantly.”

– Aliyah Hassan Kent, Director of Digital Product – Youngevity

For businesses operating in multiple markets, our multi-currency capabilities ensure smooth transactions and reporting across different regions. This feature, combined with our ability to manage multiple child accounts, makes Dotdigital an ideal choice for companies with complex, multi-brand structures.

Ken Holden, Digital Marketing Manager at Sportif USA, highlights the importance of these features:

“Having multiple brands within our company created the need to move to a more reliable and secure platform like Dotdigital.”

– Ken Holden, Digital Marketing Manager – Sportif USA

Our platform is built to handle the complexities of your business, so you can focus on what matters most – creating exceptional customer experiences. Whether you’re managing multiple brands, operating across various currencies, or need to integrate with specific tools, Dotdigital simplifies your tech stack without compromising on functionality or performance.

3. A unified and powerful platform

Dotdigital offers a comprehensive and powerful platform that goes beyond basic marketing automation. It provides a complete 360-degree view of customers across all touchpoints, including website visits and email interactions. 

The platform includes powerful analytics and segmentation tools that help in creating highly targeted and effective marketing campaigns. With Dotdigital, you can unify your data and personalize the customer journey at every step without the need for complex integrations with external personalization tools.

Sara, a satisfied Dotdigital customer, shares how the platform’s comprehensive automation capabilities transformed their marketing strategy:

“We have been able to automate 75% of our communications, we can segment our audience to provide bespoke emails and SMS. We have been able to integrate into our website and CRM with little problems.”

– Sara

4. Built to scale

As your business grows, so will your marketing needs. Dotdigital’s scalable platform is designed to keep pace with your ambition and offer seamless integration capabilities.

Dotdigital’s open API and an extensive list of webhooks allow you to connect and sync your data from any source. Our Developer hub provides helpful guides to simplify the process of extending your marketing stack. This developer-friendly approach enables you to build custom integrations tailored to your business growth needs.

Leverage Dotdigital’s API to deliver personalized, on-brand experiences in your essential transactional messages. Implement a cross-channel strategy for crucial, timely updates that add value and inspire loyalty throughout the customer lifecycle. With a dedicated and protected IP address, you can be confident that your messages will always reach their destination.

Our webhooks offer the flexibility to integrate Dotdigital with any future tools or platforms, ensuring that your marketing automation scales seamlessly regardless of your brand’s direction. With a transparent public product roadmap and a dedicated partner integrations team, Dotdigital is well-equipped to serve as the foundation of your evolving marketing technology stack.

5. User-friendly AI features

Dotdigital enables every marketer to utilize AI, regardless of their technical expertise. The platform’s AI capabilities, including actionable predictive analytics, AI-driven product recommendations, and the revolutionary WinstonAI, are designed to be user-friendly. 

WinstonAI is part of the Dotdigital email builder, offering suggestions for subject lines and copy. It supports cross-channel marketing, enabling users to easily convert an email campaign to SMS with just a single click, and much more.

Jess Dunn, Email Marketing Assistant at Mountain Warehouse, shares their experience with WinstonAI:

“Before Winston AI, we struggled with crafting engaging subject lines and preheaders for our email campaigns. This difficulty in generating engaging subject lines and preheaders had a noticeable effect on our open rates. By adopting Winston AI, we could diversify our messaging and improve engagement with more dynamic and innovative content.”

– Jess Dunn, Email Marketing Assistant – Mountain Warehouse

6. Deliverability expertise

Dotdigital’s in-house team of deliverability experts works diligently to protect your sender reputation. This includes providing multiple dedicated IP addresses for transactional emails, ensuring your messages land in the inbox and not the spam folder. What’s more, the team is always on hand to provide strategic advice and best practices to optimize your email deliverability.

Ken Holden, Digital Marketing Manager at Sportif USA, shares his thoughts on Dotdigital’s deliverability support:

“One of the biggest advantages of onboarding with Dotdigital was that there was always someone by our side. They took the time to walk us through their process. They wanted to ensure deliverability from the very get-go.”

– Ken Holden, Digital Marketing Manager – Sportif USA

7. Powerful SMS marketing

Email and SMS go together like two peas in a pod. That’s why we’ve made it easy to incorporate our powerful SMS service into your marketing strategy. Dotdigital utilizes tier-one aggregators to ensure reliable SMS delivery with accurate reporting. With advanced SMS functionality, global coverage reaching over 220 countries, and in-house SMS expertise, Dotdigital is a strong choice if you’re serious about SMS.

8. Advanced reporting

Data is essential for successful marketing campaigns. Dotdigital’s advanced marketing reporting provides comprehensive insights to help you make informed decisions and drive better results. Our reporting suite includes:

Customer dashboard with RFM analysis

Understand your customer base through dynamic RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary) modeling that automatically categorizes customers into actionable personas like Champions, Loyal, and High Potential. This data-driven segmentation helps identify at-risk customers and those with growth potential, enabling targeted marketing strategies.

Opportunities dashboard with eRFM

Track purchase intent through our enhanced eRFM model, which combines traditional RFM metrics with engagement data. Updated daily, this intelligent system analyzes customer interactions across email and web behaviors within customizable decision windows, helping you identify and act on revenue opportunities at the right moment.

Revenue attribution

Measure campaign effectiveness with flexible attribution modeling:

• Direct tracking for last-touch attribution within a 1-hour window
• Advanced multi-touch attribution that recognizes multiple campaign touchpoints, with customizable conversion windows for up to 30 days
• Automatic multi-currency support with real-time exchange rate conversion

All reporting updates dynamically and integrates seamlessly with our segmentation tools, allowing you to turn insights into action immediately. This data-driven approach helps optimize campaign performance and maximize ROI across your marketing initiatives.

9. Unmatched cross-channel reach

Dotdigital provides a comprehensive suite of cross-channel marketing tools all under one platform. This allows you to seamlessly integrate email marketing with an intuitive editor and dynamic content, utilize SMS messaging for direct mobile engagement, create personalized website experiences, and implement social media retargeting through Facebook and Google. 

Additionally, you can engage with over 2 billion users worldwide via WhatsApp, leverage real-time live chat supported by customer insights, and send targeted push notifications in your campaigns.

By connecting with your audience on their preferred channels, you can create memorable experiences that resonate with them. This personalized approach not only increases conversions but also strengthens relationships and fosters lasting loyalty.

“I can’t speak highly enough about Dotdigital – an intuitive platform with endless features and capabilities. It makes customer communications across multiple touchpoints(email, SMS, Facebook and Google) as easy as possible.” 

– Amy Goodsell

10. Sustainable choice

As the world’s first carbon-neutral marketing automation platform, Dotdigital is leading the way in environmental sustainability. Since 1999, we’ve focused on empowering marketers to connect with customers online, and now we’re extending our innovation to help protect the planet.

Powered by 100% renewable energy, we’ve transformed our business practices to minimize environmental impact. This includes carefully selecting suppliers, vendors, and service providers who share our commitment to sustainability. But we’re not stopping there – we’re committed to becoming net-zero by 2030, pushing beyond carbon neutrality to make a more significant impact on global climate change.

For businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact, Dotdigital is more than just a marketing platform – it’s a partnership in sustainability. By choosing our platform, you’re automatically reducing your digital marketing footprint while maintaining powerful automation capabilities. Our commitment to the environment means your marketing activities contribute to a greener future without compromising on performance.

Our approach begins with a thorough customer journey analysis, which serves as the foundation for all our work. This analysis ensures that every message is not only well-timed but also contextual, giving automated communication a natural flow. By doing so, we avoid the pitfalls of the traditional, one-size-fits-all approach—like the standard abandoned cart emails that can often feel repetitive or intrusive.

We structure our work into three phases: basic, advanced, and optimization and expansion. This phased approach stands apart from the conventional project-based or static retainer models. Unlike traditional methods that focus on short-term outcomes or a flat monthly fee, our model is flexible and evolves with a company’s changing needs. This ensures continuous improvement and long-term success in marketing automation.

The importance of structured marketing automation

Mapping the customer journey is crucial for delivering exceptional experiences. It compels brands to consider every touchpoint and the context driving each interaction. The more effectively you understand your customers’ context, the better you can communicate with them in a relevant and meaningful way.

Context is everything. Take, for example, a major online retailer we work with that offers home delivery. In this case, ensuring customers are home at the time of delivery is crucial. If the delivery isn’t received, the company must either reschedule (resulting in an extra fee for the customer) or leave the package outside, which might work fine for suburban customers but can be problematic for those living in urban apartment complexes.

Initially, the retailer sent evening delivery notifications on the same day, but exclusively through email. Customers who didn’t open the email were often unaware they needed to be home. By understanding the context of this touchpoint, we enhanced the customer journey by sending an SMS reminder to those who hadn’t opened the email within the first hour. This small, context-driven adjustment resulted in a significantly improved customer experience, fewer missed deliveries, and higher satisfaction.

Poetype’s three-phase marketing automation framework

At Poetype, we’ve developed a structured approach to marketing automation that unfolds in three distinct phases: basic, advanced, and optimization and expansion. Each phase builds on the last, ensuring that companies establish a solid foundation before scaling and refining their customer journeys.

1. Basic phase: This phase is all about laying the groundwork. We start by analyzing the automations and messaging that are necessary for the business. Through fast-paced sprints, we set up core automations like welcome series, transactional emails, behaviour-based and essential triggers across all mapped customer touchpoints.
2. Advanced phase: Once the foundational automations are in place, we shift our focus toward advanced segmentation. At this stage, we implement a more segmented approach that includes macro segmentation and scale micro segmentation. Macro segmentation encompasses broader customer categories that need different communication across all automations such as RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary) groups, product types (e.g., Mountain bike vs. Racing bike), or customer origin (store vs. webshop). Micro-segmentation captures meaningful segmentation based on recent customer interactions. This approach enables highly personalized interactions that align with individual customer behaviors.
3. Optimization and expansion phase: The final phase focuses on optimizing the existing setup and continually refining automations for greater personalization. This is where testing, A/B experiments, and ongoing improvements become crucial. Expansion involves scaling automations to new segments or channels, ensuring the strategy grows alongside the business. This can include integrating new channels like SMS, implementing new customer journeys based on updated data, or expanding the scope to support new products and services.

By continuously aligning automations with evolving customer behaviors, businesses can ensure their strategies remain flexible, relevant, and effective.

Creating effective customer journeys

At Poetype, our customer journey model consists of six core phases:

1. Awareness: This is where potential customers learn about the brand for the first time.
2. Consideration: Customers evaluate options and do their research.
3. Conversion: Customers make their purchasing decision.
4. Service: The phase after purchase, where customers receive their product and support.
5. Retention: Retention focuses on bringing customers back to consideration after their purchase through continuous communication, which hopefully results in improved brand recall and retention rates.
6. Ambassador: Ambassador status is achieved when customers are so satisfied that they begin recommending your brand to others. This generates more awareness and completes a flywheel of retention that drives growth.

Each of these phrases includes numerous touchpoints, each with its own set of contexts, challenges, and opportunities. At every touchpoint, we evaluate the following:

• Customer activity or context: What is the customer doing at this point?
• Customer obstacles and goals: What is the customer trying to achieve, and what might be standing in their way?
• Business objectives: What is the brand’s goal at this touchpoint?
• Key performance indicators: How do we measure success for both the customer and the business?
• Marketing automation and performance indicators: How do we at Poetype measure the success of the automation at this specific point?
• Data and triggers: What data do we have to inform our actions, and how can we use triggers to optimize the experience?

Building the future of customer journeys

Creating meaningful customer experiences requires more than just quick fixes or one-off campaigns. At Poetype, our framework ensures that businesses can structure their marketing automation in a way that fosters long-term success. By partnering with Dotdigital and adopting a phased, flexible approach, businesses can ensure that they remain relevant, agile, and customer-centric as they grow.

Looking ahead, the future of marketing automation will be driven by deeper personalization and smarter use of data, but it falls flat if let alone and not based on a continuous refinement of the contextualized customer journey. Now is the time for businesses to embrace this opportunity and make every customer interaction count.