Marketing Automation for SMS, WhatsApp and Email: What to Automate
Marketing Automation for SMS, WhatsApp and Email: What to Automate
Short answer: Marketing automation sends the right message on the right channel when something happens, such as a signup, an abandoned cart or a missed appointment. Automate welcome, confirmation, reminder and win-back messages first, set triggers and channel order, cap frequency, honour opt-outs, and hand over to a person when a customer needs help.
Most marketing teams repeat the same few messages many times a week. Automation turns those into rules: when this happens, send that, on this channel, after this delay.
Done well, it makes service faster and campaigns more relevant. Done badly, it sends too much, to the wrong people, at the wrong time.
Automate the repeatable, keep a human for the exceptions.
The guidance below focuses on messaging channels: SMS, WhatsApp and email.
Start with the messages that are always the same
Welcome messages, order and booking confirmations, payment receipts, appointment reminders, abandoned-cart nudges and win-back messages after a period of inactivity. They are predictable, so errors are easy to spot.
Define the trigger, the channel order and the delay
Each automation needs an event that starts it, a first channel, a fallback and a wait time. For example: order placed, WhatsApp first, SMS if it is not delivered within a few minutes. Decide these per use case rather than for the whole account.
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Respect consent and frequency
Send on each channel only to people who opted in for it, honour STOP and unsubscribe at once, and set a cap on how many messages one person can receive in a week. Stop a flow as soon as its goal is met, for example when the order is placed.
Keep a way to reach a person
Automations should hand over to a human when a customer asks for help, replies with a complaint or the flow cannot match their question. A chatbot with handoff covers routine questions and passes the rest to staff.
Measure each flow on its own
Track delivery, replies, conversions and opt-outs per flow. Compare against a group that did not receive the message when you can, and retire flows that do not help.
Related guides
Want this running for your own business? Explore our Omnichannel Messaging or talk to our team to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I automate first?
Confirmations, reminders, abandoned-cart nudges and win-back messages. They repeat often and are easy to check.
How many messages is too many?
There is no universal number. Set a weekly cap per person and watch opt-outs and complaints.
Can one automation use several channels?
Yes. Choose a first channel and a fallback, and send on the next only if the first does not deliver.
Does automation replace my team?
No. It handles repeatable messages, and people handle exceptions and conversations.
Do I need consent for each channel?
Yes. Collect and record consent per channel and honour opt-outs.
Ready to unify your business communication?
Tell us what you want to send and on which channels, and our team will help you get set up on your own branded panel.