Everyone tells you to "set up email automations" for your SaaS product. And sure, that sounds like a solid advice---automate once, engage forever. But when it comes down to actually implementing them, the real questions hit: Which emails should you automate? At what stage of the customer journey? For what objective---onboarding, retention, upsell, feedback?

It's easy to end up with either too few automations---or too many that don't move the needle. That's why in this article, we're breaking down the must-have email automations for SaaS your product. These are tied to key stages in your funnel and built around specific goals---so you're not just sending emails, but driving activation, engagement, and revenue on autopilot.

What is SaaS email automation?

SaaS email automation is the process of automatically sending emails to users of your SaaS product based on their actions, behaviors, or milestones.

Instead of sending emails manually, you use an email marketing software to trigger emails like signup confirmation, onboarding tips, upgrade nudges, and more. This helps SaaS businesses communicate with contacts at the right time, improve user experience, and drive growth without constant manual effort.

Components of an email workflow

While different platforms implement automation differently, most email marketing workflows rely on a few foundational components. Let's check them out:

• Triggers: These are events that start the workflow. For example, a new user signing up for a free trial or a lead downloading a whitepaper.
• Conditions: These are decision blocks that evaluate which email a contact receives from the multiple options available. This is based on their behavior. For example, if the user hasn't completed onboarding within 3 days, they receive Email A. If they haven't, they receive Email B.
• Delays: This introduces a waiting period before the next step in the workflow. This is usually the delay between two emails sent to the user and prevents emails from being sent too frequently and allowing the user time to interact.
• Email sequence: Email sequence is a series of emails sent or planned to be sent over time, each crafted to move the user toward a specific goal (e.g., onboarding, conversion, retention).

5 email automations to set up for your SaaS business

Let's walk through some practical email automations to set up across the customer journey, starting from lead generation all the way to retention. With the right email automation platform, you can build these workflows efficiently and ensure consistent engagement at every stage.

1. Lead magnet email sequence

This email flow is triggered when someone downloads a gated asset (like an ebook or white paper). The goal of this flow is to deliver the promised resource and subtly introduce how your SaaS product can solve their challenges.

Here's how your email sequence might look:

• Email 1: Send the gated asset (ebook, checklist, etc.) immediately to fulfill the user's request.
• Email 2: Ask if the content was helpful, or prompt users to reply, share, or give suggestions.
• Email 3: Introduce a pain point your product solves, tying it to the lead magnet topic.
• Email 4: Nudge users to book a demo, start a trial, or schedule a call.

2. Lead nurture sequence

This email flow is designed for leads who aren't quite ready to buy yet. The goal of this flow is to build trust over time by sharing real success stories and gentle reminders about how your product can help.

Let's walk through a sample lead nurture sequence that you can trigger once a lead enters the pipeline:

• Email 1: Share helpful content that adds value and addresses customer pain points.
• Email 2: Follow up to check if the content was useful and offer more guidance.
• Email 3: Share a real customer story that shows results and builds trust.
• Email 4: Invite them to try your product, book a demo, or start a trial, along with a discount offer.

3. SaaS onboarding sequence

This flow is triggered when someone subscribes to your product. The goal here is to help them get set up quickly, see early wins, and feel confident using your software.

Here's what your onboarding flow emails might look like:

• Email 1: Thank them for signing up and welcome them to your platform.
• Email 2 : Guide them through the important first steps to get their account ready.
• Email 3: Encourage them to complete key tasks that unlock value.
• Email 4: Show how other customers are using your product to succeed.
• Email 5: Check in if they got stuck or haven't taken the next steps and nudge them to move forward.

4. Feature adoption sequence

This flow helps the adoption of underused features. This is done so you get more value from your product and stick around longer.

Here's how a feature adoption sequence might look:

• Email 1: Announce the feature and explain why it matters to them.
• Email 2: Remind users to try the feature, with a quick tip or example.
• Email 3: Share guides, videos, or FAQs to help them master it and make the most of the said feature.

5. Customer retention sequence

This flow keeps your current customers interested and connected to your brand by sharing useful content, updates, and invitations regularly, which in turn helps you build long-term loyalty.

Here's what a sample retention sequence may look like:

• Email 1: Send a list of curated articles, guides, or reports that add value to their work.
• Email 2: Invite them to webinars, workshops, or live events that match their interests.
• Email 3: Share new features, improvements, or sneak peeks of what's coming next.

It's important to note that for customer engagement, there's no fixed order of emails. You basically send any email that can engage and retain them. Here's what a sample flow would look like in a SaaS company.

If setting up all these email sequences feels overwhelming or too time-consuming, don't worry, we've got you covered. You can easily create an email flow by dragging and dropping different blocks and skipping the entire coding experience in Mailmodo.

Mailmodo even offers pre-built journeys for major use cases. You can simply pick a pre-made journey, edit it according to your needs and you're done! You can even use the drag-and-drop email template builder to build interactive emails for the sequence without writing a single line of code.

Final thoughts

You don't need to build complex email workflows from day one. Start with the foundational moments in the customer journey, like the lead magnet, onboarding, and guiding users to the first value.

Done right, you'll gradually reduce churn, saving time and creating a better user experience without burning out your team.

And if you're feeling stuck or are short on time, take advantage of pre-built SaaS email flows that come with Mailmodo. This way, you can set up faster email automation, without starting from scratch.

FAQs

What's the ideal length for an email automation sequence?

The ideal length for email automation sequence depends on the goal and type of the email sequence, but typically 3--5 emails for lead magnets, 5--7 for onboarding, and ongoing for nurture.

How do I avoid sounding robotic or spammy in automated emails?

To avoid a robotic tone in your automated emails, use personalization in your emails. Segment your audience to keep the content relevant and schedule emails that use multiple user properties instead of just the names of the recipients to personalize the email.

How often should I revisit or update my email workflows?

You must audit your flows every 3--6 months or after any major product or shift in messaging or tone. Stale emails often lead to disengaged users or unsubscribes.