This is the difference between email newsletters and automations.
Effective email marketing relies on using the right types of emails to deliver the right sorts of messages to your customers at the right time - and two key faciliators of this within any hard-working email strategy are newsletters (or campaign emails) and automated emails (sometimes referred to as flows).
While both are powerful tools for engaging your audience and nurturing customer loyalty, the two serve different purposes and require distinct approaches. Read on to find out understanding the differences can help you optimise your strategy for maximum impact.
What are campaign emails?
Campaign emails are one-off messages sent to a targeted list of recipients. They’re often tied to specific promotions, product launches or seasonal updates and marketers tend to schedule these sorts of emails manually, in synergy with broader marketing comms.
Key features of campaign emails:
Time-sensitive: campaign emails are often tied to specific dates or events, such as Black Friday sales or product launches
Wide audience targeting: these emails are usually sent to large audience segments - sometimes an entire email database, or based on audience criteria like demographics, interests, or recent purchases
Designed to drive immediate action: campaigns often feature strong calls-to-action (CTAs) that encourage recipients to take action promptly, such as "shop now" or "limited-time offer"
Example: a homeware brand promoting a 20% off sale over the weekend might send a campaign email to all their subscribers on Friday morning.
What are automated emails?
Automated emails, on the other hand, are triggered by specific user behaviours or predefined conditions. These emails run in the background on autopilot based on set criteria, delivering targeted content to subscribers at the right moment without manual intervention.
Key features of automated emails:
Triggered by user behaviour: examples include welcome emails for new subscribers, abandoned cart reminders, or post-purchase follow-ups
Highly personalised: automated emails are often tailored based on customer interactions, making them more relevant and engaging
Continuous and consistent: once set up, automated workflows deliver messages automatically, ensuring you never miss an opportunity to engage
Example: an online wellness store might send an automated email featuring product recommendations based on a customer's recent browsing activity
When to use each type
Use campaign emails for time-sensitive promotions, seasonal updates, and newsworthy announcements
Use automated emails to build relationships, nurture leads, and provide consistent customer support
By combining both strategies, businesses can ensure they reach their audience at the right time with relevant, impactful messages. Campaign emails grab attention with exciting offers, while automated emails maintain engagement and build loyalty over time.
Integrating both effectively will help you maximise your email marketing potential and ultimately, increase e-commerce sales. If you’d like to chat further about the role email marketing - including campaigns and automation - can play in helping to increase your e-commerce sales, get in touch to book a free, zero obligation call.
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