Building an automation (flow)

An automation is a flow that sends email automatically when something happens: a contact joins a list, submits a form, or triggers an event on your site through the Zalify pixel. You build a flow by choosing a trigger, adding steps (emails, delays, and conditions), and then activating it. This article walks through each part and ends with three ready-to-use recipes.

Choose a trigger

Every flow starts with exactly one trigger. The trigger decides who enters the flow and when.

• List join — a contact enters the flow when they are added to a specific list, whether they signed up themselves or you added them. See Lists & segments.
• Form submit — a contact enters the flow when they submit one of your forms or popups. If the form also adds people to a list, pick one trigger type or the contact may be handled twice. See Connecting a form to a list.
• On-site event — a contact enters the flow when the Zalify pixel records an event for them, such as starting a checkout or completing a purchase. The pixel must be installed and the contact must be identified for this to work. See Zalify pixel and Reach.

To create a flow:

1. Open the automations area of Zalify Reach.
2. Create a new automation and give it a clear name, like "Welcome series — newsletter list".
3. Select your trigger and configure it (which list, which form, or which event).

Add steps

After the trigger, add steps in the order contacts should move through them:

• Email — sends a message you design in the email editor. See Designing emails in the editor. Every automated email must include an unsubscribe link (*|UNSUBSCRIBE_URL|*) and your company address ({{ company_address }}, pulled from your Brand Kit). See the Merge tags reference.
• Delay — pauses the contact at that point in the flow for a period you set before they move to the next step.
• Condition — checks something about the contact and routes them accordingly. Contacts who don't meet the condition skip the steps behind it.

1. Click to add a step after the trigger.
2. Configure the step (email content, delay length, or condition rule).
3. Repeat until the flow matches your plan. Keep first drafts short — you can extend a flow later.

Activate, pause, and edit

A new flow starts out inactive, so you can build and review it safely.

1. Review every step, and send yourself a test of each email if the editor offers it.
2. Activate the flow. From then on, contacts who meet the trigger enter it.
3. To stop new activity, pause the flow. Activating and pausing is reversible.

Note that suppressed contacts never receive email, and unsubscribed contacts are skipped at each email step. See Subscription status and unsubscribes.

Recipes

Welcome series

Greets new subscribers and introduces your brand over a few days.

• Trigger: list join on your main newsletter list.
• Steps:
  1. Email — welcome message, delivered right away. Include any signup incentive here.
  2. Delay — 2 days.
  3. Email — your story, best content, or bestsellers.
  4. Delay — 3 days.
  5. Email — a clear call to action, such as a first-purchase offer.

Abandoned checkout

Nudges shoppers who started a checkout but didn't buy. Requires the Zalify pixel and identified contacts.

• Trigger: on-site event for a started checkout.
• Steps:
  1. Delay — 1 hour, so you don't email people who are still checking out.
  2. Condition — has the contact purchased since entering the flow? If yes, they skip the rest.
  3. Email — reminder with a link back to the store.
  4. Delay — 23 hours.
  5. Condition — same purchase check.
  6. Email — final reminder, optionally with an incentive.

Post-purchase

Thanks buyers and sets up the next order.

• Trigger: on-site event for a completed purchase.
• Steps:
  1. Email — order thank-you with what to expect next.
  2. Delay — 7 days.
  3. Email — care tips, usage guide, or a review request.
  4. Delay — 14 days.
  5. Email — cross-sell or replenishment reminder.

Check that it's working

Once a flow is active, watch its activity view to confirm contacts are entering and emails are sending. See Automation activity and troubleshooting for the per-flow view and Email activity feed for every email event across your account. To measure revenue impact, connect your flows to Ana, Zalify's attribution and analytics product.