send targeted emails to guests based on specific triggers. Tourism operators can use this feature to automatically send welcome emails after a booking, or follow-up emails requesting reviews, saving time and improving guest engagement.
Accessing this feature
REQUIRES_DEVELOPER_INPUT
How to use it
Ready to create your first automated email sequence? Don't worry, it's simple! We'll walk through setting up a basic sequence step-by-step. Let's create an automated welcome email for new newsletter subscribers.
Start a New Sequence:
Once you're on the Email Automation page, you'll see a prominent button that says + Create New Sequence. Go ahead and click that!
Give Your Sequence a Name:
A pop-up will appear asking for a name. Choose something clear and descriptive, like "Welcome New Subscribers" or "Post-Booking Follow-up". This helps you remember what each sequence does.
Click Continue.
Choose Your Starting Point (Trigger):
This is where you tell the system when to kick off this sequence. You'll see a list of "triggers" – these are the actions that start the automation.
For our welcome email example, you'd likely select something like "When a contact subscribes to a list" or "When a booking is confirmed". Select your favourite trigger from the list.
For a welcome sequence, let's say "When a contact is added to the 'Newsletter Subscribers' list."
Click Save Trigger.
Add Your First Email (or Action):
Now you'll see a visual flow of your sequence. The trigger you just set will be at the top.
Below it, you'll see a + button. Click this to add your first step.
You'll have options like "Send Email," "Add Delay," "Update Contact," etc.
For a welcome sequence, we want to Send Email. Click on Send Email.
Design Your Email:
A new window will open for you to craft your email.
Email Name: Give your email a name (e.g., "Welcome Email 1"). This is for your reference only.
Subject Line: This is important! Make it engaging.
Sender Details: Confirm who the email is from (your business name and email address).
Design Your Content: You'll see our easy-to-use email editor. You can drag and drop elements like text, images, buttons, and even personalised fields (like the guest's first name!).
Write a warm, friendly welcome message. Tell them what they can expect from your newsletter or thank them for their booking.
Once you're happy with your email, click Save Email.
Set a Delay (Optional but Recommended):
After your first email, you might want to wait a little before sending the next one.
Click the + button again and choose Add Delay.
You can choose to delay by minutes, hours, days, or even weeks. For a welcome email, no delay is often best, so it sends immediately. For a follow-up, you might choose "1 day."
Click Save Delay.
Add More Steps (Emails or Actions):
You can continue building your sequence by adding more emails, delays, or other actions (like moving a contact to a different list once they complete the sequence).
Keep clicking the + button to expand your sequence!
Review and Activate:
Once you've built out your full sequence, take a moment to review it. Read through all your emails, check your delays, and make sure the flow makes sense.
When you're happy, look for the Activate Sequence toggle or button, usually in the top right corner. Click it to turn your automation ON!
The system will confirm that your sequence is now live and ready to start sending emails.
And that's it! You've just set up your first automated email sequence. Pretty neat, right?
Tips
With Email Automation, you've got a powerful tool at your fingertips to connect with your guests in so many ways:
Send a Warm Welcome: Automatically greet new subscribers to your newsletter or new guests who've made a booking.
Share Important Info: Deliver essential details about their upcoming trip, like what to bring, meeting points, or itinerary updates.
Gather Glowing Reviews: Automatically follow up after a tour or stay, making it easy for happy guests to leave a review on your favourite platforms.
Re-Engage Past Guests: Send special offers or reminders to guests who haven't booked in a while, encouraging repeat visits.
Nurture Potential Guests: If someone inquired but didn't book, you can send them a series of emails highlighting different aspects of your offerings to gently encourage them to convert.
Celebrate Special Occasions: Send a personalised birthday greeting with a small discount to make your guests feel extra special.
Educate and Inspire: Share interesting facts about your region, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or travel tips to keep your audience engaged.
Segment Your Audience: Create different sequences for different types of guests (e.g., adventure seekers vs. luxury travellers) to ensure your messages are always relevant.
Automated emails are fantastic, and with a few friendly tips, you can make them truly shine for your tourism business:
Map Out Your Guest Journey First: Before you even touch the system, grab a pen and paper (or your favourite digital tool!) and think about all the points your guest interacts with you. When do they book? When do they arrive? When do they leave? What information do they need at each stage? This helps you plan your sequences.
Start Simple, Then Grow: Don't feel like you need to build 10 complex sequences on day one. Start with one simple, high-impact automation, like a welcome email for new bookings. Once you're comfortable, you can always add more steps and create new sequences.
Keep Your Messages Personal: Use personalisation tags (like ####{{first_name}} ) to make each email feel like it was written just for them. A personal touch goes a long way!
Write Engaging Subject Lines: This is your first impression! Make your subject lines exciting, intriguing, or helpful so your guests are encouraged to open your emails.
Always Include a Clear Call to Action: What do you want your guest to do next? "Book Now," "Leave a Review," "Explore More Tours," "Visit Our Website." Make it clear and easy for them.
Test, Test, Test! Before you activate any sequence, send a test email to yourself and a colleague. Check for errors, make sure all the links work, and ensure the formatting looks good on different devices (phones, tablets, computers).
Need help?
For further assistance, contact us at [email protected]