Email automation: 5 flows you need

You do not need a 12-step nurture journey. For a trade or service business, five flows cover almost everything that matters.

The five

1. Welcome and qualify: one email that confirms the enquiry, sets expectations, and asks the one question that helps you prioritise.
2. Quote follow-up: three short messages over ten days for quotes that go quiet. Helpful, not pushy.
3. Win-back: a single, specific message to past customers when it is the right season for repeat work.
4. Review and referral: ask for the review first, then, only for happy customers, the referral.
5. Internal alerts: the email that goes to you, not the customer — high-value lead in, quote ageing, job ready to invoice.

Keep it short

Every email should have one job and one link. The moment a flow becomes a newsletter, it stops converting. Build these five, write them like a person, and leave the rest off.