40+ Marketing Automation Examples to Inspire Your Strategy

Teams juggle emails, social media updates, follow-ups, and reminders while trying to keep customers engaged. 

The workload can quickly pull attention away from strategy and growth, leaving you stuck managing tasks instead of building relationships.

Marketing automation helps take the pressure off by running these tasks. Welcome sequences go out as soon as someone signs up, and cart reminders bring shoppers back before they move on.

In this article, we will look at marketing automation examples that show how businesses use these tools to grow smarter. You’ll also see how SMS marketing software makes it possible to reach customers while maintaining compliance and scalability.

Should You Implement Automation in Your Marketing Strategy?

If you’re spending too much time on repetitive marketing tasks or struggling to keep up with customer expectations, automation can help you work smarter.

A single marketer can only manage so many emails, texts, and follow-ups manually. With automation, you can deliver personalized experiences to thousands of customers without sacrificing quality.

A recent survey shows that more than 75% of marketers report higher conversion rates after implementing a strong marketing automation strategy. Also, nearly 80% say it has helped them generate more leads. 

Beyond efficiency, automation creates opportunities for personalization. Campaigns like abandoned cart reminders and tailored product recommendations can be delivered automatically while still feeling personal.

Most importantly, automation supports long-term growth by making campaigns more consistent and measurable. You can easily track performance, refine strategies, and adapt based on customer relationship management insights.

Of course, automation works best when it’s part of a thoughtful strategy. You’ll still need strategic goals, well-planned customer journeys, and tools that fit your business.

If you’re looking to add automation to your strategy, SMS is one of the most powerful channels you can use. Sign up for a free trial or request a demo consultation with Textellent today!

Types of Marketing Automation (With Examples)

Marketing automation comes in many forms, each designed to improve efficiency and customer engagement. Below are some of the most effective marketing automation examples you can implement.

Welcome Email Campaigns

Welcome emails are the first automated touchpoint new subscribers or customers receive. It introduces your brand, sets expectations, and can include offers or resources to start the relationship strong.

Examples

• Thank-you email with a warm introduction to your brand
• Special discount code for new customers
• Short onboarding series explaining how to use your product or service

Automated messages have some of the highest open rates, which makes them a crucial first step in lead nurturing.

Appointment Reminder Texts

Appointment reminder texts reduce no-shows by keeping customers informed and on schedule. These automated messages are sent ahead of time, so clients don’t forget about their upcoming booking.

Examples

• Text reminder sent 24 hours before an appointment
• Same-day reminder with time and location details
• Automated rescheduling links within the message

This type of automation is valuable for medical providers, where text messaging in healthcare helps patients stay on top of appointments. It’s also effective for salons and professional services that rely on consistent scheduling.

Abandoned Cart Reminders

When a shopper adds products to their online shopping cart but leaves without buying, you can send SMS campaigns to bring them back. Strategic ecommerce SMS marketing keeps your brand top of mind and encourages customers to complete their purchase.

Examples

• Reminder emails showing the items left in the cart
• Limited-time discount to motivate quick action
• Follow-up sequence with escalating urgency, with a gentle reminder, then a “last chance” message

Cart recovery is powerful for ecommerce sales, as it helps nurture leads who showed intent but didn’t purchase.

Birthday Marketing Campaigns

Birthday campaigns are a simple yet powerful way to personalize interactions. These campaigns help retain loyal customers while strengthening brand loyalty.

Examples

• Automated “Happy Birthday” emails or SMS with a special discount code
• Gift or bonus points added to loyalty programs
• Exclusive birthday-week offers to create urgency and excitement

With Textellent, you can automatically send birthday text messages paired with a discount or gift to boost customer loyalty.

Post-Purchase Follow-Ups

Post-purchase follow-ups are automated text reminders sent after a customer completes an order. You can thank the buyer, provide helpful product usage tips, or suggest related items to encourage repeat business.

Examples

• Thank-you emails with order confirmation and a personal note
• Cross-sell suggestions for related or complementary products
• Review request messages asking for feedback or testimonials

These campaigns build customer trust and extend the customer’s lifetime value through continued engagement.

Re-Engagement Campaigns

Re-engagement campaigns target customers who haven’t interacted with your brand in a while. Automated emails or text messages can remind them of what they’re missing, share updates, or offer a special incentive to return.

Examples

• Sending a “We miss you” message with a discount code
• Sharing updates about new products or features
• Offering loyalty points or rewards to encourage a comeback

These campaigns are an effective way to revive inactive subscribers and prevent customer churn.

Loyalty Program Automations

Loyalty program automations provide customer appreciation by rewarding repeat purchases and consistent interactions.

Examples

• Automatically adding points to a customer’s account after each purchase
• Sending reward reminders when customers are close to earning a perk
• Triggering an email or SMS when a customer reaches a new loyalty tier

These campaigns are an effective way to revive inactive subscribers, prevent customer churn, and improve customer engagement. 

Personalized Product Recommendations

Product recommendations use data to create personalized campaigns that fit customer interests or buying behavior. Automation makes these suggestions timely and relevant content for your target audience.

Examples

• Recommending complementary products after a purchase
• “Customers also bought” emails triggered by browsing history
• Website pop-ups with dynamic recommendations based on real-time behavior

Great marketing automation gives you valuable insights into customer habits while boosting revenue.

Lead Scoring And Nurturing Sequences

Lead scoring and nurturing automations help you prioritize prospects and guide them through the sales funnel. You can assign scores based on behavior to help focus on the most engaged leads.

Examples

• Assigning higher scores when a lead engages with social media posts or key pages
• Triggering drip campaigns when a lead reaches a certain score threshold
• Personalized follow-up messages through email or SMS to keep leads engaged

These workflows are useful for aligning your marketing and sales teams on the best opportunities. Strong marketing automation workflows support this kind of system.

Dynamic Content Automation

Dynamic content automation adjusts messaging across digital marketing channels in real time based on customer behavior, preferences, or demographics.

Examples

• Showing product recommendations on a website based on browsing history
• Personalized email subject lines that adjust to customer interests
• Location-based offers triggered by a customer’s region

If you manage multiple branches or service areas, this approach supports multi-location marketing by tailoring offers and messages to the needs of each local audience. 

This helps streamline repetitive tasks, improve campaign performance, and keep messaging consistent across marketing channels. 

Multi-Channel Campaigns

Multi-channel campaigns use automation to reach customers across email, SMS, and social media platforms.

Examples

• Sending an email announcement followed by push notifications
• Sharing promotions with ad campaigns and newsletters
• Supporting promotions with social media marketing updates

This approach creates a consistent brand experience while meeting customers where they prefer to engage.

Event Promotion Automations

Event promotion automations help increase attendance by sending reminders and updates across multiple marketing channels. 

Examples

• Automated invitation emails with registration links
• SMS event marketing messages that remind attendees of dates, times, or venue details
• Early-bird or last-chance registration alerts to drive sign-ups

Automated campaigns are effective for webinars, conferences, and workshops.

Feedback Request Campaigns

Review request campaigns use automation to collect customer feedback and build social proof.

Examples

• Automated SMS asking customers to leave a product or service review
• Incentivized review requests offering loyalty points or small discounts
• Personalized “rate your experience” messages sent after appointments or events

When you prompt customers, it increases satisfied reviews while gaining valuable insights to improve your services.

Cross-Sell And Upsell Campaigns

Cross-sell and upsell automations encourage customers to buy more by suggesting complementary or upgraded products.

Examples

• Sending an email suggesting accessories that pair with a recent purchase
• Offering an upgraded version of a product before checkout
• Triggering a post-purchase SMS with bundle deals

These campaigns use purchase history and customer behavior to deliver curated offers without feeling pushy.

Essential Tips for Marketing Automation Efficiency

Marketing automation requires a balance of efficiency with personalization. This is to help customers feel valued rather than spammed.

Map The Customer Journey

Every customer follows a path before making a purchase, and the role of a marketing automation platform is to guide them along that path.

When you map the customer journey, it involves breaking it into stages. This includes awareness, consideration, purchase, and customer retention, and then aligning your automations with each step.

For example, when someone signs up for a newsletter, an email marketing automation sequence introduces them to your brand. As they begin researching, drip marketing campaigns provide educational content that builds trust.

If they abandon a cart, reminders bring them back to complete the order. After they buy, follow-ups and loyalty rewards nurture the relationship with existing customers and encourage repeat business.

Segment Your Audience

A common pitfall in marketing automation is treating every customer the same. People interact with your business for different reasons, and SMS segmentation helps you recognize those differences.

Your audience should be grouped based on demographics, purchase history, or customer behavior. It makes automation feel less like a bulk SMS and more like personalized messaging.

For example, a new subscriber might receive a welcome discount, while a long-time customer gets access to a loyalty reward. Even distinguishing between active and inactive subscribers makes a big difference, since it allows you to adjust your marketing strategy for each group.

Personalize Beyond A Name

Customers expect brands to understand their preferences and anticipate their needs. You could be sending product recommendations based on browsing history or tailoring offers to match past buying behavior.

When messages reflect a person’s actual interests, they feel more valued and are more likely to engage. True customer engagement shows that your business is paying attention, not just running on autopilot.

Stay Compliant With Every Message

Automation makes it easy to reach customers, but it also comes with responsibility. Every email, text, or campaign you send must follow regulations like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and CAN-SPAM.

SMS compliance protects your business from legal issues and, just as importantly, builds trust with your audience. Customers are far more likely to engage when they know their privacy is respected.

Using the right SMS automation tools can make this process easier. Textellent helps you automate appointment reminders and promotions while staying fully compliant with texting regulations.

Keep A Human Touch

Automation is powerful, but it should never replace genuine human connection. Customers still want to feel like they are interacting with real people.

The best approach is to let automation handle routine tasks, like reminders or follow-ups, while leaving space for personalized outreach when it matters most.

A chatbot can answer quick questions, but a human agent should step in for complex issues or sensitive concerns. Striking this balance ensures your communication feels efficient without losing the warmth and trust that only people can provide.

Test And Optimize Campaigns

Even the smartest SMS automation won’t deliver its full potential if you never test or refine it. Customer behaviors change, and what worked last year might not work today.

You have to regularly experiment with subject lines, sending times, or messaging styles to see what resonates best. Track performance closely, then adjust your workflows based on the results.

This process keeps your automations fresh and ensures they continue to drive meaningful engagement.

Turn Repetitive Tasks Into Automated Workflows—Try Textellent!

Email and social platforms matter, but SMS stands apart because of its speed and impact. With most texts read within minutes, SMS gives your business a direct and personal way to reach customers.

Textellent helps you automate reminders, promotions, and schedule social media posts alongside SMS campaigns. It’s a valuable tool for any marketing team looking to improve marketing effectiveness and deliver a stronger customer experience.

From boosting attendance with event reminders to increasing sales through timely promotions, Textellent helps streamline marketing processes while improving operational efficiency.

If your automation feels limited, SMS is how you expand its impact. Push your automation beyond email with the real-time impact of text messaging.

Sign up for a free trial or request a demo consultation with Textellent today!

FAQs About Marketing Automation Examples

What is marketing automation, and what are its examples?

Marketing automation refers to the use of software that handles marketing processes and repetitive tasks automatically. It helps you stay consistent and deliver personalized messages.

Examples include welcome email campaigns, birthday promotions, abandoned cart reminders, appointment reminder texts, digital ads, and loyalty programs.

These are some of the best marketing automation examples because they boost engagement while meeting customer expectations.

What is the best marketing automation tool?

Choosing the best marketing automation software depends on your business size, goals, and marketing channels. Platforms like HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, and Mailchimp are well-known, but they aren’t one-size-fits-all.

Textellent stands out as the best SMS marketing platform for appointment reminders, event promotions, and personalized customer engagement.

Which of the following is an example of a marketing automation tool?

Examples of marketing automation tools include HubSpot for all-in-one campaigns, Marketo for enterprise marketing, Mailchimp for simple email workflows, and Textellent for automated SMS marketing.

Each tool serves a different purpose depending on the size of your business and the multiple channels you use.

What is AI automation in marketing?

AI-powered automation goes beyond simple workflows. It uses customer data to track customer interactions, analyze behavior, and generate valuable insights.

Examples include chatbots that answer customer questions instantly, predictive product recommendations, and automated content personalization based on customer behavior. AI helps you go beyond basic automation to deliver smarter, data-driven experiences.