How to Automate Email Sending in HubSpot: Workflows That Drive Results

Admit it or not, email automation is one of the most valuable tools in your marketing and sales arsenal. Whether you're nurturing leads, following up with prospects, or ensuring smooth communication with customers, automating your email workflows saves time, improves consistency, and boosts engagement.

But beyond the buzzwords, what exactly should you automate? And more importantly, why does it matter?

If you’re already using HubSpot, you can access a range of powerful automation tools—from simple email sequences to advanced workflows that align your sales and marketing efforts. In this blog, we’ll dive deep into the email workflows you must have in place, how they work, and why they’re crucial for your business.

Why Automate Email Sending in HubSpot?

Before jumping into the specifics, let’s talk about why automation is a game-changer for your email marketing strategy.

1. Save Time and Reduce Manual Work

Manually sending follow-up emails? That’s a thing of the past. With HubSpot, you can create automated sequences that handle everything from lead nurturing to post-sales engagement, giving your team time to focus on more strategic tasks.

2. Improve Lead Nurturing

Most leads aren’t ready to buy immediately. An effective HubSpot drip campaign keeps your brand top-of-mind and gradually moves leads through the funnel by delivering valuable content at the right time.

3. Increase Engagement and Conversion Rates

Emails sent at the right moment are far more likely to be opened and clicked. By setting up behaviour-based workflows, you can ensure your emails are always relevant to the recipient.

4. Align Sales and Marketing Efforts

One of HubSpot’s biggest advantages is its ability to unify sales and marketing data. Automated workflows allow both teams to track interactions, trigger follow-ups, and ensure that no lead slips through the cracks.

Essential Email Workflows to Automate in HubSpot

Now, let’s break down which email workflows you should be automating and how they contribute to your marketing and sales success.

1. Welcome and Onboarding Sequences

First impressions matter. Whether someone subscribes to your newsletter or signs up for a free trial, an automated welcome series sets the stage for future engagement.

How It Works in HubSpot

• Triggered when a user subscribes or signs up.
• Sends an initial welcome email thanking them and setting expectations.
• Follow-up emails introduce them to your most valuable resources, next steps, or even a special offer.

Example Workflow

1. Trigger: New subscriber fills out a form.
2. Email 1 (Immediately): Welcome email with a friendly introduction.
3. Email 2 (Day 2): Highlight best content, product features, or case studies.
4. Email 3 (Day 5): Encourage further engagement—request feedback, join a webinar, or explore product demos.

2. Lead Nurturing Drip Campaigns

Not every lead is ready to buy immediately. A HubSpot drip campaign gradually nurtures them with relevant content based on their interests and actions.

How It Works in HubSpot

• Uses behaviour-based triggers (e.g., downloading a whitepaper, attending a webinar, visiting the pricing page).
• Sends a series of emails that provide value, educate, and move the prospect toward a decision.

Example Workflow

1. Trigger: Contact downloads a gated resource.
2. Email 1 (Immediately): Thank them for downloading, offer related content.
3. Email 2 (Day 3): Share a case study relevant to their industry.
4. Email 3 (Day 7): Address common pain points and how your solution helps.
5. Email 4 (Day 10): Invite them to book a demo or consultation.

3. Sales Follow-Up Sequences

Why It’s Important

Your sales team shouldn't have to manually follow up with every lead. Automating sales sequences ensures that outreach happens consistently without leads slipping through the cracks.

How It Works in HubSpot

• Sales reps can enrol leads into an automated email sequence that includes personalised touches.
• If a lead engages, the rep is notified for a manual follow-up.

Example Workflow

1. Trigger: Lead books a meeting but doesn’t show up.
2. Email 1 (Day 1): Acknowledge the missed meeting, suggest rescheduling.
3. Email 2 (Day 3): Share a helpful article or video related to their interest.
4. Email 3 (Day 7): Offer an alternative way to engage (e.g., free trial, case study).
5. Final Step: If no response, move them to a lower-priority follow-up list.

4. Re-Engagement Campaigns for Inactive Leads

Why It’s Important

Not all leads convert immediately, but that doesn’t mean they’re lost forever. A well-structured re-engagement campaign can rekindle interest and bring them back into the sales funnel.

How It Works in HubSpot

• Identifies inactive contacts (e.g., no engagement in the last 90 days).
• Sends a series of emails designed to re-engage them.
• If they remain unresponsive, removes them from active marketing lists to maintain a clean database.

Example Workflow

1. Trigger: Contact hasn’t opened an email in 90 days.
2. Email 1: Acknowledge inactivity, ask if they still want to receive updates.
3. Email 2 (Day 5): Offer an exclusive discount, webinar, or new resource.
4. Email 3 (Day 10): Final chance—if they don’t engage, mark them as inactive.

Quick Reference for Essential HubSpot Email Workflows

Final Thoughts: Setting Up Your HubSpot Email Workflows for Success

The power of email automation in HubSpot lies in its ability to streamline your outreach, nurture leads effectively, and ensure no opportunities are missed. Whether it’s a HubSpot drip campaign, an automated follow-up, or a re-engagement email, setting up the right workflows will drive better engagement and conversions.

Start by identifying which workflows you need the most, build them in HubSpot’s automation tool, and continuously optimise based on performance metrics.

But that's only the beginning - there's so much you can do with HubSpot! Let’s chat about how you can enhance your entire customers' journey and maximise your revenue with HubSpot.