Marketing automation has transformed how businesses interact with their audiences. In 2025, tools like Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) make automation accessible to growing businesses, agencies, bloggers, and service providers — even on free or entry-level plans.
But automation only works when used strategically. After over a decade managing email campaigns, sales funnels, and client workflows, I can confidently say: the key is knowing not just how to set up automation, but how to use it effectively for real results.
This guide walks you step by step through Brevo automation workflows, from basics to advanced strategies, including real-world tips, mistakes to avoid, and actionable examples.
Why Automation Workflows Matter
Automation workflows let you:
- Engage subscribers without manual work
- Send targeted emails based on behavior
- Increase conversions and customer retention
- Save time while scaling your marketing efforts
Real experience: In one of my client projects, we automated a simple welcome + lead magnet sequence, which increased email engagement by 40% in just two weeks. Without automation, we would have spent hours sending emails manually.
What You Need Before Creating Automation Workflows in Brevo
Before diving into Brevo’s automation builder, make sure you have:
- A verified Brevo account
- At least one contact list
- A goal for automation (e.g., lead nurturing, sales follow-up, onboarding)
- Basic content prepared (emails, offers, links)
Pro Tip: Always define your workflow goal first. Automation without a goal wastes time and can annoy subscribers.
Step 1: Understanding Brevo Automation Workflow Types
Brevo offers several workflow triggers:
| Trigger Type | Use Case | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription Trigger | New contacts join a list | Ideal for welcome series |
| Date-based Trigger | Birthdays, anniversaries, deadlines | Good for personalization |
| Email Opens / Clicks | Engaged subscribers | Useful for lead nurturing or follow-ups |
| Contact Property Change | E.g., deal stage updates in CRM | Useful for sales automation |
| Website Tracking / Behavior | Page visits, form submissions | Excellent for targeted campaigns |
Experience insight:
Most beginners start with subscription triggers, which are simple but highly effective.
Step 2: Accessing Brevo Automation
- Log in to your Brevo account
- Navigate to Automation → Workflows
- Click “Create a Workflow”
- Choose Predefined Workflow (recommended for beginners) or Custom Workflow for advanced setups
Step 3: Choosing a Predefined Workflow vs Custom Workflow
Predefined Workflows
Brevo offers templates like:
- Welcome email series
- Birthday or anniversary emails
- Contact reactivation
- Abandoned cart sequence (for ecommerce)
Pros:
- Quick setup
- Best for beginners
- Pre-optimized steps and timing
Cons:
- Less flexibility for complex logic
Custom Workflows
Custom workflows let you:
- Create your own triggers, conditions, and actions
- Combine multiple triggers
- Add branching based on subscriber behavior
Pro Tip: Start with a predefined workflow, then customize as you gain confidence.
Step 4: Adding Actions in Your Workflow
Actions are what Brevo does after a trigger occurs. Examples include:
| Action Type | Description | Practical Example |
|---|---|---|
| Send Email | Automated emails to contact | Welcome email, lead magnet delivery |
| Send SMS | Text messages | Appointment reminders, promotions |
| Update Contact Property | Change a custom field | Move contact to “Engaged” segment |
| Add Delay | Wait a certain time before next action | 2-day wait before second email |
| Conditional Split | Branch based on behavior | Clicked link → send offer; did not click → send reminder |
Experience tip:
Keep workflows simple at first — too many branches can confuse beginners and reduce deliverability.
Step 5: Using Conditions and Branching
Conditions let you segment your audience dynamically:
- Example 1: Email clicked? → Yes → send offer email → No → send reminder
- Example 2: Subscriber location = USA → send local promotion → else → send general promotion
Best practice: Only add conditions that directly improve engagement. Over-complicating workflows can create bottlenecks.
Step 6: Setting Delays and Timing
Timing is crucial for automation:
- Immediate triggers: Welcome emails, transactional emails
- Short delays (hours to 1 day): Lead nurturing sequences
- Long delays (weeks): Re-engagement or follow-up campaigns
Pro Tip: Avoid sending multiple emails at once — this can trigger unsubscribes.
Step 7: Testing Your Automation Workflow
Before activating your workflow:
- Use Preview Mode to check all branches
- Send test emails to yourself
- Double-check delays, triggers, and personalization tokens
Experience insight: A small error in conditions or timing can reduce engagement by 30–40% in real campaigns.
Step 8: Activating Your Workflow
Once you are confident:
- Click Activate Workflow
- Monitor initial results closely
- Adjust timing, emails, or conditions based on performance
Step 9: Monitoring Workflow Performance
Brevo provides analytics for each workflow, including:
- Emails sent
- Open rate
- Click-through rate
- Unsubscribes
- Conversions (if linked to website or CRM)
Actionable tip:
Focus first on open and click rates. These indicate whether your content and timing resonate with subscribers.
Step 10: Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
- Overloading workflow with too many emails → can reduce engagement
- Ignoring mobile optimization → 70%+ of users open on mobile
- Skipping testing → small errors lead to broken campaigns
- Using generic messages → personalization improves clicks
- Not monitoring results → optimization is critical
Step 11: Advanced Tips for Maximum Effectiveness
- Segment by engagement: Only send advanced offers to highly engaged contacts
- Integrate CRM: Use contact property changes to trigger automation
- Test delays and timing: Use data to optimize open rates
- Use transactional emails in workflows: Boost engagement and trust
- Combine email + SMS: Brevo allows multi-channel automation (paid plan)
Step 12: Real-World Automation Examples
Example 1: Welcome Series Workflow
- Trigger: New subscriber joins list
- Action 1: Send welcome email with lead magnet
- Delay: 2 days
- Action 2: Send follow-up email with tips
- Delay: 3 days
- Action 3: Offer paid product or service
Example 2: Re-engagement Workflow
- Trigger: No opens in 30 days
- Action 1: Send “We miss you” email
- Delay: 3 days
- Condition: Opened?
- Yes → send engagement tips
- No → remove from active mailing list
Example 3: Sales Funnel Workflow
- Trigger: Contact downloads ebook
- Action 1: Send onboarding email
- Delay: 1 day
- Action 2: Send case study
- Delay: 2 days
- Action 3: Send product offer
These workflows are simple yet effective for small businesses and beginners.
Brevo Automation vs Competitors
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp | HubSpot CRM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automation on Free Plan | Limited | Very limited | Paid only |
| CRM Integration | Built-in | Paid add-on | Native |
| Conditional Branching | ✅ | Limited | ✅ |
| Multi-channel (Email + SMS) | ✅ (Paid) | ❌ | ✅ (Paid) |
| Ease of Use | High | Medium | Medium–High |
Experience insight: Brevo is more approachable for beginners while still offering advanced options for growth.
Conclusion: Brevo Automation Workflows Best Practices
- Start simple: Focus on one workflow first
- Define a goal: Know what success looks like
- Test thoroughly: Preview and send test emails
- Monitor and optimize: Use open rates, clicks, and CRM data
- Scale gradually: Add conditions and channels as you grow
Final thought: Automation workflows in Brevo aren’t just a tool — they are a business multiplier. When used correctly, they allow you to nurture leads, increase conversions, and save hours of manual work.
Common Questions:
1. What are Brevo automation workflows and how do they work?
Brevo automation workflows are sequences of automated actions triggered by subscriber behavior, list activity, or CRM updates. They allow you to send targeted emails, update contact properties, and create multi-step campaigns without manual intervention.
2. How do I create an automation workflow in Brevo?
To create a workflow in Brevo, log in, navigate to Automation → Workflows → Create Workflow, choose a predefined or custom workflow, set triggers, add actions and delays, test the sequence, and activate the workflow for your contacts.
3. Can beginners use Brevo automation workflows effectively?
Yes. Brevo offers predefined workflow templates like welcome series, lead nurturing, and re-engagement emails, making it beginner-friendly. Start with simple workflows and gradually add conditions and branching as you gain experience.
4. What triggers can I use in Brevo automation workflows?
Brevo supports multiple triggers, including subscription to a list, contact property changes, email opens or clicks, date-based events, and website behavior. Choosing the right trigger ensures your workflow targets the right audience at the right time.
5. How do I monitor and optimize Brevo automation workflows?
Brevo provides detailed analytics for each workflow, including emails sent, open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribes. Monitor these metrics regularly to optimize email timing, content, and conditional splits for better engagement and conversions.