Foster deeper conversations with text and WhatsApp Automations
Automations are rule-based responses triggered by subscriber keywords. This opens the door for you to ask questions, collect responses, and provide personalized recommendations for shoppers.
If you haven’t begun using Automations, you may be wondering: how do they differ from flows, and how can these 2 features work together? Click into the flashcards below to learn more.
An automated sequence of steps triggered by an action.
Example: A VIP flow sends when someone joins your loyalty program.
An automated response to a customer’s message.
Example: A VIP responds to a prompt. This triggers an Automation that shares recommendations.
An automated sequence of steps triggered by an action.
Example: A VIP flow sends when someone joins your loyalty program.
An automated response to a customer’s message.
Example: A VIP responds to a prompt. This triggers an Automation that shares recommendations.
See an automation in action
Brands can use keywords to build conversational automations that:
- Gather preferences through quick quizzes.
- Capture product interests.
- Deliver tailored shopping guides or incentives.
- Gamify campaigns during special events or holidays.
Let’s see a keyword automation in action. Then, consider building one for your own customers that aligns with a real goal for your brand.
Step 1: Create a prompt
SWAK Cosmetics wants to learn about what products their subscribers care about most to help them shop this holiday season.
They start an automation, prompting recipients to respond with what item they want more information about:
- Makeup
- Skincare
- Fragrances
- Nail polish
Step 2: Encourage response
Your next step is to encourage your recipient to respond to your prompt and provide guidance on how to do so effectively (e.g., to text back a specific word).
For instance, recent shopper Mia receives this text and, after looking through her options, responds with: “Makeup.”
Step 3: Facilitate next steps
Based on a user’s response, you can facilitate a series of next steps.
Here’s where things really get automated on SWAK’s side. In response to Mia’s “Makeup” text, SWAK automatically sends her a text with an image of their makeup line and a link to their best sellers for Mia to try out.
This process allowed SWAK to:
- Answer customers at scale.
- Provide automatic recommendations and offers.
- Drive conversions in a more bespoke shopping experience.
Step 4: Personalize future content
SWAK can even continue to personalize the experience for this customer over time. After someone triggers an automation, their keyword response is saved as a profile property.
Take Mia, for example: Upon responding to SWAK, Klaviyo logged a new custom property to her Klaviyo profile (e.g., Collection = Makeup).
This can help SWAK power more robust messages in the future, sending Mia follow-up recommendations for what to buy next.