Triggers & Actions

Understand how to use triggers and actions to build powerful automation workflows.

What Are Triggers?

Triggers are events that start your automation. Think of them as the "when" part of your workflow - when a specific event happens, your automation begins. For example, when someone joins your list or opens an email, you can automatically start a series of actions.

Every automation needs a trigger to get started. It's like pressing the "play" button on your workflow.

Subscriber Activity Triggers

These triggers start your automation when a subscriber does something specific:

When someone opens an email

This trigger activates when a subscriber opens a specific email you've sent. It's great for following up with people who have shown interest in your content.

When someone clicks a link

This starts your automation when a subscriber clicks a specific link in your email. It's perfect for sending targeted content based on what links people click.

When someone submits a form

This trigger activates when someone fills out and submits one of your forms. It's commonly used for welcome sequences when new subscribers join your list.

Example: When someone submits your "Free Guide" form, you can automatically send them a welcome email, wait 2 days, then follow up with additional resources.

Time-Based Triggers

These triggers start your automation based on specific times or dates:

On a specific date

This trigger activates on exact dates like birthdays, anniversaries, or product launch days. It's perfect for sending timely, relevant content.

After a time delay

This starts your automation after waiting for a specified period. It's useful when you want to space out your emails over time.

On a recurring schedule

This trigger activates repeatedly at regular intervals, like weekly or monthly. It's great for consistent communication with your audience.

Example: Send a special offer on a subscriber's birthday, or create a weekly newsletter that automatically sends every Monday morning.

Custom Triggers

These are specialized triggers for more specific needs:

When a tag is added

This trigger activates when a specific tag is added to a subscriber. It's useful for targeting people based on interests or behaviors.

When a field value changes

This starts your automation when information in a subscriber's profile is updated. It's great for responding to changes in preferences or status.

Example: When a subscriber is tagged as "Interested in Product X," automatically send them a series of emails about that specific product.

What Are Actions?

Actions are the tasks your automation performs after being triggered. They're the "what happens" part of your workflow. You can set up multiple actions to create a sequence that engages your subscribers at just the right time.

Think of actions as the steps in your recipe - they determine what happens to your subscribers after the trigger occurs.

Email Actions

These actions let you communicate directly with your subscribers:

Send an email

This action sends a single email to your subscriber. You can customize the content, subject line, and sender information for each email.

Personalize content

This action customizes your email content based on subscriber information. You can include their name, past purchases, or other details to make your emails more relevant.

Example: Send a personalized welcome email that includes the subscriber's name and references how they joined your list.

Subscriber Management Actions

These actions help you organize and update your subscriber information:

Add or remove tags

This action adds or removes labels (tags) from subscribers. It's useful for categorizing people based on their interests or behaviors.

Update subscriber information

This action changes the data stored for a subscriber. You can update fields like their preferences, status, or any custom information you track.

Move between lists

This action transfers subscribers from one list to another. It's helpful for moving people through different stages of your marketing funnel.

Example: When someone clicks a link about a specific product, add a tag like "Interested in Product X" to their profile so you can send them more relevant content later.

Flow Control Actions

These actions help you control the timing and path of your automation:

Add a delay

This action pauses your automation for a specific period before continuing to the next step. It's perfect for spacing out your emails and preventing overwhelm.

Create a condition

This action creates different paths based on subscriber behavior or data. It lets you personalize the journey based on whether someone opens an email, clicks a link, or meets other criteria.

Split the path

This action divides your automation into multiple paths. It's useful for testing different approaches or creating specialized journeys.

Example: Send an email, wait 3 days, then check if they opened it. If they did, send follow-up content. If not, send a reminder with a different subject line.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple actions to create a personalized journey for your subscribers. For example: Send a welcome email → Wait 2 days → Send educational content → Check if they opened it → Send different follow-ups based on their engagement.

Putting It All Together

Creating an effective automation is like telling a story. You start with a trigger (when the story begins), then add a series of actions (what happens in the story), and use conditions to create different paths (plot twists based on what the reader does).

The best automations respond to how subscribers interact with your content. They create a conversation rather than a one-way broadcast.

A simple automation might look like this:

Trigger: When someone submits your signup form
Action: Send a welcome email
Action: Wait 2 days
Action: Send educational content
Action: Wait 3 days
Action: Send a special offer

Setting Up Conditions

Choose Your Condition Type
- Subscriber data conditions
- Behavioral conditions
- Custom field conditions
Set Condition Rules
- Select comparison operators
- Define values to compare
- Add multiple conditions
Configure Paths
- Define "Yes" path actions
- Define "No" path actions
- Set default path

Understanding Conditions in Detail

How Conditions Work

Conditions create branching paths in your automation based on subscriber behavior. They allow you to create personalized experiences by sending different content depending on how subscribers interact with your emails.

Key Components:

Condition Type: What action you're checking for (email opened, link clicked)
Wait Period: How long to wait for the condition to be met before proceeding
Yes Path: Actions to take if condition is met (downward path)
No Path: Actions to take if condition is not met (rightward path)

Important: Always connect both the YES and NO paths from your condition node. If either path is left unconnected, subscribers may get stuck in your automation.

Setting Up Condition Nodes

Add a condition node after an email node in your automation flow
Click on the condition node to open its configuration panel
Default configuration: Condition nodes are automatically configured with the necessary settings, including a reasonable wait time (24 hours) and condition type (email opened).
Customize the settings to match your specific needs:
- Choose between "Opened" or "Clicked" condition types
- Set an appropriate wait time (recommended: hours or days)
Connect both paths from the condition node:
- YES path (downward ↓): Actions if condition is met
- NO path (rightward →): Actions if condition times out

Why default configuration is important: Condition nodes require specific configuration to work properly. Default settings ensure your condition has the necessary parameters, including a reasonable wait time (24 hours) and condition type (email opened).

Best Practices for Conditions

Set realistic wait times: Give subscribers enough time to engage (24-72 hours is recommended)
Always connect both paths: Every condition should have both YES and NO paths connected
Test your conditions: Send test emails to yourself and verify both paths work correctly
Use meaningful actions: Plan what happens in both scenarios to create a cohesive experience
Monitor performance: Check which path most subscribers take to optimize your content

Troubleshooting Conditions

Condition processed immediately

If your condition is processed without waiting for the specified time:

Ensure you've clicked "Apply Defaults" or manually set all required fields
Check that your condition is properly connected to an email node
Verify that your wait time is set to a reasonable duration

Subscribers stuck at condition

If subscribers seem to get stuck at a condition node:

Verify both YES and NO paths are connected
Check that the timeout period is not excessively long
Ensure the condition type matches your email content (e.g., don't check for clicks if there are no links)