How to Create Automated Email Sequences in Brevo

Email automation is one of the most powerful ways to build relationships, nurture leads, and drive conversions on autopilot. Whether you’re onboarding new subscribers, re-engaging inactive users, or sending timely follow-ups, automated email sequences help you stay consistent without manually sending campaigns.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is widely used for email automation because of its visual workflow builder, segmentation features, and beginner-friendly interface. But while the tool is intuitive, crafting automation that actually works requires strategy, structure, and clarity.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to create automated email sequences in Brevo, step by step—plus frameworks, workflows, optimization tips, and professional insights used by top digital marketers.

If you’re new to the platform overall, you might find it useful to understand how Brevo works (see Brevo Explained: How It Works & Why Businesses Use It) or review this beginner-friendly breakdown (What Is Brevo? Complete Beginner’s Guide (2025 Edition)). For complete beginners, learning implementation basics through How to Start Email Marketing with Brevo (Step-by-Step Tutorial) is also helpful.

Let’s get started.

Why Automated Email Sequences Matter

Automated sequences are not just “nice to have”—they are foundational if you want predictable engagement and growth.

Here’s why they matter:

• They save hours of manual work
• They deliver timely, personalized communication
• They help build trust through consistent follow-up
• They nurture leads at scale
• They increase conversions (industry studies often show automation outperforming one-off campaigns)

With smart automation, your subscribers receive the right emails at the right time—based on behavior, interests, and actions.

Getting Started With Brevo Email Automation

Before building an automated sequence, you need to prepare a few essentials.

Step 1 — Organize Your Contacts With Segments

Automation only works well when you know who you’re sending emails to. In Brevo, you can segment based on:

• Signup source
• Behavior (opens, clicks)
• Website actions
• Tag-based attributes
• Purchase history
• Activity level

For example, you might build different segments for:

• New subscribers
• Website leads
• Returning customers
• Inactive users

Starting with strong segmentation ensures every sequence feels relevant and personalized.

Step 2 — Map the Goal of Your Sequence

Before writing or designing anything, clarify what this sequence should achieve.

Common automation goals include:

• Lead nurturing
• Welcoming new subscribers
• Converting free users into paid users
• Onboarding customers
• Re-engaging cold leads
• Upselling or cross-selling
• Delivering educational mini-courses

If the goal isn’t clear, the sequence won’t perform.

Step 3 — Prepare Your Email Content

Pre-create key assets for your sequence:

• Email copy
• Visual assets
• Buttons and links
• Deliverables (PDFs, checklists, lead magnets)
• Website URLs
• UTMs for tracking

While Brevo lets you write emails inside the builder, preparing in advance keeps your workflow smoother.

How to Create Automated Email Sequences in Brevo (Step-by-Step)

This is the actionable process for building automation using Brevo’s workflow builder.

Step 1 — Navigate to the Automation Builder

Inside your Brevo dashboard:

1. Go to Automation
2. Select Create a Workflow
3. Choose from templates (welcome, abandoned cart, re-engagement) or start from scratch

Templates are helpful for beginners, but professionals often prefer the blank workflow for full flexibility.

Step 2 — Choose Your Entry Trigger

The entry trigger defines how someone enters the sequence. Some common Brevo triggers:

• “When a contact joins a list”
• “When a form is submitted”
• “When a contact performs an action (clicks, opens, visits a page)”
• “When a custom event occurs”
• “When a contact matches a segment”

For example:
A lead magnet email sequence might use “submitted a form” as the trigger.

Step 3 — Add Your First Email

Once the trigger is set:

1. Click Add a Step
2. Select Send an Email
3. Choose your pre-designed template or create a new email

This first email sets expectations and delivers the core value promised—whether that’s a download, welcome message, or confirmation.

Step 4 — Add Delays

Delays allow you to space out emails naturally. Common delay intervals:

• 1–2 hours after a signup
• 1 day after the first email
• 2–3 days between nurturing emails
• 7–14 days between long-term engagement emails

Delays prevent overwhelming your audience and create a natural flow.

Step 5 — Add Conditional Logic (Optional but Powerful)

Brevo enables smart branching based on behavior:

• If opened → send advanced content
• If not opened → resend with a different subject line
• If clicked → send targeted offer
• If idle → send re-engagement email

Behavior-driven automation dramatically improves results because the sequence adapts to user actions.

Step 6 — Continue Building the Sequence

Repeat the pattern:

• Add email → Delay → Condition → Email

A typical nurturing automation may contain 5–10 emails depending on the goal.

Step 7 — End the Workflow

Finish by adding an End Workflow step or push users to a new segment.
For example:

• “Add to engaged leads segment”
• “Tag as nurtured”
• “Add to newsletter list”

This ensures contacts don’t continue looping or receiving unnecessary emails.

Example Brevo Email Sequences You Can Build

Here are practical sequences digital marketers frequently set up:

1. Welcome Sequence (3–5 Emails)

Purpose: Warm up new subscribers
Emails include:

• Welcome + brand introduction
• Value-packed educational content
• Your story or mission
• CTA to take a key action (register, download, join group)

2. Lead Magnet Delivery Sequence

Purpose: Deliver a resource and build trust
Emails include:

• Immediate delivery
• Follow-up guidance
• Related lessons or examples
• Discovery call or product trial offer

3. Customer Onboarding Sequence

Purpose: Help new customers use your product
Emails include:

• Quick start instructions
• Feature highlights
• Usage tips
• Support resources
• Feedback request

4. Re-engagement (Win-back) Sequence

Purpose: Revive cold subscribers
Emails include:

• Soft check-in
• Value-focused message
• Survey or preference update
• Final reminder before list cleanup

Value Addition — The A.C.T. Email Automation Framework®

A simple, professional framework you can use for every sequence:

A — Attract

Trigger subscribers with the right event
Examples: signup, form submit, product view, purchase.

C — Convert

Deliver timely emails that provide value AND guide users toward action.
This includes:

• Education
• Storytelling
• Social proof
• Step-by-step guidance
• Soft CTAs

T — Transition

Move users to the next logical step:

• New segment
• Newsletter list
• Retargeting audience
• Customer onboarding
• Long-term nurturing

This framework keeps your automation structured and purposeful.

Checklist — Before Publishing Your Brevo Automation

Use this professional checklist to ensure your sequences are ready:

• ✓ Clear goal defined
• ✓ Trigger correctly selected
• ✓ Emails proofread for clarity and tone
• ✓ Segments accurately assigned
• ✓ Personalization fields added
• ✓ Mobile optimization tested
• ✓ Workflows reviewed for loops or conflicts
• ✓ Tracking and UTMs added
• ✓ Final test using Brevo’s “Test Workflow” option

A polished automation performs significantly better.

Expert Insight

Most automation sequences fail not because of poor writing, but due to poor mapping. A common mistake is sending too many emails too quickly, or mixing unrelated messages inside the same sequence. Expert marketers follow a golden rule: one sequence = one purpose. If your goal is onboarding, keep it purely onboarding. If your goal is re-engagement, don’t try to sneak in promotional content.

Clear, single-purpose workflows consistently outperform mixed-message sequences because the user journey feels natural rather than forced.

Conclusion

Creating automated email sequences in Brevo is straightforward once you understand the structure behind effective workflows. The tool provides an easy-to-use visual builder, but true success comes from strategic planning—segmentation, clear goals, strong content, and behavior-based logic.

When built properly, automation becomes an always-on system that nurtures leads, supports customers, and enhances your long-term communication strategy.

Use the frameworks, steps, and insights in this guide to build sequences that deliver real value—and evolve with your audience over time.

FAQ Section

1. What is an automated email sequence in Brevo?

It’s a series of pre-scheduled or behavior-triggered emails that are sent automatically based on actions such as signup, form submission, website visits, or engagement.

2. How many emails should a Brevo automation have?

Most sequences include 3–10 emails, depending on the goal. Welcome sequences are shorter, while onboarding or nurturing sequences may be longer.

3. Can I customize triggers in Brevo?

Yes. Brevo allows event-based, time-based, and behavior-based triggers such as opens, clicks, and page visits.

4. Do automated sequences work for small businesses?

Absolutely. Automation helps small businesses save time, stay consistent, and maintain nurturing without manual effort.

5. Should I segment my audience before creating automation?

Yes. Segmentation ensures each subscriber receives relevant, personalized content, which improves engagement and reduces unsubscribe rates.

6. Can I A/B test emails inside Brevo automation?

Brevo allows A/B testing in certain workflow steps, especially for subject lines or content variations.

7. How do I know if my sequence is working?

Monitor metrics like open rates, click-through rates, link interactions, and conversion actions. Over time, refine your flow based on actual user behavior.