What are SaaS Lifecycle (Behavioral) Email Triggers?

A SaaS lifecycle (behavioral) email trigger is an automated message or email sent either because the user took (or did not take) a specific action within the SaaS product. Triggers are frequently observed after onboarding, when a user reaches a designated limit, or when a user’s activity diminishes after a period of engagement.

• The triggering mechanism is based on user events within the product
• Features such as conditional branching that allow you to choose the next message depending upon whether the user has replied to the previous one
• The connection and use of product analytics alongside CRM data are factors that relate to the current status and definition of triggers

Example:

1.   If a user does not complete the setup process and a single integration, an email containing a guided tour is provided.
2.   When a trial account reaches its usage limit, users receive a message with information about the paid plan and its much higher limits.
3.   The frequency of account logins is declining, so a re-engagement email before the renewal period is the perfect way to bring the user back.

SaaS behavior triggers are activated by an in-app action (or lack thereof), such as a successful sign-up, abandoned checkout, or seven days of inactivity. 

Time triggers are independent of behavior and are set on a certain schedule; you could have a reminder email about a day-14 trial or a monthly update on your usage. 

Cohort triggers are a combination of the other two: after segmenting users based on a shared characteristic (such as plan tier, signup source, industry), you apply logic to the group.

Behavior triggers often lead to specific outcomes, related to direct response to user behavior signals. Time triggers tend to be associated with a certain level of predictability and a less complex setup procedure, given their non-reliance on real-time user behavior tracking. Cohort triggers can provide more context without an event-system setup and may influence the relevance of your message.

Static broadcast campaigns send the same message to an entire list on the same day, regardless of where each recipient stands in their journey. Behavior-based emails, designed to engage users at moments of intent or difficulty, are associated with particular open and click-through rates, and tend to show lower unsubscribe figures.

To use SaaS behavioral triggers, you will need a data pipeline in place that transmits data to your email engine. That means you’ll need a product analytics tool or a feed from a data warehouse that records user actions down to the feature level and captures login events and updates. All of this can be combined with a customer engagement platform that tracks these behaviors and responds with a message. Most likely, the customer data platform (CDP) will be the intermediary that integrates a single user identity across your websites, product interface, and billing systems, enabling your triggers to run off the same profile of a consistent ​‍​‌‍​‍‌user.

Examples include: 

• Signup: A welcome email is sent to confirm account creation and detail next steps.
• Onboarding: The system indicates the completion status of designated configuration steps relative to the 48-hour timeframe.
• Product Activation: It involves sending an email once a customer has completed a primary engagement activity.
• Feature Adoption: An email highlighting a specific feature may be dispatched if user activity suggests an underutilized function could offer benefit.
• Renewal: A reminder email is sent in advance of the payment deadline, preferably near the usage cap.
• Churn: Re-engagement emails are issued in response to a decline in login or feature usage frequency, a pattern often considered in relation to SaaS churn.
• Winback: A win-back offer is mailed after a certain time of inactivity or account cancellation.

Think to yourselves:

1. Is there an occasion in the use cycle that can be strengthened if it’s highlighted?
2. What are your observations regarding the effectiveness of the broadcast email strategy and the level of user engagement with these emails?
3. Is user departure primarily aligned with specific events such as user inactivity or feature usage decrease to established behavioral patterns?

The decisive criteria to consider will be:

•       Number of active users, since a larger size allows triggering to happen quicker
•       Availability of event data and a matching email/engagement platform
•       Capability of your team to set up and operate trigger logic
•       If at the moment, you rely heavily on manual or one-size-fits-all email campaigns