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Marketing automation across WhatsApp, SMS and email
Trigger the right message from customer actions, then hand over to a person when it matters.
Marketing automation turns a customer action into the right message at the right time. On this platform the same journey can use WhatsApp, SMS and email, and hand a conversation to a person when the customer needs one.
Journeys most teams build first
| Journey | Trigger | Primary channel | Fallback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation and shipping | Order placed, status changes | WhatsApp utility template | SMS |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Cart idle for 1 hour | WhatsApp marketing template | Email after 24 hours |
| Appointment reminders | 24 hours before booking | WhatsApp utility template | SMS |
| Lead follow-up | Form or click-to-WhatsApp ad | WhatsApp chatbot, then agent | |
| Win-back | No purchase in 60 days | Email, then WhatsApp | SMS |
| Login and payment codes | User action | WhatsApp authentication template | SMS OTP |
How a journey is built
- Choose the trigger. A webhook, API call, CRM event or inbound message starts the journey.
- Check consent and channel. The flow sends on a channel only if the customer opted in there.
- Pick the template or content. WhatsApp templates are submitted for approval before the journey goes live.
- Add waits and branches. Wait for a reply or a click, then branch to a human, a second message or an exit.
- Measure. Track delivered, read, replied and converted, per channel.
Automation works best with a small number of journeys that are tested well. Two or three good ones beat twenty untested flows.
Chatbots and human handover
A chatbot answers the common questions in Arabic and English and collects details such as order number or preferred time. When the customer asks for a person, the conversation moves to the shared inbox with the full history. See the chatbot and automation page for flow examples.
What it costs
WhatsApp Business API starts at $99/month with a one-time $199 setup, plus Meta's message charges and $0.002 per message. SMS is pay-as-you-go with no monthly package. Email is quoted by volume. See WhatsApp pricing and the SMS calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is marketing automation for messaging?
It is a set of rules that send WhatsApp, SMS or email messages automatically when a customer does something, such as abandoning a cart, booking an appointment or going quiet for 30 days.
Which channel should an automation start with?
Start on WhatsApp when the customer has opted in there and the message is time-sensitive. Use SMS as a fallback for customers who are not on WhatsApp, and email for longer content.
Do automated WhatsApp messages need templates?
Messages sent outside the 24-hour customer service window must use an approved template. Replies inside the window can be free-form, including chatbot replies.
Talk to us on WhatsApp
Tell us your country, message volume and use case. We reply with a clear setup plan.
Chat on WhatsAppWhatsApp pricing