Marketing Automation Explained: Build Your First GetResponse Workflow (Step-by-Step)
Tired of manually emailing every new subscriber? Discover how to create a GetResponse automation that welcomes subscribers, tracks who's engaged, and segments your audience automatically — while you focus on growing your business.
Marketing Automation Basics: Triggers, Actions & Conditions
Most small businesses waste countless hours manually sending emails, trying to remember who to follow up with, and guessing which subscribers are most interested in their offers. Marketing automation replaces this guesswork with a system that works for you 24/7.
GetResponse's visual workflow builder makes automation accessible through three simple building blocks. Triggers are the "if" in "if this then that" — events like a new subscription or abandoned cart that start your workflow. Actions are the "then" — tasks like sending emails, adding tags, or waiting specific time periods. Conditions create decision points that split your workflow based on subscriber behavior.
Key insight: A simple welcome sequence with one engagement check can automatically identify your hottest leads while saving 5+ hours per week in manual email management.
Building a Welcome Workflow That Segments Subscribers
The blank page of your email client wins every morning when you're manually deciding who to email and what to say. An automated welcome sequence solves this by delivering the right message to the right person at the right time — automatically.
We'll build a workflow that: (1) sends a welcome email immediately after subscription, (2) follows up with value two days later, (3) tracks who opened that second email, and (4) tags engaged subscribers for future targeting. This simple automation creates powerful segmentation while requiring just four workflow elements.
Step 1: Setting Your Workflow Trigger
Every automation needs a starting point. In GetResponse, navigate to Tools → Automation → Create Workflow. Name your workflow (e.g., "New Subscriber Welcome") for easy reference later.
Drag the "Subscribes" trigger onto your canvas. This becomes your workflow's entry point. While you can restrict the trigger to specific lists or signup methods, leaving it broad ("any list") ensures all new subscribers enter this nurturing sequence.
Step 2: Crafting the Perfect Welcome Email
Drag a "Send Message" action after your trigger and connect them. Select your pre-written welcome email in the properties panel. High-converting welcome emails share four traits:
- Immediate thanks for subscribing
- Delivery of any promised lead magnet
- Clear expectations about future emails
- One focused call-to-action
Avoid the common mistake of overwhelming new subscribers with multiple CTAs or sales pitches. This first touchpoint should build trust by delivering exactly what they signed up for.
Step 3: Timing Your Follow-Up Emails
Add a "Wait" action set to 2 days after your welcome email. This pause prevents inbox overload while keeping your brand top of mind. After the wait, add another "Send Message" action with a pure-value email — perhaps your most popular blog post or a helpful tip.
Pro tip: The second email should provide such clear value that subscribers begin associating your brand with helpful content, making them more likely to open future messages.
Step 4: Tracking Engagement With Conditions
Here's where the magic happens. Add a "Message Opened" condition after your second email. Select that specific email in the properties panel. This creates two paths: subscribers who opened the email (green checkmark) and those who didn't (red X).
This simple check transforms your workflow from a linear sequence into an intelligent system that responds to subscriber behavior. At 2:15 in the video tutorial, you'll see exactly how to configure this critical decision point.
Step 5: Segmenting Subscribers Based on Behavior
For engaged subscribers (green path), add a "Tag" action labeled "engaged." This allows future targeted campaigns. For unengaged subscribers (red path), send a different email with a curiosity-driven subject line to attempt re-engagement.
Your completed workflow now automatically welcomes, nurtures, and segments subscribers — all while collecting valuable engagement data. Hit "Save and Publish" to activate your new marketing assistant.
In summary: Triggers start workflows, actions perform tasks, and conditions create personalized paths. Together they automate what most businesses do manually, saving time while improving results.
Watch the Full Tutorial
See the entire workflow built live in the video tutorial below, including pro tips for testing your automation before going live. Pay special attention at 4:30 where we demonstrate how to preview each email in the sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this topic
The three core components are triggers (events that start workflows), actions (tasks the system performs), and conditions (decision points that split workflows based on subscriber behavior).
Together these let you create personalized customer journeys at scale without manual intervention for every subscriber interaction.
- Triggers: New subscription, purchase, abandoned cart
- Actions: Send email, add tag, wait period
- Conditions: Email opened, link clicked, tag present
Conditions like 'message opened' create segmentation paths where engaged subscribers receive different follow-ups than unengaged ones.
Tags applied automatically during workflows let you target specific groups in future campaigns with precision, ensuring the right message reaches the right audience.
- Engaged subscribers might get product offers
- Inactive subscribers receive re-engagement sequences
- High-value customers get VIP treatment
Effective sequences thank subscribers immediately, deliver promised content, set expectations, and focus on building trust before selling.
The first email should have one clear call-to-action, while subsequent emails provide pure value to train subscribers to open your messages habitually.
- First email: Deliver lead magnet + set expectations
- Second email: Pure value content
- Third email: Begin gentle relationship building
A 2-day wait between welcome sequence emails balances momentum with avoiding inbox overload.
This gives subscribers time to engage while keeping your brand top of mind. Timing can be adjusted based on your industry and audience preferences through simple workflow testing.
- B2B: 3-5 days between emails
- Ecommerce: 1-2 days
- High-touch services: 4-7 days
Tracking opens identifies your most engaged subscribers automatically.
This allows you to send relevant follow-ups to active readers while trying different approaches to re-engage those who aren't opening emails, improving overall campaign performance through behavioral segmentation.
- Opens indicate interest level
- Non-opens signal need for different approach
- Data improves future targeting
Yes, GetResponse's visual workflow builder requires no coding.
By understanding just three core concepts (triggers, actions, conditions), anyone can create powerful automations through simple drag-and-drop interfaces with minimal learning curve.
- No coding required
- Visual interface simplifies complex logic
- Templates available for common workflows
Tags applied during automations (like 'engaged') let you filter contacts for future campaigns.
You might send product announcements only to tagged engaged subscribers while sending re-engagement offers to inactive contacts, improving relevance and results through behavioral segmentation.
- Create dynamic segments automatically
- Target communications precisely
- Measure campaign effectiveness by tag group
GrowwStacks designs and implements complete marketing automation systems tailored to your business.
We'll build custom GetResponse workflows that welcome subscribers, track engagement, and segment your audience automatically. Our team handles setup, testing, and optimization so you can focus on growing your business.
- Custom workflow design for your specific needs
- Integration with your existing tools and CRM
- Ongoing optimization and performance tracking
Ready to Put Your Email Marketing on Autopilot?
Manual email management steals time from growing your business. Let GrowwStacks build a custom GetResponse automation that welcomes subscribers, tracks engagement, and segments your audience — all while you sleep.