How to build Brevo automation workflows — welcome series, abandoned cart, post-purchase

Brevo top menu → Automations → Workflows.

BEFORE clicking Create: sketch on paper. Trigger = what fires the workflow (signup, purchase, abandoned cart, segment entry). Steps = emails/SMS/waits/conditions. Branches = if/else logic. Exits = when does the contact leave the workflow (made a purchase, etc.)?

Click "Create a workflow" → "Custom" (or pick from Brevo's templates if one matches: Welcome, Abandoned Cart, Birthday, etc.).

Name the workflow descriptively: "Welcome — Newsletter — v2" or "Abandoned Cart — 3-step." Versioning lets you A/B test workflow variants without losing the original.

Save the empty workflow. You're now in the builder canvas.

Trigger step → 'Contact added to a list' → select your master list.

Filter: 'New subscriber' (i.e., the contact wasn't already in the list before). Without this, importing a CSV triggers welcome emails to your entire list.

Step 1: Send email → 'Welcome to Yourbrand.' Brand intro + 1 CTA. No discount yet.

Wait: 2 days.

Step 2: Send email → 'Inside our story.' About the brand, founder note. Build connection.

Wait: 3 days.

Step 3: Send email → 'Here's 10% off to get started.' First discount offer.

Wait: 2 days.

Step 4 (optional): Send email → 'One more thing — best sellers.' Product showcase + urgency on the 10% offer.

Goal: 'made_purchase' event → exit on goal completion. Subscribers who buy in Step 3 don't get Step 4.

Create a new workflow → Custom.

Trigger: e-commerce event 'abandoned_cart' (or 'started_checkout' if you want higher-intent only). Fires from Shopify/WooCommerce integration.

Filter: contact has SMS_CONSENT OR EMAIL_CONSENT (whichever channel you'll use), AND is not in Welcome workflow (prevents overlap).

Step 1 (1 hour delay): Send email → 'You left something behind.' Use Brevo's product block to auto-render abandoned items.

Step 2 (24 hour delay): IF condition → 'Has opened previous email' → branch. YES branch: 'Still thinking?' soft reminder. NO branch: try different subject line and angle.

Step 3 (72 hour delay): 'Save 10% — code expires in 24h.' Unique discount code via Brevo's promo code block.

Goal: 'made_purchase' event → exit on goal completion. Critical — don't send discount emails to people who bought without discount.

Activate. Expect 10-20% recovery rate on abandoned carts.

Create a new workflow → Custom.

Trigger: e-commerce event 'made_purchase.'

Step 1 (Day 0): Send email → 'Thanks for your order!' Brand thank-you (NOT the order confirmation — Shopify/Woo sends that).

Wait: 5 days.

Step 2: 'How to use it.' Care instructions, styling tips, or onboarding content.

Wait: 9 days (Day 14).

Step 3: 'How are you liking it?' Review request via your reviews platform (Yotpo, Loox, Judge.me, Trustpilot).

Wait: 16 days (Day 30).

Step 4: 'You might also love...' Cross-sell based on purchase category.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT set goal=made_purchase exit. Post-purchase WANTS the next purchase inside the journey.

Activate.

Trigger: 'Added to segment' → segment 'Unengaged 90d' (last open or click 90+ days ago).

Filter: contact is subscribed (not already unsubscribed).

Step 1: Email → 'We miss you — here's what's new.' Best content/products from last 90 days.

Wait: 7 days.

Step 2: IF 'Has opened or clicked Step 1' → YES branch: 'Welcome back!' campaign-style email + add tag REENGAGED. NO branch: continue to Step 3.

Step 3: 'Last chance — special offer.' Discount + 14-day deadline.

Wait: 14 days.

Step 4: IF 'Has opened or clicked Step 3' → YES branch: add tag REENGAGED. NO branch: action 'Unsubscribe contact' (automatically removes from sends).

Activate. Run continuously — this is your list hygiene.

For EACH active workflow, edit the trigger filter:

Add filter: 'Contact is NOT in workflow' → select all OTHER active workflows.

Example: Abandoned Cart trigger filter adds 'Not in Welcome workflow' AND 'Not in Re-engagement workflow.'

Without these filters, a contact who triggers 3 workflows in the same week gets 9+ emails. Unsubscribe rate spikes 5-10x.

These filters MUST be added every time you add a new workflow. Make a checklist: new workflow active → update all other workflow filters.

Verify by checking each workflow's filter list. Every active workflow should reference every other active workflow as 'not in.'

For each workflow, create a test contact (yourself + a colleague).

Trigger the workflow manually: for Welcome → add the test contact to the master list. For Abandoned Cart → use your store to abandon a real cart with the test email. For Post-Purchase → place a test order with 100% discount.

Watch the workflow fire over its full duration. Verify each email arrives on time, content is correct, branches go the right way.

Test BOTH branches: trigger one test that opens emails (engaged branch) and one test that doesn't open (unengaged branch). Verify both reach intended outcomes.

Only after a clean end-to-end test do you activate the workflow for real subscribers.