Multi-Channel Automation in Brevo: Combine Email, SMS & WhatsApp for Higher Conversions

Multi-channel automation is one of the most powerful features inside Brevo. When you combine email, SMS, and WhatsApp into unified customer journeys, your message lands at the right time, on the right device, in the right format — which is exactly how modern buyers behave. Single-channel email flows are useful, but multi-channel sequences consistently outperform them because people don’t always read their inbox, but they do open notifications and messaging apps instantly.

Why Multi-Channel Matters in Today’s Customer Journey

Buyers no longer live in one channel. They browse your store, scroll social media, ignore an email, open an SMS, but reply on WhatsApp. If your communication is stuck in one channel, you lose touchpoints and lose conversions.

Here’s the simple truth:

• Email is best for detail-rich communication.
• SMS is best for urgency and reminders.
• WhatsApp is best for confirmation messages, back-and-forth replies, and high-intent follow-ups.

Brevo makes it easy to combine these channels inside a single workflow builder. You don’t need multiple subscriptions, clunky integrations, or API workarounds — everything works in one place.

The Core Components of Multi-Channel Automation in Brevo

When building a multi-channel flow, you need four main components:

• 1. Trigger — what event starts the journey.
• 2. Channel selection — email, SMS, WhatsApp (or all of them).
• 3. Timing & delays — when each message should go out.
• 4. Conditions — if/else rules to move users intelligently.

Once you understand these building blocks, you can create any customer journey you want.

Step-by-Step: Build a Multi-Channel Workflow in Brevo

Step 1: Choose a Trigger

Brevo gives you dozens of automation triggers, but these are the best for multi-channel:

• Contact added to a list — perfect for welcome series.
• Product viewed — amazing for e-commerce re-targeting.
• Abandoned cart — best conversion driver for SMS + WhatsApp.
• Date-based — renewals, reminders, follow-ups.
• Custom events — for SaaS product actions.

Step 2: Start with Email

Email gives the flexibility to educate, show visuals, and build trust. Your first step should almost always be email because it’s inexpensive and reliable.

Step 3: Add SMS

Use SMS only when you need speed or urgency. For example:

• Cart reminders
• Limited-time promotions
• Appointment reminders
• Verification messages

Step 4: Add WhatsApp

WhatsApp works best for:

• Order confirmations and receipts
• High-intent follow-ups
• Consultation booking reminders
• Customer support routing

Three Multi-Channel Automation Templates You Can Copy

1. Multi-Channel Welcome Journey

This flow builds relationships fast and introduces your brand across channels.

• Email #1: Welcome message + brand story
• Email #2: Best-selling products or core features (48 hours later)
• WhatsApp: “Have any questions? I’m here to help.”

Why it works:

Email builds trust, WhatsApp builds immediacy.

2. Multi-Channel Cart Recovery

Still one of the most profitable flows you can build.

• Email #1: Cart reminder (1 hour later)
• SMS: Urgency message (12 hours later)
• WhatsApp: Discount code or follow-up (24 hours later)

Why it works:

Multi-channel recovery boosts conversions because the buyer cannot ignore all three channels.

3. Multi-Channel Re-Engagement

This flow brings cold subscribers back.

• Email: Personalized value message
• SMS: “We miss you! Here’s something new.”
• WhatsApp: Confirmation message or inquiry

Best Practices for Multi-Channel Automation

1. Don’t spam every channel

Remember — multi-channel does NOT mean “send everything everywhere.” It means using the best channel for the moment.

2. Respect timing

• Emails → morning / early afternoon
• SMS → avoid midnight or early morning
• WhatsApp → treat like personal communication

3. Use conditional splits

Example:

• If user opened email → skip SMS
• If user ignored email → send WhatsApp reminder
• If user clicked → send next email only

4. Track channel-specific metrics

Inside Brevo dashboards you can track:

• email opens & clicks
• SMS delivery rates
• WhatsApp conversation replies

The Multi-Channel Formula That Actually Converts

Here’s a simple rule that gives you the best conversion rate:

Email does the explaining, SMS adds urgency, WhatsApp closes the loop.

Compliance & Subscriber Permissions

Before sending SMS or WhatsApp, always make sure the subscriber has opted into those channels. Brevo handles compliance settings inside “Contact attributes”.

Pricing for SMS & WhatsApp Inside Brevo

Real Examples for E-commerce, SaaS, and Coaches

E-commerce

Use multi-channel flows for:

• cart recovery
• order confirmations
• shipping updates
• review requests

SaaS

• onboarding reminders
• trial expiration notices
• feature adoption nudges
• account alerts

Coaches & Services

• appointment reminders
• WhatsApp follow-up questions
• client onboarding messages
• milestone notifications

Final Verdict

Multi-channel automation inside Brevo is one of the highest-ROI marketing systems available today. By sending messages at the right time, on the right channel, you stay connected with your audience and convert more leads into paying customers.

My Recommendation

Start with email-first flows, add SMS for urgency, and use WhatsApp for conversations or confirmations. Over time, evolve your journeys using behavior-based rules and analytics inside the Brevo dashboard.

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