Triggers are the conditions that launch automations. Thanks to them, you can define how contacts are added to the automation so that they can go through the sequence of actions you set. You can add multiple triggers to have the same automation run in multiple ways.
In this article, we explain what each trigger means, how it works, and when you can use them. Understanding each trigger will give you an idea of the types of processes that can be automated. We also write about triggers in the article Contacts, Triggers and Actions: key elements of each automation.
In addition to the classic Signed up to newsletter, Tag has been added and Form has been filled out triggers on most Marketing Automation platforms, QuarticOn offers a few other options that you may see for the first time.
Our range of unique triggers can be used in e-commerce integrations so you can create automations that are triggered by data from your e-commerce platform. Other triggers work with our attribution as well as your website and event tracking features to provide even more automation options.
As a result, QuarticOn users have a number of flexible options to choose from when creating automation, making it extremely easy to choose the right contacts for the right communication tactics and thus increase their engagement – regardless of the size of the contact base.
Let's take a closer look at these options.
Table of contents:
Subscribes to a list
This trigger starts the automation after adding a contact to the subscriber list. You are able to specify the list or have it run when they are added to any list.
If you want it to run when they are added to two or more specific lists, you would add multiple Subscribes triggers (one for each list) to your automations
If opt-in confirmation is turned on for your form, the automation won't begin until the contact confirms their subscription. |
You can use this trigger to:
send welcome emails
create an onboarding sequence
Unsubscribe from a list
This trigger starts your automation when someone unsubscribes from a list. Unsubscribes can be initiated by the contact (for instance, by clicking the unsubscribe link in an automated email) or by you (there is an Unsubscribe automation action and you can manually remove them from lists).
You can use this trigger to:
reduce a contact or deal score
notify someone on your team that an unsubscribe occurred
end other automation workflows
Submits a form
This trigger begins an automation when a contact submits an QuarticOn form. You are able to define whether the automation begins when any form is submitted or when specific forms are submitted. If you want an automation to run when two or more specific forms are submitted, you would add multiple triggers (one for each form).
You can use this trigger to:
deliver opt-in incentives
apply interest tags to send targeted follow-up communications
increase a contact score
Opens/reads an email
With this trigger, you can choose to begin an automation when a contact opens your one-time campaign, automated campaign, or one-to-one email.
You can use this trigger to:
adjust contact or deal scores
apply a tag to engaged contacts
send a follow-up email
create a nurture series
Clicks a link in an email
With this trigger, you can choose to begin an automation when a contact opens your one-time campaign, automated campaign, or one-to-one email.
You can use this trigger to:
apply interest tags
trigger follow-up messages (You didn’t sign up for the webinar…)
adjust contact or deal score
Web page is visited
This trigger begins an automation when a web page is visited. You are able to select a specific web page, any web page, or a group of web pages. This trigger requires that you have set up site tracking on your website.
You can use this trigger to:
send follow-up emails
adjust contact or deal score
apply interest tags
Event is recorded
This trigger begins an automation when a contact performs a custom event you define. You can use Event Tracking to monitor and respond to behaviour on your website on in your app.
You can use this trigger to:
send a message in response to a behaviour
adjust contact or deal score
Shares an email
This trigger begins an automation when a contact clicks on a social share link in a campaign or automation email that has link tracking enabled. You can specify which campaign, list, and social network should begin the automation.
You can use this trigger to:
send a notification to someone on your team that the email was shared
adjust a contact or deal score
thank a contact for sharing your campaign
Forwards an email
This trigger begins an automation when a contact submits the forward-to-a-friend form from a campaign or automation email.
You can use this trigger to:
thank a contact for forwarding the campaign
adjust a contact or deal score
Replies to an email
With this trigger, you can choose to begin an automation when a contact replies to a campaign or a one-to-one email.
You can use this trigger to:
create a task to respond to a contact
move a deal to a different stage of your pipeline
adjust a contact or deal score
Tag is added
This trigger starts the automation when the tag you specify is added to the contact.
You can use this trigger to:
begin a sequence of messages
end a different automation
Tag is removed
This trigger triggers the automation when the tag you specified is removed from the contact.
You can use this trigger to:
end another automation
begin a series of follow-up messages
adjust a contact or deal score
Field changes
This trigger begins an automation when a field you specify is updated. This applies to contact and deal fields (except e-mail address).
For example, you can start your automation if a field changes to any value or a specific value. You can also start your automation if a field changes from any value or a specific value.
You can use this trigger to:
send follow-up sequences
notify people in your organisation that the field has been updated
create a deal based on that field change
Goal is achieved
This trigger begins an automation when a goal you specify is either achieved or skipped.
You can use this trigger to:
notify people in your organisation if a contact skips a goal
adjust a contact score if the goal is achieved or skipped
begin follow-up sequences after someone becomes a customer
Date based
This trigger will begin an automation relative to a date-based field you specify. You can trigger your automation to start before, on, or after that date. Because this trigger is dependent on the date, any contacts who meet that date requirement will automatically get added to this automation. Note that you can use date-based contact or deal fields with this trigger.
You can use this trigger to:
send reminder and follow up e-mails regarding an event
remind contacts of recurring transactions
deliver appointment reminders
RSS based
This trigger will begin an automation when an RSS feed is updated. You can set up the frequency for when this trigger will check for updates and how many new items must be in your feed before this automation will run. You can also choose to have all contacts enter into this automation or create a segment of your choice.
You can use this trigger to:
send blog/news updates to your subscribers
notify people in your organisation a new post was published
Dismisses a site message (option available in Professional and Enterprise subscription plan)
This trigger begins an automation when a contact closes the initial view of a site message you specify.
You can use this trigger to:
apply a tag to contacts when they dismiss your site message
start an automation that displays a short progression of site messages on your site, with each new message being triggered by a contact’s dismissal of the previous message
Conversion occurs (option available in Professional and Enterprise subscription plan)
This trigger begins an automation when a contact triggers a conversion you specify.
You can use this trigger to:
send highly targeted follow-up emails to your contacts
send a notification to a member on your team
Makes a purchase
This trigger begins an automation when a contact places an order in your e-commerce store. You can choose whether the automation begins on any purchase or when a specific product is purchased.
In addition, orders can have any status and includes those that you have successfully received payment for, as well as orders that have a status of pending or failed.
You can use this trigger to:
send a Thank you for your purchase message
collect feedback after purchase
begin a new customer onboarding sequence
Abandons cart
This trigger begins an automation when a contact abandons their cart in your connected e-commerce store. You can specify any connected e-commerce store, or a specific e-commerce store, any product or a specific product, items from any product category or a specific product category, any cart value or a specific cart value.
You can use this trigger to:
send a message to contacts who abandon their cart
add a tag to contacts
Score changes
This trigger begins an automation when a score is above or below a level you specify.
You can use this trigger to:
automatically create deals as contacts become sales-ready
add tags to contacts
Enters a pipeline
This trigger begins an automation when a deal enters a pipeline you specify.
You can use this trigger to:
send out an e-mail inviting the contact to a phone consultation
end automated marketing sequences to transition the lead into sales follow-up
create a series of tasks and notifications to distribute a new lead to salesperson
Deal stage changes
This trigger begins the automation when the stage of a deal changes. You are able to specify which pipeline it applies to and the exact movement between stages you want to target. For instance, you could say, If the deal moves from Stage X to Stage Z, run the automation. Or you could simply say, If it moves from Stage X to any other stage in the pipeline, run this automation.
You can use this trigger to:
automatically create tasks associated with each stage
send specific messages to move the deal to the next pipeline stage
Deal status changes
This trigger starts the automation when the status of a deal changes. A deal’s status can be Open, Won, or Lost.
You can use this trigger to:
go through a series of steps to close out a deal (for instance, add a note or tag to a contact)
if the deal is won, you could create tasks to set up their account or notify a manager
you could use a webhook to create a new support account for the contact
Sentiment changes (option available in Professional and Enterprise subscription plan)
This trigger starts the automation when a sentiment changes for a deal e-mail. A sentiment for a deal email can be positive, negative, neutral, or mixed.
You can use this trigger to:
create tasks for the deal
create a note for the deal
send a follow up e-mail to the primary contact on the deal
Deal Value changes
This trigger starts the automation when the value of an existing deal changes. With this trigger, you can select a currency, choose Any or a specific starting value, and choose Any or a specific value that field is being changed to.
You can use this trigger to:
send an automated notification to a sales representative
automatically add a note to a deal record
update a pipeline
Deal Owner changes
This trigger starts the automation when the owner of a deal changes from one person to another. With this trigger, choose your starting value to be Any or a specific Deal Owner and choose the final value to be Any or a specific Deal Owner.
You can use this trigger to:
notify a deal owner when they are assigned a new deal
assign a task to the new deal owner
External apps triggers
External application triggers include making an appointment via Calendly or filling in the Typeform.
You can use triggers from this category to integrate your automation with external integrations.
Now that you know the individual actions of your automation, go to the article on action types: What Actions can you perform in automations and what do they mean?.
If you have already read this one, then feel free to proceed to the step-by-step instructions on how to navigate through the automation wizard and how to combine triggers with actions: How to use the automation editor? Introduction.