This walkthrough builds three automations for a fictional small resort near Marigot Bay. The same logic applies to a shop in Castries, a clinic in Vieux Fort or a tour operator in Gros Islet: identify the moments that repeat, then write the email once.
Before you start
- Clean contact data: automation depends on accurate fields. Make sure each contact has a valid email, a first name if you have it, and the dates you plan to use (arrival, departure, birthday, anniversary).
- Clear consent: separate guests who agreed to marketing from those who only receive service emails. Tag them so automations can respect the difference.
- Branded template: save a simple template in your colours so every automated email looks consistent.
Automation 1: the welcome series
Trigger: a new subscriber joins through the website form.
Email 1, immediately: thank them, say what they will receive and how often, and offer something useful, such as a one-page guide to the island’s north with Pigeon Island, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet Friday night street party.
Email 2, three days later: tell the story of the resort: who runs it, what makes the bay special, one guest favourite.
Email 3, a week later: a direct-booking benefit, such as a free sunset sail on stays of five nights or more.
Mailpro’s welcome email function handles the first message; add the others as follow-up steps.
Automation 2: pre-arrival information
Trigger: a date field, 14 days before the arrival date.
Content: transfer options from Hewanorra in the south (a much longer drive) or from George F. L. Charles airport near Castries, a packing tip for the season, and optional experiences to reserve in advance. Mailpro’s date-based automation sends this at the right point for each guest.
Add an SMS the day before arrival with the driver’s name. Short, useful and appreciated.
Automation 3: after the stay
Trigger: two days after the departure date.
Content: thanks, a photo from the property, and a single request: a review or a short survey. Mailpro can link to a survey directly. Guests who click the survey link can be tagged, and a separate click-triggered email can thank them.
Bonus: the anniversary email
Trigger: the wedding or honeymoon date, each year.
Content: a warm note and a returning-couple offer. Only send this to guests who opted into marketing. Mailpro’s anniversary trigger works from any date field.
Automation 4: the hurricane-season notice
Trigger: a tag you add manually, such as “storm-affected booking”.
Content: a pre-written message explaining your policy on changes and cancellations during storms, how guests will be kept informed, and who to call. When a storm threatens between June and November, tagging affected bookings sends the notice instantly, and you can follow with an SMS. Writing this in calm weather means your guests get a clear, consistent message when your team is busiest.
Automation 5: the local customer welcome
For businesses serving residents, such as a pharmacy in Vieux Fort, a gym in Castries or a hardware store in Gros Islet, the most useful automation is a simple welcome: opening hours, what the newsletter will contain, and a small first-visit offer. Tag local sign-ups separately from overseas ones so each group gets the right welcome.
Choosing send times
Automations based on dates send at a time you choose. Saint Lucia is on AST (UTC−4) all year; a 10am send suits local contacts and North American guests on the East Coast, while European guests receive it in the afternoon. If you have a large European audience, consider separate sequences with earlier send times.
Test everything
- Create a test contact with your own email and dates a few days in the future.
- Check each email on a phone, including links to the booking engine.
- Confirm the unsubscribe link appears in promotional messages.
- Activate, then watch the first real sends closely.
Review and refresh
Put a reminder in your calendar before each winter season to reread every automated email. Update rates, excursions, staff names and transfer information. Remove references to events whose dates have changed; the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, for example, has had breaks and format changes over the years, so confirm it each season.
Keep data where it is safe
Automations use personal data such as dates of stay and anniversaries. Under Saint Lucia’s Data Protection Act 2011, collect only what you need and keep it secure. Mailpro stores data in Switzerland, outside US jurisdiction, and never sells or rents it.
To log in and start building, go to your Mailpro account. For an overview of what to automate, see automated emails in Saint Lucia.