An automation that nobody checks can run for years with a broken link or last season’s prices. Statistics tell you whether each flow is still doing its job. This page looks at which numbers matter for the kinds of automations Vincentian businesses typically run, and how to interpret them without being misled.
The core metrics
| Metric | What it tells you | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Delivered | Messages accepted by the recipient’s server | A sudden drop can mean an authentication or reputation problem |
| Opens | A rough signal of interest | Inflated by apps that preload images, such as Apple Mail Privacy Protection |
| Clicks | Real engagement with a link | Compare by link, not just in total |
| Unsubscribes | Whether the message is wanted | A rise after a new step means that step needs rethinking |
| Bounces | Invalid or full mailboxes | High bounces on sign-up emails suggest typos at the point of capture |
Mailpro’s automated email statistics show these for each step of each automation. For the wider picture, see real-time statistics.
Reading the numbers by flow
Welcome emails
These usually get more attention than regular newsletters because they arrive when interest is highest. If yours gets few clicks, check the first screen: is there a clear next step? If bounces are high, look at where addresses are captured. Handwritten sign-up sheets at a Carnival booth, typed up later, are a common source of typos.
Pre-arrival emails
For hotels and charter operators, clicks on the transfer information, the ferry schedule or the packing list show what guests actually need. If nobody clicks the restaurant menu, move it down; if everyone clicks the ferry link, put the key times in the email itself.
Post-stay and re-booking
The number that counts here is bookings, not opens. Use a tracked link or a code so you can see how many guests rebooked after the follow-up, and compare seasons.
Birthday and anniversary emails
Count redemptions of the offer. A credit union or salon can see whether members actually come in.
Look at geography and timing
Mailpro’s geo-tracking shows where opens and clicks come from. If a large share of engagement comes from North America or Europe, schedule steps for their mornings, not for Atlantic Standard Time.
Do not over-read small numbers
Many Vincentian businesses have lists of a few hundred or a few thousand contacts. With small lists, a handful of clicks can swing a percentage dramatically. Look at trends over several months or seasons before drawing conclusions, and change one thing at a time.
Benchmarks: compare with yourself
It is tempting to compare your numbers with industry averages found online. Those figures mix very different senders, list sizes and countries, and few of them reflect a small Caribbean market with a large overseas audience. The most reliable benchmark is your own history: this season against last season, this version of a welcome email against the previous one. Keep a simple log of what you changed and when, so you can tell which change made the difference.
When automations need a pause
Events outside your control can make automated messages inappropriate. After the 2021 La Soufrière eruption or a hurricane such as Beryl in 2024, cheerful pre-arrival or promotional emails would have jarred. Know where your automations are so you can pause them quickly, and watch complaint and unsubscribe numbers closely when you restart.
A seasonal review routine
- Before the winter season and again before the hurricane season, open each automation.
- Check that dates, prices and links are current.
- Compare clicks and unsubscribes with the same period last year.
- Fix the weakest step first.
To build or adjust a flow, follow how to send automated emails in SVG, or return to the automated emails overview.