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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryEmail & LifecycleTriggered Email

Email & Lifecycle

Triggered Email

An automated email sent in response to a specific behavior or event, like a signup, purchase or inactivity.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

A triggered email is an automated email sent in response to a specific behavior or event, such as a signup, purchase or period of inactivity. Because it arrives when the action is fresh, it tends to be more relevant than scheduled campaigns. Common examples include welcome emails, cart reminders and win-back messages.