I’ve used a lot of automation tools, and it’s funny because the very first one I ever tried for email automation workflow, years ago, was Zapier. And it’s still my favorite.
Think of it like a digital assistant that works 24/7. It connects your apps and automates the little stuff you shouldn’t be doing manually. It’s not flashy or too complicated. It’s just incredibly effective and versatile.
And if you’ve ever said, “There has to be a better way to do this,” you could probably figure that out with Zapier.
What Is Zapier?
At its core, Zapier is an automation platform. It links apps together so that when something happens in one app, something else happens automatically in another. These connections can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be.
The collection of the connections are called Zaps. A Zap is just an automation. If this happens, then that happens.
- When someone books a discovery call → Zapier sends a personalized confirmation email, updates your calendar, and adds them to your sales pipeline, automatically.
- When a new client sends a po → Zapier sends a thank-you email, saves the document to your Google Drive, adds a task to your to-do list to send the invoice, updates your CRM, and emails you a project timeline.
- When you publish a blog post → Zapier shares your content as a LinkedIn update, send it out to your email list, post a condensed version on X, and saves a backup in Google Docs.
Zapier handles the repetitive stuff that normally eats up your day.
Why I Recommend Zapier for Small Business Owners
I run a busy business. I’ve tested hundreds of tools. Especially for email automation workflow. And very few deliver real, consistent time savings like Zapier does. I know there are other similar tools or even some say better tool. But here’s why I keep coming back to it:
1. It’s Insanely Versatile
Zapier integrates with over 6,000 apps, from Google Workspace to Shopify, Airtable, QuickBooks, Calendly, and more. Whether you’re managing clients, selling products, scheduling calls, or running a marketing funnel, Zapier can bridge the gaps.
2. No Code, No Problem
You don’t need to be techy. Zapier’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create powerful automations, even if you’ve never written a line of code in your life. I hear the coders out there saying python, pipedream, or even Make are better tools. But I just don’t have the time to learn anything that complicated, and I tried to make an email automation in Make and I couldn’t figure it out. The same automation I made in Zapier in under an hour and it’s still working. Those tools might be great! But if I can’t figure it out quickly then I am going to move on. Zapier is just easy for me to use.
3. It Saves Time Immediately
Every Zap you set up is time you’re not spending repetitive tasks. That might be 15 minutes here, an hour there, but it adds up fast. More importantly, it removes the mental load of remembering everything. I love my automatically updated to do list.
What Exactly Can You Automate?
Let’s talk about real use cases. These are workflows I or my clients use every day with Zapier.
Email Automation Workflow
This one’s is my favorite. If someone emails you and no one from your team replies within 8 hours, Zapier can check that thread and auto-draft a follow-up message that shows up in your drafts. This is something I use to pay my assistant to do.
Invoice Reminders
Got invoices in QuickBooks or Wave? Set up a Zap to automatically email clients when an invoice is overdue, without you having to track it manually. A lot of invoicing platforms do this now, but with Zapier you have control over every step. And you can add a reminder for you to call the customer to your to-do list at the same time so you can follow-up verbally.
Calendly to CRM
Someone books a meeting? Zapier jumps into action, adds them to your CRM, tags them by interest, creates a to-do in your project manager, sends reminder emails, and (if you’re feeling fancy) even pulls company info and emails you a quick briefing before you hop on the call. Pro level meeting prep with no effort.
E-Commerce Follow-Up
Selling on Shopify? Zapier can instantly send a branded welcome email, trigger your delivery workflow, and tag the customer in your CRM. You can even schedule personalized check-ins, asking for feedback or offering help, if they answer then Zapier can respond back!! Written by AI and sent automatically. It’s like having meaningful conversations with your customers, without adding a single task to your plate.
Form Submissions
Turn every form submission into:
Someone fills out your form? Zapier can instantly log their info in Airtable, alert the right person on your team in Slack, send a thank-you email, and schedule a follow-up. Without you doing a thing.
These are the kind of automations that give you the time to grow your business.
The Email Automation Workflow (Zoomed In)
Let’s take a closer look at one of Zapier’s most powerful use cases: email follow-ups.
Here’s how to build it:
- Trigger: A new email arrives in your inbox.
- Delay: Zapier waits 8 hours.
- Search: It checks if a reply has been sent.
- Filter: If no reply exists, the workflow continues.
- Action: Zapier creates a draft response in Gmail.
- Send: The draft is ready for you to approve and send.
You can even layer in tools like ChatGPT to write the draft in your voice. I tried this and I couldn’t believe how it read the email and responds like me! It’s crazy.
This is next-level productivity and not missing a clients email is peace of mind.
Pricing: How Much Does it Cost?
Zapier has a free plan to help you get started. This did not work for me, my first Zap I wanted to create was too complicated so I gave in a bought the Professional. The costs is based on “tasks” so I am estimating 2,000 tasks a month. This should be plenty.
Free Plan
- Up to 100 tasks/month
- 5 single-step Zaps
- Great for beginners
Professional — $49.99/month (billed ANNUALLY)
- 2,000 tasks/month
- Conditional logic
- Auto-replay and advanced features
Team Plans — $69/month and up (billed annually)
- up to to 25 users
- 2,000 tasks a month
- Shared workspaces and permissions
I am a big believer in paying for the right tools. If you run even a modest operation, the Starter or Professional plan will pay for itself fast.
Comparing Pricing to Make
People say Zapier’s more expensive, but for me, the difference isn’t big enough to matter, especially because it’s so much easier to use. If you’re good at this stuff and love complex tools, you might prefer other platforms.
Zapier: Charges per “task,” which refers to each action your automation performs. Notably, Zapier does not count trigger steps toward your task limit.
Make: Charges per “operation,” encompassing every action, including trigger checks and data transfers. This means that even if no new data is processed, operations are still counted when Make checks for updates.
In practice, this means that while Make offers more operations for a lower price, the number of operations consumed can be higher due to its counting method. Conversely, Zapier’s task-based model might result in fewer counted actions for the same workflow, potentially balancing out the cost difference.
Choosing the Right Tool
- Zapier: Ideal for users seeking a straightforward, user-friendly interface with a vast library of app integrations. It’s particularly suitable for simpler workflows where ease of use is a priority.
- Make: Best for users who require advanced automation capabilities and are comfortable with a steeper learning curve. Its visual interface allows for complex, multi-step workflows with conditional logic.
How to Get Started
It does come with a learning curve. I recommend to start small, and build as you go.
Your First Steps:
- Sign up for a free Zapier account
- Choose your first workflow (email follow-ups or lead collection are perfect)
- Use one of Zapier’s pre-built templates or build your own
- Test it. Tweak it. Turn it on.
That’s it. You’ve just created your first automation.
Tips to Make Zapier Work Even Harde
- Label your Zaps clearly so you always know what’s running.
- Use folders to stay organized as you scale.
- Test before you go live, always!
- Check task usage regularly so you don’t hit your limit unexpectedly.
- Document your workflows so your team can step in if needed.
- Check in: Check in every once in a while to make sure everything is working.
And remember: automation isn’t about replacing humans. It’s about freeing up their time so they can do more meaningful work. I have my assistants work fully automated so she can spend more of her time doing the work I cant automate.
Don’t Wait to Reclaim Your TimE
Running a business is hard enough. Your tools should make it easier. Zapier helps you get out of the weeds and into the light.
Whether you’re just starting or scaling to six figures and beyond, it’s one of the smartest tools you can add to your stack.
And that email automation workflow? That’s just the beginning.
Learn more about EZ Ai Lab HERE
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