ApproveThis manages your Smaily Integration approvals.

Why Approval Workflows and Email Marketing Belong Together

Modern businesses face two universal challenges: getting timely decisions from stakeholders and maintaining clear communication across teams. ApproveThis solves the first problem through structured approval automation, while Smaily empowers teams to create targeted email campaigns with minimal effort. When connected via Zapier, these platforms create closed-loop systems where approval triggers automatically update marketing lists and campaign statuses – without manual data entry or follow-up emails.

Consider this real-world scenario: A marketing team approves a new campaign budget in ApproveThis. Within seconds, Smaily sends confirmation emails to stakeholders while updating subscriber lists for project-specific notifications. Meanwhile, approvers without Smaily licenses (external clients, contractors, or executives) can still participate in decisions through email-based approvals – a key advantage over rigid permission systems.

Three Ways to Connect ApproveThis and Smaily

1. Auto-Send Campaign Confirmation Emails

When an approval decision happens in ApproveThis (approved/denied), trigger Smaily to send tailored confirmation emails. Unlike basic notification systems, this integration lets you:

• Maintain brand consistency using Smaily's email templates
• Include dynamic approval details (request ID, decision comments)
• Segment audiences based on approval type (finance vs. creative teams)

Example: A healthcare nonprofit uses this workflow to notify board members about funding request decisions. Approved requests trigger Smaily emails with next-step instructions, while denials automatically send resource guidelines – reducing staff follow-up time by 40%.

2. Sync Approval Participants to Marketing Lists

Automatically add/update Smaily subscribers whenever new approval requests are created in ApproveThis. This works particularly well for:

Client-Facing Teams: Digital agencies can maintain updated lists of client contacts involved in content approvals, ensuring campaign updates reach the right stakeholders.

Procurement Departments: When new vendor contracts enter approval workflows, Smaily lists update to include supplier contacts – critical for RFQ distributions or compliance updates.

3. Generate Approval Requests from Email Tests

Initiate ApproveThis workflows directly from Smaily's test call feature – ideal for teams managing regulated content or multi-layered creative reviews.

Example: A financial services company automates compliance checks for marketing emails. When a campaign reaches the final test stage in Smaily, ApproveThis immediately routes it to legal and compliance teams. Approval thresholds ensure only high-risk emails require manual review, accelerating 80% of campaigns through auto-approval.

Implementation Guide: Start in 15 Minutes

Step 1: Create a Zapier account (free tier available)

Step 2: Connect ApproveThis and Smaily as Zapier apps

Step 3: Choose your trigger:
"New Request" (ApproveThis) → "Update Subscriber" (Smaily)
OR
"Request Approved/Denied" (ApproveThis) → "Send Email" (Smaily)

Step 4: Map approval data to email fields:
- Use ApproveThis' calculated fields for dynamic values
- Apply Smaily's merge tags for personalization

Pro Tip: Enable ApproveThis' vacation delegation before launch – approvers get automatic coverage during absences, preventing workflow stalls.

Team-Specific Benefits

Marketing Teams

Accelerate campaign launches by tying email send approvals directly to Smaily workflows. Use approval thresholds to auto-approve low-risk changes (subject line variations) while flagging major revisions (pricing updates) for legal review.

Operations Managers

Automate vendor onboarding – new supplier contract approvals in ApproveThis trigger Smaily welcome emails with compliance checklists. Approval groups ensure contracts get reviewed by both legal and department heads in parallel.

Finance Departments

Connect purchase request approvals to Smaily update sequences. Approved requests trigger payment instruction emails, while denied ones automatically send policy reminders. Real-time tracking in ApproveThis provides audit trails for all communications.

Key Advantages Over Manual Processes

No License Overhead: External approvers interact via email without needing Smaily access – critical when working with clients or contractors.

Dynamic Condition Handling: ApproveThis' calculated fields automatically escalate requests that exceed budget thresholds, while Smaily segments recipients based on escalation type.

Two-Way Transparency: All Smaily emails include direct links back to the ApproveThis request, creating a paper trail that's searchable in both systems.

Getting Started

ApproveThis offers a 14-day free trial with full Zapier integration capabilities. Smaily provides a free plan for up to 500 subscribers – ideal for testing approval-based automations.

For complex workflows involving multiple approval groups or conditional email triggers, request a custom demo showing how to:

1. Configure parallel vs sequential approvals
2. Set up automatic reminders with escalating urgency
3. Generate Smaily reports based on approval metrics

Final Recommendation

Prioritize integrations that close communication loops first. The "Send Confirmation Email" Zap between ApproveThis and Smaily typically delivers ROI within 30 days by reducing status update meetings and manual follow-ups. For teams managing frequent external approvals (client content reviews, vendor contracts), combine this with ApproveThis' email-based approvals to minimize tool switching for stakeholders.

Ready to eliminate approval delays and manual email updates? Start your free ApproveThis trial or schedule a custom integration demo.