Fill in the blank: The first step in Mailchimp’s 3-step framework to develop an email automations strategy is “Identify the key ________________ that support your business goals.”

The correct answer is "customer interactions." Mailchimp's framework emphasizes understanding the specific points where customers engage with your business, as these interactions are the foundation for effective automation. By identifying these touchpoints (e.g., signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, abandoning a cart), you can then design automations that respond appropriately. "Triggers" are a component of automations, but they are not the initial focus of identifying the overall strategy; triggers are what initiate an automation based on a customer interaction. "Customer journeys" are the overarching path a customer takes, but the framework breaks this down into individual "customer interactions" for strategic planning. "Email automations" are the solution, not the initial strategic identification step.