Email Sequence

# Email Sequence

> If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see [CONNECTORS.md](../../CONNECTORS.md).

Design and draft complete email sequences with full copy, timing, branching logic, and performance benchmarks for any lifecycle or campaign use case.

## Trigger

User runs `/email-sequence` or asks to create, design, build, or draft an email sequence, drip campaign, nurture flow, or onboarding series.

## Inputs

Gather the following from the user. If not provided, ask before proceeding:

1. **Sequence type** — one of: - Onboarding - Lead nurture - Re-engagement - Product launch - Event follow-up - Upgrade/upsell - Win-back - Educational drip

2. **Goal** — what the sequence should achieve (e.g., activate new users, convert leads to customers, reduce churn, drive event attendance, upsell to a higher tier)

3. **Audience** — who receives this sequence, what stage they are at, and any relevant segmentation details (role, industry, behavior triggers, lifecycle stage)

4. **Number of emails** (optional) — if not specified, recommend a count based on the sequence type using the templates in the Sequence Type Templates section below

5. **Timing/cadence preferences** (optional) — desired spacing between emails (e.g., "every 3 days", "weekly", "aggressive first week then taper off")

6. **Brand voice** — if configured in local settings, apply automatically and inform the user. If not configured, ask: "Do you have brand voice guidelines I should follow? If not, I'll use a clear, conversational professional tone."

7. **Additional context** (optional): - Specific offers, discounts, or incentives to include - CTAs or landing pages to link to - Content assets available (blog posts, case studies, videos, guides) - Product features to highlight - Competitor differentiators to reference

## Process

### 1. Sequence Strategy

Before drafting any emails, define the overall sequence architecture:

- **Narrative arc** — what story does this sequence tell across all emails? What is the emotional and logical progression from first email to last? - **Journey mapping** — map each email to a stage of the buyer or user journey (awareness, consideration, decision, activation, expansion) - **Escalation logic** — how does the intensity, urgency, or value of each email build on the previous one? - **Success definition** — what specific action signals that the sequence has done its job and the recipient should exit?

### 2. Individual Email Design

For each email in the sequence, produce:

#### Subject Line - Provide 2-3 options per email - Vary approaches: curiosity, benefit-driven, urgency, personalization, question-based - Keep under 50 characters where possible; note preview behavior on mobile

#### Preview Text - 40-90 characters that complement (not repeat) the subject line - Should add context or intrigue that increases open likelihood

#### Email Purpose - One sentence explaining why this email exists and what it moves the recipient toward

#### Body Copy - Full draft ready to use - Clear hierarchy: hook, body, CTA - Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max) - Scannable formatting with bold key phrases where appropriate - Personalization tokens where relevant (e.g., first name, company name, product used)

#### Primary CTA - Button text and destination - One primary CTA per email (secondary CTA only if appropriate for the sequence stage)

#### Timing - Days after the trigger event or after the previous email - Note if timing should adjust based on engagement (e.g., "send sooner if they opened but did not click")

#### Segment/Condition Notes - Who receives this email vs. who skips it - Any behavioral or attribute-based conditions (e.g., "only send to users who have not completed setup")

### 3. Sequence Logic

Define the flow control for the sequence:

- **Branching conditions** — alternate paths based on engagement. For example: - "If opened email 2 but did not click CTA, send email 2b (softer re-ask) instead of email 3" - "If clicked CTA in email 1, skip email 2 and go directly to email 3" - **Exit conditions** — when a recipient converts (completes the desired action), remove them from the sequence. Define what "conversion" means for this sequence. - **Re-entry rules** — can someone re-enter the sequence? Under what conditions? (e.g., "if a user churns again 90 days later, re-enter the win-back sequence") - **Suppression rules** — do not send if the recipient is already in another active sequence, has unsubscribed from marketing, or has contacted support in the last 48 hours

### 4. Performance Benchmarks

Provide expected benchmarks based on the sequence type so the user can set targets:

| Metric | Onboarding | Lead Nurture | Re-engagement | Win-back | |--------|-----------|--------------|---------------|----------| | Open rate | 50-70% | 20-30% | 15-25% | 15-20% | | Click-through rate | 10-20% | 3-7% | 2-5% | 2-4% | | Conversion rate | 15-30%