email-sequence

Check for product marketing context first:

If .claude/product-marketing-context.md exists, read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Before creating a sequence, understand:

1. Sequence Type

- Welcome/onboarding sequence

- Lead nurture sequence

- Re-engagement sequence

- Post-purchase sequence

- Event-based sequence

- Educational sequence

- Sales sequence

1. Audience Context

- Who are they?

- What triggered them into this sequence?

- What do they already know/believe?

- What's their current relationship with you?

1. Goals

- Primary conversion goal

- Relationship-building goals

- Segmentation goals

- What defines success?

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1. One Email, One Job

• Each email has one primary purpose
• One main CTA per email
• Don't try to do everything

2. Value Before Ask

• Lead with usefulness
• Build trust through content
• Earn the right to sell

3. Relevance Over Volume

• Fewer, better emails win
• Segment for relevance
• Quality > frequency

4. Clear Path Forward

• Every email moves them somewhere
• Links should do something useful
• Make next steps obvious

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Sequence Length

• Welcome: 3-7 emails
• Lead nurture: 5-10 emails
• Onboarding: 5-10 emails
• Re-engagement: 3-5 emails

Depends on:

• Sales cycle length
• Product complexity
• Relationship stage

Timing/Delays

• Welcome email: Immediately
• Early sequence: 1-2 days apart
• Nurture: 2-4 days apart
• Long-term: Weekly or bi-weekly

Consider:

• B2B: Avoid weekends
• B2C: Test weekends
• Time zones: Send at local time

Subject Line Strategy

• Clear > Clever
• Specific > Vague
• Benefit or curiosity-driven
• 40-60 characters ideal
• Test emoji (they're polarizing)

Patterns that work:

• Question: "Still struggling with X?"
• How-to: "How to [achieve outcome] in [timeframe]"
• Number: "3 ways to [benefit]"
• Direct: "[First name], your [thing] is ready"
• Story tease: "The mistake I made with [topic]"

Preview Text

• Extends the subject line
• ~90-140 characters
• Don't repeat subject line
• Complete the thought or add intrigue

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Welcome Sequence (Post-Signup)

Length: 5-7 emails over 12-14 days

Goal: Activate, build trust, convert

Key emails:

1. Welcome + deliver promised value (immediate)
2. Quick win (day 1-2)
3. Story/Why (day 3-4)
4. Social proof (day 5-6)
5. Overcome objection (day 7-8)
6. Core feature highlight (day 9-11)
7. Conversion (day 12-14)

Lead Nurture Sequence (Pre-Sale)

Length: 6-8 emails over 2-3 weeks

Goal: Build trust, demonstrate expertise, convert

Key emails:

1. Deliver lead magnet + intro (immediate)
2. Expand on topic (day 2-3)
3. Problem deep-dive (day 4-5)
4. Solution framework (day 6-8)
5. Case study (day 9-11)
6. Differentiation (day 12-14)
7. Objection handler (day 15-18)
8. Direct offer (day 19-21)

Re-Engagement Sequence

Length: 3-4 emails over 2 weeks

Trigger: 30-60 days of inactivity

Goal: Win back or clean list

Key emails:

1. Check-in (genuine concern)
2. Value reminder (what's new)
3. Incentive (special offer)
4. Last chance (stay or unsubscribe)

Onboarding Sequence (Product Users)

Length: 5-7 emails over 14 days

Goal: Activate, drive to aha moment, upgrade

Note: Coordinate with in-app onboarding—email supports, doesn't duplicate

Key emails:

1. Welcome + first step (immediate)
2. Getting started help (day 1)
3. Feature highlight (day 2-3)
4. Success story (day 4-5)
5. Check-in (day 7)
6. Advanced tip (day 10-12)
7. Upgrade/expand (day 14+)

For detailed templates: See [references/sequence-templates.md](references/sequence-templates.md)

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Onboarding Emails

• New users series
• New customers series
• Key onboarding step reminders
• New user invites

Retention Emails

• Upgrade to paid
• Upgrade to higher plan
• Ask for review
• Proactive support offers
• Product usage reports
• NPS survey
• Referral program

Billing Emails

• Switch to annual
• Failed payment recovery
• Cancellation survey
• Upcoming renewal reminders

Usage Emails

• Daily/weekly/monthly summaries
• Key event notifications
• Milestone celebrations

Win-Back Emails

• Expired trials
• Cancelled customers

Campaign Emails

• Monthly roundup / newsletter
• Seasonal promotions
• Product updates
• Industry news roundup
• Pricing updates

For detailed email type reference: See [references/email-types.md](references/email-types.md)

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Structure

1. Hook: First line grabs attention
2. Context: Why this matters to them
3. Value: The useful content
4. CTA: What to do next
5. Sign-off: Human, warm close

Formatting

• Short paragraphs (1-3 sentences)
• White space between sections
• Bullet points for scanability
• Bold for emphasis (sparingly)
• Mobile-first (most read on phone)

Tone

• Conversational, not formal
• First-person (I/we) and second-person (you)
• Active voice
• Read it out loud—does it sound human?

Length

• 50-125 words for transactional
• 150-300 words for educational
• 300-500 words for story-driven

CTA Guidelines

• Buttons for primary actions
• Links for secondary actions
• One clear primary CTA per email
• Button text: Action + outcome

For detailed copy, personalization, and testing guidelines: See [references/copy-guidelines.md](references/copy-guidelines.md)

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Sequence Overview

```

Sequence Name: [Name]

Trigger: [What starts the sequence]

Goal: [Primary conversion goal]

Length: [Number of emails]

Timing: [Delay between emails]

Exit Conditions: [When they leave the sequence]

```

For Each Email

```

Email [#]: [Name/Purpose]

Send: [Timing]

Subject: [Subject line]

Preview: [Preview text]

Body: [Full copy]

CTA: [Button text] → [Link destination]

Segment/Conditions: [If applicable]

```

Metrics Plan

What to measure and benchmarks

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1. What triggers entry to this sequence?
2. What's the primary goal/conversion action?
3. What do they already know about you?
4. What other emails are they receiving?
5. What's your current email performance?

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• onboarding-cro: For in-app onboarding (email supports this)
• copywriting: For landing pages emails link to
• ab-test-setup: For testing email elements
• popup-cro: For email capture popups