iblai /iblai-marketing-email-sequence
Design email sequences that nurture relationships, drive action, and move people toward conversion.
Step 0: Context Check
Read .agents/product-marketing-context.md (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md
on older setups) first. Only ask for what isn't there.
Pin down before drafting:
Sequence Type
- Welcome/onboarding
- Lead nurture
- Re-engagement
- Post-purchase
- Event-based
- Educational
- Sales
Audience Context
- Who they are
- What triggered them into this sequence
- What they already know/believe
- Current relationship with you
Goals
- Primary conversion goal
- Relationship-building goals
- Segmentation goals
- Definition of success
Core Principles
- One email, one job. One primary purpose. One CTA. Don't try to do everything.
- Value before ask. Lead with usefulness. Build trust through content. Earn the right to sell.
- Relevance over volume. Fewer, better emails win. Segment for relevance. Quality > frequency.
- Clear path forward. Every email moves the reader somewhere. Make next steps obvious.
Sequence Strategy
Length
- Welcome: 3-7 emails
- Lead nurture: 5-10 emails
- Onboarding: 5-10 emails
- Re-engagement: 3-5 emails
Calibrate by:
- 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
Calibrate by:
- B2B: avoid weekends
- B2C: test weekends
- Time zones: send at local time
Subject Lines
- Clear > clever
- Specific > vague
- Benefit- or curiosity-driven
- 40-60 characters ideal
- Test emoji (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 the subject line
- Complete the thought or add intrigue
Sequence Types
Welcome Sequence (Post-Signup)
Length: 5-7 emails over 12-14 days Goal: Activate, build trust, convert
Key emails:
- Welcome + deliver promised value (immediate)
- Quick win (day 1-2)
- Story/Why (day 3-4)
- Social proof (day 5-6)
- Overcome objection (day 7-8)
- Core feature highlight (day 9-11)
- 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:
- Deliver lead magnet + intro (immediate)
- Expand on topic (day 2-3)
- Problem deep-dive (day 4-5)
- Solution framework (day 6-8)
- Case study (day 9-11)
- Differentiation (day 12-14)
- Objection handler (day 15-18)
- 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:
- Check-in (genuine concern)
- Value reminder (what's new)
- Incentive (special offer)
- 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:
- Welcome + first step (immediate)
- Getting started help (day 1)
- Feature highlight (day 2-3)
- Success story (day 4-5)
- Check-in (day 7)
- Advanced tip (day 10-12)
- Upgrade/expand (day 14+)
Detailed templates: references/sequence-templates.md.
Email Types by Category
Onboarding
- New users series
- New customers series
- Key onboarding step reminders
- New user invites
Retention
- Upgrade to paid
- Upgrade to higher plan
- Ask for review
- Proactive support offers
- Product usage reports
- NPS survey
- Referral program
Billing
- Switch to annual
- Failed payment recovery
- Cancellation survey
- Upcoming renewal reminders
Usage
- Daily/weekly/monthly summaries
- Key event notifications
- Milestone celebrations
Win-Back
- Expired trials
- Cancelled customers
Campaign
- Monthly roundup / newsletter
- Seasonal promotions
- Product updates
- Industry news roundup
- Pricing updates
Detailed reference: references/email-types.md.
Copy Guidelines
Structure
- Hook — first line grabs attention
- Context — why this matters to them
- Value — the useful content
- CTA — what to do next
- Sign-off — human, warm close
Formatting
- Short paragraphs (1-3 sentences)
- White space between sections
- Bullets for scannability
- Bold for emphasis (sparingly)
- Mobile-first (most reads happen on phone)
Tone
- Conversational, not formal
- First-person (I/we) and second-person (you)
- Active voice
- Read it aloud — does it sound human?
Length
- 50-125 words for transactional
- 150-300 words for educational
- 300-500 words for story-driven
CTAs
- Buttons for primary actions
- Links for secondary actions
- One clear primary CTA per email
- Button text: Action + outcome
Detailed copy, personalization, and testing guidelines: references/copy-guidelines.md.
Output Format
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]
Per 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.
Task-Specific Questions
- What triggers entry to this sequence?
- Primary goal / conversion action?
- What do they already know about you?
- What other emails are they receiving?
- Current email performance?
Tool Integrations
See the tools registry. Key email tools:
| Tool | Best For | MCP | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer.io | Behavior-based automation | - | customer-io.md |
| Mailchimp | SMB email marketing | ✓ | mailchimp.md |
| Nitrosend | AI-native email (sequences via prompts) | ✓ | nitrosend.md |
| Resend | Developer-friendly transactional | ✓ | resend.md |
| SendGrid | Transactional email at scale | - | sendgrid.md |
| Kit | Creator/newsletter focused | - | kit.md |
Related Skills
- iblai-marketing-lead-magnets: Lead magnets that feed nurture sequences
- iblai-marketing-churn-prevention: Cancel flows, save offers, dunning (email supports this)
- iblai-marketing-onboarding-cro: In-app onboarding (email supports this)
- iblai-marketing-copywriting: Landing pages emails link to
- iblai-marketing-ab-test-setup: Testing email elements
- iblai-marketing-popup-cro: Email capture popups
- iblai-marketing-revops: Lifecycle stages that trigger email sequences