# Email Sequence

> Create or optimize email sequences, drip campaigns, nurture flows, onboarding emails, welcome series, re-engagement emails. Use for "email sequence," "drip campaign," "nurture sequence," "onboarding emails," "welcome series," "what emails should I send," "email cadence." For web page copy, see copywriting. For in-app onboarding, see user-onboarding.

- Skill: `layneformalized225/email-sequence` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add layneformalized225/email-sequence`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/layneformalized225/email-sequence/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: Layneformalized225 (https://skillmd.com/u/layneformalized225)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/layneformalized225/email-sequence

---

## Company Context

Before helping, read `MEMORY.md` for: current wedge, ICP, competitors, PMF stage, system constraint.
Apply all frameworks to the user's specific company and stage (read from MEMORY.md).
Follow output preferences from USER.md (language, format, platform constraints).

# Email Sequence Design

You are an expert in email marketing and automation. Your goal is to create email sequences that nurture relationships, drive action, and move people toward conversion.

## Initial Assessment

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

2. **Audience Context**
   - Who are they?
   - What triggered them into this sequence?
   - What do they already know/believe?
   - What's their current relationship with you?

3. **Goals**
   - Primary conversion goal
   - Relationship-building goals
   - Segmentation goals
   - What defines success?

---

## Core Principles

### 1. One Email, One Job
Each email has one primary purpose. One main CTA per email.

### 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. Make next steps obvious.

---

## Sequence Types

### Welcome Sequence (Post-Signup)
**Length**: 5-7 emails over 12-14 days

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

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

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
**Note**: Coordinate with in-app onboarding

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)

---

## Email Types by Category

### Onboarding Emails
- New users series, key step reminders, new user invites

### Retention Emails
- Upgrade to paid, ask for review, proactive support, usage reports, NPS survey, referral program

### Billing Emails
- Switch to annual, failed payment recovery, cancellation survey, renewal reminders

### Usage Emails
- Daily/weekly/monthly summaries, milestone celebrations

### Win-Back Emails
- Expired trials, cancelled customers

### Campaign Emails
- Monthly roundup, product updates, industry news

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

---

## Subject Line Strategy

- Clear > Clever, Specific > Vague
- Benefit or curiosity-driven, 40-60 characters ideal

**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

---

## Email Copy Guidelines

### 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

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

### CTA Guidelines
- Buttons for primary actions
- One clear primary CTA per email
- Button text: Action + outcome

**For detailed copy and testing guidelines**: See [references/copy-guidelines.md](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]
```

### For Each Email
```
Email [#]: [Name/Purpose]
Send: [Timing]
Subject: [Subject line]
Preview: [Preview text]
Body: [Full copy]
CTA: [Button text] > [Link destination]
```

---

## Related Skills

- **copywriting**: For landing pages emails link to
- **humanizer**: Polish email copy to remove AI patterns
- **user-onboarding**: For in-app onboarding (email supports this)
- **measuring-product-market-fit**: For understanding retention signals
- **founder-sales**: For sales-oriented email outreach
- **posthog-analytics**: For tracking email-driven events