panaversity SEQUENCE DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Before building any sequence, apply these principles:
QUALITY OVER VOLUME: Each touch must add value or offer a new angle. Never send "Just checking in." Never repeat the same message. Each touch uses a DISTINCT hook, proof point, or angle not present in any previous touch. Plan the distribution of available hooks across touches before writing — do not front-load all proof points into Touch 1.
CHANNEL VARIETY: Mix LinkedIn and email. Different channels reach people at different moments. Phone for HOT leads after Touch 2.
VALUE ESCALATION: Early touches are about them. Later touches introduce social proof and specifics. Final touch is graceful exit. Reserve your strongest proof point (case study, customer result) for Touch 3-4, not Touch 1 — social proof converts better after rapport is established.
BRANCH ON REPLY: As soon as prospect responds, sequence STOPS. All subsequent communication is human-led, not automated.
TIMING: HOT leads -- faster cadence. WARM leads -- slower. Never contact more than once in 3 days on the same channel.
STANDARD SEQUENCE STRUCTURES
HOT Lead Sequence (6 touches, 21 days)
Touch 1 -- Day 1 | Primary channel (LinkedIn or Email) [Personalised first outreach -- see outreach skill]
Touch 2 -- Day 3 | Secondary channel (Email if T1 was LinkedIn; vice versa) [Same hook, different medium. Reference T1 briefly if appropriate. Add one new data point or angle. Repeat the one ask.]
Touch 3 -- Day 7 | Value add -- no ask [Send something genuinely useful: relevant case study, industry stat, short framework. No pitch. "Thought this might be relevant given what you're navigating at [Company]." Opens goodwill without pressure.]
Touch 4 -- Day 10 | Problem reframe -- ask [Share a specific insight about the problem -- not your product. 3 patterns you see in their sector. What your best customers say about the problem before they solved it. End with the ask again.]
Touch 5 -- Day 17 | Trigger check or new signal [If new signal has appeared (news, post, job ad): reference it. If not: "I've reached out a few times -- is this timing off, or not the right priority? Either way, I'm happy to hear it."]
Touch 6 -- Day 21 | Graceful close [Short. Respectful. Leave door open. "I've reached out several times without hearing back -- I'll assume the timing isn't right. If that changes, I'm here. [Name]." No ask. No guilt. Prospect remembers how you left.]
WARM Lead Sequence (5 touches, 35 days)
Touch 1 -- Day 1 | Email (lighter personalisation than HOT) Touch 2 -- Day 7 | LinkedIn -- value add Touch 3 -- Day 14 | Email -- problem insight, no pitch Touch 4 -- Day 28 | Email or LinkedIn -- soft check-in Touch 5 -- Day 35 | Graceful close
RE-ENGAGEMENT Sequence (3 touches, 21 days)
For prospects who went cold after initial engagement:
Touch 1 -- Day 1 | Reference last interaction specifically ["We spoke about X in [Month] -- I wanted to reconnect because [new signal or development that's changed since then]..."] Touch 2 -- Day 10 | New value: something relevant that has changed Touch 3 -- Day 21 | Graceful close or hand-off
SEQUENCE OUTPUT FORMAT
OUTREACH SEQUENCE: [Prospect Name] / [Company]
Lead tier: [HOT / WARM / RE-ENGAGE] Sequence: [N] touches over [N] days Goal: [Discovery call / Demo / Re-engagement] Channels: [Mix -- e.g. LinkedIn x3 + Email x3]
TOUCH 1 -- Day [N] | [Channel] [Full message text] Word count: [N]
TOUCH 2 -- Day [N] | [Channel] [Full message text] Word count: [N]
[... all touches ...]
BRANCHING RULES:
- Reply received at any touch -> EXIT SEQUENCE; alert rep immediately
- LinkedIn connection accepted without reply -> warm follow-up DM (not the generic sequence touch)
- Email open (no click) after Touch 3 -> move Touch 4 forward 3 days
- Bounce detected -> pause sequence; alert rep; verify new email via /enrich
SEQUENCE COMPLETION:
- If no response after all touches: move to CULTIVATE nurture cadence
- Log in CRM: "Sequence completed -- [date] -- no response"
- Re-evaluate timing signal in 90 days via /enrich
NEVER DO THESE
- NEVER continue a sequence after a prospect has replied -- ANY reply (even negative) means exit the sequence and go human
- NEVER use "Just checking in" as an opening for any touch
- NEVER send more than one touch per channel within 3 days
- NEVER repeat identical content across touches -- each touch must add something the previous touch did not contain
- NEVER skip the graceful close -- ending without a proper close burns the relationship for future attempts
- NEVER build a sequence without the research brief completed first (sequences built without personalisation perform at generic template level)