Email Sequences

Email Sequences — Sub-Skill

Overview

Email sequences are the backbone of automated email marketing. This sub-skill audits welcome, nurture, abandoned cart, win-back, and onboarding sequences with timing, subject line templates, content frameworks, and CTA strategies for each.

Command: /email sequences

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Sequence Audit Checklist

• [ ] Welcome sequence exists (5-7 emails)
• [ ] Nurture sequence exists for leads not ready to buy
• [ ] Abandoned cart sequence exists (if e-commerce)
• [ ] Win-back sequence for dormant subscribers
• [ ] Onboarding sequence for new customers/users
• [ ] Each sequence has clear exit criteria
• [ ] No subscriber is in conflicting sequences simultaneously
• [ ] Sequences are personalized by segment where possible
• [ ] Every email has a single, clear CTA
• [ ] Timing between emails is appropriate (not too aggressive)

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1. Welcome Sequence (5-7 Emails)

The welcome sequence is the highest-engagement sequence you'll ever send. New subscribers have 3-4x higher open rates than regular sends. Don't waste this window.

Timing & Structure

| Email # | Timing | Purpose | Subject Line Template | |---------|--------|---------|----------------------| | 1 | Immediate | Welcome + deliver promise | "Welcome! Here's your [lead magnet/benefit]" | | 2 | Day 1 | Brand story + mission | "Why we started [brand] (it's personal)" | | 3 | Day 3 | Best content / quick win | "The #1 thing our subscribers love" | | 4 | Day 5 | Social proof | "How [customer] achieved [result]" | | 5 | Day 7 | Overcome objections | "The question everyone asks about [topic]" | | 6 | Day 10 | Soft sell / offer | "Ready for [outcome]? Here's your next step" | | 7 | Day 14 | Transition to main list | "What to expect from us going forward" |

Content Framework per Email

Email 1 — The Welcome:

• Deliver the promised lead magnet/offer immediately
• Set expectations (what they'll receive, how often)
• Ask them to whitelist your email address
• Single CTA: access the lead magnet

Email 2 — The Story:

• Share your origin story or brand mission
• Make it personal and relatable
• Build emotional connection
• CTA: visit your about page or flagship content

Email 3 — The Quick Win:

• Provide your single most valuable piece of content
• Make it actionable — they should be able to implement today
• Build reciprocity and trust
• CTA: try the tip and reply with results

Email 4 — The Proof:

• Customer testimonial or case study
• Specific numbers and results
• Address the "does this really work?" objection
• CTA: see more success stories

Email 5 — The Objection Handler:

• Address the #1 reason people don't buy/engage
• FAQ format works well
• Be honest about limitations
• CTA: ask a question / reply

Email 6 — The Soft Sell:

• Present your product/service as the logical next step
• Time-limited offer or special welcome discount
• Clear value proposition
• CTA: shop now / start free trial / book a call

Email 7 — The Transition:

• Let them know the welcome series is ending
• Tell them what regular emails will look like
• Give them preference options (frequency, topics)
• CTA: update preferences

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2. Nurture Sequence (Ongoing)

For leads who aren't ready to buy. Goal: build trust, demonstrate expertise, stay top of mind.

Structure (4-8 week cycle)

| Week | Email Type | Purpose | |------|-----------|---------| | 1 | Educational | Teach something valuable related to your product | | 2 | Case Study | Show results others have achieved | | 3 | Tool/Resource | Share a useful resource (template, calculator, guide) | | 4 | Behind the Scenes | Show your process, team, or methodology | | 5 | Common Mistake | Address a pain point they likely have | | 6 | Comparison/Guide | Help them evaluate options (including yours) | | 7 | Community/Social | Highlight community, user stories, social proof | | 8 | Soft CTA | Gentle nudge toward conversion |

Nurture Best Practices

• Send 1-2 emails per week maximum
• 80% value, 20% promotion
• Always include an unsubscribe option
• Segment nurture paths by interest/behavior if possible
• Monitor engagement and move to re-engagement if opens drop

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3. Abandoned Cart Sequence (3 Emails)

Abandoned cart emails recover 5-15% of lost revenue. This is the highest-ROI sequence for e-commerce.

Timing & Structure

| Email # | Timing | Subject Line Template | Content Strategy | |---------|--------|-----------------------|-----------------| | 1 | 1 hour | "You left something behind" | Product image, simple reminder, no discount | | 2 | 24 hours | "Still thinking about [product]?" | Add social proof (reviews, ratings), address concerns | | 3 | 72 hours | "Last chance + [incentive]" | Offer discount/free shipping, create urgency |

Cart Email Content Framework

Email 1 — The Reminder (1 hour):

• Show the exact product(s) left in cart
• Include product image and price
• One-click return to cart CTA
• Keep it simple — no discount yet
• Expected recovery: 40-50% of total cart recoveries

Email 2 — The Convincer (24 hours):

• Product image + star rating/reviews
• Address common objections (shipping, returns, quality)
• Add customer testimonials for the specific product
• "Still have questions? Reply to this email"
• Expected recovery: 30-35% of total cart recoveries

Email 3 — The Closer (72 hours):

• Final reminder with urgency ("cart expires in 24 hours")
• Offer incentive: 10% off or free shipping
• Include scarcity if real ("only X left in stock")
• Clear "Complete Your Order" CTA
• Expected recovery: 15-25% of total cart recoveries

Cart Sequence Rules

• Never send cart emails for items under $10 (not worth the discount)
• Exclude customers who already purchased
• Cap the discount (10-15% max — don't train people to abandon)
• Suppress if customer has received 3+ cart sequences in 30 days

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4. Win-Back Sequence (3-5 Emails)

Target subscribers who haven't engaged (opened or clicked) in 60-90 days.

Timing & Structure

| Email # | Timing | Subject Line Template | Strategy | |---------|--------|-----------------------|----------| | 1 | Day 0 | "We miss you, [name]" | Emotional appeal, remind value | | 2 | Day 7 | "Here's what you've missed" | Best content recap, FOMO | | 3 | Day 14 | "Special offer just for you" | Exclusive incentive | | 4 | Day 21 | "Should we stop emailing you?" | Direct question, preference update | | 5 | Day 28 | "This is goodbye (unless...)" | Final notice before removal |

Win-Back Rules

• Define "inactive" clearly (90 days no opens/clicks is standard)
• If no engagement after email 5, move to suppressed list
• Don't delete — suppress. They may re-engage via other channels.
• Win-back should feel personal, not automated
• Expected win-back rate: 5-15% of dormant list

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5. Onboarding Sequence (5-8 Emails)

For new customers or users. Goal: drive product adoption, reduce churn, increase lifetime value.

Timing & Structure

| Email # | Timing | Purpose | Subject Line Template | |---------|--------|---------|----------------------| | 1 | Immediate | Welcome + getting started | "Welcome aboard! Here's your first step" | | 2 | Day 1 | Core feature #1 | "Do this first: [key action]" | | 3 | Day 3 | Core feature #2 | "Unlock [benefit] with [feature]" | | 4 | Day 5 | Social proof / use case | "How [customer] uses [product] daily" | | 5 | Day 7 | Advanced feature | "Pro tip: [advanced feature]" | | 6 | Day 10 | Check-in / support | "How's it going? (We're here to help)" | | 7 | Day 14 | Milestone celebration | "You've accomplished [milestone]!" | | 8 | Day 21 | Upsell / expand | "Ready for the next level?" |

Onboarding CTA Strategy

• Email 1-2: Complete setup / take first action
• Email 3-4: Use a specific feature
• Email 5-6: Explore advanced features / contact support
• Email 7-8: Upgrade / refer a friend / leave a review

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Sequence Scoring

| Criterion | Weight | Scoring | |-----------|--------|---------| | Welcome sequence exists | 25% | 0 or 100 | | Welcome sequence has 5+ emails | 10% | 0-100 based on count | | Nurture sequence exists | 15% | 0 or 100 | | Abandoned cart exists (e-commerce) | 20% | 0 or 100 (N/A if not e-commerce) | | Win-back sequence exists | 15% | 0 or 100 | | Onboarding sequence exists | 15% | 0 or 100 |

Bonus points: Personalization by segment (+10), behavioral triggers (+10), proper exit criteria (+5)

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: 0-shiv
• Source: 0-shiv/secondstep-claude-skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.