Welcome Series
New subscriber onboarding
Nurture Funnel
Build trust over time
Promotional
Launch or sale campaign
Re-engagement
Win back inactive subs
Load a Template
How to Plan an Email Sequence
An email sequence (also called an autoresponder or drip campaign) is a series of pre-written emails sent automatically based on a trigger — usually subscribing to your list, making a purchase, or downloading a lead magnet. The key difference between a sequence and a newsletter is timing: sequences are spaced to guide a subscriber through a specific journey, while newsletters go to everyone at once.
Proven Email Sequence Structures
- Welcome series (3–5 emails) — Day 0: Deliver the lead magnet + warm welcome. Day 1: Your story and why you're different. Day 3: Your best content or most popular resource. Day 5: Social proof + soft CTA. Day 7: Direct offer or next step.
- Nurture sequence (7–14 emails) — Education-first. Each email teaches something valuable with a light CTA at the end. Build credibility before asking for anything.
- Product launch (5–7 emails) — Pre-launch: tease + build anticipation. Launch day: announce with full offer. Day 2–4: social proof, FAQ, objections. Last day: urgency + deadline. Close: results or transition to next sequence.
- Re-engagement (3 emails) — Email 1: "We miss you" + ask if they still want emails. Email 2: Your best recent content. Email 3: "Last chance" before unsubscribing them.
Optimal Email Timing
- Welcome sequence — Send immediately after opt-in, then Day 1, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7. Don't wait — engagement is highest in the first 48 hours.
- Nurture — Every 2–3 days. Too frequent feels pushy; too infrequent and they forget you.
- Promotional — Can be daily during a 3–5 day launch. This is acceptable because it's time-limited.
- Re-engagement — Week 1, Week 2, Week 3. Space it out to give them a chance to re-engage naturally.