/email-sequence

name: email-sequence
description: Designs complete email automation sequences with timing, subject lines, copy, and conditional logic. Supports welcome series, nurture campaigns, re-engagement, abandoned cart, post-purchase, review requests, and custom sequences. Adapts sequence type, cadence, frameworks, and conditional branching to business context. Use when user wants to create an automated email series triggered by subscriber actions or time intervals.
user-invocable: false
allowed-tools:
  - Read
  - Write
  - Grep
  - Glob

Email Sequence Designer

Designs complete email automation sequences with strategic timing, persuasive copy, and conditional logic.

Quick Reference

| Sequence Type | Emails | Duration | Best For | |---------------|--------|----------|----------| | Welcome Series | 4-6 | 14 days | New subscribers | | Nurture | 6-10 | 6-10 weeks | Education, engagement | | Re-engagement | 3-5 | 28 days | Inactive subscribers | | Abandoned Cart | 3 | 3 days | E-commerce recovery | | Post-Purchase | 4-6 | 30 days | Customer experience | | Review Request | 1-2 | 1-24 hours | Social proof | | Custom | Variable | Variable | Specific goals |

Execution Protocol

Step 1: Load Context

Read the business profile for context:

• `email-profile.md` (project root)

Load reference files for frameworks and benchmarks:

• `references/copy-frameworks.md`
• `references/benchmarks.md`

Step 2: Gather Sequence Requirements

Ask the user: 1. **Sequence type**: welcome, nurture, re-engagement, abandoned-cart, post-purchase, review-request, or custom 2. **If custom**: goal, trigger event, desired email count, preferred cadence, tone

Confirm business context from profile:

• Industry
• Target audience
• Brand voice
• Primary offer/product

Step 3: Design Sequence Architecture

Based on sequence type, define:

• Total number of emails
• Timing between emails
• Framework assignment per email
• Conditional logic rules
• KPI targets

Step 4: Generate Each Email

For each email in sequence, create: 1. **Position and timing**: Email X, Day Y or Hours after trigger 2. **Subject lines**: 3 variants with scores (60-100) 3. **Preheader text**: 30-80 characters 4. **Email body**: Full copy following assigned framework 5. **CTA**: Button text and link placeholder 6. **Conditional logic**: What happens based on engagement

Step 5: Add Implementation Guidance

Include:

• Platform setup notes
• A/B test recommendations
• KPI benchmarks for this sequence type
• Segment considerations

Sequence Type Templates

1. Welcome Series (4-6 emails, 14 days)

**Standard Timeline:**

• Email 1: Immediate (welcome + deliver lead magnet)
• Email 2: Day 1 (brand story)
• Email 3: Day 2 (best content/resource)
• Email 4: Day 4 (social proof)
• Email 5: Day 7 (soft offer)
• Email 6: Day 14 (stronger CTA or segmentation)

**Framework Assignment:**

• Email 1: BAB (Before-After-Bridge)
• Email 2: BAB (Before-After-Bridge)
• Email 3: FAB (Features-Advantages-Benefits)
• Email 4: 4Ps (Picture-Promise-Prove-Push)
• Email 5: AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action)
• Email 6: PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution)

**KPI Targets:**

• Average open rate: 40-60%
• Average click rate: 3-8%
• Conversion rate: 2-5%

2. Nurture Sequence (6-10 emails, 6-10 weeks)

**Cadence**: 1-2 emails per week

**Content Mix**:

• 80% value (education, tips, resources)
• 20% promotion (offers, CTAs)

**Framework Rotation**: PAS -> FAB -> BAB -> 4Ps -> AIDA -> repeat

**Progressive Profiling**: Gather data over time through link clicks, survey questions

**KPI Targets:**

• Average open rate: 25-35%
• Average click rate: 2-5%
• Conversion rate: 1-3%

3. Re-engagement / Win-Back (3-5 emails, 28 days)

**Trigger**: 90 days no click engagement (not opens, due to Apple MPP)

**Standard Timeline:**

• Email 1: Day 0 (friendly check-in)
• Email 2: Day 5-7 (value reminder)
• Email 3: Day 10-14 (incentive offer)
• Email 4: Day 21 (last chance)
• Email 5: Day 28 (final goodbye)

**Framework Assignment:**

• Email 1: BAB (Before-After-Bridge)
• Email 2: 4Ps (Picture-Promise-Prove-Push)
• Email 3: AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action)
• Email 4: PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution)
• Email 5: Direct

**After sequence**: Remove non-responders from active list to protect sender reputation

**KPI Targets:**

• Average open rate: 15-25%
• Average click rate: 1-3%
• Re-engagement rate: 5-10%

4. Abandoned Cart (3 emails, 3 days)

**Standard Timeline:**

• Email 1: 1 hour (reminder, no discount)
• Email 2: 24 hours (address objections, social proof)
• Email 3: 48-72 hours (incentive offer)

**Framework Assignment:**

• Email 1: Direct
• Email 2: PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution)
• Email 3: AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action)

**Show cart items**: Include product images, names, prices in email body

**Target recovery rate**: 5-15%

**KPI Targets:**

• Email 1 open rate: 40-50%
• Email 2 open rate: 30-40%
• Email 3 open rate: 25-35%
• Total recovery rate: 10-18%

5. Post-Purchase (4-6 emails, 30 days)

**Standard Timeline:**

• Email 1: Immediate (order confirmation)
• Email 2: Shipped (shipping notification)
• Email 3: Delivered (delivery confirmation + tips)
• Email 4: Day 7 (value-add content)
• Email 5: Day 14 (review request)
• Email 6: Day 30 (cross-sell/upsell)

**Framework Assignment:**

• Email 1: Direct
• Email 2: Direct
• Email 3: FAB (Features-Advantages-Benefits)
• Email 4: BAB (Before-After-Bridge)
• Email 5: PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution)
• Email 6: AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action)

**KPI Targets:**

• Average open rate: 50-70%
• Average click rate: 5-12%
• Review request response: 5-15%
• Cross-sell conversion: 3-8%

6. Review Request (1-2 emails)

**Timing varies by business type:**

• Restaurant/food: within 24 hours
• Salon/spa/service: same day or next day
• Home services: 24-48 hours
• Retail (simple products): 1-2 days
• Shoes/clothing: 1-2 weeks
• Courses/coaching: 1+ week
• Medical/dental: 24 hours

**Framework**: PA