Email sequence

A sequence does the patient follow-up that a person would otherwise do by hand. Sales time goes to people who are ready to talk, while the sequence warms up everyone else. Because it aims at one outcome, it stays coherent in a way a long, broad stream does not. It also produces signals. An open hints at interest, a click shows what the person cares about, and silence usually means poor fit or poor timing.

• Define the end before writing. What does the reader already know, and what is the one action the last email should produce?
• Make each email work alone, because some recipients read only one and may read them out of order.
• Set an exit rule. The moment someone replies, clicks through or books, remove them and hand them to a person.
• Leave a few days between emails.
• Track completion, conversion and the time it takes people to act, then adjust timing and copy.

A sequence has a clear start and a clear end. The start is an event, such as a download or an enquiry. The end is one action, such as a booked call. In between sit three to six emails, each building on the one before. It is shorter and sharper than a drip campaign, which is a longer stream that keeps a wider audience warm.

• Treating a reply as a cue to send more.
• Writing each email as a reminder of the last one, with nothing new in it.
• Using one sequence for people at very different stages.