EMAIL MARKETING WORKFLOW PLAYBOOK Follow these outlines to create email sequences for
your business. Remember, these are launching points for your custom sequences. Every business will be different, so customise and make them your own.
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ABOUT PATH DIGITAL SOLUTIONS Path Digital Solutions combines the largest knowledge base of digital marketing pros on planet Earth with the latest marketing tech you’ll find anywhere. We’re on a mission to double the size of 10,000 businesses and want to help you: Drive more traffic, produce better content, write better emails that generate clicks and get actual revenue for your business.
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Building an email list is essential to the long-term success of your business. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we have to agree that email marketing works. We all know that when Facebook changes their algorithm or Google hikes their prices many business are going to be in a frenzy not knowing how to reach their audience or if they can afford to run paid ads. That’s why email matters. Email is such a crucial part of business because no algorithm change or third-party platform can stand in the way between you and your audience. However, we face one problem. Email can be overwhelming. If you don’t have someone dedicated to creating email campaigns for you, it will never quite seem to work. Most business leaders probably already have a list by now, but are you really maximising its potential? We’re going to change that today. We’re giving you the absolute bare minimum email strategy you need to find success from email.
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Now, when we talk about email strategy, we’re not talking about one-time email blasts to everyone in your list. A few reasons why. Not everyone is going to respond to your 1 email Not everyone is going to be interested in this offer You want to understand your users’ behaviours and funnel them to content that’s relevant to them That’s why you’ll want to have automated email sequences. An email sequence is basically a series of emails that get sent to individual contacts in your list based on actions they took or did not take.
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THE INDOCTRINATION SERIES
Contact subscribers to list for the first time
No delay- Immediate
Purpose: Welcome subscribers to the list and give them essential information.
Send: Email 1 Welcome
Email 1: Welcome to the list and what
Delay Day
Email 2: Send them links to your best
Send: Email 2 Best Content
the subscriber can expect
content and explain why you can help them
Delay Day
Email 3: Invite to additional content, resources to help (eg. FB group, free ebook etc)
Send: Email 3 Free Invite
Email 4: Send your best offer or
Delay Day
promotion (this should be a super low dollar offer)
Send: Email 4 Best Low Dollar Offer
Email 5: Tell them how they are a part of your company’s mission and why they should jump in on this offer (even more useful if you have membership portals, affiliate partnership etc)
Email 6: Send a piece of content along with your best offer again
Delay Day Did contact make purchase? YES End Automation
NO Send: Email 5 Mission Delay Day Did contact make purchase?
YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 6 Content & Best LDO
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THE HIGHLIGHT SERIES Purpose: Teach the subscriber how to get the most value from your product or service. This is best used when a customer has displayed high purchase intent (eg. clicked to your product page several times, but never purchased or always clicks on your emails but never takes action) All these emails should have a CTA back to your checkout page/ link to talk to sales
Contact affairs & certain Lead Score Delay Day
Send: Email 1 Made Purchase Delay Day
Did customer make purchase? YES End Automation
Did customer make purchase? YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 3 Testimonial
Email 2: Give them a case study of how a past customer enjoyed tremendous success Email 3: Send written/video testimonials as social proof
Send: Email 2 Case study Delay Day
Email 1: Explanation of the main feature
(the one most people sign up to enjoy)
NO
Delay Day
Did customer make purchase? YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 4 Lesser -- Feature Delay Day
Email 4: Explanation of a lesser-known feature
Did customer make purchase?
Email 5: Display 1-3 more use cases of
how your product/service can enrich their lives further
YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 5 Use cases Delay Day
Email 6: Upsell or bundle an offer as a
Did customer make purchase?
final push
YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 6 Bundle offer
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PURCHASE TRIGGERS
(especially useful for ecommerce) Trigger #1
Trigger #2
Trigger #3
Trigger #4
Trigger #5
Trigger #6
CART ABANDON
CROSS SELL
OUT OF STOCK
TIME TO REPURCHASE
SPECIAL COUPON CODE
CUSTOMER WINBACK
Trigger #7
Trigger #8
Trigger #9
LIMITED TIME OFFER
PRICE REDUCED
RELATED SALES
Purpose: Remind the subscriber that they still need to make a purchase. Instead of a sequence, create emails that respond to triggers in your email marketing system.
Trigger 1:
The subscriber fails to complete checkout
Trigger 2:
Subscriber purchased an item, but didn’t purchase related essentials
Trigger 3:
The product they usually buy is running out of stock. They should buy now
Trigger 4:
Their product is finishing/subscription is ending and they should restock/renew
Trigger 5:
They have a coupon code to use by a certain date (eg. birthday, anniversary offer)
Trigger 6: It’s been a long time since the customer bought. Remind them to purchase again Trigger 7:
There is a limited time offer for the product they usually buy
Trigger 8: The price of a product/service has been reduced Trigger 9: Related products to previous purchase are on sale
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Customer Purchases Product
THE UPGRADE SERIES
60-90 Days
depending on price value of your product
Send: Email 1 Value
Purpose: Convince a paying customer to buy more and buy more often.
Delay 2 Days
Send: Email 2 Feedback
Email 1: Remind the subscriber of the
value they received from your product/service
Delay 2 Days
Send: Email 3 Freebie
Email 2: Request feedback/ get an NPS for the product/service they received Email 3: Give them a freebie/ethical bribe that’s related to your next-tier product and explain how this could improve their success Email 4: Describe some new features in this upgrade and help them envision their lives with it
Delay 2 Days
Send: Email 4 New Features Delay 2 Days
Did customer make purchase? YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 5 Limited time offer Delay 2 Days
Did customer make purchase?
Email 5: Send a time-sensitive special offer/promotion for the new product/service
Email 6: Remind subscriber that the
YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 6 Offer expiring
offer is expiring
Delay 1 Day
Did customer make purchase?
Email 7: Create urgency to purchase right now
Email 8: Apologise that they didn’t get
to purchase at the discounted price, but let them know they can still get it
YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 7 Closing 5,4,3,2,1... Delay 1 Day
Did customer make purchase? YES
NO
End Automation
Send: Email 8 I'm Sorry
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Contact enters main list
THE RE-ENGAGEMENT SERIES Purpose: Re-engage subscribers who haven’t interacted with the brand in a while
60 Days
Has contact clicked on any link in any email campaign YES End Automation
NO Send: Email 1 Re-intro Delay 1 Day Has contact opened email 1?
Email 1: Say hello again, and remind them of the value of your product
YES End Automation
NO Send: Email 2 Best content Delay 1 Day
Email 2: Reintroduce subscribers to your (newest) best content Email 3: Send a free resource to get them interested in you again. Email 4: Send your best offer to entice them to engage again
Has contact opened email 2?
YES End Automation
Has contact opened email 3?
YES End Automation
NO Send: Email 4 Best Offer Delay 1 Day
Did contact made purchase? YES End Automation
Email 6: Send them a reminder telling
them the offer is expiring and won’t get it again.
Send: Email 3 Free Resource Delay 1 Day
Email 5: Send a one-time discount for a limited time on another offer (only for disengaged subscribers)
NO
NO Send: Email 5 One-time Discount Delay 1 Day
Did contact made purchase? YES End Automation
NO Send: Email 6 Last Chance Delay 1 Day
Did contact click on any link in email 4, 5 or 6? YES End Automation
NO Unsubscribe from main list Subscribe to Disengaged List
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THE EVANGELIST SERIES Purpose: Turn existing fans into evangelists who help with your marketing Email 1:
Thank the subscriber for being a special fan/customer and introduce a referral discount or program
Customer purchasemore than 3x
Delay 7 Days Send: Email 1 Referral Offer intro
Email 2: Send a special discount code or
have a special product/bundle only available for your biggest fans. You can even consider sending them a free gift as a surprise.
Delay 1 Day Send: Email 2
Special Personal Promo
Email 3: Ask the subscriber to share a piece of content (eg. take a photo of them using your product and tag you on social media)
Email 4: Remind them to use the special discount, or lose it forever
Email 5: Tell your subscriber that it’s ok if they don’t want anything else, then ask “can you do us a favour?” and get the subscriber to submit a testimonial or review, with an attached link. You can consider giving them a reward for giving you the testimonial too.
Delay 2 Days Did customer take any action? YES Send: Email 3 Share
Send: Email 4 Reminder Delay 30 Days Did customer take any action?
YES End Automation
Email 6: Ask the subscriber to
message you on social media or reply to this email with the reason “we just want to know how we can serve you better, you matter because you’re our loyal customer”. The key is personal engagement.
NO
NO Send: Email 5 Testimonial Delay 2 Days Did customer take any action?
YES End Automation
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NO Send: Email 6 Personal Connection
THE CONSUMPTION SERIES Purpose: Help subscribers reach a certain point of value with the service while increasing “product activation”. By making it easier for the user to utilise your product, it improves the retention rate. This series works for any offer, free or paid. But you have to tailor it for each specific situation. You can extend this series as long as you deem fit, in order to educate your customer. You can attach an upsell sequence behind this if you’d like.
Email 1:
Thank them for taking action on your previous offer, acknowledge their problem and offer to help solve it.
Email 2: Send an onboarding document or video on how to get started with the product/set it up.
Email 3: Send product tips on how this can help overcome their biggest challenge
Email 4: Send use cases with actionable steps to get them quick wins
Email 5: Check-in to see if everything is ok
and they’re enjoying your product. Offer to help if they need (eg. link to customer support)
Email 6: Discuss how your product can be used alongside complementary products they are already using.
Contact opts in for offer
No Delay-immediate Send: Email 1 Thank You Delay 1 Day Send: Email 2
Onboarding Document/Video
Delay 2 Days Send: Email 3 Product tips Delay 2 Days Send: Email 4 Use cases Delay 2 Days Send: Email 5 Just checking in Delay 2 Days Send: Email 6 Complimentary Products
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THE PRIMERCONVERSION SERIES Purpose: Deliver value in advance, proving that you are an authority in the space and can help solve their problems. Then offer to help them. The first 3 emails in this series are the “primers” and the next 3 are the “conversions”. You can choose to add more emails in the “primer” section if your product is of a higher value.
Contact is identified as ready for a sale
Delay 1 Day Send: Email 1 PProblem-based content Delay 2 Days
Email 1: Send a short piece of content
that can be consumed within 23 minutes that can help give them a better understanding of the problem they are facing.
Send: Email 2 Solution Based Content Delay 2 Days
Email 2: Send another piece of content
that shows various ways the problem can be solved. Make sure the tone is neutral and the content is actually valuable enough so your subscriber is more educated on how the various solutions work.
Send: Email 3
Transformation Based Content
Delay 1 Day Send: Email 4 Gain-based Content
Email 3: Send one more piece of content
describing the extent that the problem affects them, that they might not be aware of, and how life their life would be transformed by overcoming this obstacle
Email 4: Focus on what your subscriber
stands to gain by using your solution. Consider angles like money, time, energy, higher status, lesser worries, a better life for those around them etc.
Delay 1 Day Did customer made purchase? YES End Automation
is the only reasonable choice they should make. Be careful not to put down your competitors.
scarcity tactics. Consider limited time offers and emphasise what they stand to lose if they don’t take action now.
Delay 1 Day Send: Email 5 Logic- based Content
Email 5: Appeal to their logic and why this
Email 6: Create urgency and “fear” using
NO
Did customer made purchase? YES End Automation
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NO Delay 1 Day Send: Email 6 Fear-based Content
TRANSACTIONAL EMAIL TRIGGERS Purpose: Correspond with the subscriber on a one-off basis. Instead of a sequence, create emails that respond to triggers in your email marketing system. Trigger #1
Trigger #2
Trigger #3
RECEIPT OR INVOICE
SHIPPING CONFIRMATION
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION
Trigger #4 ORDER CANCELLATION OR REFUND
Trigger #5
Trigger #6
CONTENT DELIVERY
NEW FEATURE OR UPDATE
Trigger #7
Trigger #8
Trigger #9
FEEDBACK OR SURVEY
PRODUCT LAUNCH
SPECIAL PROMOTION
Trigger 1: A receipt of invoice from a recent purchase Trigger 2: Confirmation that the order has been shipped Trigger 3: Subscriber has just joined your newsletter Trigger 4: Subscriber cancelled an order Trigger 5:
Subscriber has requested a piece of gated content
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