Email and lifecycle sequences

Draft a five-email welcome and nurture sequence with a branch for people who do not open. · 8 min read

Email is where automation earns the most, because the structure repeats. Claude can draft the sequence; you decide the promises.

What you will build

A five-email sequence over fourteen days, plus a simple branch for non-openers.

Timeline of five emails: day 0 welcome, day 2 value, day 5 proof, day 9 offer, day 14 win-back, with a re-engage branch Figure 1. One job per email. The offer arrives on day 9, after value and proof.

Step 1: Define the job of each email

Email	Job
Welcome	Confirm what they get and how often
Value	One quick, useful win
Proof	A real story or result
Offer	One clear next step
Win-back	A last helpful nudge, easy to leave

Step 2: Draft the sequence

Using the brand-voice and audience docs, draft a 5-email welcome sequence
(day 0, 2, 5, 9, 14) for [segment: e.g. "new newsletter subscribers who
downloaded the pricing checklist"].
For each email give: subject line, preview text (max 90 chars), body under
150 words, and one call to action. Do not invent testimonials, numbers or
deadlines. Mark any placeholder as [FILL IN].

Step 3: Add variants for testing

For emails 1 and 4 write 3 subject lines each in different styles:
curiosity, benefit, plain. Tell me which hypothesis each one tests.

Step 4: Add the branch

People who did not open the first three emails should not get the offer. Ask Claude for a short re-engage email in its place, and for a rule you can set in your email tool.

Compliance, kept simple

Include a working unsubscribe link and an honest sender name, and only email people who agreed to hear from you. Rules differ by country, so check the requirements for the places your readers live.

Worked example

A course creator’s welcome sequence was five emails promoting the course. After applying the jobs table, email 2 became a free template, email 3 a student story, and the course appeared once on day 9. The sequence got shorter and clearer.

Common mistakes

Putting the offer in every email.
Letting Claude invent urgency or scarcity.
Not setting an exit rule for people who unsubscribe or buy.

Checklist

One job per email
No invented proof or deadlines
Non-opener branch defined
Unsubscribe and consent in place