How to Plan Your First Automated Drip Sequence
Before You Start
Before writing any messages, answer three questions: Who is this drip for? What do you want them to do? And what channel (email, SMS, or both) will you use? The answers determine everything else, from the number of messages to the tone of your writing. If you are not sure which channel to choose, see How to Combine Email and SMS in One Drip Sequence for guidance on when to use each.
Step-by-Step Planning
Every drip campaign needs one clear goal. Common goals include converting a new subscriber into a paying customer, onboarding a new user to your product, re-engaging someone who went inactive, or building up to an event. Write this goal down in one sentence. If you cannot state it simply, the campaign is trying to do too much and should be split into separate sequences.
The trigger is what starts the sequence for each contact. Typical triggers include submitting a signup form, completing a purchase, being added to a contact list, or filling out a lead capture form. On this platform, the trigger is usually a contact entering a specific list in the Email Broadcast or SMS Broadcast app. You can also trigger drips from workflow automations or chatbot interactions.
Start small. A 3-5 message sequence is enough for most goals. Welcome sequences typically run 4-7 messages over 2 weeks. Lead nurture drips can go longer, 7-12 messages over 3-6 weeks. Post-purchase follow-ups usually need 3-5 messages over 10 days. You can always add more messages later once you see how the first batch performs. See How Many Messages Should a Drip Campaign Have for detailed recommendations by campaign type.
Write down when each message sends relative to the trigger. A common pattern for a welcome sequence: Message 1 sends immediately, Message 2 sends 1 day later, Message 3 sends 3 days later, Message 4 sends 5 days later, Message 5 sends 7 days later. Space early messages closer together (when engagement is highest) and later messages further apart. For SMS, avoid sending before 9am or after 8pm in the contact's time zone. See How to Time Your Drip Messages for best practices.
For each message in your sequence, write a one-line summary of what it covers and what action you want the reader to take. For example: "Message 1: Welcome and introduce brand. CTA: Browse popular products." "Message 2: Share top customer success story. CTA: Start free trial." "Message 3: Address common objection. CTA: Book a demo." Each message should provide value on its own while building toward your overall goal.
With your outline ready, write each message. For email, keep subject lines under 50 characters and body copy focused on one idea per message. For SMS, stay under 160 characters per segment to keep costs down and messages scannable. Use the contact's name where possible and write in a conversational tone. See How to Write Drip Messages That Get Opened and Clicked for writing tips.
Read through all your messages in order, imagining you are receiving them for the first time. Check that the progression makes sense, there is no repeated content, and the calls to action build logically toward your goal. Make sure early messages do not assume knowledge that only later messages provide. Adjust timing if two messages feel too close together or if there is a long gap with no contact.
Example: Planning a Welcome Email Sequence
Here is a simple plan for a welcome drip targeting new email subscribers for an online store:
- Goal: Convert new subscribers into first-time buyers within 10 days
- Trigger: Contact added to "New Subscribers" list
- Channel: Email
Message 1 (Day 0): Welcome email. Introduce the brand, highlight what makes you different. CTA: Browse bestsellers.
Message 2 (Day 1): Social proof. Share 2-3 customer reviews or testimonials. CTA: See customer favorites.
Message 3 (Day 3): Educational content. A quick guide related to your products. CTA: Read the guide.
Message 4 (Day 5): First-purchase incentive. Offer a 10% discount code. CTA: Shop with code.
Message 5 (Day 9): Last chance reminder. Discount expires tomorrow. CTA: Use your code before it expires.
Next Steps
Once your plan is written, you are ready to build it. Follow How to Set Up an Email Drip Campaign or How to Set Up an SMS Drip Campaign to create your sequence on the platform. If you want to run both channels together, see How to Combine Email and SMS in One Drip Sequence.
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