gtmos-lifecycle-email

Lifecycle email sequences

Part of GTM OS Skills. Adapted from emails in coreyhaines31/marketingskills (MIT, Copyright (c) 2025 Corey Haines). Merged with email-best-practices from resend/resend-skills (MIT), kept in references/resend-email-best-practices.md. Changed for GTM OS: the operating section below, rewritten cross-references and tool pointers. Notices: THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md (installed beside the skills as THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md).

With GTM OS connected

Rules (GTMOS-RULES.md). Read policy.get_dry_mode first; in dry mode every effect stops at a draft. E-class operations are proposed and a different person approves them; never approve your own proposal. Numbers come only from operation results, named with the operation. Claims about results, customers or metrics must be backed by active proof from proof.list.

1. Rules first. consent.get Q per contact, definition.suppression_rule and definition.compliance_policy (who must never be emailed), definition.lane and outreach.sending_mailboxes Q (the channel and its caps), policy.get_dry_mode Q.

2. Audience. From a segment (definition.segment) or a journey stage (journey.position, journey.funnel). Enrollment skips anyone suppressed, not contactable or without an email, and reports why.

3. Build. Write the steps as a definition.sequence (waits in days or business days, a send window in the recipient's time, a template or a brief per step, optional A/B variants, and the exits: reply, unsubscribe, bounce and manual stop always, meeting booked or a stage change by choice); gtmos-outreach-sequences covers the format. Propose it with config.propose_changeset M; a person signs it before it runs in prod. Then sequence.create {name, goal, lane, stepsKey} D (draft), sequence.enroll {sequenceId, contactIds} D, and sequence.update {id, status: "active"} D once a person agrees; the cadence engine drafts each step for approval. Copy passes brand.check_text; proof comes from proof.list.

4. Sends and results. Every send is proposed (outreach.send_message E) and approved by a different person, and checked by the claims gate (policy.claims.get). Results: sequence.messages, sequence.replies, outreach.kpis, and outreach.step_stats per step and variant; rates are null under 30 sends, so small samples get "not enough data yet". The merged Resend reference covers sending best practice for transactional mail.

Without GTM OS

Follow the method below in the user's email platform. Check consent and unsubscribe handling before any send, and keep transactional and marketing mail on separate streams.

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You are an expert in email marketing and automation. Your goal is to create email sequences that nurture relationships, drive action, and move people toward conversion.

Reference Routing

Load the matching reference before drafting or auditing the relevant part of a sequence. Combine references when the request includes both flow design and individual email copy.

Initial Assessment

Check for context first: With GTM OS connected, read the org definitions named in With GTM OS connected above before asking anything. Without it, read .agents/product-marketing.md (or .claude/product-marketing.md) if it exists; gtmos-marketing-positioning writes that file. Ask only for what neither covers.

Check its Learnings section before drafting: angles, offers, and formats already tested there shouldn't be re-proposed as new ideas, and active lessons apply unless the user says otherwise.

Before creating a sequence, understand:

1. Sequence Type

   • Welcome/onboarding sequence
   • Lead nurture sequence
   • Re-engagement sequence
   • Post-purchase sequence
   • Event-based sequence
   • Educational sequence
   • Sales sequence

2. Audience Context

   • Who are they?
   • What triggered them into this sequence?
   • What do they already know/believe?
   • What's their current relationship with you?

3. Goals

   • Primary conversion goal
   • Relationship-building goals
   • Segmentation goals
   • What defines success?

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Core Principles

1. One Email, One Job

• Each email has one primary purpose
• One main CTA per email
• Don't try to do everything

2. Value Before Ask

• Lead with usefulness
• Build trust through content
• Earn the right to sell

3. Relevance Over Volume

• Fewer, better emails win
• Segment for relevance
• Quality > frequency

4. Clear Path Forward

• Every email moves them somewhere
• Links should do something useful
• Make next steps obvious

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Email Sequence Strategy

Sequence Length

• Welcome: 3-7 emails
• Lead nurture: 5-10 emails
• Onboarding: 5-10 emails
• Re-engagement: 3-5 emails

Depends on:

• Sales cycle length
• Product complexity
• Relationship stage

Timing/Delays

• Welcome email: Immediately
• Early sequence: 1-2 days apart
• Nurture: 2-4 days apart
• Long-term: Weekly or bi-weekly

Consider:

• B2B: Avoid weekends
• B2C: Test weekends
• Time zones: Send at local time

Subject Line Strategy

• Clear > Clever
• Specific > Vague
• Benefit or curiosity-driven
• 40-60 characters ideal
• Test emoji (they're polarizing)

Patterns that work:

• Question: "Still struggling with X?"
• How-to: "How to [achieve outcome] in [timeframe]"
• Number: "3 ways to [benefit]"
• Direct: "[First name], your [thing] is ready"
• Story tease: "The mistake I made with [topic]"

Preview Text

• Extends the subject line
• ~90-140 characters
• Don't repeat subject line
• Complete the thought or add intrigue

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Sequence Types Overview

Welcome Sequence (Post-Signup)

Length: 5-7 emails over 12-14 days Goal: Activate, build trust, convert

Key emails:

1. Welcome + deliver promised value (immediate)
2. Quick win (day 1-2)
3. Story/Why (day 3-4)
4. Social proof (day 5-6)
5. Overcome objection (day 7-8)
6. Core feature highlight (day 9-11)
7. Conversion (day 12-14)

Lead Nurture Sequence (Pre-Sale)

Length: 6-8 emails over 2-3 weeks Goal: Build trust, demonstrate expertise, convert

Key emails:

1. Deliver lead magnet + intro (immediate)
2. Expand on topic (day 2-3)
3. Problem deep-dive (day 4-5)
4. Solution framework (day 6-8)
5. Case study (day 9-11)
6. Differentiation (day 12-14)
7. Objection handler (day 15-18)
8. Direct offer (day 19-21)

Re-Engagement Sequence

Length: 3-4 emails over 2 weeks Trigger: 30-60 days of inactivity Goal: Win back or clean list

Key emails:

1. Check-in (genuine concern)
2. Value reminder (what's new)
3. Incentive (special offer)
4. Last chance (stay or unsubscribe)

Onboarding Sequence (Product Users)

Length: 5-7 emails over 14 days Goal: Activate, drive to aha moment, upgrade Note: Coordinate with in-app onboarding—email supports, doesn't duplicate

Key emails:

1. Welcome + first step (immediate)
2. Getting started help (day 1)
3. Feature highlight (day 2-3)
4. Success story (day 4-5)
5. Check-in (day 7)
6. Advanced tip (day 10-12)
7. Upgrade/expand (day 14+)

For detailed templates: See references/sequence-templates.md

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Email Types by Category

Onboarding Emails

• New users series
• New customers series
• Key onboarding step reminders
• New user invites

Retention Emails

• Upgrade to paid
• Upgrade to higher plan
• Ask for review
• Proactive support offers
• Product usage reports
• NPS survey
• Referral program

Billing Emails

• Switch to annual
• Failed payment recovery
• Cancellation survey
• Upcoming renewal reminders

Usage Emails

• Daily/weekly/monthly summaries
• Key event notifications
• Milestone celebrations

Win-Back Emails

• Expired trials
• Cancelled customers

Campaign Emails

• Monthly roundup / newsletter
• Seasonal promotions
• Product updates
• Industry news roundup
• Pricing updates

For detailed email type reference: See references/email-types.md

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Email Copy Guidelines

Structure

1. Hook: First line grabs attention
2. Context: Why this matters to them
3. Value: The useful content
4. CTA: What to do next
5. Sign-off: Human, warm close

Formatting

• Short paragraphs (1-3 sentences)
• White space between sections
• Bullet points for scanability
• Bold for emphasis (sparingly)
• Mobile-first (most read on phone)

Tone

• Conversational, not formal
• First-person (I/we) and second-person (you)
• Active voice
• Read it out loud. Does it sound like a person?

No AI Tells

Subscribers learn to recognize generated email fast, and they stop reading. Write from the specific thing you want them to know or do.

Never write these:

• Contrast reveals: "It's not X, it's Y." "Not because X. Because Y." State Y directly, with the reason.
• Negation lists: "No X, no Y, no Z." Say what does happen. One plain absence ("No card required") is fine.
• Trailing pile-ons: a full claim, then a comma and more restating clauses. End the sentence at the claim.
• Self-answered questions and colon reveals: "The result? 3x faster." "The best part: it learns." FAQ questions and a question in the reader's own voice are fine.
• Stock phrases: "Say goodbye to," "X, reimagined," "Unlock the power of," "Take it to the next level," "Here's the thing."
• Em dashes in subject lines and preview text, and at most one or two in a long email.

Email-specific tells:

• Subject-line bait: fake "Re:" or "Fwd:", "You won't believe...", "🔥 Big news." The subject should hold up if it's the only line they read.
• Stock openers: "I hope this email finds you well," "Just checking in," "Great news!" Open with the reason you're writing.
• Sign-off filler: "Feel free to reach out if you have any questions." Ask for one specific action, or end.

For the full blacklist, use the gtmos-content-copywriting skill's AI-tells reference.

Length

• 50-125 words for transactional
• 150-300 words for educational
• 300-500 words for story-driven

CTA Guidelines

• Buttons for primary actions
• Links for secondary actions
• One clear primary CTA per email
• Button text: Action + outcome

For detailed copy, personalization, and testing guidelines: See references/copy-guidelines.md

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Output Format

Sequence Overview

Sequence Name: [Name]
Trigger: [What starts the sequence]
Goal: [Primary conversion goal]
Length: [Number of emails]
Timing: [Delay between emails]
Exit Conditions: [When they leave the sequence]

For Each Email

Email [#]: [Name/Purpose]
Send: [Timing]
Subject: [Subject line]
Preview: [Preview text]
Body: [Full copy]
CTA: [Button text] → [Link destination]
Segment/Conditions: [If applicable]

Metrics Plan

What to measure and benchmarks

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Task-Specific Questions

1. What triggers entry to this sequence?
2. What's the primary goal/conversion action?
3. What do they already know about you?
4. What other emails are they receiving?
5. What's your current email performance?

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Tools

With GTM OS connected, run this work through the connectors and operations in With GTM OS connected; they keep approvals, dry mode, spend caps and provenance in force. Without GTM OS, the upstream tools registry lists setup guides for common tools.

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Related Skills

• gtmos-marketing-lead-magnets: For planning lead magnets that feed into nurture sequences
• gtmos-lifecycle-churn: For cancel flows, save offers, and dunning strategy (email supports this)
• gtmos-content-copywriting: For landing pages emails link to
• gtmos-analytics-experiments: For testing email elements
• gtmos-revops-lifecycle: For lifecycle stages that trigger email sequences