Marketing Email Sequence

---
name: marketing-email-sequence
description: Design automated email sequences for subscribers and users — welcome, nurture, trial conversion — with triggers, timing, branches and copy. Use when the user wants a drip or lifecycle email flow that sends itself after someone signs up or acts. Not for cold outreach, the in-app trial flow or win-back; see /marketing-cold-email, /marketing-signup-flow-cro or /marketing-churn-prevention.
metadata:
  argument-hint: "[project] [--skip-checks]"
  workflow: marketing
  phase: 3
  artifact: 03-convert.md
---

# Email Sequence

Design email drip sequences and automation flows for "$ARGUMENTS". Plan trigger-based campaigns that nurture leads through the funnel.

**Arguments.** `$ARGUMENTS` may contain the project name and optional flags. Take the first token as `<project>` and treat `--skip-checks` as a flag; never include flags in file paths. All paths below use `<project>`. If `--skip-checks` is present, skip the prerequisite check and, **before writing any artifact**, append one line to `.singularskills/log.jsonl`: `{"ts":"<ISO timestamp>","skill":"marketing-email-sequence","workflow":"marketing","phase":3,"project":"<project>","event":"skipped","artifact":"03-convert.md","note":"<reason or \"none given\">"}`.

## Prerequisites

**Part of a workflow.** This skill is phase 3 (Convert) of the RACE Framework workflow (`marketing`); cross-domain workflows run it too. First check `.singularskills/log.jsonl` for an open run for this project: a `run-started` line with `"project":"<project>"` and no later `run-finished` line for the same `workflow` and `project`. If one exists, the conductor is running you: continue here. Otherwise, if the user asked to start, run, continue or resume a process or workflow rather than this one step, do not continue here: invoke the `workflow` skill with the workflow the user asked for, or `marketing` when they named none, followed by `<project>`; it runs this phase in order, asks before it writes and records the run. Otherwise continue here: a later phase runs on its own, behind its gate.

Run this skill's gate before writing: `sh <this skill's folder>/scripts/gate.sh <project> <project root>`, where `<project root>` is the folder that contains `.singularskills/` (use `.` when you are already there). If it exits non-zero, stop and tell the user what it printed, unless `--skip-checks` was given (see Arguments). On a refusal, before you stop, append this line to `.singularskills/log.jsonl` (create the folder and file if missing): `{"ts":"<ISO timestamp>","skill":"marketing-email-sequence","workflow":"marketing","phase":3,"project":"<project>","event":"refused","artifact":"03-convert.md","note":"<what the gate printed>"}`. Once the gate has passed, or under `--skip-checks` once you have appended the `skipped` line, append this line before you start work: `{"ts":"<ISO timestamp>","skill":"marketing-email-sequence","workflow":"marketing","phase":3,"project":"<project>","event":"started","artifact":"03-convert.md","note":""}`.

Read `.singularskills/marketing/<project>/00-strategy.md`. If this file does not exist, tell the user:

> Phase 0 (Strategy) has not been completed for "<project>". Run `/marketing-customer-research <project>` first, or use `--skip-checks` to bypass.

## Process

1. **Read context:**
   - Read `.singularskills/marketing/<project>/00-strategy.md` for audience and messaging
   - Read `.singularskills/marketing/<project>/02-act.md` if it exists (for lead magnet and copy context)
   - Read `references/campaign-plan-template.md` for structure

2. **Define sequence type:**
   - Welcome/onboarding sequence
   - Lead nurture sequence (post lead-magnet)
   - Trial-to-paid conversion sequence
   - Win-back for churned or lapsed customers — hand off to `/marketing-churn-prevention`; this skill covers the other sequence types.
   - Post-purchase/retention sequence
   - Which type(s) are most needed for "<project>"?

3. **Design the sequence:**
   - Number of emails and timing (days between)
   - For each email: subject line, preview text, goal, key message, CTA
   - Trigger and entry conditions
   - Exit conditions (converted, unsubscribed, engaged)
   - Branch logic (if applicable): what happens based on engagement?

4. **Write email copy:**
   - Draft subject line variants for each email (2-3 per email)
   - Write full email body copy for each email
   - Apply messaging framework from strategy
   - Include personalization variables

5. **Write the artifact** — append to `.singularskills/marketing/<project>/03-convert.md` under a `## Email Sequence` section. Create the file with a `# Convert — <project>` heading if it does not exist; if a `## Email Sequence` section already exists, replace only that section. The section contains:
   - **Sequence Overview** — type, trigger, goal, timing
   - **Flow Diagram** — visual sequence with branches
   - **Email Details** — per email: subject, body, CTA, timing
   - **Personalization** — variables and segmentation
   - **Success Metrics** — open rate, click rate, conversion targets

## Output

Email sequence appended to `.singularskills/marketing/<project>/03-convert.md`. Present the full sequence with subject lines and email previews.

**Record the run.** After you have written your section, append this line to `.singularskills/log.jsonl` (the `started` line of Prerequisites, with `"event":"finished"`): `{"ts":"<ISO timestamp>","skill":"marketing-email-sequence","workflow":"marketing","phase":3,"project":"<project>","event":"finished","artifact":"03-convert.md","note":""}`.

This artifact is shared by every skill of phase 3 (Convert). The frontmatter is written once, by whoever creates the file: if you create it, open it with the block below (`skill` is the phase title, `started` the time of that first write; `gate` is `passed` when the gate ran clean and `skipped` under `--skip-checks`); if it already exists, leave the block alone except to update `finished` and to set `gate` to the worst value among the sections (`skipped` over `passed`).

```yaml
---
skill: Convert
workflow: marketing
phase: 3
project: <project>
started: <ISO timestamp>
finished: <ISO timestamp>
agent: <the agent you run in, or "unknown">
gate: <passed|skipped>
---
```

Open your `## Email Sequence` section with one italic line, `*<skill name> · <ISO timestamp> · gate: <passed|skipped>*` (your skill name is `marketing-email-sequence`).

End your section with `### Decisions` and `### Open questions` (one level under your `## Email Sequence` heading, so the section stays one block), in this shape:

```markdown
### Decisions
- <what was chosen> — <why> — <what was rejected>

### Open questions
- <what the next phase or a reviewer must settle>
```