plugin: instantly updated: 2026-01-20

Sequence Best Practices

Sequence Structure

Standard 5-Step Sequence

Step	Day	Purpose	Email Type
1	0	Initial outreach	Problem + value prop
2	3	Social proof	Case study / results
3	7	Alternative angle	Different value prop
4	10	Soft breakup	"If not a fit..."
5	14	Breakup	Last attempt, value-add

Extended 7-Step Sequence

Step	Day	Purpose	Email Type
1	0	Initial outreach	Problem + value prop
2	2	Quick follow-up	Bump + new angle
3	5	Social proof	Case study
4	8	Value-add	Free resource
5	12	Alternative angle	Different ICP pain
6	16	Soft breakup	Check-in
7	21	Breakup	Final attempt

Timing Guidelines

Optimal Delays

Between Emails	Recommended	Reasoning
Email 1 -> 2	2-3 days	Stay top of mind
Email 2 -> 3	3-4 days	Let social proof sink in
Email 3 -> 4	3-4 days	Give time to consider
Email 4 -> 5	4-5 days	Breakup needs space
After breakup	30+ days	Cool-off period

Send Time Optimization

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Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Best Times:
  - 8-10am recipient local time (start of day)
  - 2-4pm recipient local time (post-lunch)

Worst Days: Monday morning, Friday afternoon
Worst Times: After 6pm, before 7am

Email Copy Guidelines

Length Guidelines

Email Type	Word Count	Lines	Reason
Cold outreach	50-100	5-8	Scannable
Follow-up	30-60	3-5	Quick bump
Case study	100-150	8-12	Tell story
Breakup	40-80	4-6	Clear finale

Structure Template

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[Personalized opening - 1 line]

[Problem statement or insight - 2-3 lines]

[Brief value proposition - 1-2 lines]

[CTA - 1 line]

[Signature]

Subject Line Best Practices

Do	Don't
Keep 3-7 words	Write novel-length subjects
Use {{first_name}} or {{company}}	Over-personalize ("Saw you on LinkedIn...")
Create curiosity	Mislead with clickbait
Be specific when possible	Use generic templates
Test lowercase	Use ALL CAPS

Examples:

•Good: "{{first_name}}, quick question"
•Good: "idea for {{company}}'s Q2"
•Bad: "RE: Our meeting" (fake reply)
•Bad: "FREE TRIAL INSIDE!!!" (spam trigger)

CTA Best Practices

CTA Type	Example	When to Use
Soft	"Thoughts?"	Early in sequence
Medium	"Worth a quick chat?"	Middle of sequence
Direct	"15 min this week?"	After engagement signals
Breakup	"Should I close the loop?"	Final email

One CTA Per Email: Never give multiple options.

Personalization Strategy

Personalization Tokens

Token	Example	Priority
{{first_name}}	"Hey Sarah,"	Required
{{company}}	"saw {{company}}'s recent..."	Recommended
{{title}}	"As a {{title}}, you..."	If relevant
{{industry}}	"In {{industry}}, we see..."	For segmented

Custom Personalization

Level	Effort	Impact
Basic	Low	{{first_name}}, {{company}}
Medium	Medium	+ recent company news, role-specific
High	High	+ mutual connections, specific insight

Rule: Personalize opening line at minimum. Rest can be templated.

Avoiding Spam Triggers

Words to Avoid

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FREE, GUARANTEE, WINNER, CASH, URGENT
Click here, Act now, Limited time, Don't miss
!!!!, ALL CAPS, $$$$

Technical Best Practices

Practice	Reason
No images in cold emails	Trigger spam filters
Max 1 link per email	Multiple links = spam
No HTML formatting	Plain text performs better
Short sentences	Looks more personal
No attachments	Major spam trigger

Sequence Psychology

Email 1: The Opening

Goal: Establish relevance, create curiosity Approach: Problem-focused, not product-focused Length: 50-80 words

Email 2: The Follow-Up

Goal: Add credibility via social proof Approach: "Here's what happened when..." Length: 60-100 words

Email 3: The Pivot

Goal: Try different angle Approach: Different pain point or benefit Length: 50-80 words

Email 4: The Soft Breakup

Goal: Create scarcity without desperation Approach: "If this isn't a priority..." Length: 40-60 words

Email 5: The Breakup

Goal: Last attempt, leave door open Approach: Value-add (resource) + clear close Length: 50-80 words