Email Drip Sequence

Write a 5-7 email drip sequence that nurtures new subscribers from cold to warm to buyer. Follows the Welcome → Value → Value → Soft Sell → Hard Sell → Objection Handling → Follow-Up pattern. Each email includes subject line, preview text, body copy, and a single clear CTA.

Stage

S5: Distribution — Email is the highest-ROI channel for affiliate marketers (avg $42 return per $1 spent). This skill turns a list of subscribers into a predictable revenue stream by delivering value first and selling second.

When to Use

• User has an email list and wants to promote an affiliate product
• User just launched a lead magnet or opt-in form and needs a welcome sequence
• User wants to automate affiliate promotions via email automation (ConvertKit, Mailchimp, Beehiiv, ActiveCampaign, etc.)
• User says anything like "email sequence", "drip campaign", "email funnel", "nurture series"
• User wants a sequence for a specific product or niche
• Chaining from S1 (research) — user found a product and now wants an email sequence for it

Input Schema

product:
  name: string              # REQUIRED — product name (e.g., "HeyGen")
  affiliate_url: string     # REQUIRED — the affiliate link to promote
  category: string          # OPTIONAL — product category (e.g., "AI video tool")
  reward_value: string      # OPTIONAL — commission amount/percentage (e.g., "30% recurring")
  key_benefits: string[]    # OPTIONAL — top 3 benefits. Auto-researched if not provided.
  price: string             # OPTIONAL — product pricing (e.g., "$29/mo")

audience:
  description: string       # REQUIRED — who are the subscribers? (e.g., "content creators", "SaaS founders")
  pain_point: string        # OPTIONAL — main problem they want solved
  awareness_level: string   # OPTIONAL — "cold" | "warm" | "hot". Default: "cold"

sequence:
  length: number            # OPTIONAL — number of emails: 5, 6, or 7. Default: 7
  send_days: number[]       # OPTIONAL — days to send (e.g., [0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14])
                            # Default: [0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14]
  sender_name: string       # OPTIONAL — from name (e.g., "Alex from ContentPro")
  tone: string              # OPTIONAL — "conversational" | "professional" | "bold"
                            # Default: "conversational"
  lead_magnet: string       # OPTIONAL — what they opted in for (e.g., "AI tools checklist")

Chaining context: If S1 (product research) was run earlier in the conversation, pull product.name, product.affiliate_url, product.key_benefits, and product.reward_value automatically. Do not ask the user to repeat information already provided.

Workflow

Step 1: Gather Information

Collect required inputs. If product.name and product.affiliate_url are present (from user or S1 chain), proceed. Otherwise ask:

• "What product are you promoting and what's your affiliate link?"
• "Who are your subscribers? (e.g., freelancers, SaaS founders, content creators)"

If product.key_benefits is not provided, infer 3 benefits from the product name and category using your training knowledge. State: "Based on what I know about [product], I'm using these key benefits: [list]. Correct me if needed."

Step 2: Plan the Sequence

Map each email to its purpose using the 7-email arc. For a 5-email sequence, drop emails 6 and 7. For a 6-email sequence, drop email 7.

#	Day	Type	Purpose
1	0	Welcome	Deliver lead magnet, set expectations, build trust
2	1	Value	Teach something useful (no sell)
3	3	Value + Soft Mention	More value, casual mention of the product
4	5	Soft Sell	Introduce the product properly, benefits focus
5	7	Hard Sell	Clear CTA, urgency (limited offer / deadline if available)
6	10	Objection Handling	Answer top 3 objections, social proof
7	14	Follow-Up / Last Chance	"Did you see this?" re-engagement email

Step 3: Write Each Email

For each email, write all four components:

Subject Line: 40-60 characters. Use curiosity, specificity, or direct benefit. Avoid spam trigger words (free, guaranteed, act now).

Preview Text: 80-100 characters. Extends the subject line, adds context or intrigue. Shown in inbox preview.

Body Copy:

• Email 1-2: 200-300 words. Focus on value, zero sell pressure.
• Email 3-4: 250-350 words. Introduce product naturally in context.
• Email 5: 300-400 words. Strong pitch, benefits listed, clear CTA button.
• Email 6: 250-300 words. Story-driven or testimonial-anchored.
• Email 7: 150-200 words. Short, punchy re-engagement.

Formatting rules:

• Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max)
• One idea per paragraph
• Conversational opener (use "you", avoid "Dear [Name]")
• Single CTA per email (one link, one action)
• Sign off with sender name + brief sign-off line

CTA structure:

• Email 1: CTA = download/access lead magnet (not affiliate link)
• Email 2: CTA = read an article or reply to email (engagement)
• Email 3: CTA = soft mention "check it out" with affiliate link
• Email 4-7: CTA = affiliate link with action verb ("Try [Product] Free", "Get [X]% Off", "Start Your Trial")

Step 4: Add Compliance Disclosures

Each email that contains an affiliate link must include a one-line FTC disclosure. Place it immediately before or after the affiliate link:

Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

For email clients that strip formatting, also include plain text disclosure in the footer.

Step 5: Output the Sequence

Present all emails in order. Each email formatted as:

---
EMAIL [N] — Day [X] — [Type]
---
Subject: [subject line]
Preview: [preview text]

[Body copy]

[CTA]

[Signature]
---

After all emails, provide the Setup Instructions section.

Output Schema

sequence:
  product_name: string
  affiliate_url: string
  audience: string
  email_count: number
  total_days: number          # span of the sequence in days
  emails:
    - number: number          # 1-7
      day: number             # send delay in days from signup
      type: string            # welcome | value | soft-sell | hard-sell | objection | follow-up
      subject: string
      preview_text: string
      body: string            # full email body
      cta_text: string        # button/link text
      cta_url: string         # affiliate link or engagement action

setup:
  recommended_esp: string[]   # e.g., ["ConvertKit", "Beehiiv", "ActiveCampaign"]
  automation_notes: string    # how to set up the delay/trigger logic
  ab_test_suggestion: string  # what to A/B test first

Output Format

Present the sequence as clearly separated email blocks (as shown in Step 5). After the last email, add a Setup Instructions section:

---
SETUP INSTRUCTIONS
---
ESP Recommendations: ConvertKit, Beehiiv, or ActiveCampaign
Trigger: New subscriber joins list / completes opt-in form
Delays: Set each email to fire X days after the previous
A/B Test First: Subject lines on Email 5 (the hard sell) — highest impact
Tag to apply: Add an "affiliate-[product]" tag to track clicks in your ESP
---

Error Handling

• No affiliate URL provided: "I'll write the sequence structure now. Drop in your affiliate link where I've marked [YOUR_AFFILIATE_LINK] before setting it up in your ESP."
• Unknown product: Research the product using web search if possible. If not found, ask: "Can you tell me the top 2-3 benefits of [product]? I'll write the sequence around those."
• Audience too vague ("everyone"): Default to "online business owners and marketers." Note: "I used a general audience. For better conversions, replace 'you' with specific language like 'as a freelancer...' or 'for SaaS founders...' throughout."
• No lead magnet info: Email 1 defaults to a "welcome + what to expect" format rather than lead magnet delivery.
• Request for 3 emails or fewer: "A 3-email sequence is too short to build trust before the sell. I recommend at least 5. Want me to write a 5-email version?"

Examples

Example 1: Product + audience provided User: "Write an email sequence for HeyGen (my link: heygen.com/ref/abc123) targeting YouTube creators who opted in for my AI tools checklist." Action: 7-email sequence, Day 0 delivers checklist, emails 2-3 teach AI video creation tips, emails 4-7 pitch HeyGen with creator-specific angles (save editing time, AI avatars, multilingual).

Example 2: Chained from S1 Context: S1 found Semrush with 30% recurring commission targeting SEO consultants. User: "Now write an email sequence for this." Action: Pull product details from S1 output. Write 7-email sequence targeting SEO consultants. Lead magnet assumed to be SEO-related content.

Example 3: Minimal input User: "Write me a drip sequence for my Notion template affiliate program" Action: Ask for affiliate URL and audience. Use Notion affiliate program knowledge for benefits. Write 5-email sequence (conservative default for shorter products with simpler buying journey).

References

• shared/references/ftc-compliance.md — FTC affiliate disclosure requirements. Apply to every email containing an affiliate link.
• shared/references/affitor-branding.md — Affitor footer. Include in plain text footer of each email.