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Key Takeaways
- Email sequences are automated series of emails sent over days or weeks
- Sequences nurture cold leads, onboard new customers, and re-engage inactive prospects
- You can set up your first email sequence in under 20 minutes
- HubSpot's sequences integrate with your CRM for automatic lead tracking
- Properly sequenced emails generate 40-50% more replies than single emails
What Are Email Sequences and Why They Matter
An email sequence is a series of automated emails designed to guide a lead from one stage to the next. Instead of sending one email and hoping for a response, sequences send a logical progression of messages timed to maximize engagement.
Here's why sequences matter: Most prospects need multiple touchpoints before they're ready to buy. Studies show it takes an average of 8 interactions with a prospect before they become a customer. Email sequences automate those touchpoints.
Types of Email Sequences
Before building a sequence, decide your goal:
Cold Outreach Sequences: Introduce yourself to prospects who don't know you yet. Goal: Get a meeting or response. Typical length: 3-5 emails over 2-3 weeks.
Lead Nurture Sequences: Educate prospects about your solution. Goal: Move them down the sales funnel. Typical length: 5-7 emails over 3-4 weeks.
Onboarding Sequences: Welcome new customers. Goal: Help them succeed and get value. Typical length: 4-6 emails over 2 weeks.
Re-engagement Sequences: Win back inactive subscribers. Goal: Restart the relationship. Typical length: 3-4 emails over 2 weeks.
Step-by-Step: Create Your First Email Sequence
Step 1: Access Email Sequences
1. Log into HubSpot
2. Click "Sales" in the top menu
3. Select "Email" then "Sequences"
4. Click "Create sequence"
(Note: You can also create sequences from the Marketing menu if you prefer a marketing automation approach)
Step 2: Name Your Sequence
1. Give your sequence a clear name: "Cold Outreach - Marketing Managers" or "New Customer Onboarding"
2. Choose your object (Contact is most common)
3. Click "Create"
Step 3: Write Your First Email
The first email is critical - it determines whether someone opens email 2:
1. Click "Compose email" for email 1
2. Write your subject line (under 50 characters, no spam words):
- Good: "Question about your marketing strategy"
- Bad: "URGENT - RESPOND NOW!!!!"
3.Personalize the greeting: "Hi [FirstName]," or "Hi [CompanyName] team,"
4. Write your body (keep to 3-4 short paragraphs):
- Paragraph 1: Reference something specific about them
- Paragraph 2: Share your value proposition
- Paragraph 3: Ask a simple question or next step
5. Add a signature with your name and contact info
6. Click "Save"
Step 4: Set the Delay Before Email 2
1. Click the delay settings between email 1 and 2
2. Choose your timing:
- Cold outreach: 3 days works well
- Lead nurture: 2-3 days
- Onboarding: 1 day for early emails, 3-4 days for later ones
3. Click "Save"
Step 5: Write Your Second Email
1. Click "Compose email" for email 2
2. Reference the previous email: "Following up on my note from Tuesday..."
3. Add new value (case study, resource, or deeper benefit explanation)
4. Reiterate your ask
5. Keep it shorter than email 1 (people are now engaged)
Step 6: Add More Emails to Your Sequence
For a standard cold outreach sequence, add:
Email 3 (5 days after email 2): Share a relevant resource or testimonial. Change your angle from email 1.
Email 4 (4 days after email 3): Add urgency if appropriate. "I'm going to remove you from my follow-up list in 3 days, but didn't want to miss connecting about..."
Email 5 (3 days after email 4): Final email. "Last attempt - let me know if you're interested or if now isn't the right time."
Step 7: Set Enrollment Conditions (Critical)
Before launching, decide who gets added to the sequence:
1. Click "Edit enrollment settings"
2. Set your conditions. Examples:
- New inbound leads from demo request form
- Contacts added to specific HubSpot list
- Contacts with specific job titles
- Prospects who visited your pricing page
3. Choose how contacts enroll:
- Manual (you add them individually)
- Automatic (based on workflow/rule)
4. Click "Save"
Step 8: Test Before Launching
1. Click "Test sequence"
2. Select a test contact (or yourself)
3. Review each email that the test contact would receive
4. Make sure links work and personalization is correct
5. Return to the sequence and make any final edits
Step 9: Activate Your Sequence
1. Click "Turn on sequence"
2. Verify your settings one final time
3. Click "Confirm"
4. Your sequence is now live and will enroll contacts automatically
Email Sequence Best Practices
Keep Subject Lines Personal: Avoid anything that looks like marketing. Use conversational language.
Don't Hard Sell Too Early: In emails 1-2, focus on value and curiosity. Save the "here's what we offer" for email 3-4.
Change Your Angle with Each Email: If email 1 was about a problem, email 2 might be a case study, and email 3 might be about a specific feature.
Include Clear Calls to Action: Every email should have a simple next step. "Reply with your thoughts," "Click to book a call," "Download the guide," etc.
Keep Emails Short: Most emails read on mobile. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and lots of white space.
A/B Test Subject Lines: After your first sequence runs, try different subject line styles on your next version.
Monitoring Sequence Performance
1. In the sequence dashboard, check:
- Open rate: percentage of people opening emails
- Reply rate: percentage replying to your sequence
- Click rate: percentage clicking links
2. Sequences with 30%+ open rates and 10%+ reply rates are performing well
3. Update your sequence templates based on results
Conclusion
Email sequences help teams stay consistent, timely, and relevant without adding manual effort. In HubSpot, they make it easier to nurture leads, follow up with intent, and move prospects through the funnel.
Start simple, focus on value in every email, and refine based on response data.
