A follow-up sequence (also called an email drip sequence or automation series) is a set of pre-written emails sent automatically at scheduled intervals after a triggering event — such as a new subscriber joining a list, downloading a lead magnet, registering for a webinar, or abandoning a checkout. Follow-up sequences serve different purposes at different funnel stages: welcome sequences introduce the sender and set expectations for what subscribers will receive; nurture sequences educate, build trust, and address common objections over days or weeks; sales sequences pitch a specific offer to contacts who have shown purchase intent; and re-engagement sequences attempt to reactivate inactive subscribers before removing them from the list. Effective follow-up sequences feel personal and contextual rather than generic, because they are triggered by a specific action the subscriber took rather than broadcast to the full list. Most email service platforms (ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Mailchimp) provide visual automation builders for constructing these sequences without code.
Glossary entry
