Agent skill
marketing-email-automation
Email marketing automation - workflow design, platform setup (HubSpot, Klaviyo, Mailchimp), nurture sequences, lifecycle emails, and deliverability.
Install this agent skill to your Project
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SKILL.md
EMAIL AUTOMATION — WORKFLOW OS (OPERATIONAL)
Built as a no-fluff execution skill for email marketing automation across B2B and B2C.
Structure: Core email automation fundamentals first. Platform-specific setup in dedicated sections. AI personalization in clearly labeled "Optional: AI / Automation" sections.
Modern Best Practices (January 2026)
- HubSpot Email: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/email/
- Klaviyo Help: https://help.klaviyo.com/
- Mailchimp Resources: https://mailchimp.com/resources/
- Google Sender Guidelines: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/81126
When to Use This Skill
- Workflow design: Trigger-based sequences, nurture flows, lifecycle emails
- Platform setup: HubSpot, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Braze configuration
- Segmentation: List management, behavioral segments, RFM models
- Deliverability: Authentication, warm-up, reputation management
- Personalization: Dynamic content, merge tags, conditional logic
Core: Email Workflow Types
| Workflow Type | Trigger | Purpose | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome | New subscriber | Introduce brand, set expectations | Day 0-7 |
| Onboarding | New customer | Drive activation, reduce churn | Day 0-30 |
| Nurture | Lead capture | Educate, build trust, convert | Weeks 1-8 |
| Abandoned Cart | Cart created, no purchase | Recover revenue | Hours 1-72 |
| Re-engagement | Inactive subscriber | Win back or clean list | Day 30-90 |
| Upsell/Cross-sell | Purchase complete | Increase LTV | Day 7-30 post-purchase |
| Renewal/Retention | Subscription nearing end | Prevent churn | Day -30 to -1 |
Core: Workflow Design Framework
Workflow Blueprint Template
WORKFLOW: [Name]
TRIGGER: [Event that starts flow]
GOAL: [Primary conversion action]
DURATION: [Total time span]
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ENTRY CRITERIA │
│ Trigger: [Event] │
│ Filters: [Conditions to enter] │
│ Exclusions: [Who NOT to include] │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ EMAIL 1: [Name] │
│ Delay: Immediate / [X hours/days] │
│ Subject: [Subject line] │
│ Goal: [Micro-conversion] │
│ CTA: [Primary action] │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WAIT: [X days] or UNTIL [condition] │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ BRANCH: IF [condition] │
│ ├─ YES → [Next step for engaged] │
│ └─ NO → [Next step for non-engaged] │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ EXIT CRITERIA │
│ Goal met: [Conversion action] │
│ Unsubscribe: Remove from flow │
│ Time limit: [Max days in flow] │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Core: Standard Workflow Templates
1. Welcome Sequence (4 emails, 7 days)
TRIGGER: New subscriber
GOAL: First purchase / demo booking
Email 1 (Immediate): Welcome + Value Prop
├─ Subject: "Welcome to [Brand] - here's what's next"
├─ Content: Brand story, what to expect, quick win
└─ CTA: [Primary action based on business]
WAIT: 2 days
Email 2 (Day 2): Problem Agitation
├─ Subject: "The [problem] most [audience] face"
├─ Content: Pain point, consequences, hint at solution
└─ CTA: Read guide / Watch video
WAIT: 2 days
Email 3 (Day 4): Social Proof
├─ Subject: "How [Customer] achieved [Result]"
├─ Content: Case study, testimonial, results
└─ CTA: See more stories / Book demo
WAIT: 3 days
Email 4 (Day 7): Soft Sell
├─ Subject: "Ready to [achieve outcome]?"
├─ Content: Offer summary, urgency, risk reversal
└─ CTA: Start trial / Book demo / Buy now
2. Abandoned Cart (3 emails, 72 hours)
TRIGGER: Cart created, no purchase in 1 hour
GOAL: Complete purchase
Email 1 (1 hour): Reminder
├─ Subject: "You left something behind"
├─ Content: Cart contents, product images
└─ CTA: Complete order (direct to cart)
WAIT: 24 hours
IF: Still not purchased
Email 2 (Day 1): Urgency + Support
├─ Subject: "Your cart is waiting (questions?)"
├─ Content: Cart contents, FAQ, support link
└─ CTA: Complete order + Chat with us
WAIT: 48 hours
IF: Still not purchased
Email 3 (Day 3): Incentive (optional)
├─ Subject: "10% off to complete your order"
├─ Content: Discount code, expiration
└─ CTA: Use code [CODE] - Shop now
EXIT: Purchase complete or Day 7
3. Lead Nurture (6 emails, 4 weeks)
TRIGGER: Lead captured (gated content, webinar, etc.)
GOAL: SQL / Demo booking
Email 1 (Immediate): Deliver value
├─ Subject: "Your [resource] is ready"
├─ Content: Download link, quick intro
└─ CTA: Download now
WAIT: 3 days
Email 2 (Day 3): Educational content
├─ Subject: "3 ways to [solve problem]"
├─ Content: Tips, how-to, best practices
└─ CTA: Read full guide
WAIT: 4 days
Email 3 (Day 7): Case study
├─ Subject: "How [Company] achieved [Result]"
├─ Content: Customer story, metrics
└─ CTA: Read case study
WAIT: 5 days
Email 4 (Day 12): Objection handling
├─ Subject: "Worried about [common objection]?"
├─ Content: Address concerns, proof points
└─ CTA: See how we handle [objection]
WAIT: 5 days
Email 5 (Day 17): Comparison/evaluation
├─ Subject: "How we compare to [alternative]"
├─ Content: Comparison, differentiators
└─ CTA: See comparison
WAIT: 7 days
Email 6 (Day 24): Soft close
├─ Subject: "Ready to talk?"
├─ Content: Recap value, offer conversation
└─ CTA: Book a call
BRANCH after each email:
├─ Engaged (opened/clicked) → Continue sequence
├─ Converted (booked demo) → Exit to sales
└─ Unengaged (no opens 3+ emails) → Move to re-engagement
4. Onboarding (5 emails, 14 days)
TRIGGER: New customer / trial start
GOAL: Activation (key feature used)
Email 1 (Immediate): Getting started
├─ Subject: "Welcome! Let's get you set up"
├─ Content: Quick start steps, first action
└─ CTA: Complete setup
WAIT: 1 day
IF: Setup not complete
Email 2 (Day 1): Setup reminder
├─ Subject: "Need help getting started?"
├─ Content: Setup guide, support resources
└─ CTA: Complete setup / Chat with us
WAIT: 2 days
Email 3 (Day 3): Key feature intro
├─ Subject: "Unlock [key feature]"
├─ Content: Feature benefit, how-to
└─ CTA: Try [feature] now
WAIT: 4 days
Email 4 (Day 7): Progress check
├─ Subject: "You're making progress!"
├─ Content: What they've done, next steps
└─ CTA: [Next milestone action]
WAIT: 7 days
Email 5 (Day 14): Value realization
├─ Subject: "[Name], here's what you've achieved"
├─ Content: Usage stats, value delivered
└─ CTA: Upgrade / Continue / Share feedback
BRANCH by activation:
├─ Activated → Success path (upsell)
└─ Not activated → Risk path (support outreach)
Core: Segmentation Framework
Behavioral Segments
| Segment | Definition | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Engaged | Opened/clicked in last 30 days | Primary campaigns |
| Active | Logged in / used product recently | Onboarding, upsell |
| At-risk | No engagement 31-60 days | Re-engagement |
| Dormant | No engagement 61-90 days | Win-back |
| Churned | No engagement 90+ days | Sunset or remove |
RFM Segmentation (E-commerce)
| Segment | Recency | Frequency | Monetary | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions | Recent | Often | High | Reward, refer |
| Loyal | Recent | Often | Medium | Upsell |
| Potential | Recent | Rare | Low | Nurture |
| At Risk | Old | Often | High | Win back |
| Hibernating | Old | Rare | Low | Re-engage or remove |
Lifecycle Segments
| Stage | Definition | Primary Workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriber | Email only | Welcome, nurture |
| Lead | Engaged, not converted | Nurture, sales |
| Trial | Active trial | Onboarding |
| Customer | Paying | Onboarding, upsell |
| Churned | Cancelled | Win-back |
Core: Email Best Practices
Subject Lines
Do:
- Keep under 50 characters
- Personalize when relevant (name, company)
- Use numbers and specifics
- Create curiosity or urgency
- A/B test consistently
Avoid:
- ALL CAPS
- Excessive punctuation!!!
- Spam trigger words (FREE, ACT NOW)
- Misleading subjects
- Generic subjects ("Newsletter #47")
Email Copy
Structure:
1. Hook (first line): Grab attention, reference pain/benefit
2. Body (2-3 short paragraphs): Value, proof, bridge to CTA
3. CTA (clear, single action): Button or linked text
4. P.S. (optional): Reinforce urgency or secondary offer
Formatting:
- Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max)
- Plenty of white space
- Mobile-first design (single column)
- One primary CTA per email
- Plain text alternative
Timing
| Email Type | Best Days | Best Times |
|---|---|---|
| B2B | Tue-Thu | 9-11am, 1-3pm |
| B2C | Tue-Thu, Sat | 10am, 8pm |
| Transactional | Immediate | N/A |
| Newsletter | Consistent day | Your data |
Core: Deliverability Checklist
Authentication (Required)
- SPF configured (RFC 7208)
- DKIM configured (RFC 6376)
- DMARC configured (RFC 7489)
- Custom sending domain (not @gmail.com)
List Hygiene
- Double opt-in enabled (or single with clear consent)
- Unsubscribe link in every email
- Hard bounces removed immediately
- Soft bounces removed after 3 attempts
- Inactive subscribers suppressed (90 days no engagement)
- Spam complaints monitored (<0.1% rate)
Sending Practices
- Consistent sending frequency
- Gradual volume increases (warm-up)
- No purchased lists (ever)
- Engagement-based sending (engaged first)
- Sunset policy for unengaged
Monitoring
| Metric | Target | Action if Below |
|---|---|---|
| Open rate | >20% | Check subject lines, sender reputation |
| Click rate | >2% | Check content, CTA, relevance |
| Bounce rate | <2% | Clean list, verify addresses |
| Spam rate | <0.1% | Review content, frequency, consent |
| Unsubscribe | <0.5% | Check frequency, relevance |
Platform Setup Guides
HubSpot
See resources/hubspot-setup.md
Klaviyo
See resources/klaviyo-setup.md
Mailchimp
See resources/mailchimp-setup.md
Quick Reference
| Task | Template | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow design | Workflow blueprint | templates/workflow-blueprint.md |
| Welcome sequence | Welcome flow | templates/welcome-sequence.md |
| Nurture sequence | Nurture flow | templates/nurture-sequence.md |
| Cart abandonment | Cart recovery | templates/cart-abandonment.md |
| Email audit | Health check | templates/email-audit.md |
Decision Tree (Email Triage)
Open rates low (<15%)?
├─ Check sender reputation (Google Postmaster, MXToolbox)
├─ Check subject lines (A/B test)
├─ Check send time (test different times)
└─ Check list quality (remove inactive)
Click rates low (<1%)?
├─ Check content relevance (segmentation)
├─ Check CTA clarity (single, prominent)
├─ Check mobile rendering (responsive design)
└─ Check email length (shorter often better)
High unsubscribes (>0.5%)?
├─ Check frequency (too often?)
├─ Check relevance (right content to right segment?)
├─ Check expectations (did they know what they signed up for?)
└─ Add preference center (let them choose frequency/topics)
Deliverability issues?
├─ Check authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
├─ Check blacklists (MXToolbox)
├─ Check content (spam words, link ratio)
└─ Check sending patterns (consistent volume)
Metrics & KPIs
Primary Metrics
| Metric | Definition | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Open rate | Opens / Delivered | >20% |
| Click rate | Clicks / Delivered | >2% |
| Conversion rate | Conversions / Clicks | Varies |
| Revenue per email | Revenue / Emails sent | Track trend |
Workflow Metrics
| Metric | Definition | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Flow conversion | Goal completions / Flow entries | Workflow effectiveness |
| Drop-off rate | Exits at each step | Find weak points |
| Time to convert | Days from entry to goal | Optimize timing |
| Re-entry rate | Multiple entries | Check exclusions |
Templates
| Template | Purpose |
|---|---|
| workflow-blueprint.md | Design any workflow |
| welcome-sequence.md | New subscriber welcome |
| nurture-sequence.md | Lead nurturing |
| cart-abandonment.md | E-commerce recovery |
| email-audit.md | Health check template |
Anti-Patterns
| Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails | Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Batch-and-blast | Low relevance, high unsubscribes | Segment and trigger |
| No segmentation | One size fits none | Behavioral segments |
| Too many CTAs | Decision paralysis | One CTA per email |
| Ignoring mobile | 60%+ read on mobile | Mobile-first design |
| No testing | Assumptions vs data | A/B test everything |
| Buying lists | Spam complaints, reputation damage | Build organically |
| No sunset policy | Sending to dead addresses | Remove unengaged |
Optional: AI / Automation
Note: Core email automation fundamentals above work without AI. This section covers optional AI capabilities.
AI Personalization
| Feature | Use Case | Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Subject line generation | A/B test variants | Claude, GPT, platform built-in |
| Dynamic content | Personalized blocks | Klaviyo, HubSpot, Braze |
| Send time optimization | Per-recipient timing | Seventh Sense, platform AI |
| Predictive segments | Churn risk, purchase propensity | Klaviyo, HubSpot predictive |
AI Best Practices
- Always A/B test AI-generated vs human-written
- Review AI content for brand voice consistency
- Use AI for variants, not strategy
- Monitor performance vs control
Related Skills
- marketing-leads-generation — Lead capture and sequences
- marketing-content-strategy — Content for emails
- marketing-cro — Landing page optimization
- startup-go-to-market — Channel strategy
Usage Notes (Claude)
- Stay operational: return workflow diagrams, email copy templates, setup steps
- Include timing recommendations and branching logic
- Always include deliverability requirements (authentication, hygiene)
- Reference platform-specific features when applicable
- Do not invent benchmark data; use ranges or state "varies by industry"
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