Email Marketing
Email campaign strategy, automation, and optimization for engagement and conversion.
Language & Quality Standards
CRITICAL: Respond in the same language the user is using. If Vietnamese, respond in Vietnamese. If Spanish, respond in Spanish.
Standards: Token efficiency, sacrifice grammar for concision, list unresolved questions at end.
When to Use This Skill
Apply email expertise when:
- Creating email sequences and automations
- Improving deliverability and inbox placement
- Optimizing open rates and click rates
- Designing lifecycle email workflows
- Segmenting audiences for personalization
- A/B testing email elements
Core Concepts
Email Types & Timing
| Type | Purpose | Timing | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome | Onboard new subscribers | Immediate (<5 min) | Once |
| Nurture | Build trust over time | Drip sequence | 1-2x/week |
| Promotional | Drive sales/signups | Campaign-based | 1-4x/month |
| Transactional | Confirm actions | Triggered | As needed |
| Re-engagement | Win back inactive | 30-90 days inactive | Once per cycle |
Email Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | Acceptable | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Rate | 15-20% | 20-25% | 25%+ |
| Click Rate | 1-2% | 2-5% | 5%+ |
| Click-to-Open | 10-15% | 15-20% | 20%+ |
| Unsubscribe | <1% | <0.5% | <0.2% |
| Bounce Rate | <5% | <2% | <0.5% |
| Spam Complaint | <0.1% | <0.05% | <0.01% |
Email Anatomy
From: [Name] from [Brand] <email@domain.com>
Subject: [Hook + Benefit] (50 chars optimal)
Preview: [Extends subject curiosity] (90-100 chars)
[Personalized greeting]
[Hook - address pain/desire in first line]
[Value delivery - main content]
[Social proof - testimonial/stat - optional]
[Single CTA button - clear action]
[P.S. - additional hook or urgency]
[Signature with human touch]Subject Line Formulas
| Formula | Example | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Question | "Still struggling with [pain]?" | Engagement |
| How-to | "How to [achieve outcome] in [time]" | Education |
| Curiosity | "[X] thing [audience] forget about [topic]" | Opens |
| Social Proof | "How [customer] got [result]" | Conversion |
| Urgency | "[X] hours left: [offer]" | Promotions |
| Personal | "{{first_name}}, quick question" | Response |
Sequence Framework
Welcome Sequence (7 days, 5 emails):
- Day 0: Welcome + deliver lead magnet
- Day 1: Quick win / immediate value
- Day 3: Brand story / why we exist
- Day 5: Social proof / case study
- Day 7: Engagement check / preferences
Nurture Sequence (6 weeks):
- Week 1-2: Problem awareness
- Week 3-4: Solution education
- Week 5-6: Product introduction + offer
Segmentation Strategy
| Segment Type | Criteria | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement | Open/click behavior | Re-engagement targeting |
| Interest | Content consumed | Topic personalization |
| Lifecycle | Lead stage | Funnel-appropriate content |
| Demographic | Role, company size | Message customization |
| Behavioral | Website actions | Trigger-based emails |
Best Practices
Deliverability Excellence
- Warm Up New Domains: Gradual volume increase
- Authentication: SPF, DKIM, DMARC properly configured
- List Hygiene: Remove bounces and inactive regularly
- Engagement Signals: Encourage replies, adds to contacts
Copy Excellence
- Mobile First: 60%+ read on mobile
- Scannable: Short paragraphs, bullets, bold
- One CTA: Don't compete with yourself
- Personal Tone: Write to one person, not a list
Testing Excellence
- Subject Lines: Always A/B test
- Send Times: Find optimal windows per segment
- Content Length: Test short vs. long
- CTA Buttons: Text, color, placement
Agent Integration
| Agent | How They Use This Skill |
|---|---|
email-wizard | Sequence design, automation setup |
copywriter | Email copy creation |
lead-qualifier | Segmentation criteria, triggers |
continuity-specialist | Re-engagement strategies |
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
| Anti-Pattern | Why It's Wrong | Do This Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Buying email lists | Destroys deliverability | Build organic list |
| No segmentation | Irrelevant content = unsubscribes | Segment by behavior |
| Too many CTAs | Confuses reader, dilutes clicks | One primary CTA |
| No unsubscribe | Illegal + spam complaints | Clear, easy unsubscribe |
| Batch and blast | No personalization | Behavior-triggered emails |
Workflow Integration
crm-workflow.md- Lead lifecycle stages, MQL/SQL definitionssales-workflow.md- Lead scoring thresholds for email triggers
Related Commands
/sequence/welcome- 7-day welcome sequence/sequence/nurture- 6-week lead nurture/sequence/re-engage- 21-day win-back/content/email- Email copy creation
References
references/sequence-design.md- Email sequence blueprintsreferences/deliverability.md- Getting to inboxreferences/segmentation.md- Audience segmentationreferences/automation.md- Automation workflowsreferences/lead-nurturing-workflows.md- Lead nurturing sequences