Email Sequences in Quill CRM are automated drip campaigns that let you send a series of pre-written emails to contacts over a period of time. Instead of sending a single email blast, sequences allow you to nurture your contacts with a planned series of messages — each delivered at the right interval — to guide them through a journey such as onboarding, follow-up, education, or re-engagement.
What Are Email Sequences?
An email sequence is a collection of emails (called steps) that are sent automatically to enrolled contacts based on a defined time delay. For example, you might create a Welcome Series sequence that:
- Step 1 — Sends immediately: A welcome email thanking the contact for signing up.
- Step 2 — Sends after 2 days: An introduction to your product features.
- Step 3 — Sends after 5 days: A case study or success story.
- Step 4 — Sends after 7 days: A special offer or call to action.
Each contact who enters the sequence receives these emails on their own personal timeline, starting from when they were enrolled.
Sequences vs. Standard Campaigns
| Feature | Standard Campaign | Email Sequence |
|---|---|---|
| Sending | One-time, to all recipients at once | Drip-based, each contact on their own timeline |
| Number of emails | Single email | Multiple emails (steps) in a series |
| Timing | Sent at a scheduled date/time | Each step sent after a defined delay from enrollment |
| Personalized timing | No — same time for everyone | Yes — each contacts timeline starts at enrollment |
| Best for | Announcements, promotions, newsletters | Onboarding, nurturing, follow-ups, education series |
Key Features
- Flexible Delays: Set delays in minutes, hours, or days between each step to control exactly when each email is sent after enrollment.
- Send Window Control: Optionally restrict sending to specific days of the week and specific time ranges to ensure your emails arrive during business hours.
- Custom Sender Details: Override the default from name and from email address at the sequence level, so your emails appear to come from a specific team member or department.
- Performance Tracking: Monitor the delivery, open rate, and click rate for each step in the sequence.
- Automatic Exit Conditions: Contacts are automatically removed from a sequence if they unsubscribe or if their email bounces.
- Automation Integration: Enroll contacts into sequences automatically using the Send Email Sequence action in Quill CRM Automations.
How Email Sequences Work
Here is the high-level flow:
- Create a Sequence: Navigate to Quill CRM → Email Sequences and create a new sequence. Give it a name and optionally set custom sender details.
- Add Steps: Add one or more email steps. Each step includes the email subject, content, and a time delay.
- Enroll Contacts: Contacts can be enrolled via Automation (using the Send Email Sequence action) or via the REST API.
- Automatic Delivery: Quill CRM automatically sends each step at the correct time based on delays and send window restrictions.
- Track Performance: View reports for each step to see sent, opened, and clicked metrics.
Common Use Cases
- Welcome Series: Greet new subscribers with a series of emails that introduce your brand.
- Onboarding: Guide new customers through setup steps and best practices.
- Lead Nurturing: Educate potential customers with valuable content over time.
- Follow-up After Purchase: Send post-purchase emails such as thank-you notes and review requests.
- Re-engagement: Win back inactive contacts with compelling messages.
- Event-based Sequences: Trigger sequences from automations when specific events occur.