Email Sequence Editor

10 min read Last updated: June 23, 2026

What is a Sequence?

A sequence is a series of steps that each lead progresses through during a campaign. Each step can be an outgoing message (EMAIL, VOICE, SMS) or a waiting period (WAIT). The sequence controls the rhythm and content of your outreach — it's the core of your automation.

When to use sequences: You want to send a structured, timed series of follow-ups to prospects without manually tracking or sending each one. Sequences are the engine that drives all your campaigns.

Step Types

  • EMAIL – default message type with subject line, HTML body, and plain text fallback. Supports full personalization with variables.
  • WAIT – configurable pause between steps (e.g., 3 days, 1 week). The system waits this long before moving the lead to the next step.
  • VOICE – automated AI-powered phone call via ElevenLabs. Ideal for high-value prospects that haven't replied to emails.
  • SMS – text message sent via Twilio or SMS-Fly. Use as a final touch or for urgent time-sensitive offers. See SMS campaigns for configuration details.

Practical example: A multi-channel sequence might be: EMAIL (Day 1) → WAIT (3 days) → EMAIL (Day 4) → WAIT (4 days) → SMS (Day 8) → WAIT (3 days) → VOICE (Day 11). This covers multiple touchpoints without being intrusive.

Message Variants

For each EMAIL step, you can define multiple content variants. The system automatically selects one per lead, enabling built-in A/B testing.

You can test different:

  • Subject lines – direct vs. curiosity-driven
  • Message length – short punchy vs. detailed value
  • CTAs – "Book a call" vs. "Reply to this email" vs. "Download the case study"
  • Tone – formal vs. conversational

💡 Tip: Start with 2-3 variants in the first step of your sequence. After 50-100 sends per variant, check which has the higher open and reply rates, then use the winning variant in future campaigns. Track results on your Dashboard.

Personalization

ProperSend supports dynamic personalization via {{ }} placeholders that are replaced with actual lead data at send time:

  • {{firstName}}, {{lastName}} – lead's name
  • {{companyName}} – company name
  • {{email}} – lead email address
  • {{website}} – company website URL
  • {{city}} – company city
  • {{nip}} – Polish tax ID (NIP)
  • {{industry}} – PKD-based industry classification
  • {{jobTitle}} – job title (when available from CEIDG data)
  • {{phone}} – phone number

Best Practice: Always include {{firstName}} in the greeting and mention {{companyName}} in the body. Personalized emails significantly outperform generic templates. Avoid over-personalization — one or two variables per paragraph is enough. For CRM data sources, see the CRM documentation.

Transition Conditions

Control when a lead moves to the next step:

  • Always – lead moves to the next step automatically after the WAIT duration (applies to WAIT steps)
  • Only if no reply – only send the follow-up if the lead hasn't replied yet. If they replied, the sequence ends for that lead. Replies are tracked via Unibox.
  • Only if no bounce – only proceed if the email was delivered. Bounced leads are automatically removed from the sequence

Tip: Use "Only if no reply" for follow-ups. This prevents sending reminders to prospects who already responded — it looks unprofessional and can damage relationships.

Best Practices

  1. Start with value, not sales – the first email should offer something useful: an insight, a relevant case study, or a helpful observation about their business
  2. Vary message length – alternate between short (50-80 words) and slightly longer (100-150 words) messages to avoid predictability
  3. Clear CTA in every step – each email should have one clear action: reply, book a meeting, read a case study
  4. Minimum 2-3 days between steps – give prospects time to read and process. Too-frequent follow-ups feel spammy
  5. Test subject lines – run 2-3 subject line variants in the first step and let data guide your decision
  6. Use multi-channel for high-value leads – add Voice or SMS steps for prospects that don't respond to email alone

Summary: An effective sequence is a balance of timing, value, and persistence. Lead with value, space out follow-ups, personalize intelligently, and always test before scaling.