Why It Matters
Drip campaigns turn email from a one-off broadcast into a sustained conversation. They're the workhorse of lead nurturing — companies that nurture leads with drip sequences generate 50% more sales-ready leads at 33% lower cost, according to Forrester research. They work because they deliver the right message at the right time, without requiring you to manually send each email.
How It Works
You map out a sequence of emails, each with a specific purpose and a set delay between sends. A typical SaaS onboarding drip might look like: Day 0: Welcome email. Day 2: Quick-start guide. Day 5: Feature highlight. Day 10: Case study. Day 14: Upgrade prompt. The system sends each email automatically based on the subscriber's entry date.
More sophisticated drips incorporate branching logic — if the subscriber clicked in email #3, they get email #4a; if they didn't, they get #4b. At that point, you're moving from a drip campaign into a full automation workflow, but the line between them is blurry.
Quick Tips
- Start with your highest-value sequence — usually welcome/onboarding. It has the most engaged audience and the biggest impact on retention.
- Space your emails based on the recipient's decision timeline. B2B software purchases take weeks; an e-commerce restock reminder can be faster.
- Include exit conditions. Someone who converts at email #2 shouldn't keep getting emails #3 through #7.
- Review performance monthly. If email #4 has a sharp engagement drop, the problem might be timing, relevance, or sequence fatigue.