Growth playbook

Email nurture

Build email workflows that keep leads engaged and moving, using examples from HubSpot that apply across any automation tool.

Email nurture

Chapters

1
Chapter

Lead nurture strategy

Build a smart email nurture strategy that matches your funnel stage and turns leads into pipeline, not unsubscribes.

2
Chapter

Write nurture emails that convert

Learn to write emails that are opened, clicked and replied to — using clear structure, relevance and strong copy.

3
Chapter

Build your sequence

Structure your nurture flow with clear triggers, delays and personalisation that feels natural and timely.

4
Chapter

Welcome series

Create a strong first impression with a welcome flow that builds trust and sets expectations for new leads.

5
Chapter

Evergreen newsletter

Set up a timeless email series that delivers ongoing value, educates prospects and keeps your brand top of mind.

6
Chapter

Sales handover sequence

Bridge the gap between marketing and sales with a nurture flow that prepares leads before the first call.

7
Chapter

Re-engagement sequence

Reconnect with cold leads using messages that feel helpful, not desperate — and revive interest.

8
Chapter

Post-demo sequence

Follow up after demos with a short series that answers questions, reinforces value and drives momentum.

HubSpot

HubSpotHubSpot

HubSpot helps B2B marketers stay organised with clarity.

Brevo

BrevoBrevo

Brevo helps B2B marketers track results with efficiency.

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaignActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign helps B2B marketers automate tasks with flexibility.

Mailchimp

MailchimpMailchimp

Mailchimp helps B2B marketers automate tasks with efficiency.

Introduction

Most nurture sequences still push sales calls on leads who barely recognise the brand. Inboxes react by filing those messages under “later” or hitting unsubscribe. The real culprit is not deliverability; it is relevance. If every email fails to teach, shortcut or inspire, volume cannot make up the deficit.

This is one of the reasons why I do customer research, because if you truly know what the problem is that the audience you're targeting has, then you can create really engaging lead nurture flows, and people would love to book meetings with your sales team.

Over the past decade I have built funnels that move prospects smoothly from “who are you?” to “let’s talk”. Three principles drive that shift. First, every send must deliver practical value so strong the reader wants to bookmark it; thin content never wins, no matter how many times you press send. Second, the moment a lead books a call or opts out, the sequence stops—no zombie drips cluttering the inbox. Third, the copy must read like a helpful human who understands daily pain, then scale through careful merge fields; automation should amplify empathy, not replace it.

This guide shows both the creative and technical sides of that system. You will map awareness stages, write value-packed messages for each, set hard exit triggers, and automate delivery in a tone that feels handwritten. The outcome is an email engine that turns cold addresses into warm conversations, booking meetings while you sleep and freeing sales to start deeper discussions.

If you are ready to trade inbox noise for dialogue that converts, read on. The next sections break the process into clear, workable steps you can deploy this quarter.

With stages mapped, segment your database accordingly. Use behaviour, not guesswork: page views, webinar attendance, or the specific lead magnet downloaded. Store stage data in a single field so sequences can switch automatically as prospects progress. A contact reading product documentation no longer needs a problem-education email; the system must recognise that and adjust.

Next design your must-have flows: a fast-response series that follows every new enquiry, a problem-education drip for unaware leads, a product-proof sequence for evaluation, and a re-engagement track for stalled deals. Limit each flow to four or five emails—enough to deliver value without fatigue. End every message with a light call to action that matches stage readiness, from “reply with your biggest hurdle” to “book a fifteen-minute demo”.

Write the emails in a conversational tone. Open with a personal reference (download, webinar, or comment), offer a concrete takeaway—template, case snippet, or checklist—and close with the next step. Keep paragraphs short, use plain language, and substitute buzzwords with customer vocabulary. A quick way to test warmth is to read the draft aloud; if it sounds like a real person, you are close.

Technical build comes last. Choose a platform that supports conditional logic and event-based exits. Create one master template with dynamic sections so design stays consistent across flows. Implement fail-safes: stop emails when a call is booked, mute contacts who reply manually, and suppress duplicates across lists. Test every branch with seed addresses to confirm timing, personalisation tokens and unsubscribe links.

Measurement must focus on progression, not vanity opens. Track reply rates, calls booked and revenue influence per stage. Review these numbers fortnightly and archive under-performing messages. When a single email underdelivers, rewrite; when a whole flow stalls, revisit the stage map or the offer’s perceived value. Continuous small edits compound faster than quarterly overhauls.

Finally, establish a rhythm of customer research to feed the machine. Schedule monthly interviews, tag fresh quotes in your CRM, and refresh copy every quarter. The inbox landscape shifts quickly; staying close to the buyer keeps your nurture relevant and your pipeline healthy.

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Dotcom Secrets
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Wiki articles

Go to wiki
Wiki

Lead nurture

Engaging and building relationships with leads to move them through the funnel.

Customer.io

Customer.ioCustomer.io

Customer.io helps B2B marketers engage leads with clarity.

Adobe Marketo

Adobe MarketoAdobe Marketo

Adobe Marketo helps B2B marketers automate tasks with speed.

Eloqua

EloquaEloqua

Eloqua helps B2B marketers stay organised with flexibility.

Drip

DripDrip

Drip helps B2B marketers automate tasks with speed.

Brevo

BrevoBrevo

Brevo helps B2B marketers track results with efficiency.

Mailchimp

MailchimpMailchimp

Mailchimp helps B2B marketers automate tasks with efficiency.

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaignActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign helps B2B marketers automate tasks with flexibility.

Further reading

Integrates with your existing tools

Confirm the platform has native connectors—or at least reliable webhooks—for your CRM, ad channels, and webinar software. Otherwise you will burn time on work-arounds before the first campaign even ships.

Drag-and-drop workflow builder

A clear visual interface lets marketers sketch a journey, set delays, and add conditions without touching code. Complex campaign logic stays readable and easy to tweak after launch.

Email deliverability tools

High open rates start with solid sender reputation. Look for automatic domain authentication (SPF, DKIM), warm-up guidance, and real-time spam checks so your messages land in the inbox rather than the junk folder.

Lead scoring and segmentation

The platform should help you rank prospects by behaviour and profile, then trigger personalised workflows. This stops sales chasing unqualified leads and keeps nurture content relevant.

Reporting that shows pipeline impact

Vanity metrics are cheap. You need clear attribution from first touch through to signed deal, plus cohort and velocity reports that surface weak spots in the journey.

Pricing that scales with growth

Most vendors charge by contact count or email volume. Model your database size one year ahead and map the cost curve so success does not blow up the budget.

Security and data compliance

GDPR-ready data processing agreements, role-based access, and two-factor authentication protect both customers and brand reputation. Ask where data is stored and how long backups last.

What is B2B marketing automation?

B2B marketing automation is software that sends the right message to the right contact at the right moment without manual effort. It scores leads, triggers e-mails, updates the CRM, and nudges sales when a prospect crosses a threshold. For a fuller walk-through see our separate page What is B2B marketing automation?

How does it differ from a CRM?

A CRM stores contact history and pipeline stages. Marketing automation handles the actions that move contacts through those stages—welcome sequences, webinar reminders, and lead-scoring updates. In practice the two tools talk constantly: automation writes engagement data to the CRM, the CRM supplies deal status back to automation so it knows when to stop or switch tracks.

When is the right time to adopt it?

Introduce automation once manual e-mail sends and spreadsheet lead lists start to slip. A common trigger is missing follow-ups or inconsistent nurture cadence. If you handle fewer than 100 new leads a month you can delay; anything above that risks revenue leakage without automated workflows.

Which channels can it manage?

Most platforms cover e-mail out of the box and add web hooks, forms, SMS, and ad retargeting as your stack matures. Map the buyer journey first, then turn each manual touchpoint into a rule. A lean setup might only send onboarding e-mails; a mature one syncs webinar attendance, scores intent, and routes hot leads straight to sales calendars.

How do you measure success?

Track three numbers: lead-to-opportunity conversion, average deal velocity, and revenue influenced by automated journeys. Compare pre-automation and post-automation periods over at least one sales cycle to avoid seasonal noise. If conversion rises or velocity shortens, the workflows are doing their job.

What compliance checks matter?

GDPR and CAN-SPAM rules apply the moment you store personal data or send marketing e-mails. Confirm the platform supports contact consent fields, easy unsubscribe links, and regional data storage. Build suppression lists for opted-out contacts and test them monthly; fines aside, sending unwanted e-mails erodes trust fast.

Treat marketing automation as an engine that scales personalised outreach rather than a silver bullet. Start with one high-impact journey, measure the lift, and only then layer on more rules. The compound gain over a quarter often dwarfs the headline feature list.

Replace random tactics & traffic spikes with solid B2B growth

Short videos and plug-and-play templates teach you the full 14-week growth plan. Study when it suits you and launch the cycle at your own pace.