💬How to use your NEW nurture/ welcome sequences in Substack

Drip Campaigns are rolling out - yay! Let's write some emails together!!✨

Hi Sparklers,

Happy Friday! Well there was a VERY exciting announcement from Substack HQ yesterday in that they shared they have introduced in drip campaigns in beta testing.

Some of us have been asking for this for actual YEARS - we are so happy because it enables us to nurture our new subscribers. Lots of people miss or don’t open welcome emails and this should significantly increase our open rate longer term too.

In the marketing world, when someone signs up for email from us, they get a series of “automated” pre-written emails which then applies a rule as to their ‘behavior’ - usually clicks, purchases, unsubscribes.

Essentially, Drip campaigns are a series of emails with rules you set that can inspire, connect and nurture a new audience member.

🪄 📧 ✨ 📧 ✨📧✨ 🧙🏼

Substack’s NEW Drip Campaigns feature

Let’s break it down.

If you’re a bestseller, check if you have the nurture sequences. They will roll out to everyone in time - Substack usually take 1-3 months on new features.

1. Free to Paid Conversion Campaign…

My advice - 3-5 emails to introduce yourself, your community, the value of your paid offer and your space.

2. Paid Onboarding Campaign

I already have this and use a zap to my other email list to welcome folks. This is about helping my members feel properly settled in and understand where to find everything. I also explain how they can manage and pause their subscription. It’s four emails long.

3. Upgrade onboarding campaign

I’ve read this three times and I think that they are saying is that if someone upgrades and cancels it will pop them back in the first campaign but don’t quote me on that it’s as clear as MUD! 🤣

🧚🏻‍♀️ 💎

4. Founding member onboard campaign

This is something I really wanted but couldn’t make work with zaps so do with direct messages and pinned posts - I’m excited about this one especially with my 2026 plans!

5. Winback Campaign

Proceed with caution here… we can already offer a special offer before people leave so we need to think carefully about how we are re-engaging someone. The info in your cancellation notes can help inspire this one.¹

Here’s the design flow and thanks to Substack for making this feel EASEFUL - yay! If you’ve ever tried to set this up in mailchimp or with zaps you’ll know it’s an absolute headache!!

Trigger is set up for when a new sub joins, you can adjust the delay and then edit the email…

edit an email as normal - this won’t send as a post remember.

Ok, let’s not get overwhelmed.

That’s a lot of new emails to think about and write. Remember, we are not at school and no one is checking our work - what’s the next right thing you could do. What’s going to give you more of what you want? (usually engagement or paid subs)

If I put on a series of FREE mini mentoring and writing sessions in November to get these beauties written would you want to come along?

Thanks as always for being here,

If you are still working out how to navigate the world of your reader and your paid subscriber existing in the same ecosystem, here’s a video to help.

The 💬 emoji in the header invites you to chat in the comments about your thoughts when it comes to drip feed emails - will use use them, does it boggle your brain? I’d love to hear from you!

Claire

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P.S - If you are the beginning of your journey, I have two 90 minute masterclasses which deep dive into the membership model and the paid subscriber model here on Substack. I’ve bundled them together as a special for you if you’d like to check them out.

1. I didn’t read the unsubscribe notes for the longest time - I actually had anxiety about going in there but with the downturn of growth this year I decided to be brave and get into it - you can read more here.