email-plan

Email Plan -- Email Marketing Strategy Generator

Overview

This sub-skill generates a complete email marketing strategy tailored to your business type, including:

• Email platform recommendations
• Domain authentication checklist
• List building strategy
• Segmentation plan
• Automation sequence priorities
• Content calendar template
• KPI targets and benchmarks
• 90-day implementation roadmap

Usage

Invoked by /email plan from the main email skill.

Workflow

1. Detect Business Type

First, check if email-profile.md exists and contains business type. If not, analyze context signals:

Business Type Detection:

• Local Business: Physical location, appointments, service area, reviews, foot traffic
• SaaS: Software product, trials, subscriptions, feature usage, onboarding
• E-commerce: Product catalog, shopping cart, inventory, shipping, order fulfillment
• Creator/Newsletter: Content creation, audience building, paid subscriptions, courses
• Agency: Client services, proposals, case studies, retainers, project-based

If unclear, ask: "What type of business is this strategy for? (local-business, saas, ecommerce, creator, agency)"

2. Load Industry Template

Based on business type, load the appropriate template from:

• assets/local-business.md
• assets/saas.md
• assets/ecommerce.md
• assets/creator.md
• assets/agency.md
• assets/generic.md (fallback)

3. Generate Strategy

Create a comprehensive strategy document with these sections:

Strategy Sections

Executive Summary

2-3 sentence overview of the strategy, highlighting:

• Business type and primary email marketing goal
• Key strategic focus areas
• Expected timeline to see results

1. Email Program Foundation

Platform Recommendation:

Based on business size, budget, and needs:

Business Size	Recommended Platform	Monthly Cost	Best For
Solo/startup (<1K subscribers)	Kit.com or MailerLite	$0-29	Creators, solopreneurs
Small (1-5 staff, 1K-10K)	Mailchimp or MailerLite	$13-45	Local businesses, agencies
Medium (5-50 staff, 10K-50K)	ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo	$49-150	SaaS, ecommerce
Large (50+ staff, 50K+)	HubSpot or Salesforce	$800+	Enterprise SaaS, large ecommerce

Industry-Specific Platforms:

• E-commerce: Klaviyo (product recommendations, revenue attribution)
• SaaS: Customer.io or Intercom (behavioral triggers, in-app messaging)
• Creators: Kit.com/ConvertKit or Beehiiv (monetization tools, referral programs)
• Agencies: HubSpot (CRM integration, sales pipeline)

Domain Authentication Checklist:

Before sending any emails, verify these DNS records are configured:

• SPF Record: Authorizes sending servers
• DKIM Record: Cryptographic email signature
• DMARC Record: Enforcement policy for SPF/DKIM failures
• Custom Sending Domain: Use mail.yourdomain.com instead of platform domain
• Verification: Run /email audit <domain> to confirm setup

List Building Strategy:

3-5 methods specific to business type (from industry template):

Example for local business:

1. QR code on receipts → signup landing page
2. Sign-up prompt at checkout (iPad/tablet)
3. WiFi login portal → email capture
4. Google Business Profile → newsletter CTA
5. In-store signage with incentive (10% off next visit)

Example for SaaS:

1. Free trial signup (automatic list add)
2. Content marketing lead magnets (guides, templates)
3. Webinar registrations
4. Product updates blog → email subscription
5. Referral program

Consent and Compliance:

• US: CAN-SPAM compliant (physical address, unsubscribe link)
• EU/UK: GDPR compliant (explicit opt-in, data processing agreement)
• Canada: CASL compliant (express consent, unsubscribe)
• Australia: Spam Act compliant (consent, identify, unsubscribe)

Load compliance requirements from ../../references/compliance.md based on region.

2. Segmentation Plan

Define 3-5 core segments with:

• Segment Name
• Criteria (behavioral, demographic, engagement)
• Estimated Size (% of list)
• Email Frequency (emails per week/month)
• Content Type (educational, promotional, transactional)

Example Segmentation Table:

Segment	Criteria	Est. Size	Frequency	Content Type
New Customers	First 30 days after signup	15%	3/week	Onboarding, educational
Repeat Customers	2+ purchases	25%	2/week	Loyalty, cross-sell
VIP	Top 20% by spend	20%	2/week	Exclusive offers, early access
At-risk	60-90 days no activity	20%	1/week	Win-back, incentives
Lapsed	90+ days no activity	20%	1/month	Re-engagement, surveys

Load industry-specific segments from template.

3. Automation Sequence Priorities

Rank automation sequences to build, based on business type and impact.

Format:

Priority	Sequence Name	Trigger	# Emails	Purpose
1	Welcome Series	List signup	3-5	Introduce brand, set expectations
2	[Industry-specific]	[Trigger]	[Count]	[Goal]
3	[Industry-specific]	[Trigger]	[Count]	[Goal]

Industry-Specific Priorities:

Local Business:

1. Welcome Series → introduce business, set expectations
2. Review Request → post-visit review ask (timing varies by industry)
3. Appointment Reminder → reduce no-shows
4. Birthday/Loyalty → reward program, special offers
5. Re-engagement → win back lapsed customers

SaaS:

1. Onboarding/Feature Adoption → drive activation, reduce time-to-value
2. Trial-to-Paid → convert trials with education + urgency
3. Feature Announcement → drive usage of new capabilities
4. NPS/Feedback → gather insights, reduce churn risk
5. Churn Prevention → detect at-risk users, intervention

E-commerce:

1. Abandoned Cart → recover lost revenue (3-email series)
2. Welcome + First Purchase → convert new subscribers
3. Post-Purchase → build loyalty, request review
4. Win-Back → re-engage dormant customers
5. Cross-Sell/Upsell → product recommendations

Creator/Newsletter:

1. Welcome → introduce yourself, set content expectations
2. Content Drip → best-of archive, value demonstration
3. Monetization → product/course launch sequence
4. Re-engagement → win back dormant subscribers
5. Referral → incentivize word-of-mouth growth

Agency:

1. Welcome/Credibility → establish expertise, showcase work
2. Case Study Drip → demonstrate results over time
3. Proposal Follow-up → nurture leads post-proposal
4. Client Onboarding → set expectations, gather info
5. Quarterly Business Review → retain clients, upsell

4. Content Calendar

Monthly email cadence template based on industry best practices.

Standard Cadence:

Frequency	Email Type	Purpose
Weekly	Value Email	Educational, tips, insights (80/20 rule)
Weekly	Promotional Email	Offers, announcements, product updates
Monthly	Newsletter Roundup	Month recap, top content, community highlights
Quarterly	Survey/Feedback	NPS, product feedback, preferences
Seasonal	Holiday Campaigns	Holiday-specific promotions, greetings

Industry-Specific Adjustments:

• E-commerce: 3-4 emails/week (higher tolerance for promotional content)
• SaaS: 1-2 emails/week (focus on feature adoption, education)
• Local Business: 1-2 emails/week max (avoid overwhelming small local audience)
• Creator: 1-3 emails/week (consistency is key, content-driven)
• Agency: 1 email/week (thought leadership, case studies)

Content Mix by Business Type:

Load from industry template (e.g., local business: 40% tips, 30% promotions, 20% news, 10% community).

5. KPI Targets

Set realistic benchmarks based on business type and industry averages.

Load benchmarks from ../../references/benchmarks.md and customize:

Metric	Industry Benchmark	Your Target	Notes
Open Rate	15-25%	20%	Varies by industry, list health
Click Rate	2-5%	3.5%	Engagement quality indicator
Conversion Rate	1-3%	2%	Purchase, signup, download
Unsubscribe Rate	<0.5%	<0.3%	High = content/frequency issue
Bounce Rate	<2%	<1%	High = list hygiene problem
Revenue per Email	Varies	$X	E-commerce specific

KPI Tracking Schedule:

• Weekly: Open rate, click rate, unsubscribe rate
• Monthly: Conversion rate, revenue per email, list growth rate
• Quarterly: Deliverability audit, segment performance review

6. Platform Setup Guide

Step-by-step platform configuration based on recommendation:

1. Account Creation

   • Choose plan tier based on list size
   • Enable two-factor authentication
   • Configure sender name and reply-to address

2. Domain Authentication

   • Add custom sending domain (mail.yourdomain.com)
   • Configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC records
   • Verify authentication in platform settings

3. List Import

   • Clean list before import (remove bounces, duplicates)
   • Tag import source for segmentation
   • Send re-permission email if list is old (6+ months)

4. Compliance Settings

   • Add physical mailing address to footer
   • Configure unsubscribe preferences
   • Set up preference center (frequency, content type)

5. Integration Setup

   • Connect website forms
   • Integrate CRM/e-commerce platform
   • Set up analytics tracking (UTM parameters)

7. 90-Day Implementation Roadmap

Week-by-week plan to launch a complete email program.

Week	Milestone	Tasks	Success Criteria
1-2	Foundation	Domain auth (SPF/DKIM/DMARC), platform setup, list import, compliance config	Authentication verified, list imported, first test email sent
3-4	First Sends	Welcome sequence live (3-5 emails), first newsletter sent, analytics connected	Welcome series activated, first newsletter delivered, open rate >15%
5-6	Automation #2	Second automation built (industry-specific), segment creation, A/B test setup	Second sequence live, 3-5 segments created, first A/B test running
7-8	Optimization	A/B testing program started, deliverability review, content calendar established	2+ A/B tests completed, deliverability >95%, 4-week content calendar drafted
9-10	Automation #3	Third automation built, behavioral triggers added, dynamic content tested	Third sequence live, trigger rules configured, personalization active
11-12	Review & Plan	Performance review, optimization pass, identify gaps, plan Q2 roadmap	KPI dashboard created, underperforming emails identified, Q2 plan drafted

Week 1-2: Foundation

• Set up email platform account
• Configure domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
• Import and clean existing list
• Design email template (mobile-responsive)
• Run /email audit <domain> to verify setup

Week 3-4: First Sends

• Build welcome sequence (3-5 emails)
• Send first newsletter to test deliverability
• Monitor metrics (opens, clicks, bounces)
• Set up analytics tracking

Week 5-6: Automation #2

• Build second priority sequence (from industry template)
• Create core segments (3-5)
• Set up A/B testing framework
• Optimize welcome series based on data

Week 7-8: Optimization

• Run 2+ A/B tests (subject lines, send times, CTAs)
• Conduct deliverability audit
• Establish 4-week rolling content calendar
• Review and adjust frequency based on engagement

Week 9-10: Automation #3

• Build third priority sequence
• Add behavioral triggers (clicks, purchases, inactivity)
• Test dynamic content and personalization
• Expand segmentation based on learnings

Week 11-12: Review & Plan Q2

• Generate performance report (all KPIs)
• Identify underperforming emails and sequences
• Optimize low-performing content
• Draft Q2 roadmap with new sequences, segments, campaigns

Output Format

## Email Marketing Strategy: [Business Name/Type]

### Executive Summary
[2-3 sentence overview: business type, primary goal, strategic focus, expected timeline]

### 1. Email Program Foundation

**Platform Recommendation:** [Platform name] ($X/month)
**Why:** [1-2 sentence rationale based on business needs]

**Domain Authentication Checklist:**
- [ ] SPF Record configured
- [ ] DKIM Record configured
- [ ] DMARC Record configured
- [ ] Custom sending domain verified
- [ ] Run `/email audit <domain>` to confirm

**List Building Strategy:**
1. [Method 1 with details]
2. [Method 2 with details]
3. [Method 3 with details]
4. [Method 4 with details]
5. [Method 5 with details]

**Compliance:** [Region-specific requirements]

### 2. Segmentation Plan

| Segment | Criteria | Est. Size | Frequency | Content Type |
|---------|----------|-----------|-----------|--------------|
| [Segment 1] | [Criteria] | [%] | [X/week] | [Type] |
| [Segment 2] | [Criteria] | [%] | [X/week] | [Type] |
| [Segment 3] | [Criteria] | [%] | [X/week] | [Type] |
| [Segment 4] | [Criteria] | [%] | [X/week] | [Type] |
| [Segment 5] | [Criteria] | [%] | [X/week] | [Type] |

### 3. Automation Sequence Priorities

| Priority | Sequence Name | Trigger | # Emails | Purpose |
|----------|---------------|---------|----------|---------|
| 1 | [Sequence 1] | [Trigger] | [Count] | [Goal] |
| 2 | [Sequence 2] | [Trigger] | [Count] | [Goal] |
| 3 | [Sequence 3] | [Trigger] | [Count] | [Goal] |
| 4 | [Sequence 4] | [Trigger] | [Count] | [Goal] |
| 5 | [Sequence 5] | [Trigger] | [Count] | [Goal] |

### 4. Content Calendar

**Email Frequency:** [X emails per week/month]

**Content Mix:**
- [Content Type 1]: [%]
- [Content Type 2]: [%]
- [Content Type 3]: [%]
- [Content Type 4]: [%]

**Monthly Template:**
| Week | Value Email | Promotional Email | Other |
|------|-------------|-------------------|-------|
| Week 1 | [Topic] | [Offer] | - |
| Week 2 | [Topic] | [Offer] | Newsletter |
| Week 3 | [Topic] | [Offer] | - |
| Week 4 | [Topic] | [Offer] | - |

### 5. KPI Targets

| Metric | Industry Benchmark | Your Target | Review Frequency |
|--------|-------------------|-------------|------------------|
| Open Rate | 15-25% | 20% | Weekly |
| Click Rate | 2-5% | 3.5% | Weekly |
| Conversion Rate | 1-3% | 2% | Monthly |
| Unsubscribe Rate | <0.5% | <0.3% | Weekly |
| Bounce Rate | <2% | <1% | Monthly |
| [Industry-specific metric] | [Benchmark] | [Target] | [Frequency] |

### 6. Platform Setup Guide

[5-step setup guide specific to recommended platform]

### 7. 90-Day Implementation Roadmap

| Week | Milestone | Success Criteria |
|------|-----------|------------------|
| 1-2 | Foundation | Authentication verified, list imported, test email sent |
| 3-4 | First Sends | Welcome series live, first newsletter sent, open rate >15% |
| 5-6 | Automation #2 | Second sequence live, segments created, A/B test running |
| 7-8 | Optimization | Tests completed, deliverability >95%, content calendar set |
| 9-10 | Automation #3 | Third sequence live, triggers configured, personalization active |
| 11-12 | Review & Plan | KPI dashboard created, gaps identified, Q2 plan drafted |

### Next Steps

**Immediate Actions:**
1. Run `/email audit <domain>` to verify domain authentication
2. Run `/email sequence welcome` to design the welcome series
3. Set up platform account and complete domain configuration

**Week 1 Priority:**
- [ ] Configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC records
- [ ] Import and clean email list
- [ ] Design email template
- [ ] Send test email to verify deliverability

**Resources:**
- Platform setup guides in `references/mcp-integration.md`
- Compliance requirements in `/references/compliance.md`
- Benchmarks in `/references/benchmarks.md`

Quality Checks

Before delivering strategy:

1. Business type detected or confirmed (not assumed)
2. Industry template loaded and customized (not generic copy-paste)
3. Platform recommendation justified based on size, budget, needs
4. All 7 sections present with complete information
5. 90-day roadmap has specific, actionable milestones
6. KPI targets are realistic based on industry benchmarks
7. Next steps are clear and prioritized

Error Handling

• If business type unclear and no email-profile.md exists, ask user to specify
• If industry template doesn't match business perfectly, use closest match + customize
• If budget constraints mentioned, adjust platform recommendation
• If compliance region unknown, default to strictest (GDPR) and note assumption