Set Up Email Onboarding and Marketing
Build an automated email sequence that converts signups into active users and active users into paying customers.
The 7-email onboarding sequence
Every successful SaaS has an onboarding email sequence. The standard pattern: Email 1 (day 0): Welcome and quick start — sent immediately on signup. Email 2 (day 1): First value — guide them to complete one meaningful action. Email 3 (day 3): Social proof — show what others have achieved. Email 4 (day 5): Advanced feature — introduce a feature they probably have not tried. Email 5 (day 7): Feedback request — ask what is confusing or missing. Email 6 (day 10): Case study — detailed success story. Email 7 (day 14): Upgrade prompt — explain the paid plan's value. Ask Claude Code to build this entire system: the email templates, the scheduling logic, and the sending infrastructure using Resend.
Building the sequence engine
Ask Claude Code: "Create an email sequence system. When a user signs up, create a row in an email_sequences table tracking their progress. A cron endpoint (called every hour) checks for pending emails and sends them at the right time. Track opens and clicks using Resend's webhooks. Allow users to unsubscribe with a one-click link. Never send more than one email per day." This is a simplified version of what Mailchimp and ConvertKit charge hundreds per month for. It handles the 80 percent case for SaaS onboarding.
Writing emails that get opened
Ask Claude Code to write all 7 email templates: "Write the complete 7-email onboarding sequence for [your product]. Each email should: have a subject line under 40 characters, be under 200 words, have one clear call-to-action, feel personal (from a human, not a brand), and include an unsubscribe link. The tone should be helpful and direct — not marketing-speak." Claude Code will write all 7 emails. Review them for authenticity — edit anything that sounds like a generic SaaS email.
Tracking and optimising performance
Ask Claude Code: "Create an admin dashboard at /admin/email that shows: delivery rate, open rate, and click rate for each email in the sequence. Show a funnel visualisation from signup to first action to upgrade. Highlight the email with the lowest open rate (it needs a better subject line) and the email with the lowest click rate (it needs a better CTA)." Use this data to iterate. The subject line is the most important element — test variations. The CTA button text and placement determine clicks. Optimise the weakest email first for the biggest impact.
Growth and Retention
This guide is hands-on and practical. The full curriculum covers the conceptual foundations in depth with structured lessons and quizzes.
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