email-automation-builder

# Email Automation Builder

Build multi-sequence email automation flows with branching logic, segmentation, triggers, and tool-specific setup. More advanced than S5 email-drip-sequence: this skill creates conditional flows that respond to subscriber behavior (opened, clicked, purchased). Output includes ASCII flow diagrams, email content, and platform setup instructions.

## Stage

S7: Automation — S5's email-drip-sequence is a linear 7-email series. Real email marketing uses branching flows: if they opened → send X, if they didn't → send Y, if they clicked the affiliate link → move to a different sequence. This skill builds the automation system, not just the emails.

## When to Use

- User needs email flows with conditional logic (if/then branches)
- User wants welcome series, nurture flows, win-back campaigns, or cart abandonment
- User says "email automation", "branching email", "conditional sequence"
- User wants to set up flows in ConvertKit, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, or Beehiiv
- User already has an S5 drip sequence and wants to upgrade it to a full automation
- Chaining: upgrade S5 `email-drip-sequence` output to a branching automation

## Input Schema

```yaml
product:
  name: string                 # REQUIRED — product being promoted
  affiliate_url: string        # REQUIRED — affiliate link
  reward_value: string         # OPTIONAL — commission info (e.g., "30% recurring")

audience:
  description: string          # REQUIRED — who the subscribers are
  segments:                    # OPTIONAL — audience segments for branching
    - string                   # e.g., ["cold_leads", "warm_leads", "buyers"]

flow_type: string              # OPTIONAL — "welcome" | "nurture" | "winback"
                               # | "reengagement" | "cart_abandon"
                               # Default: "welcome"

email_tool: string             # OPTIONAL — "convertkit" | "mailchimp"
                               # | "activecampaign" | "beehiiv"
                               # Default: generic (works with any ESP)

num_emails: number             # OPTIONAL — total emails in the flow (5-12)
                               # Default: 7

lead_magnet: string            # OPTIONAL — what they opted in for
```

**Chaining context**: If S5 email-drip-sequence was run earlier, offer to upgrade it: "I see you have a 7-email drip sequence. Want me to upgrade it with branching logic and segments?"

## Workflow

### Step 1: Map Flow Type to Template

Select automation template based on `flow_type`:

**Welcome Flow**: Trigger → Welcome email → Wait 1 day → Value email → Branch (opened? → Soft sell / didn't open? → Re-engagement) → Continue selling to openers, re-engage non-openers

**Nurture Flow**: Trigger → Educational series → Branch (clicked affiliate link? → Move to sales sequence / didn't click? → Continue nurturing) → Post-purchase thank you for converters

**Win-back Flow**: Trigger (inactive 30+ days) → "We miss you" → Wait 3 days → Value reminder → Branch (re-engaged? → Move to nurture / still inactive? → Last chance) → Sunset after no response

### Step 2: Define Triggers and Entry Conditions

For each flow, specify:
- **Entry trigger**: What starts the flow (new subscriber, tag added, purchase, inactivity)
- **Exit conditions**: What removes someone (purchase, unsubscribe, entered different flow)
- **Branch conditions**: Opens, clicks, purchases, time-based

### Step 3: Design Branching Logic

Create decision points:
- After email N: Did they open? (Branch A: opened, Branch B: not opened)
- After email N: Did they click affiliate link? (Branch A: clicked, Branch B: didn't)
- After email N: Did they purchase? (Branch A: buyer → thank you, Branch B: non-buyer → continue)

### Step 4: Write Each Email

For each email in each branch, write:
- Subject line (40-60 chars)
- Preview text (80-100 chars)
- Body copy (200-400 words)
- CTA (single, clear)
- FTC disclosure (for emails with affiliate links)

### Step 5: Add Wait Times

Between emails:
- Welcome flow: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 days
- Nurture flow: 2, 4, 7, 10, 14 days
- Win-back flow: 0, 3, 7, 14 days
- Adjust based on audience engagement patterns

### Step 6: Output Flow + Setup

Present:
- ASCII flow diagram showing the full automation
- Each email's content
- Tool-specific setup instructions (if email_tool specified)

### Step 7: Self-Validation

Before presenting output, verify:

- [ ] Every branch path leads to a valid next step (no dead ends)
- [ ] All emails are complete in each branch (subject, body, CTA)
- [ ] Wait times between emails sum correctly to total flow duration
- [ ] FTC disclosure present on all emails containing affiliate links
- [ ] Branch conditions are clear boolean logic (opened/clicked/didn't)

If any check fails, fix the output before delivering. Do not flag the checklist to the user — just ensure the output passes.

## Output Schema

```yaml
output_schema_version: "1.0.0"  # Semver — bump major on breaking changes
automation:
  flow_type: string
  product: string
  total_emails: number
  total_branches: number
  estimated_days: number       # total span of the flow

flow:
  - step: number
    type: string               # "email" | "wait" | "branch" | "exit"
    email:                     # present if type is "email"
      subject: string
      preview: string
      body: string
      cta: string
      has_affiliate_link: boolean
    wait_days: number          # present if type is "wait"
    branch:                    # present if type is "branch"
      condition: string        # e.g., "opened previous email?"
      yes_path: number         # step number for yes
      no_path: number          # step number for no

setup:
  tool: string
  steps: string[]              # tool-specific setup instructions
  tags: string[]               # recommended tags to apply
  segments: string[]           # recommended segments
```

## Output Format

1. **Flow Overview** — flow type, total emails, total days, branch count
2. **ASCII F