Sequences help you automate follow-up and ongoing communication with your leads and customers over time.
A sequence is an automated flow of messages and actions, made up of connected steps that run on a schedule. Those steps can send emails (and SMS, depending on your setup) or trigger actions such as applying tags, moving people into different paths, or stopping the flow when it’s complete.
Sequences are commonly used for:
- Follow-ups and reminders
- Nurture and onboarding flows
- Cart abandonment and re-engagement
- Time-based campaigns and announcements
How Sequences work
For a sequence to work, it needs three core elements:
- A starting point: how people get subscribed
- A path: the connected steps they move through
- Timing and rules: when steps run and who should receive them
In the sequence builder, each step must be:
- Configured
- Activated
- Connected to the next step
You can subscribe people to the sequence:
- Automatically, using starting rules or automations, or
- Manually, from the Contacts area
Once a contact is subscribed, they move from step to step based on the connections, timing, and conditions you defined.
Inactive steps are skipped, and steps that aren’t connected are never executed.
Timing
Each step in a sequence runs based on timing settings, which typically include:
- A delay (how long to wait after the previous step), and
- A day and time window (when that step is allowed to run)
This gives you control over when messages and actions happen, while keeping the experience consistent for your contacts.
Types of steps
Sequences are built from different types of steps. Not every sequence needs all of them — you only add the steps that support your goal. Contacts move through the sequence step by step, with each step running after its timing conditions are met.
| Step type | Use it to |
| Send Email or SMS | Send an email or text message to the contact as part of the sequence, such as a follow-up, reminder, or onboarding message. |
| Add or remove tag | Assing or remove a tag from the contact, which can be used for tracking, filtering, or triggering other actions. |
| Subscribe or unsubscribe from list | Add the contact to a list or remove them from one, helping you manage groups of contacts over time. |
| Subscribe or unsubscribe from sequence | Start or stop a sequence for the contact. |
| Basic automation | Trigger a simple automation action, such as applying tags or subscribing the contact to other assets. |
| True/False split | Send contacts down different paths based on whether they meet specific conditions or criteria. |
| Go to | Moves the contact to a different step or a sub-sequence in the sequence instead of continuing in order. |
| Wait | Creates a delay for a set amount of time before moving the contact to the next step. |
| Complete | End the sequence for the contact and record that they completed it. |
Sub-sequences
If you want a sequence to include multiple paths or variations, you can use sub-sequences to keep the flow organized under a single sequence subscription.
Pro tip
It’s best to plan any sub-sequences you may need. Once a sequence is live and in use, it’s generally better to avoid restructuring it. Designing the full flow in advance:
- Helps prevent disruptions
- Keeps analytics accurate
Ending a Sequence
You can end a sequence using one of the following step types:
- Complete: the contact reaches a Complete step, and Kartra records that they finished the sequence
- Unsubscribe: the contact is removed from the sequence before reaching the end
Ending with a Complete step is recommended, especially if you want to use completion as a condition in reporting or automations.