Everyone talks about welcome emails and cart abandonment.
But the brands scaling fastest? They're running email sequences most marketers have never heard of.
These "stealth sequences" trigger based on customer behavior, not calendar dates. And they generate revenue 24/7 without manual intervention.
The Automation Gap
Most brands run 2-3 basic email flows:
Welcome series (if they're smart)
Abandoned cart recovery
Maybe a win-back campaign
Meanwhile, sophisticated brands are running 12-15 behavioral sequences that capture revenue at every micro-moment.
An example of a successful birthday email from St. Ives.
The High-Impact Sequences You're Missing
🎯 Browse Abandonment Recovery Triggers when someone views products but doesn't add to cart. Send within 2 hours with social proof and scarcity Often outperforms cart abandonment by 30%
🎯 Post-Purchase Cross-Sell Activates 3-7 days after delivery. Recommends complementary products based on purchase history Drives 25% higher AOV from existing customers
🎯 Milestone Celebration Triggers on customer anniversaries, birthdays, or loyalty milestones. Offers exclusive perks to high-value customers Builds emotional connection beyond transactions
🎯 Engagement Revival Activates when email engagement drops 50% over 30 days. Uses different subject lines and send times to re-capture attention Prevents customers from sliding into complete inactivity
An example of a post-purchase cross-sell email from Crate&Barrel.
The Behavioral Targeting Revolution
Stop thinking in demographics. Start thinking in behaviors.
Someone who browses your product pages 3x but never buys needs different messaging than someone who bought once and disappeared.
Map your customer journey, identify the behavioral triggers, and build sequences that respond in real-time to how people actually shop.
Your audit question: How many of your email sequences trigger based on behavior vs. time?
