Introduction
For online business creators, maintaining engagement and ensuring customers feel supported throughout their journey is key to delivering a standout experience.
One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through well-crafted “drip sequences”.
Rather than overwhelming customers with everything at once, drip sequences enable you to deliver program content and support gradually, guiding them through each step with a steady flow of curated information.
A strategic drip sequence helps you provide a structured, enriching experience that builds on each stage of the program, leading customers from initial onboarding to mastery of your material.
This approach is a powerful way to create a memorable experience and build strong customer relationships that foster retention and loyalty.
Let’s walk through a step-by-step process to set up a drip sequence that transforms your signature experience for your customers.
Also, we will explore how to add automation to these sequences – because you probably are doing a lot of this manually or inconsistently from customer to customer – adding in automation will add jet fuel to your time!
Why Drip Sequences Enhance the Customer Experience in Online Programs
When a customer joins your program, they’re ready to learn but may also feel uncertain about the process or overwhelmed by too much information at once.
A drip sequence allows you to provide a steady stream of content and support, creating a pathway that encourages engagement, accountability, and progression.
With a drip sequence, customers can explore the material in a way that doesn’t feel rushed, enhancing their learning and application.
From an operational standpoint, a drip sequence also automates the program delivery, reducing the need for manual follow-up and support while still offering a personalized experience.
This aligns with the Infinite Scale Method™, allowing business owners to deliver a high-touch experience at scale.
Now, let’s dive into setting up your signature experience drip sequence.
Building Your Drip Sequence for a Signature Experience
To design a drip sequence that supports customers through each stage of your online experience, it’s essential to divide your delivery into phases.
Each phase should correspond to a different stage of the customer journey, with content, guidance, and support designed to keep customers engaged and progressing.
1. The Onboarding Phase: Welcoming and Orienting New Customers
The Onboarding Phase is a crucial moment in the customer journey, as it sets the tone for the entire experience.
This phase is all about welcoming new customers, guiding them through the platform, and helping them feel comfortable and excited about what lies ahead.
Step-by-Step Onboarding Sequence:
– Welcome Email: Start with a warm welcome email that congratulates them on joining the program and reassures them that they’ve made the right choice.
Include a brief overview of the program structure and any initial steps.
– Orientation Email: Send a follow-up email that introduces them to the key tools and resources they’ll need.
Include links to important areas, such as the dashboard, community forum, or resource library, and offer a quick-start guide.
– Expectations and Success Tips: Share success tips to help them get the most out of the program.
Outline best practices for time management, program navigation, and getting support.
Automation Tip: Use tags to track customers who complete the onboarding phase and trigger a transition to the next stage in the sequence.
This ensures that each customer moves through the program at a manageable pace.
2. The Content Delivery Phase: Guiding Customers Through Learning
After onboarding, it’s time to begin delivering the core content. This phase is where the primary educational material is introduced, and drip sequences are instrumental in providing a structured learning experience that builds week over week.
Step-by-Step Content Delivery Sequence:
– Weekly Module Emails: Send a weekly email introducing each new module or lesson.
Include a brief overview, objectives, and a link to access the module.
This email should prepare customers for the week’s content and set clear learning goals.
– Checkpoints and Reminders: Midway through the module, send a checkpoint email that offers encouragement, additional resources, or a reminder to continue. This can also include a prompt to engage with a specific activity in the program.
– End-of-Module Reflection: After each module, send an email encouraging reflection on what they’ve learned.
This email can ask reflective questions, highlight takeaways, and suggest next steps in preparation for the next module.
Automation Tip: Use progress-based triggers to track module completion and send follow-up resources or personalized feedback.
This creates a personalized touchpoint that motivates customers to stay on track.
3. The Engagement and Accountability Phase: Encouraging Active Participation
Engagement and accountability are essential for a successful program experience.
This phase emphasizes keeping customers connected, motivated, and accountable as they progress.
Step-by-Step Engagement Sequence:
– Weekly Check-In Emails: Send a weekly check-in to encourage customers to share their progress, ask questions, or participate in discussions.
These emails should prompt engagement with the program community or support team.
– Milestone Celebrations: When a customer completes a key module or achieves a milestone, send a celebratory email.
This could include a personal acknowledgment, recognition in the community, or a small reward to reinforce their progress.
– Accountability Reminders: Provide gentle nudges for customers to stay on track, especially for those who haven’t accessed the content recently.
Send reminders that highlight the benefits of staying consistent and overcoming common obstacles.
Automation Tip: Track engagement metrics, such as video completions, quiz scores, or discussion participation.
Use this data to trigger additional support emails for customers who might need extra encouragement.
4. The Mastery and Application Phase: Reinforcing Learning and Real-World Application
As customers reach the final stages of your program, the goal is to help them integrate what they’ve learned and apply it in real-world scenarios.
This phase focuses on deepening their understanding and reinforcing the value of the program.
Step-by-Step Mastery Sequence:
– Application Challenges: Send a series of emails with prompts or challenges that encourage customers to apply what they’ve learned.
These could include small tasks or projects that help them practice their skills.
– Peer Sharing and Feedback: Invite customers to share their results, challenges, and successes with the community or directly with you.
This could be an invitation to a live Q&A or a discussion thread where they can share insights and get feedback.
– Program Wrap-Up and Reflection: At the end of the program, send a final email that wraps up the experience.
Reflect on their journey, celebrate their progress, and provide guidance on maintaining and applying what they’ve learned moving forward.
Automation Tip: Schedule check-in emails at intervals post-program to see how customers are doing with the material in real-world applications. This approach not only reinforces their learning but also opens the door for potential upsells or invitations to advanced programs.
5. The Retention and Alumni Phase: Fostering Long-Term Engagement and Loyalty
The final phase is about maintaining the relationship after the program ends.
Loyal alumni can be your best advocates and return customers, so this phase focuses on keeping them engaged.
Step-by-Step Retention Sequence:
– Post-Experience Survey: Send a survey to gather feedback on the experience.
This survey can provide insights into what worked well and what could be improved, helping refine it for future participants.
– Alumni Community Invitation: Invite graduates to join an exclusive alumni group, where they can continue networking and learning.
– Ongoing Value Emails: Keep alumni engaged by sharing advanced tips, exclusive resources, or access to new content periodically.
Automation Tip: Use tags to add alumni to a special email list for periodic updates, special offers, or advanced training opportunities.
This helps you stay top of mind without overwhelming them with frequent communication.
Integrating Drip Sequences with the Infinite Scale Method™
Drip sequences align perfectly with the Infinite Scale Method™, as they automate customer engagement while maintaining a high-quality experience.
They allow you to guide customers step-by-step through a comprehensive journey without manually overseeing each interaction.
You can see each of these come to life in the LEARN Academy Mentorship experience. Within the mentorship, we provide specific step-by-step strategies for setting up these sequences, from onboarding to retention, ensuring that every stage of the customer journey is seamless and supportive.
Practical Step-by-Step Guide for Implementing a Drip Sequence
Let’s bring it all together with an actionable guide:
1. Map Out the Customer Journey – Outline each phase and identify the key actions and goals for each stage, from onboarding to mastery.
2. Set Up Triggered Automations for Progress-Based Support – Use automation to track where customers are and send targeted support emails at each stage.
3. Personalize Emails Based on Engagement – Segment customers who need more support and send tailored messages to re-engage them. We use Activecampaign for drip sequences.
4. Evaluate and Refine the Sequence Regularly – Review feedback, engagement metrics, and survey results to improve the drip sequence over time.
Conclusion
Using drip sequences to enhance your online business delivers a high-touch experience without overwhelming customers.
By guiding them through each phase of your content in a structured, personalized way, you provide the support they need to succeed and create a signature experience that leaves a lasting impact.
The Infinite Scale Method™ champions automation that doesn’t compromise quality, and drip sequences are a powerful way to achieve that balance.
This thoughtful approach to delivering your signature online experience will transform the customer experience, turning clients into loyal advocates who carry the value of your business well beyond completion.
