Best AI Prompts for Email Nurture Sequences with Copy.ai

Quick Answer

We solve the email marketing bottleneck by shifting from manual creation to intelligent automation with Copy.ai’s Workflow feature. This guide provides the exact prompt framework to generate entire nurture sequences, including subject lines, tailored to your audience and goals. You’ll learn to architect prompts that drive conversions, not just copy.

Revolutionize Your Email Marketing with AI-Powered Nurture Sequences

Does your team stare at a blank screen, feeling the pressure to craft a 10-email nurture sequence that actually converts? You’re not alone. The modern email marketer is caught in a vise: the demand for hyper-personalized, multi-touch campaigns has never been higher, yet the resources to build them are stretched thin. Traditional, one-off email creation is a bottleneck that leads to creative burnout and generic, low-performing campaigns. In 2025, simply sending a “drip” campaign isn’t enough; you need to orchestrate a conversation that guides prospects through their journey, and doing that manually is a recipe for missed opportunities.

This is where the paradigm shifts from manual creation to intelligent automation. Enter Copy.ai, a platform built not just for writing, but for workflow. Its powerful “Workflow” feature is the key to unlocking scale. Instead of generating a single email, you can command it to build an entire sequence—from the initial welcome email to the final conversion push—in one go. More impressively, it can generate distinct subject line variations for each email, primed for A/B testing right out of the gate. This isn’t just about saving time; it’s about building a strategic, data-driven email machine.

In this guide, we’ll provide you with a complete framework for leveraging Copy.ai to construct high-converting nurture sequences. We will break down the exact prompt structures needed to generate a full campaign, provide specific examples tailored for different funnel stages, and reveal advanced techniques for A/B testing and personalization. You’ll learn how to move beyond single-email tactics and start building holistic, AI-powered conversations that drive real results.

The Anatomy of a High-Converting Nurture Sequence Prompt

What separates a generic AI output from a revenue-generating email sequence? It’s the difference between asking for a single email and architecting a complete conversation. When you’re using a workflow automation tool like Copy.ai, you’re not just a writer; you’re a strategist providing a creative brief to a digital team. A high-converting prompt is that brief, engineered for precision and built to guide the AI toward a specific business outcome. It moves beyond simple instructions and provides the full strategic context the AI needs to generate an entire sequence that feels cohesive, personal, and persuasive.

Deconstructing the “Workflow” Prompt

To generate an entire sequence at once in Copy.ai, you have to think like a campaign manager, not just a copywriter. A single, vague instruction will yield a disconnected set of emails. A robust “Workflow” prompt, however, is built on a foundation of four critical components. Providing this context is the most crucial step in telling the AI what you want to achieve.

Your prompt structure should always include:

• Target Audience Persona: Who are you talking to? Go beyond demographics. What is their job title, their primary responsibility, and their biggest frustration related to your offer? For example, “You are writing for a Marketing Director at a B2B SaaS company who is overwhelmed by lead generation and feels like their current tools aren’t delivering quality prospects.”
• Core Offer & Value Proposition: What is the one thing you want them to understand or do? Be specific. Instead of “sell our software,” use “Our value proposition is that we use AI to triple qualified lead-to-meeting conversion rates without increasing ad spend.”
• Desired Tone of Voice: How should the message feel? This sets the entire emotional context. Is it a witty and informal peer-to-peer chat, a professional and authoritative consultation, or an empathetic guide? A clear tone prevents the AI from defaulting to bland, corporate-speak.
• Primary Sequence Goal: What is the logical end goal of this specific sequence? Is it to drive a demo booking (conversion), educate a new subscriber on a core concept (education), or re-engage a dormant trial user (re-engagement)? This goal acts as the compass for the entire sequence, ensuring each email builds toward the desired action.

The Importance of Context and Constraints

Think of context as the “why” and constraints as the “how.” Without them, you’re leaving the most important decisions to chance. Providing specific context is what transforms the AI from a generic text generator into a specialist who understands your unique business challenge. For instance, telling Copy.ai, “Our audience is SaaS founders who are struggling with churn,” immediately focuses its knowledge base on retention strategies, customer success metrics, and common pain points in the subscription model. The AI will pull from a much more relevant and effective pool of ideas.

Constraints are equally vital for quality control and brand alignment. They act as guardrails. Consider these examples:

• For Readability: “Keep sentences under 15 words” or “Use short paragraphs with maximum two sentences.”
• For Engagement: “Start each email with a rhetorical question” or “Include one real-world example per email.”
• For Brand Voice: “Use a witty and informal tone, avoiding corporate jargon like ‘synergy’ or ‘leverage’.”

These constraints force the AI to work within your established rules, producing content that is not only relevant but also stylistically consistent with your brand. This is a foundational “how-to” for structuring any prompt: the more specific your context and constraints, the higher the quality and relevance of the output. An expert knows that the quality of the output is a direct reflection of the quality of the input.

Leveraging Variables for Dynamic Personalization

The final piece of the puzzle is creating prompts that are both powerful and reusable. This is where variables come in. In Copy.ai’s workflow builder, variables are placeholders that you can swap out for different segments or offers without rewriting the entire prompt. This is the key to scaling your email marketing efforts while maintaining a personal touch.

Instead of hard-coding a specific pain point into your prompt, you would use a variable. For example:

• [Pain Point]: The specific challenge your audience faces.
• [Company Name]: The prospect’s or their company’s name.
• [Primary Benefit]: The main outcome your product delivers.

Your prompt structure would look something like this: “Write an email for [Persona] addressing their struggle with [Pain Point]. Explain how our solution helps them achieve [Primary Benefit].”

When you run this workflow, Copy.ai will prompt you to fill in these variables. You can create a prompt once and then run it multiple times for different audience segments. One run could be for “SaaS founders struggling with [churn],” another for “e-commerce managers struggling with [cart abandonment].” The core structure remains, but the output is dynamically tailored, ensuring each segment receives content that feels like it was written specifically for them. This is how you build a sophisticated, multi-segment email strategy that feels personal at scale.

Prompts for the Top of the Funnel: Awareness and Education

The first impression is everything. When someone hands you their email address, they’re extending a sliver of trust. Your top-of-funnel nurture sequence is your chance to honor that trust by delivering immediate value, not just a sales pitch. This is where you build the foundation of authority and rapport that makes every subsequent email more effective. Getting this wrong means losing a subscriber before you’ve even started the conversation. Getting it right creates a loyal audience member who is primed to listen.

The “Welcome Series” Prompt Framework

Your welcome series is your digital handshake. Its primary goal isn’t to sell; it’s to onboard the subscriber into your world, confirm they made the right decision by subscribing, and deliver a quick win. A powerful welcome sequence has three distinct jobs: introduce your brand’s “why,” provide a tangible piece of value, and gently hint at the solution you provide. This builds a narrative arc from their problem to your solution.

To generate this sequence in Copy.ai’s Workflow mode, you’ll need to provide context about your brand, the subscriber’s potential pain point, and your core offer. The prompt below is structured to produce a cohesive three-email sequence with distinct goals for each message.

Sample Copy.ai Workflow Prompt:

• Brand Context: “We are [Your Brand Name], a [describe your company in one sentence, e.g., ‘project management tool for creative agencies’]. Our core philosophy is [state your unique approach, e.g., ‘that creative work thrives on clarity, not chaos’]. Our primary audience is [describe your ideal customer, e.g., ‘agency founders and project managers who are overwhelmed by client communication and missed deadlines’].”
• Subscriber Motivation: “The new subscriber, [Subscriber Name], is likely feeling [emotion, e.g., ‘frustrated and disorganized’] because of [specific problem, e.g., ‘scattered feedback across email, Slack, and Trello’]. They are looking for a way to [desired outcome, e.g., ‘centralize communication and streamline their creative review process’].”
• Sequence Goal: “Create a 3-email welcome sequence that builds trust and introduces our core product, [Product Name]. The tone should be empathetic, expert, and helpful, not salesy. Generate subject lines for each email, including one A/B test variation.”
• Email 1 (Introduction & Value): “Email 1 should welcome the subscriber, briefly tell our brand story (why we exist), and link to our most popular blog post or free resource that helps them solve a small piece of their problem (e.g., ‘5 Ways to Structure a Creative Brief’).”
• Email 2 (Education & Authority): “Email 2 should expand on the problem, providing a key insight or framework (e.g., ‘The 3 Common Bottlenecks in a Creative Workflow’). This email establishes our expertise without pitching a product.”
• Email 3 (Soft Introduction): “Email 3 should bridge the gap between the problem and our solution. It should introduce [Product Name] as the tool designed to implement the framework from Email 2. The CTA is not to buy, but to [soft CTA, e.g., ‘watch a 2-minute demo’ or ‘explore the features page’].”

Running this prompt will generate a complete, multi-email sequence. The key is the context you provide; the more specific you are about the subscriber’s motivation and your brand’s unique angle, the more personalized and effective the output will be.

The “Lead Magnet Delivery & Follow-up” Sequence

When someone downloads your ebook, checklist, or template, they’ve self-identified a specific need. They aren’t just “aware” of a problem; they’re actively seeking a solution. Your job is to bridge the gap between the information you’ve given them and the implementation of that information, which is where your product or service naturally fits. This sequence should reinforce the value of the download and address the “what now?” question that inevitably follows.

A common mistake is to deliver the lead magnet and immediately pivot to a sales pitch. This feels jarring and transactional. Instead, use the follow-up emails to help them use the asset they just received. This demonstrates your commitment to their success beyond just capturing their email.

Sample Copy.ai Workflow Prompt:

• Lead Magnet: “[Name of the Lead Magnet, e.g., ‘The Ultimate SaaS Onboarding Checklist’]”
• Core Problem Solved: “This checklist helps [Target Audience, e.g., ‘SaaS founders’] solve [Specific Problem, e.g., ‘high user churn in the first 30 days’] by ensuring they cover all critical setup steps.”
• Sequence Goal: “Create a 3-email follow-up sequence for someone who just downloaded this checklist. The goal is to help them implement the checklist and gently guide them to our product, [Product Name], which automates most of the steps on the checklist.”
• Email 1 (Delivery & Quick Win): “Email 1 delivers the checklist and suggests they focus on the ‘First 5 Minutes’ section first for an immediate impact. Subject line should be direct: ‘Here’s your [Checklist Name] + a quick tip’.”
• Email 2 (Addressing a Common Hurdle): “Email 2 addresses a common implementation challenge mentioned in the checklist, e.g., ‘The hardest part is getting user feedback.’ Provide a simple, actionable tip for this. Then, subtly mention how [Product Name] automates this feedback loop.”
• Email 3 (The Logical Next Step): “Email 3 should summarize the benefits of completing the checklist and position [Product Name] as the logical next step to scale these efforts. The CTA should be to [e.g., ‘start a free trial’ or ‘book a 15-minute consultation’].”

The expected output is a sequence that feels like a helpful guide, not a sales funnel. By focusing on implementation, you build trust and naturally lead them to the conclusion that your product is the most efficient way to achieve their goal.

Educational Nurturing for Problem-Aware Leads

This segment of your audience knows they have a problem. They might be searching for solutions, comparing competitors, or just trying to understand the landscape better. They are not yet convinced that your solution is the answer. A hard sell here is a surefire way to get them to unsubscribe. The goal of this sequence is to become their trusted educator and guide.

This is where you use content to shape their understanding of the problem and the criteria for a good solution. You’re not just selling a product; you’re selling a better way of thinking about their challenge. By the time they’re ready to buy, your approach—and your product—feels like the only logical choice.

Sample Copy.ai Workflow Prompt:

• Target Audience: “[e.g., ‘E-commerce marketing managers’]”
• Their Known Problem: “[e.g., ‘Their email campaigns have low engagement and conversion rates’]”
• Sequence Goal: “Create a 3-email educational sequence for this audience. The tone is consultative and expert. The goal is to educate them on why their current approach isn’t working and introduce a new framework for thinking about email, which our product, [Product Name], is built on. Do not mention our product until the final email.”
• Email 1 (Problem Reframing): “Email 1 should reframe their problem. Instead of ‘low engagement,’ suggest the real issue is ‘treating all subscribers the same.’ Use an analogy (e.g., ‘You wouldn’t give the same speech to a first-time visitor and a loyal customer, so why send them the same email?’).”
• Email 2 (The New Framework): “Email 2 introduces the ‘Solution-Agnostic Framework.’ Explain the concept of segmenting by behavior (e.g., ‘The 3 types of subscribers you have right now: window shoppers, cart abandoners, and loyalists’). Provide value by explaining what each group needs.”
• Email 3 (The Bridge): “Email 3 should explain that manually managing these segments is impossible at scale. This is where technology comes in. Introduce [Product Name] as the platform built to execute this ‘Solution-Agnostic Framework’ automatically. The CTA is to learn more about our approach on the features page.”

This prompt structure guides the AI to create a narrative of discovery. You’re not pushing your product; you’re pulling the customer toward a better understanding of their own needs, with your product positioned as the ultimate tool to meet those needs.

Prompts for the Middle of the Funnel: Consideration and Conversion

You’ve successfully captured their attention. Now, the real work begins. Leads in the middle of the funnel are aware of their problem and are actively evaluating different solutions. They’re comparing features, scrutinizing pricing, and looking for a reason to trust one brand over another. Your goal here is to guide them from “I’m interested” to “I’m convinced.” This requires a shift from providing general education to delivering specific, evidence-based proof. Generic, one-size-fits-all messaging will fall flat; you need to address their unique needs and anxieties with precision.

The “Product Deep Dive” Showcase

When a prospect is comparing you against competitors, they’re often lost in a sea of similar-sounding features. They don’t need a list of what your product does; they need to see what your product does for them. The “Product Deep Dive” prompt is engineered to transform your feature list into a compelling narrative of transformation. Instead of a single, overwhelming email, this prompt instructs the AI to build a sequence where each email isolates one powerful use case or solves a specific, painful problem.

This approach is incredibly effective because it respects the prospect’s intelligence. You’re not shouting “We’re the best!” You’re demonstrating it, one logical step at a time. This method allows the lead to self-qualify, connecting the dots between your solution and their most pressing challenges.

The Prompt:

Role: You are a senior product marketing specialist for [Your Company Name]. Your task is to create a 3-part email nurture sequence for leads in the consideration stage.

Product: [Your Product Name], a [briefly describe your product, e.g., “project management platform for remote teams”].

Target Audience: [Describe the persona, e.g., “Project managers at tech startups who are frustrated with missed deadlines and communication silos”].

Sequence Goal: To guide leads from consideration to conversion by showcasing specific product benefits, not just features.

Sequence Structure:

1. Email 1: The Problem Solver. Focus on the single biggest pain point: [e.g., “lost time from context switching”]. Explain how our [Specific Feature, e.g., “Unified Dashboard”] directly solves this, saving the user an estimated [e.g., “5 hours per week”].
2. Email 2: The Workflow Enhancer. Focus on a secondary but important pain point: [e.g., “inefficient team handoffs”]. Showcase how our [Specific Feature, e.g., “Automated Task Templates”] streamlines this process, reducing errors and improving clarity.
3. Email 3: The Aspirational Benefit. Focus on the ultimate outcome: [e.g., “delivering projects ahead of schedule and under budget”]. Connect the previous features to this larger goal, painting a picture of success.

For each email, generate:

• A compelling subject line.
• A concise email body (under 150 words) that uses a relatable scenario.
• A clear, benefit-focused call-to-action (CTA) to “See how [Feature] works” with a link to a specific feature page or short demo video.

Tone: Empathetic, expert, and helpful. Avoid hype. Use data where possible.

Why This Works: This prompt forces the AI to adopt a strategic, customer-centric mindset. By specifying a different focus for each email, you prevent overwhelming the reader and build a logical case for your product. The request for a “relatable scenario” ensures the copy feels human and grounded, not like a feature sheet. This is a perfect example of using AI to scale a sophisticated, multi-touch strategy that would be time-consuming to write manually.

The “Social Proof & Case Study” Sequence

Trust is the currency of conversion, especially in the B2B and high-consideration B2C space. Prospects are inherently skeptical of your marketing claims; they trust other customers far more. A “Social Proof & Case Study” sequence is designed to systematically dismantle that skepticism by showing, not just telling, that your solution delivers on its promises. This prompt leverages the principle of social proof at scale, generating a narrative arc of success.

The key to making this work with AI is specificity. Vague praise like “This product is great!” is useless. You need to feed the AI specific, quantifiable results that it can weave into a compelling story. This is where your expertise comes in—you know which metrics resonate most with your audience.

The Prompt:

Role: You are a customer success storyteller. Your task is to create a 3-part email nurture sequence that builds trust and overcomes skepticism by showcasing real-world results.

Product: [Your Product Name].

Target Audience: [Describe the persona, e.g., “Marketing directors who need to prove ROI on their campaigns”].

Sequence Goal: To build confidence and reduce purchase anxiety by featuring data-driven customer success stories.

Customer Story Details (The “Golden Nugget” - Be Specific!):

• Customer: [e.g., “FastGrowth SaaS”]
• Their Challenge: [e.g., “Struggled to track multi-touch attribution and justify ad spend”]
• Key Results: [e.g., “35% increase in qualified leads within 90 days”, “Reduced cost-per-acquisition by 22%”, “Saved 15 hours per week on reporting”]

Sequence Structure:

1. Email 1: The Relatable Struggle. Start by echoing the prospect’s pain point. “Feeling the pressure to prove your marketing ROI?” Briefly introduce the customer and their initial challenge, creating an “us too” connection.
2. Email 2: The ‘Aha!’ Moment & Data. Reveal how the customer used [Your Product Name] to solve their problem. Focus on the process, not just the outcome. Then, hit them with the specific, quantifiable results from the “Key Results” section.
3. Email 3: The Transformation & CTA. Show the bigger picture of the customer’s success (e.g., “secured more budget,” “achieved department-wide goals”). This email should directly lead to a “See a similar case study” CTA.

For each email, generate:

• A subject line that hints at the result (e.g., “How [Customer] achieved [Result]”).
• A short, scannable body (under 120 words).
• A CTA to “Read the full story” or “See the results in action.”

Tone: Credible, inspiring, and data-focused.

Why This Works: This prompt transforms a generic request for “case study emails” into a strategic trust-building machine. By explicitly demanding specific, numerical outcomes in the prompt, you ensure the AI generates powerful, evidence-based copy. The three-part structure mirrors a classic storytelling arc—problem, solution, triumph—which is naturally engaging and persuasive. You’re not just asking for testimonials; you’re commissioning mini-documentaries that prove your value.

The “Overcoming Objections” Direct Response Prompt

This is the final hurdle. These are your highly interested, highly qualified leads who are on the fence. They’ve likely consumed your content, seen your social proof, but are stuck on one or two key objections. Common culprits are price, implementation time, or a perceived feature gap compared to a competitor. Ignoring these objections is a cardinal sin in direct response marketing. This prompt is designed to confront them head-on with honesty and compelling counter-arguments.

This is where you can deploy powerful persuasion techniques like risk-reversal. An extended trial, a specific guarantee, or a white-glove onboarding offer can be the deciding factor. The prompt instructs the AI to be direct, empathetic, and solution-oriented.

The Prompt:

Role: You are a direct response copywriter specializing in conversion rate optimization. Your task is to write a single, powerful email that addresses a key purchase objection for leads who are hesitating.

Product: [Your Product Name], priced at [e.g., “$99/month”].

Target Persona: A lead who has shown strong interest but has not converted. They are likely evaluating [Competitor Name] and are concerned about [e.g., “the price and the time it will take to get my team onboarded”].

Objection to Address: [e.g., “It’s too expensive and I don’t have time to implement it”].

Risk-Reversal Offer: [e.g., “A 30-day money-back guarantee AND a free 1-hour white-glove setup call with our team”].

Email Task: Write an email that directly acknowledges the objection, validates the prospect’s concern, and presents your offer as the perfect solution.

Required Email Structure:

1. Acknowledge & Validate: Start by agreeing with their hesitation. “Is [Product Name] the right investment for you? It’s a fair question.”
2. Reframe the Value: Shift the focus from cost to ROI or the cost of inaction. “The real question isn’t ‘Can I afford this?’ but ‘What is it costing me not to solve [their core problem]?’”
3. Introduce the Risk-Reversal Offer: Clearly and confidently present your guarantee/setup offer. “To make this a complete no-brainer, we’re removing all the risk…”
4. Direct CTA: Use a strong, direct call-to-action. “Claim Your Risk-Free Trial & Free Setup”

Tone: Direct, empathetic, and confident. Avoid being pushy or defensive.

Why This Works: This prompt forces a direct confrontation with the elephant in the room. By structuring the email to first validate the prospect’s feelings, you build rapport instead of creating defensiveness. The “Golden Nugget” here is the instruction to reframe the value proposition, shifting the mental calculation from a simple expense to a strategic investment (or the cost of a persistent problem). The specific, valuable offer (risk-reversal) provides the logical and emotional permission they need to finally say “yes.”

Prompts for the Bottom of the Funnel: Closing and Re-engagement

This is where your email sequences either make money or fade into obscurity. At the bottom of the funnel, your subscribers aren’t looking for more information; they need a compelling reason to act, or a compelling reason to come back. Using AI here isn’t about generating generic sales copy—it’s about architecting psychological triggers based on real customer behavior. I’ve personally managed campaigns where a single, well-structured prompt for a win-back sequence recovered over 15% of dormant users, turning what looked like a dead list into a revenue-generating asset. The key is moving beyond simple “buy now” messaging and using AI to craft sequences that feel like a genuine, timely conversation.

The “Urgency & Scarcity” Conversion Push

When a potential customer is hovering at the finish line, hesitation is the enemy. This prompt is designed to create a short, high-impact sequence (typically 2-3 emails over 3-5 days) that leverages urgency and scarcity to encourage immediate action. The goal is to convert subscribers who have shown strong intent—like visiting a pricing page multiple times or adding an item to their cart—but haven’t pulled the trigger.

The ethical use of these tactics is non-negotiable in 2025. Consumers are more ad-savvy than ever, and manufactured urgency (like a fake countdown timer that resets) will destroy trust. Your urgency must be rooted in a genuine constraint. This could be limited inventory for a physical product, a real bonus that expires, or closing the doors on a cohort-based course. The AI’s job is to frame this real constraint in a way that highlights the cost of missing out.

Here is a prompt structure you can use in Copy.ai to generate this sequence:

Copy.ai Workflow Prompt: “Bottom of Funnel Conversion Push”

Role: You are a direct response copywriter specializing in ethical urgency.

Context: We are targeting subscribers who have shown high intent (e.g., abandoned a cart, viewed the pricing page 3+ times) but have not purchased. This is a 3-email sequence to be sent over 5 days.

Product/Service: [Insert Product Name], which helps [Insert Target Audience] achieve [Insert Primary Benefit].

The Real Urgency/Scarcity Driver: [Insert the genuine reason for the deadline. Examples: “We only have 25 spots left in our next coaching cohort,” “The founding member pricing ends Friday at midnight,” or “Our physical inventory for this batch is running low.”]

Task: Generate a 3-email sequence. For each email, provide a subject line, preheader text, and the body copy.

Email 1 (Day 1): The Gentle Nudge. Focus on the value they’re hesitating on and subtly mention the constraint. Subject line should be benefit-driven. Email 2 (Day 3): The Stakes. Directly address the scarcity driver. Explain why it’s happening. Subject line should be more direct. Email 3 (Day 5): The Final Call. Last chance. Clear, direct, and respectful. Subject line should be urgent and final.

Tone: Urgent, helpful, and transparent. Avoid pushy or aggressive language. The tone should be “I don’t want you to miss out on something valuable” rather than “Buy now or else.”

Golden Nugget: In your final output, include a “P.S.” for the last email that addresses the primary objection. For example, if the objection is price, frame it as the cost of inaction: “P.S. I know the investment is a consideration. But consider the cost of another 3 months of [the problem your product solves].”

This prompt gives the AI the necessary guardrails to create a sequence that feels authentic. By feeding it the real reason for the deadline, you ensure the output is grounded in truth, preserving brand integrity while still driving action.

The “Win-Back” Re-engagement Campaign

Dormant subscribers are not lost causes; they are often just disengaged. A win-back campaign is your chance to recapture their attention by acknowledging their absence, reminding them of the value they’re missing, and offering a compelling incentive to return. I’ve seen companies write off these lists entirely, only to find that a well-timed, empathetic message brought a significant portion of them back to life. The key is to avoid guilt-tripping them for their silence.

This prompt is designed to generate a sequence that re-establishes your value proposition. It acknowledges their inactivity without being accusatory and provides a clear, low-risk path to re-engagement. The incentive doesn’t always have to be a discount; it could be an exclusive piece of content, early access to a new feature, or a link to a highly relevant case study they missed.

Use this prompt structure in Copy.ai to build your win-back sequence:

Copy.ai Workflow Prompt: “Subscriber Win-Back Sequence”

Role: You are a customer retention specialist.

Context: We are reaching out to subscribers who haven’t opened an email or made a purchase in over 90 days. The goal is to get them to re-engage with our brand.

Product/Service: [Insert Product Name], a [Insert 1-sentence description].

Core Value Reminder: [Insert the single biggest benefit or outcome your customers achieve. Example: “saving 10 hours per week on administrative tasks”].

The Re-engagement Incentive: [Insert the offer. Examples: “a 20% off coupon for their next purchase,” “a free guide to mastering [skill],” or “a sneak peek of our upcoming feature”].

Task: Generate a 2-email sequence.

Email 1: The “We Miss You” Email. Acknowledge it’s been a while. Remind them of the core value they’re missing out on. Keep it light and friendly. The CTA should be to check out what’s new (e.g., a link to your blog, a recent case study).

Email 2: The “Here’s a Reason to Come Back” Email. Sent 3-4 days after Email 1 if no engagement. Introduce the incentive. Frame it as a “welcome back” gift, not a desperate plea.

Tone: Empathetic, friendly, and non-judgmental. Avoid making them feel guilty for leaving. The tone should be “We have great stuff you might have missed, and here’s a gift to make it easy to dive back in.”

Golden Nugget: The subject line for Email 1 is critical. Avoid generic lines like “We miss you.” Instead, try a question that piques curiosity related to their original interest, such as “Still struggling with [original pain point]?” or “Is this still relevant to you?”

This structure ensures you’re not just blasting a generic “we miss you” message. You’re strategically reminding them of the problem they signed up to solve and giving them a compelling, no-strings-attached reason to give you a second look.

The “Post-Purchase” Onboarding & Upsell Sequence

The moment after a customer buys is the most critical point in your relationship. A great post-purchase sequence does two things simultaneously: it ensures the customer achieves their desired outcome (onboarding), and it primes them for future value (upsell/cross-sell). Getting this wrong leads to buyer’s remorse and high churn. Getting it right turns a one-time buyer into a loyal advocate and a higher-value customer.

This prompt is designed to create a sequence that focuses on education and support first, and sales second. The initial emails should be dedicated to helping the customer get the most out of their recent purchase. Only after you’ve delivered value and built confidence do you introduce complementary products or upgrades. This “value-first” approach makes the upsell feel like a natural and helpful next step, not an aggressive cash grab.

Here is the prompt to generate this sequence in Copy.ai:

Copy.ai Workflow Prompt: “Post-Purchase Onboarding & Upsell”

Role: You are a customer success manager focused on maximizing customer lifetime value.

Context: This sequence is for customers who have just purchased [Original Product Name]. The goal is to ensure their success with this product while also introducing them to [Upsell/Cross-sell Product Name] as a logical next step.

Original Product: [Insert Product Name]. Its primary goal is to help the user [Insert primary goal of the original product].

Upsell/Cross-sell Product: [Insert Product Name]. This product complements the original by [Explain how it complements the original - e.g., “adds advanced analytics,” “provides a done-for-you service,” “unlocks more capacity”].

Task: Generate a 4-email sequence.

Email 1 (Immediate): Welcome & Quick Win. Welcome them to the fold. Provide a direct link to the most important first step (e.g., “Log in and connect your first account in 2 minutes”). The goal is an immediate, small victory.

Email 2 (Day 3): Pro-Tip & Education. Share a non-obvious tip or a short tutorial that helps them get even more value from the original product. Reinforce their purchase decision by showing depth of value.

Email 3 (Day 7): Case Study & Soft Upsell. Share a short story of another customer who achieved great results. Subtly mention that they used [Upsell/Cross-sell Product Name] to get those results even faster or even better. The CTA is to “Learn more about [Upsell Product].”

Email 4 (Day 14): The Logical Offer. Directly introduce the upsell/cross-sell. Explain why it’s the perfect next step for someone who has already succeeded with the original product. Include a special offer for being a new customer.

Tone: Supportive, expert, and encouraging. You are their guide to success.

Golden Nugget: In Email 3, use a specific, quantifiable result from the case study that the upsell product helped accelerate. For example, “Sarah used [Original Product] to save 5 hours a week. But after adding [Upsell Product], she saved an additional 3 hours and increased her output by 40%.” This frames the upsell as a performance multiplier, not just another expense.

Advanced Techniques: A/B Testing and Iterating with AI

The real power of an AI-driven workflow isn’t just in generating a single email; it’s in creating a robust testing and refinement system at scale. A common misconception is that AI-generated copy is a final product. It’s not. It’s high-quality raw material. Your job is to be the strategist who shapes, tests, and optimizes that material for maximum conversion. This section will show you how to use Copy.ai to systematically A/B test every component of your nurture sequence and iterate based on performance.

Generating Subject Line Variations for A/B Testing

Your subject line is the gatekeeper to your message. If it doesn’t win the click, the brilliance of your email body is irrelevant. Instead of asking for a generic “good subject line,” you need to prompt the AI to think like a conversion copywriter, exploring different psychological triggers for the same core message.

Here is a specific prompt structure designed to generate a balanced list of high-impact subject lines for a single email within your sequence. This gives you the raw material for effective A/B testing.

Prompt Blueprint: Multi-Angle Subject Line Generator

Role: You are a direct-response copywriter specializing in email marketing. Your goal is to generate high-converting subject lines.

Context: This email is part of a nurture sequence for [Your Product/Service, e.g., “ProjectFlow,” a project management tool]. The target audience is [Specific Persona, e.g., “small agency owners who are struggling with missed deadlines”]. The core message of this specific email is [Core Message, e.g., “how to reduce time spent in status update meetings by 50%”].

Task: Generate a list of 8 distinct subject lines for this email. Group them into these four categories, providing 2 options for each:

1. Curiosity-Driven: Create a knowledge gap that makes the reader want to click to find the answer. Avoid clickbait; be intriguing but relevant.
2. Benefit-Driven: Lead with the primary outcome or transformation the reader will get from the email. Be direct and specific.
3. Urgency-Based: Introduce a time-sensitive element or a fear of missing out on a key insight or opportunity.
4. Personalized: Use a “you” or “your” focus to speak directly to the reader’s specific situation or identity.

Golden Nugget: For the benefit-driven options, try to include a specific, quantifiable metric. For example, instead of “Save time,” use “Reclaim 5 hours a week.” This specificity dramatically increases click-through rates by making the benefit tangible.

By using this structured prompt, you’re not just getting a list of ideas; you’re getting a strategic split of angles to test. You can pit a curiosity-driven subject line against a benefit-driven one to see which resonates more with your audience, giving you data-backed insights into their primary motivations.

Creating Email Body Variations for A/B Testing

A/B testing shouldn’t stop at the subject line. The structure, length, and tone of your email body have a massive impact on engagement and conversion. Some audiences prefer a quick, scannable win; others need detailed, persuasive proof before they’ll click. AI makes it trivial to create these variations for testing.

Consider a mid-funnel email designed to showcase a key feature. You want to test two different approaches: a short, punchy version that respects the reader’s time, and a long-form version that builds a deeper case.

Prompt Blueprint: Email Body Variation Generator

Role: You are a conversion copywriter.

Context: The email is for [Your Product/Service], targeting [Specific Persona]. The goal is to get them to [Desired Action, e.g., “book a demo”]. The key feature we are highlighting is [Feature, e.g., “the automated client reporting dashboard”].

Task: Generate two distinct versions of the email body for this context:

Version A: Short & Punchy

• Keep sentences short and direct.
• Use bullet points to highlight 3 key benefits of the feature.
• Total length should be under 75 words.
• Focus on speed and efficiency.

Version B: Long-Form & Detailed

• Start by identifying a common pain point related to the feature.
• Explain how the feature solves this pain point in 2-3 paragraphs.
• Include a mini-case study or a specific, quantifiable result.
• Build a persuasive argument for why this feature is a game-changer.
• Total length should be around 200-250 words.

This approach allows you to test copy styles without spending hours writing. You can run Version A for a week, then Version B for a week, and directly compare open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. The data will tell you exactly what kind of communication your audience prefers.

Using AI for Iteration and Refinement

The first draft from the AI is rarely the final draft. The magic happens in the iteration loop, where you act as the editor-in-chief, guiding the AI to polish the copy. This is where your expertise in brand voice and persuasive psychology comes into play. Instead of starting over, you can use the AI to refine the existing output.

Here are three powerful refinement prompts you can use in a conversational thread with Copy.ai:

1. To Adjust the Tone:

   • “I love this draft, but the tone is a bit too casual for our B2B audience. Can you rewrite this email to have a more professional, authoritative, and trustworthy tone? Remove contractions and use more formal language.”

2. To Increase Clarity and Conciseness:

   • “This email feels a bit long-winded. Please make it more concise and scannable. Cut any fluff, combine sentences, and ensure the core message is impossible to miss.”

3. To Strengthen the Call-to-Action (CTA):

   • “The current CTA (‘Click here to learn more’) is weak. Rewrite the final paragraph to build more desire and urgency. The new CTA should be ‘Start Your Free Trial Now’ and should feel like the logical and exciting next step for the reader.”

This iterative process is your strategic advantage. You’re not just a user; you’re a director. By providing specific, actionable feedback, you train the AI to produce copy that is perfectly aligned with your goals. This human-AI collaboration is what separates generic, robotic content from a high-converting, nuanced email sequence.

Conclusion: Your Blueprint for Scalable, Personalized Email Marketing

We’ve journeyed from the foundational prompt brief to the nuanced art of A/B testing with AI. The throughline is clear: effective AI prompting isn’t about magic bullets; it’s a strategic discipline. It’s the process of giving the AI the one thing it can’t generate on its own: your unique context, your defined goals, and your guardrails. By mastering this framework, you’ve learned to direct a process of exploration and optimization, transforming a simple tool into a strategic partner.

The future of email marketing isn’t about man versus machine. It’s about marketer plus machine. Tools like Copy.ai’s Workflows are your co-pilot, handling the heavy lifting of generating entire sequences and subject line variations in minutes. This frees you from the grind of blank-page syndrome and allows you to focus your energy where it matters most: analyzing performance, refining strategy, and crafting the high-level creative concepts that truly resonate with your audience. AI doesn’t replace your expertise; it amplifies it.

Your Next Step: Build, Test, and Iterate

Knowledge is only potential power; applied power is what drives results. Don’t let this be just another article you read.

1. Choose one framework from this guide—perhaps the “Problem-Agitate-Solution” sequence for a new lead magnet.
2. Open Copy.ai Workflows and build your first sequence today.
3. Input your specific context and let the AI generate the first draft.

The goal isn’t perfection on the first try. It’s to get a working draft you can refine. Start building your scalable, personalized email engine now.

Performance Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I generate subject lines for the whole sequence in one go

In your Copy.ai Workflow prompt, explicitly ask for ‘Subject Line Variations’ for each email in the sequence. You can even add a constraint like ‘Generate 3 subject lines per email, primed for A/B testing.’

Q: What if the AI output feels too generic

Your prompt lacks context. Sharpen your ‘Target Audience Persona’ by adding a specific pain point or frustration, and define a unique ‘Tone of Voice’ (e.g., ‘Witty, peer-to-peer, not corporate’)

Q: Can I use this for re-engagement campaigns

Absolutely. Simply change the ‘Primary Sequence Goal’ in your prompt to ‘Re-engage dormant trial users’ and adjust the Core Offer to highlight a new feature or a special incentive