How to Write a Nurture Sequence for Your Design Firm

Imagine that your dream client stumbles across your business on Pinterest, clicks over to your blog, falls in love with your designs and personality, and immediately signs up for your mailing list.

That moment that someone signs up for your mailing list is a BIG one — this is the moment that your dream client has the MOST excitement about you and your business.

Don’t believe me? Can you remember the last time you signed up for someone else’s mailing list and couldn’t wait to get an email from them? I can. (Spoiler: It was for a really lovely Online Business Manager… whom I hired about 9 months later.)

Alright, so let’s get back into your dream client’s shoes. She has signed up for your mailing list. She waits semi-patiently for your lead magnet to hit her inbox. Then, she clicks it immediately to get the good stuff inside… and she loves it! (Why wouldn’t she?)

So… now what? Will she hear from you in a few days? A few weeks? A month?

This is where a nurture sequence comes in…

What is a nurture sequence?

A nurture sequence is a series of value-driven emails that a new or existing mailing list subscriber receives in a particular order. The goal of a nurture sequence is to deepen the connection between you and your potential client, share a bit about yourself, and eventually transition this person to a paying client if your service is right for them.

A nurture sequence is ideal for nearly any NEW subscriber who comes your way, but it can also be used effectively to revive inactive subscribers (people who never open your emails) or if you are offering a new service or digital product.

If a whole sequence of emails sounds spammy to you, in practice, they should be far from it. These emails should be full of valuable information, human connection, and all those good, on-brand things that had this person falling in love with you in the first place.

Plus, remember that your subscribers were excited to join your list! That means they will look forward to hearing from you. And if they don’t, well, they aren’t your dream client anyway.

How to Write a Nurture Sequence (4 Emails)

A nurture sequence typically (but not always) follows the following cadence, with one to several days, a week, or even a month in between each email.

When I originally wrote this post, I included 7 emails in the nurture sequence. This is the number of emails marketing pros typically suggest (and yes, I have written that many for clients who requested it), but frankly, I don’t think I would ever send so many myself.

For me, the sweet spot is four.

Email 1: Introduction & Lead Magnet Delivery (Instant)

Your first email should be the most straightforward. It’s about giving your reader exactly what they signed up for, deepening the personal connection with them, and setting expectations for future communications. Here’s what to include:

• First sentence, reinforce their great decision to download it
• Share what the resource will ultimately give them (clarity, confidence, etc.)
• Weave in a personal story for connection — why this cause is meaningful to you
• Set their expectations for hearing from you again (Example: “Next week, I’ll be back with another exciting resource that will help you make the most of this guide.”)

Email 2: Followup on Lead Magnet (1 Week Later)

I believe that your second email should always come 1 week after your recipient receives your lead magnet. It helps you stay top of mind and it gives you a chance to offer additional support should your dream client need it.

For example, if your lead magnet is helping potential clients budget their renovation, a helpful resource might be a blog post detailing “X” number of things most people don’t expect when renovating. It’s different but still helpful and relevant.

• Invite your recipient to ask questions about the resource they downloaded yesterday
• Share another fun/relatable tidbit about yourself to deepen the connection
• Share 1 resource that will help them use the lead magnet better or take action on their goals. It could be a tip within the newsletter OR a link to other blog posts you might have written on styling, home care, planning a remodel, etc.
• Set expectations for when they’ll hear from you next

Email 3: More Helpful, Relevant Advice (2 Weeks Later)

The next email will be similar to Email 2 but should include another resource that your ideal clients would find helpful. To continue with our example, if the lead magnet helped them budget their renovation, you could share another blog post, maybe one related to renovation timelines or the process of a renovation.

• Share another fun/relatable tidbit about yourself to deepen the connection (it’s always compelling to start with a personal story!)
• Share 1 resource or tip that will help them use the lead magnet better or take action on their goals. (This can be a link to a blog post.)
• Set expectations that you’ll be back [insert when] to share [XYZ]

Email 4: Share How to Work with You (2 Weeks or 1 Month Later)

So far, you’ve likely been sharing information, tips, behind-the-scenes insights, and hopefully all in a pretty package. You’ve also shared details about yourself, been relatable, and connected with your dream client on the other side of the screen.

NOW is the time to officially invite them to work with you — in a genuinely, direct, but non-salesy way.

• Start with a personal story
• Share a very quick sentence each about your services w/links to read more on your website
• Invite recipients to book a discovery call with you or reply directly with questions
• Set expectations — for example, “You’ll hear from me once per month going forward with [insert promise of tips, reveals, etc]. See you then!”

Then, set-up your settings to automatically move this person to the master list to receive your monthly emails.

Next Level Nurture Sequences

If you have multiple types of ideal clients, I also suggest having at least ONE lead magnet for EACH of them. That way you know who is interested in what, and you’re not sending people emails that might not be relevant to them. For example, your online shop might attract different clients than your full-service offerings.

You could just as easily create a nurture sequence for launching a new online store, a digital course, or expanding your service offerings. Simply follow the same formula for a different subject.

Maintenance

The great part about nurture sequences is that they require little to no maintenance. You can pop into your email provider once per quarter to take a look at your open rates, edit subject lines if rates are low, or make other tweaks based on what the data is telling you.

Otherwise, you can let it run on its own and feel confident that it’s working FOR your business. That’s the beauty of smart marketing.

Until next time,
Jaquilyn