Sequences: Email Replies vs. Separate Sends

[JMartin1094]

Hi all,

I'm curious if anyone has had markedly different results for sequence-send campaigns where emails chain under the first sent, or are sent separately with new subject lines. 

To me, it makes sense to have them stack on one reply thread, but while writing a new set of segmented sequences, I'm finding that there's a little less wiggle room for persuasion and narrative (especially when I'm shooting for 100 words or less!)

Has anyone seen a big difference between the two? 

[danmoyle · Accepted solution]

Hey there @JMartin1094 - that's such a good question. I'm hoping folks with more sequence sends than I've completed weigh in and offer real-world experience. 

I teach clients my perspective, but it's not backed up with hard data. 

Like you, I'm a fan of threads if I'm trying to keep a conversation going with related information. But if I'm trying to tell multiple "stories" in my messaging, I'm going to not thread them so I can have new subject lines. 

I also try to avoid the "RE: Subject line" hack it seems so many sales messages have. If I've never interacted with them, or at least sent one initial email, I don't want it to look like I'm playing that trick. 

Just my two cents. 

[Alysha_TW · Accepted solution]

I typically prefer to use new subject line for each email. That way, with a new subject line, you can test open rates better since most people open on a new subject line, but if they missed the first one, their inbox sort of collapses one against the other. So if you thread it, and they don't connect with the first subject line/value proposition, the next one gives you a chance to get back in there. Readers decide which emails to read based on Subject Line so I think the threading on a colder outreach is risky.

[Alysha_TW · Accepted solution]

I typically prefer to use new subject line for each email. That way, with a new subject line, you can test open rates better since most people open on a new subject line, but if they missed the first one, their inbox sort of collapses one against the other. So if you thread it, and they don't connect with the first subject line/value proposition, the next one gives you a chance to get back in there. Readers decide which emails to read based on Subject Line so I think the threading on a colder outreach is risky.

[Jnix284]

Hi @Alysha_TW this sounds like a really good opportunity to run an A/B test across a sequence, creating one that has a single subject line with replies and the other with unique subject lines. You could use a workflow with a random split branch to enroll the contacts into one of the two sequences and compare the results.

would love to know what you learn if you run the test!

[Alysha_TW]

Now that they have A/B Test for Seqeunces you could def do that! I think the question was more about if you should thread subject lines and I prefer to use separate subject lines and not thread.  

[Jnix284 · Accepted solution]

Agree - I like separate threads, but have seen a few use cases where a threaded reply has been successful. It usually only works if they opened the first email and the threaded reply comes next. After that, it has diminishing returns.

[danmoyle · Accepted solution]

Hey there @JMartin1094 - that's such a good question. I'm hoping folks with more sequence sends than I've completed weigh in and offer real-world experience. 

I teach clients my perspective, but it's not backed up with hard data. 

Like you, I'm a fan of threads if I'm trying to keep a conversation going with related information. But if I'm trying to tell multiple "stories" in my messaging, I'm going to not thread them so I can have new subject lines. 

I also try to avoid the "RE: Subject line" hack it seems so many sales messages have. If I've never interacted with them, or at least sent one initial email, I don't want it to look like I'm playing that trick. 

Just my two cents. 

[BérangèreL]

Hi @JMartin1094, I hope that you are well!

Thank you for asking the Community!

I'd love to put you in touch with our Top Experts and some of our Community Members for this: Hi @jolle, @danmoyle, @Jnix284, @kcooper, @Alysha_TW @boldigital do you have tips to share with @JMartin1094, please?

Also, if anybody else has anything to add and/or share, please feel free to join in the conversation 🙂

Thank you so much and have a brilliant day!

Best,
Bérangère