Lifecycle · 2 min read
Acquisition is the beginning of the conversation.
Plan email and SMS around useful customer moments, with a distinct role for each channel.
Map the moments before writing the messages
Start with what a person is trying to do: understand an offer, prepare for a consultation, use a purchase or decide whether to return. Those moments are a more useful planning unit than an arbitrary weekly send.
For each moment, record the trigger, the intended audience and the next useful action. Some moments need a message. Others need a clearer page or a better service experience.
Give each channel a purpose
Email has room for context, explanation and a considered next step. SMS can support a short, timely touchpoint where interruption is justified. Using both channels should make the journey clearer rather than simply doubling the message volume.
Design the sequence together. If a person has already taken the intended action, later reminders may no longer be useful. Suppression and exit rules belong in the initial workflow, not as an afterthought.
Make preferences part of the system
Work with audiences that have given the appropriate permission for the channel and purpose. Make preferences visible to the systems that send messages, and verify how an opt-out moves through connected tools.
Your market, platform and business context determine the requirements that apply. Have the responsible owners review the implementation before launch and whenever the journey changes.
Review relevance as well as activity
Delivery and engagement signals can help you see how a journey behaves, but they are not the whole story. Review customer questions, support feedback and completed actions alongside campaign activity.
A useful lifecycle is maintained over time. Revisit the content when the offer changes, verify links and triggers, and remove messages that no longer help the recipient move forward.
