# Three email onboarding plan

Richie Lin · Portfolio sample · September 2026

Illustrative sample · Proposed journey

A fictional research newsletter brief created for this portfolio. Timing and copy are proposed. This is not the original NYUC onboarding sequence or a deployed CRM workflow.

## The brief

How could a research newsletter help a consenting subscriber find a useful first resource?

## Worked example

Proposed journey for a confirmed newsletter subscriber

| Step | Eligibility & timing | Message & primary action | Exit / suppression |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 01 · Welcome | Immediately after confirmed opt in | “Your first research read starts here.” → Open the starter guide | Suppress without valid consent |
| 02 · Relevance | Day 3, if no resource selected | “Which question are you working on?” → Choose a topic | Skip if the first action is complete |
| 03 · Useful next step | Day 5, if still eligible | “One practical example to try this week.” → View a worked example | Exit after action or day 7. Suppress unsubscribed contacts |

## Recommendation

Map the rules and measurement before configuring a platform.

Give the journey one goal: a first resource selection within seven days of confirmed opt in. Treat every send as conditional on consent and current eligibility.

## Define the events

confirmed_opt_in starts eligibility. Message_delivered records a delivery. Resource_selected records the intended action. Unsubscribed stops future messages. Use a stable contact identifier, timestamps, and consistent campaign identifiers.


## Specify the KPI

First action rate = unique eligible subscribers selecting a resource within seven days ÷ unique confirmed subscribers whose full seven day window has elapsed. Report delivery and unsubscribe rates separately. A click is a diagnostic signal, not the final action.


## Preflight the journey

Review the proposed flow before any pilot.

- Test consent, unsubscribe, duplicate, and already completed action scenarios.
- Verify mobile links and the destination resource.
- Define who approves copy and who owns event QA.
- Check that time windows and attribution match the report.

## Learning note

A sequence needs more than copy: eligibility, exit rules, send timing, and a defined action keep the journey coherent.

## Files and sources

- Journey planning CSV: onboarding-plan.csv


Related experience: https://richielin.com/pages/nyuc

View online: https://richielin.com/pages/samples/onboarding-plan