# The recommended sequence

One good first email, at most two follow-ups a week apart, and every reply handed to a human. It's simple on purpose: most replies come from a thoughtful first email and one well-timed follow-up, and every extra email costs goodwill and deliverability.

```text
Contact enrolled
  → First email (template, or AI-written for this person)
  → Wait up to 7 days for a reply
      replied → Hand off to you
      no reply → Follow-up 1 (new angle, 2–3 sentences)
        → Wait up to 7 days for a reply
            replied → Hand off to you
            no reply → Follow-up 2 (short, close the loop)
              → Wait up to 7 days for a reply
                  replied → Hand off to you
                  no reply → Stage: Ignored (never replied) → End
```

Every reply — even "not now" — reaches you (or your AI agent) instead of an automated branch, so no conversation gets a canned response. Follow-ups go in the same thread from the same mailbox; see [how sequences work](https://founderdb.co/docs/sequences.md).

## Plan it with Claude (recommended)

The messaging matters more than the mechanics, so plan it in a conversation. With [Claude connected](https://founderdb.co/docs/mcp.md), ask something like:

> Let's plan my FounderDB outreach sequence. I'm selling *[what you do]* to *[who]*. Look at my setup and a few of my recent contacts and their launches, then propose the first email and two follow-ups using the recommended sequence. Ask me whatever you need first.

Claude will:

1. **Learn your context** — asks about your offer, who it's for and your tone; reads your setup (`get_setup_overview`) and a few contacts' products and launches (`get_contact_launches`) to see what it can personalise with.
2. **Propose the messaging** — the first email (as a template with `{{firstName}}` / `{{productName}}`, or an AI instruction that writes each email from the contact's launch), and two follow-ups that each add something new.
3. **Build it** once you agree — `create_sequence` with `start_from: "recommended"`, then `update_sequence_step` for each email. New sequences start disabled.
4. **Check it** — `simulate_sequence` shows when each email would go out; `get_template` previews an email for a real contact.
5. **Turn it on** when you say so — enable it and, if you like, make it the default for new launches.

## Or build it yourself

In *Outreach → Sequences → New*, connect: **Email** → **Wait for reply** (168 hours) → on *timeout*, **Email** → **Wait for reply** (168 h) → on *timeout*, **Email** → **Wait for reply** (168 h) → on *timeout*, **Set stage** *Ignored (never replied)* → **End**. Connect every *replied* path to one **Hand off to human** step.

## Writing the emails

**First email — template or AI?**

- A **template** gives you exact control and consistent quality. Personalise with `{{firstName | there}}` and `{{productName}}`, and [contact variables](https://founderdb.co/docs/contact-variables.md).
- An **AI email** writes each message from the contact's launch and your instruction — more personal, needs an AI key (*Settings → AI for replies*). Keep the instruction specific: length, tone, what to mention, what never to say.

**Follow-ups** should stand on their own: one new, useful angle each time (a relevant example, a resource, a sharper question), 2–3 sentences, and never "just bumping this". The last one politely closes the loop — it often gets the most replies.

**Keep them short, plain text, and link-light.** One link at most; none in the first email is better.

## When someone replies

The reply shows up in *Inbox → To do*, the contact moves to *Engaged (active)*, and the sequence stops for them. Answer it yourself, or ask Claude:

> Go through my FounderDB to-do inbox. For each reply, read the thread and their launch, draft a response, and send the ones I approve. Add a to-do for anything that needs me.

Everything Claude sends is labelled *"Claude · AI agent"* in the conversation and logged in *Agent activity*.

## Good defaults

- **Send window:** Tuesday–Thursday mornings in your contacts' main timezone.
- **Volume:** start small — FounderDB warms mailboxes up for you — and add mailboxes rather than pushing one harder.
- **Watch deliverability:** *Reports → Accounts* shows bounce and spam rates per mailbox; keep bounces under 2%. Claude can check with `get_account_report`.