Email Playbooks provide complete marketing automation systems in a single installation. Each playbook includes a pre-configured pipeline with stages, a lead capture form, email sequences with professional copy, SMS touchpoints, and self-classification links. Instead of building automation from scratch, you select a playbook matching your industry or generate a custom one using AI, then customize it to fit your brand.
Navigate to Email & Automation > Playbooks from the main menu, or click "Install a Playbook" from the Email Automation dashboard. The Playbook Wizard shows all available pre-built options plus the AI generator.
The wizard displays playbook cards in a grid layout. Each card shows:
Click any playbook card to preview its full contents before installing.
Mortgage Broker Complete lead nurturing from initial inquiry through pre-qualification, application, underwriting, and closing. Includes 8 pipeline stages, a pre-qualification form, and 4 nurture sequences.
Real Estate Agent Buyer and seller management with 7 stages covering property search through closing. Includes showing follow-up sequences and post-close referral requests.
Financial Advisor Compliance-friendly automation for wealth management leads. 6 stages from discovery through client onboarding with educational content sequences.
SaaS Platform Software trial and subscription management with 5 stages. Includes trial onboarding, feature education, and conversion sequences.
E-commerce Store Customer lifecycle from first visit through VIP status. 4 stages with welcome series, abandoned cart recovery, and loyalty sequences.
These install individual sequences without creating a new pipeline:
From the wizard grid, click the playbook you want to explore.
The preview shows all stages that will be created. Each stage displays its name and color. Won and Lost stages are marked with green and red colors respectively.
See the form name, description, and all fields that will be created. Required fields are marked with a red indicator.
Scroll through the sequences section to see:
From the preview page, select how you want to install:
Complete Playbook (Recommended) Installs everything: pipeline, form, and all sequences. Best for new setups or when adopting a full industry template.
Selected Components (SaaS playbooks only) Pick individual sequences from the component list. Use checkboxes to select only what you need. Useful when you already have a pipeline and only want specific email automation.
Click the "Install [Playbook Name] Playbook" button. Installation takes 2-5 seconds.
After installation, you're redirected to either:
All sequences start in Draft status. Review and activate them when ready.
The AI generator creates custom playbooks for any business type not covered by pre-built options.
From the Playbook Wizard, click the "Generate with AI" card. This card shows a purple gradient background and sparkle icon.
Enter your business type in one phrase. Be specific for better results.
Good examples:
Less helpful:
Choose how long your typical sale takes:
| Option | When to Use |
|--------|-------------|
| Same Day | Impulse purchases, quick services |
| 1-2 Weeks | Standard retail, simple services |
| 1 Month | Considered purchases, appointments |
| 2-3 Months | High-ticket items, complex services |
The AI adjusts email frequency based on your selection. Shorter cycles get more aggressive follow-up; longer cycles space out touchpoints.
Explain what happens after you close a sale. Examples:
This helps the AI design appropriate post-close sequences.
Share anything else relevant:
Click "Generate My Playbook" and wait 30-60 seconds. The loading screen shows progress through four phases:
Review what the AI created:
If satisfied, click "Install Playbook" to create all assets.
If the playbook doesn't fit, click "Regenerate" to return to the form with your inputs preserved. Adjust your descriptions for different results.
After installation, all components are fully editable.
Navigate to Email & Automation > Pipeline to:
Go to Email & Automation > Forms and click Edit:
From Email & Automation > Sequences, open any sequence:
In the sequence builder, classification links appear in the left sidebar. Click any link to modify:
AI generation takes too long or fails The generator typically completes in 30-60 seconds. If it times out, try again with a simpler business description. Complex or unusual business types may require multiple attempts.
Generated playbook doesn't match my business Click Regenerate and adjust your inputs. Add more context or try different phrasing. Sometimes being more specific helps; other times, being more general works better.
Sequences aren't sending after installation All sequences install in Draft status. Open each sequence and click Activate. Also verify your email platform connection is active.
Form submissions don't trigger sequences Check that the form is linked to a pipeline stage, and that stage has a sequence assigned with "Stage Entered" as the trigger.
Turn every store visitor into a repeat customer. ILLIXIS automatically triggers personalized email sequences based on customer behavior in your Shopify or WooCommerce store.
Connect Klaviyo to ILLIXIS to send email campaigns, sync metrics, and manage audience lists. The integration supports campaign sending from the email builder, performance tracking, and webhook-based suppression management.
Connect your Mailchimp account to send email campaigns and track performance directly from ILLIXIS.
Resend is a developer-friendly email platform that lets you send marketing campaigns broadcasts to your audience. ILLIXIS integrates with Resend to publish email campaigns generated from your content.
Email sequence triggers determine when subscribers enter your automated workflows. Configure the right trigger to reach customers at the moment they're most receptive.
One platform. You approve. ILLIXIS executes. Marketing that just happens.
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