Email Sequence Triggers

Why Triggers Matter

A welcome sequence triggered when someone subscribes has 4x higher open rates than a manual campaign sent days later. Timing is everything in email automation. The right trigger ensures your message arrives when subscribers expect it and are ready to engage.

Available Trigger Types (13 Total)

Core Triggers

1. Manual Enrollment

You add subscribers manually from the subscriber list or via CSV import.

Use cases:

• One-time campaign to specific segment
• Testing new sequences
• Migrating subscribers from another platform

Configuration: None required. Enroll subscribers from sequence detail page.

2. Subscriber Added

Triggers when someone joins your email list.

Use cases:

• Welcome sequences for new subscribers
• Lead magnet delivery
• Newsletter onboarding

Configuration:

• Choose which list triggers this sequence
• Leave blank to trigger for subscribers added to any list

Best practice: Every list should have a welcome sequence. First email within 5 minutes maximizes engagement.

3. Tag Added

Triggers when a specific tag is applied to a subscriber.

Use cases:

• Interest-based sequences (tag "interested-in-SEO" → SEO nurture sequence)
• Segmentation-triggered workflows
• Self-classification link responses

Configuration:

• Enter exact tag name (case-sensitive)
• Support for multiple tags (any match triggers enrollment)

Example: Tag "trial-started" added → trigger trial onboarding sequence.

4. Tag Removed

Triggers when a specific tag is removed from a subscriber.

Use cases:

• Re-engagement when subscriber moves out of a stage
• Status change workflows

Configuration: Enter tag name that triggers when removed.

5. Content Published

Triggers when you publish new content in ILLIXIS.

Use cases:

• Weekly digest to subscribers when new article goes live
• Content notification workflows
• Auto-announce new blog posts

Configuration:

• Choose content types that trigger (articles, videos, etc.)
• Filter by content categories

6. Form Submitted

Triggers when a specific lead capture form is completed.

Use cases:

• Lead magnet delivery sequences
• Demo request follow-up
• Webinar registration workflows

Configuration:

• Select which form triggers enrollment
• Option: enroll only if specific fields match values

Example: "Download guide" form → send guide immediately, then nurture sequence.

7. Webhook (External Trigger)

Triggers when external system sends webhook to ILLIXIS.

Use cases:

• Integrate with Zapier or Make.com
• Connect to apps without native integration
• Custom application triggers

Configuration:

• Webhook URL shown in sequence settings (copy to external system)
• Include subscriber email in webhook payload

Webhook payload format:
```json
{
"subscriber_email": "user@example.com",
"trigger_data": {
"custom_field": "value"
}
}
```

8. Date-Based (Specific Date/Anniversary)

Triggers on specific calendar dates or recurring anniversaries.

Use cases:

• Birthday emails
• Anniversary messages (customer since date)
• Seasonal campaigns

Configuration:

• Specific date: One-time trigger (e.g., Black Friday 2026)
• Anniversary: Recurring annual trigger (birthdays)
• Relative date: X days before/after a date field

Example: Send birthday email 7 days before birthday field date.

9. Purchase Behavior

Triggers when customer makes a purchase in connected store (Shopify/WooCommerce).

Use cases:

• Post-purchase thank you + upsell
• Order confirmation follow-up
• Product-specific onboarding

Configuration:

• Filter by product name, collection, or SKU
• Filter by order value (e.g., orders > $100)
• Choose purchase event: Order created, Order fulfilled, Order canceled

Example: Purchase any product from "Skincare" collection → skincare routine tips sequence.

Trial Lifecycle Triggers (for SaaS products)

10. Trial Started

Triggers when user begins free trial.

Configuration: Define trial start event (usually subscription created with trial status).

11. Trial Day N

Triggers on specific day of trial period (e.g., Day 5 of 7-day trial).

Configuration: Enter day number (1-30).

Use case: Day 3: feature walkthrough, Day 7: check-in, Day 13: upgrade reminder.

12. Trial Ending Soon

Triggers X days before trial expires.

Configuration: Days before expiration (default: 3 days).

Use case: Remind users to upgrade before trial ends.

13. Trial Ended / Expired

Triggers when trial period completes without conversion.

Use case: Final upgrade offer, downgrade to free tier, offboarding.

14. Trial Converted to Paid

Triggers when trial user upgrades to paid subscription.

Use case: Celebrate upgrade, send receipt, start paid customer onboarding.

Subscription Events (Stripe Integration)

15. Subscription Created

Triggers when new subscription starts (trial or paid).

16. Subscription Upgraded

Triggers when customer moves to higher-priced plan.

Use case: Thank them, unlock premium features, send tips for new features.

17. Subscription Downgraded

Triggers when customer moves to lower-priced plan.

Use case: Exit interview, feedback request, win-back offer.

18. Subscription Canceled

Triggers when subscription is canceled (immediate or at end of billing period).

Use case: Win-back sequence, ask for feedback, offer pause option.

19. Subscription Renewed

Triggers on successful renewal (monthly/annual).

Use case: Thank you message, loyalty reward, referral request.

20. Subscription Paused

Triggers when customer pauses billing (if supported by plan).

Use case: Check-in message, offer to resume with discount.

21. Subscription Resumed

Triggers when paused subscription reactivates.

Use case: Welcome back message, feature updates since pause.

Payment Events (Stripe Integration)

22. Payment Failed

Triggers when payment method is declined.

Use case: Update payment method request, grace period notice.

23. Payment Failed (Final Attempt)

Triggers on last retry before subscription cancellation.

Use case: Urgent payment update request, account will be suspended.

24. Payment Recovered

Triggers when previously failed payment succeeds.

Use case: Thank them, resume service confirmation.

Product Usage Events

25. Product Event

Triggers when user performs specific action in your product.

Configuration: Define event name (e.g., "first_project_created").

Use case: Feature usage workflows.

26. First-Time Product Event

Triggers the FIRST time user performs an action.

Use case: Celebrate milestones ("You created your first project!").

27. Usage Threshold Reached

Triggers when usage hits defined limit (e.g., 80% of quota).

Use case: Usage warning, upgrade recommendation.

28. Quota Warning

Triggers when user approaches quota limit.

Configuration: Percentage threshold (default: 80%).

29. Quota Exceeded

Triggers when user exceeds quota.

Use case: Upgrade prompt, overage notice.

Engagement-Based Triggers

30. Engagement Status Changed

Triggers when subscriber engagement level changes (active → at-risk → inactive).

Configuration: Define engagement thresholds (days without open/click).

31. No Activity for N Days

Triggers after subscriber shows no engagement for X days.

Configuration: Days of inactivity (default: 30).

Use case: Re-engagement campaigns.

32. User Reactivated

Triggers when previously inactive subscriber opens or clicks again.

Use case: Welcome back sequence.

E-commerce Events (Shopify/WooCommerce)

33. Customer Created

Triggers when new customer account is created in store.

Use case: Welcome series for new customers.

34. Order Created

Triggers when order is placed.

Use case: Order confirmation, thank you message.

35. Order Fulfilled

Triggers when order ships.

Use case: Shipping notification, review request sequence.

36. Customer Lapsed

Triggers when customer hasn't purchased in X days.

Configuration: Days since last purchase (default: 60).

Use case: Win-back campaigns.

E-commerce Abandon Events (Klaviyo-compatible)

37. Website Abandon

Triggers when visitor lands on site but leaves without browsing.

Use case: First-time visitor welcome offer.

38. Browse Abandon

Triggers when visitor views products but doesn't add to cart.

Configuration: Minimum pages viewed (default: 2).

Use case: Product reminder, social proof.

39. Cart Abandon

Triggers when items added to cart but checkout not started.

Configuration:

• Minimum cart value (e.g., don't trigger for <$10)
• Wait time before first email (default: 1 hour)

Use case: Cart recovery sequence (highest ROI trigger).

40. Checkout Abandon

Triggers when checkout started but not completed.

Use case: Urgent checkout recovery (payment issue assistance).

Configuring Triggers

Basic Setup

1. Go to Email & Automation → Sequences
2. Create new sequence or edit existing
3. Click trigger node in sequence builder
4. Choose trigger type from dropdown
5. Configure trigger-specific settings
6. Save sequence

Trigger Configuration Panel

When you select the trigger node, the right sidebar shows:

Trigger Type: Dropdown with all 40 trigger types

Trigger Config: Settings specific to chosen trigger:

• Tag triggers: enter tag name
• Date triggers: choose date or relative timing
• Form triggers: select form from dropdown
• Purchase triggers: filter by product/value

Enrollment Rules:

• Once per subscriber: Subscriber can only enter once (default)
• Multiple times: Allow re-enrollment after exit
• Maximum enrollments: Limit re-enrollments (e.g., max 3 times)

Exclusion Rules:

• Exclude if already in another sequence
• Exclude if has specific tag
• Exclude if in specific pipeline stage

Automation Schedule

Understanding how ILLIXIS processes triggers helps you design better sequences.

How Trigger Evaluation Works

Trigger checks run every 60 seconds. A background process continuously evaluates all active triggers against subscriber actions across your account.

What happens each minute:

1. Scan active triggers - ILLIXIS checks all sequences with "Active" status
2. Match subscriber actions - Recent events (tag added, form submitted, purchase made, etc.) are compared against trigger conditions
3. Enroll matching subscribers - Subscribers meeting trigger criteria are immediately enrolled in the sequence
4. Queue first email - The sequence begins, with the first email sent according to its timing settings

Email Timing After Enrollment

Once a subscriber is enrolled, email delivery follows the sequence timing:

• Immediate emails send within the next minute (same evaluation cycle)
• Delayed emails respect the configured wait time (e.g., "Wait 2 days")
• Conditional delays pause until conditions are met

Example timeline:

| Time | Event |
|------|-------|
| 10:00:00 | Subscriber submits form |
| 10:00:45 | Trigger evaluation runs, detects form submission |
| 10:00:45 | Subscriber enrolled in sequence |
| 10:00:45 | Email 1 queued (set to "immediate") |
| 10:01:00 | Email 1 delivered |
| 10:01:00 + 2 days | Email 2 delivered (2-day delay) |

Practical Implications

Near-instant enrollment: The 60-second cycle means subscribers enter sequences within a minute of triggering events. For time-sensitive triggers like cart abandonment, this ensures fast response.

Batch processing efficiency: Rather than processing each event individually, ILLIXIS batches trigger evaluation for performance. This keeps email delivery fast even at scale.

Timezone handling: Date-based triggers (birthdays, anniversaries) evaluate at midnight UTC. If your audience is in different timezones, factor this into delay settings.

Multi-Trigger Sequences

Some workflows need multiple entry points. Example: Welcome sequence triggered by EITHER "Subscriber Added" OR "Form Submitted."

Setup:

1. Create primary sequence with first trigger
2. Duplicate sequence
3. Change trigger on duplicate
4. Both sequences use same email steps

Alternative (Advanced): Use Zapier to consolidate triggers into single webhook trigger.

Trigger Priority

When multiple sequences have same trigger, ILLIXIS enrolls subscriber in sequence with highest priority score.

Priority calculation:

1. Specific triggers (tag name match) beat generic triggers
2. Recently activated sequences beat older ones
3. Sequences with exclusion rules respected first

Manual priority override: Set priority order in Settings → Email Automation → Sequence Priority.

Testing Triggers

Manual Trigger Test

1. Create test subscriber with dedicated email
2. Manually trigger the event (submit form, add tag, etc.)
3. Verify subscriber enrolled in sequence
4. Check email delivery

Test Mode

1. Click "Test This Sequence" in builder
2. ILLIXIS simulates trigger without real enrollment
3. Preview emails in test mode
4. Verify trigger configuration before activation

Trigger Performance Metrics

Track trigger effectiveness:

Enrollment Rate: How many subscribers match trigger criteria Enrollment Delay: Time between trigger event and first email Trigger Errors: Failed enrollments (e.g., subscriber already in sequence)

View metrics: Sequences → [Sequence Name] → Analytics → Trigger Performance.

Common Trigger Patterns

The Lead Magnet Funnel

1. Trigger: Form submitted (lead magnet form)
2. Email 1: Deliver lead magnet (immediate)
3. Delay: 2 days
4. Email 2: Educational content
5. Delay: 3 days
6. Email 3: Soft pitch

The Trial Conversion Sequence

1. Trigger: Trial Started
2. Email 1: Welcome + setup tips (immediate)
3. Delay: 2 days
4. Trigger: Trial Day 3 → Feature walkthrough email
5. Delay: 4 days
6. Trigger: Trial Ending Soon (3 days before) → Upgrade reminder
7. Trigger: Trial Converted → Thank you email
8. Trigger: Trial Expired → Final offer

Uses multiple trial triggers for complete journey.

The Cart Recovery Stack

1. Trigger: Cart Abandoned
2. Email 1: Cart reminder (1 hour delay)
3. Delay: 23 hours
4. Email 2: Urgency message (items selling out)
5. Delay: 24 hours
6. Email 3: 10% discount offer
7. Conditional: If purchased, exit sequence

The Re-engagement Campaign

1. Trigger: No Activity for 30 Days
2. Email 1: "We miss you" message
3. Delay: 3 days
4. Conditional: If opened Email 1

• Yes: Email 2 with feature updates
• No: Email 2 with strong discount offer

5. Delay: 7 days
6. Email 3: Final "last chance" message

Troubleshooting

"Subscribers not enrolling"

Check:

1. Sequence status is "Active"
2. Trigger configuration matches event data (e.g., exact tag name)
3. Subscriber not excluded by enrollment rules
4. Subscriber not already in sequence (if "once per subscriber" enabled)

"Trigger firing too often"

Fix:

• Add enrollment rule: "Maximum 1 enrollment per 30 days"
• Add exclusion: "Exclude if already in any sequence"

"Tag trigger not working"

Common issue: Tag name case mismatch.

Fix: Tags are case-sensitive. "Trial-Started" ≠ "trial-started". Verify exact tag name in subscriber record.

"Date trigger missed subscribers"

Fix: Date triggers check once daily at midnight UTC. If subscriber birthday field added after midnight, trigger won't fire until next year. Backfill by manually enrolling missed subscribers.

"Webhook trigger not firing"

Check:

1. Webhook URL copied correctly to external system
2. Webhook payload includes subscriber_email field
3. Subscriber email exists in ILLIXIS subscriber list
4. Webhook logs show successful POST (check external system logs)

Best Practices

Choose Specific Triggers

Bad: Trigger welcome sequence on "Subscriber Added" (any list) Good: Trigger welcome sequence on "Tag Added: newsletter-subscriber"

Specific triggers prevent accidental enrollments and make debugging easier.

Combine Triggers with Exclusions

Example: Cart abandonment sequence

• Trigger: Cart Abandoned
• Exclusion: Exclude if already in cart abandonment sequence
• Exclusion: Exclude if order completed in last 24 hours

Prevents duplicate emails and email fatigue.

Use Delays, Not Just Triggers

Bad: Trigger sequence on "Trial Day 7" with immediate email Good: Trigger on "Trial Started," delay 7 days, then email

First approach requires separate trigger for each day. Second approach is one sequence with multiple delays.

Test with Real Events

Don't just test with "Send Test Email." Trigger the actual event (add tag, submit form, etc.) to verify trigger logic works end-to-end.

Trigger Limits

Per tenant:

• Active sequences: 50 (Starter), 200 (Professional), Unlimited (Enterprise)
• Enrollments per day: 1,000 (Starter), 10,000 (Professional), Unlimited (Enterprise)

Per sequence:

• Maximum triggers per sequence: 1 (use multiple sequences for multi-trigger workflows)

Next Steps

1. Identify customer journey stages (subscriber, trial, customer, lapsed)
2. Map triggers to each stage (form submit → trial start → purchase → lapse)
3. Create sequence for each trigger (welcome, trial, post-purchase, win-back)
4. Test each trigger with real events before activating
5. Monitor enrollment rates and adjust trigger configuration as needed

Start with subscriber-added welcome sequence. Add more complex triggers (trial, purchase, abandonment) once comfortable with basics.

Related Help Guides

• Visual Email Sequence Builder - Building sequences
• E-commerce Email Automation - Cart/browse/purchase triggers
• Lead Pipeline Management - Pipeline stage triggers
• Form Builder - Form submission triggers

Questions? Email hello@illixis.io or use the in-app chat.