Customer journey marketing means sending each contact the message that fits the stage they are in, rather than sending everyone the same newsletter. A prospect comparing suppliers needs proof. A new client needs reassurance. A client of two years needs a reason to refer you. This article answers how to plan and run stage-based campaigns in the levelpartner.ai platform, using pipeline stages and tags to decide who gets what, and how to tell whether each stage's messages are earning their place.
One message per stage, one question per message
Every stage has a question the buyer is trying to answer. At awareness it is "do these people understand my problem". At consideration it is "can they do it for a firm like mine". At decision it is "what happens if it goes wrong". After purchase it is "did I choose well".
Write one campaign per stage that answers that question and nothing else. A campaign that tries to answer all four in a single email answers none of them.
Before you start
- Agreed stages, ideally reflected in a pipeline in Opportunities.
- Tags or pipeline stages that show where each contact currently sits.
- Email sending set up in the platform with a verified sending domain.
- SMS or WhatsApp enabled if you plan to use them, with consent recorded.
- One piece of existing content per stage you can reuse: a case outline, a guide, a checklist.
How to set it up
- Write the buyer's main question for each stage on a single page.
- Match one piece of content to each question, writing new content only where there is a gap.
- Draft one email for each stage using that content.
- In Automation > Workflows, add a Pipeline Stage Changed trigger per stage.
- Add a Send Email action for entry, then a Wait and a shorter follow-up.
- Add an If/Else check on the pipeline stage before each follow-up.
- Use an SMS step only for time-sensitive messages, such as a booking reminder.
- Tag each contact with the campaign they received so results can be compared.
- Check the Funnel widget monthly, before and after each campaign launch.
Matching channel to stage
Email suits stages where the buyer is reading and comparing. SMS and WhatsApp suit stages where speed matters: a missed call, a booking, a document request. Social posts suit awareness, where you want to stay visible without asking for anything.
Avoid the habit of using every channel at every stage. A prospect who receives the same message by email, text and social in one day is more likely to unsubscribe than to book. The digital customer journey guide covers which online touchpoints matter at each step.
Say the agency sends one monthly newsletter to 4,000 contacts and replaces it with four stage campaigns. The consideration campaign sends two short case outlines to 220 prospects over a quarter. If stage conversion from consideration to proposal moved from 21 in 100 to 29 in 100, that would be roughly 17 or 18 more proposals from the same 220 prospects. The newsletter would continue only for past clients. These figures are illustrative.
What it replaces
It replaces the newsletter as the main marketing activity and the ad hoc "checking in" email that sales sends when they remember. It also replaces the campaign calendar built around what marketing wants to say this month rather than what buyers need to hear at their stage.
Time it takes each week
Building four stage campaigns takes three to five days, mostly writing. Running them takes about an hour a week: checking replies in Conversations, reviewing unsubscribes and fixing any contact stuck in a sequence. Rewrite one campaign a quarter, starting with the stage that converts worst.
The mistake most people make
Leaving contacts in a sequence after they have moved on. A client who signed yesterday and today receives "still thinking it over?" loses trust in your organisation. Every stage workflow needs an exit condition tied to the pipeline stage.
When not to use it
Stage-based campaigns need enough contacts per stage to matter. If only five people sit in consideration at any time, personal emails from the salesperson will outperform automation. They also need honest stage data. If the pipeline is not kept up to date, contacts will receive messages meant for a different stage. Fix stage hygiene first; the customer journey management guide explains how.
Troubleshooting
Contacts receive two stage campaigns at once
They sit in two pipelines or carry two stage tags. Pick one source of truth for stage, usually the main pipeline, and base every workflow trigger on it.
Open rates are fine but nothing moves
The content answers the wrong question for that stage. Interview two buyers from the stage and rewrite around what they say held them back.
Unsubscribes spike after launch
Frequency is too high or the sequence overlaps the newsletter. Remove stage contacts from the newsletter list while they are in a sequence.
You cannot tell which campaign worked
Campaign tags are missing. Add them, and use customer journey tracking to tie sources and campaigns to outcomes.
Frequently asked questions
How many emails should each stage campaign have?
Two or three. One on entry, one reminder, and an optional final note. Longer sequences belong in nurture for contacts who have gone quiet.
Should AI write the stage emails?
AI content in the platform can draft them quickly. Edit every draft so it sounds like your firm and answers that stage's question specifically.
Does this replace paid advertising?
No. Ads feed the first stage. Stage campaigns make sure the people the ads bring in are not wasted once they arrive.