Overview

The Sequences page (/outreach/sequences) is where you build lightweight outbound cadences — focused, typically three-to-five step sequences. Summit53 orchestrates the cadence rather than sending for you: when a step falls due, it queues the channel work for you to complete, and you confirm the outcome so it is recorded against the lead. Summit53 does not send messages natively.

The page has a builder on the left (Create Sequence, or Edit Sequence when editing) and a Sequence operations list on the right.

Sequence execution health

A pill in the header shows the scheduler’s status — for example Execution healthy — and when the processor last ran. The Sequence execution health card shows the next scheduled run and four counters: Queued, Awaiting manual, Failed, and Stale. Due steps are processed on a schedule; the Support tools menu holds an emergency-only Admin: Process Due Steps control for support use.

Starter templates

Rather than starting from a blank form, load a proven starting point and tailor it before saving. Each template card shows its channel, a description, its objective, the number of steps and when it works best, and an Entry and data guidance panel describing who runs it and which leads it suits (source, tier, fit, stage, touchpoint, and the data it needs). Click Use template to load its steps into the form. Five templates ship today:

3-touch cold email (Email, 3 steps) — a focused three-email cadence for testing one clear problem hypothesis. Best for a small, qualified cohort.
LinkedIn-first handoff (Hybrid, 4 steps) — manual LinkedIn work, then email, then a review of whether confirmed engagement merits a handoff. Best for relationship-led outreach.
Manual relationship playbook (Manual, 5 steps) — a fully manual sequence for operators who want Summit53 to be the point of record rather than the sender. Best for founder-, AE-, or partner-led outreach where timing and channels vary by account.
Founder-led Founding Partner (Founder-led, 5 steps) — a high-touch founder motion for testing a problem hypothesis and qualifying a committed Founding Partner. Tailor every bracketed prompt before publishing.
Inbound hand-raiser (Inbound, 5 steps) — a fast, context-preserving response cadence for people who have asked for information, a conversation, or a next step.

Steps and step types

A sequence is an ordered list of steps. Each step has a Step type and a Delay days value that controls how long after the previous step it falls due. A blank form starts with three Email steps at days 0, 3, and 7. The step types are:

Email — has a Subject and Body (required), with merge fields.
Wait — waits for the configured delay, then moves the enrolment to the next step without sending anything.
Manual Task, LinkedIn Connection Request, LinkedIn Follow-up, Review Email Draft, Handoff, and Reschedule — manual steps with a Task summary (required, for example "Send LinkedIn connection request") and optional Operator notes for whoever handles the step.

Each step row has an Active checkbox and buttons to Move up, Move down, Insert below, or Delete (a sequence always keeps at least one step). Use Add Step to append a new one.

Personalisation merge fields

Email subject and body fields support merge fields that pull from the lead record. Click a chip beneath the field to insert one:

{{first_name}}
{{last_name}}
{{full_name}}
{{company_name}}
{{title}}
{{email}}

A Sample preview beneath each email step renders the subject and body with sample lead data. Until you add content it reads "No subject yet" and "No body yet".

Creating a sequence

Start from a blank form, or click Use template on a starter template.
Enter a Name and optional Description.
Add and order your steps, choosing a Step type and Delay days for each and writing the email content or task summary.
Under Save as, choose Draft to keep it private, or Publish now to make it available for enrolment immediately.
Click Create sequence.

Drafts, publishing, and versions

Sequences are versioned. Each card shows its version state — draft only, published v1, or published v1 + draft v2, for example. Click Edit sequence (or Edit draft) to change a sequence; your edits are saved as a working draft and Save changes does not affect leads already enrolled. When you are ready, click Publish sequence or Publish draft changes. Existing enrolments stay pinned to the version they started on.

Sequence operations

The right-hand list groups sequences into Active, Paused, Draft, and Archived. Each card shows the description, whether it is eligible for enrolment (or what is blocking enrolment), and its version. Expand published steps to see each step’s type and delay.

Cohort counters show how many leads are Active, Paused, Completed, Stopped, Due now, and Failed. Click a counter to open the enrolled leads in that cohort, with any last error shown in red and an Open lead list link for each lead.

Enrolling leads and running steps

Click Enrol leads on a published sequence to open All leads filtered to leads not yet enrolled, then select leads and use Enroll in sequence. You can also enrol a single lead from its row’s Enrol… picker or from the Cadence section of the lead drawer.

Due and overdue steps appear in the Leads Focus queue. Complete the work outside Summit53, then record it — for example with Complete manual step or Confirm sent externally. Pause, resume, stop, or retry an individual enrolment from the lead drawer’s Cadence section.

Troubleshooting

No Enrol leads button — the sequence has no published version yet, or the card explains what is blocking enrolment. Publish it first.
"This sequence does not have a draft version ready to publish." — there are no unpublished changes; edit the sequence first.
Failed cohort is growing — open the Failed counter to see each lead’s last error, then retry from the lead drawer where retry is available.

Outreach: Sequence Builder