If your B2B sales process drags on for weeks (maybe months), a single email or pop-up won’t cut it. You need a way to nudge buyers along without annoying them—or burning yourself out. This guide is for folks who want to build real, multistep nurture sequences in Unless that actually help move complex deals forward. No hand-waving, no magic bullets. Just how to get it working—and what to watch out for.
Why B2B Nurture Sequences Matter (and Where They Go Sideways)
Let’s be real: B2B buyers don’t just click a button and buy. They need time, reassurance, and a steady drip of useful info. Multistep nurture sequences—think a series of emails, targeted content, or even website prompts—can help you stay on their radar without being a pest.
But here’s where most people screw it up: - Too generic: Blasting everyone with the same “Did you see this case study?” email. - Too complicated: Building a labyrinth of triggers that even you can’t explain. - Giving up after step 2: Most sequences are abandoned before they ever get going.
If you want to avoid those mistakes, keep it focused and build with intention. Ready? Here’s how to do it in Unless.
Step 1: Map Your Buyer Journey—Don’t Skip This
Don’t jump straight into Unless. First, sketch out the actual journey your buyers go through. This isn’t just a marketing exercise—it’s how you’ll keep your sequence from turning into a mess.
What to map:
- Key stages: Awareness, consideration, decision, post-sale, etc.
- Common sticking points: Where do deals get stuck? What questions stall things?
- Content gaps: What’s missing that could help buyers move forward?
Pro tip: Grab a whiteboard (physical or digital) and draw a basic flow. You want to see where nudges matter most.
Step 2: Decide What “Multistep” Means for You
Not every sequence needs to be 10 steps long. For complex B2B, 3-5 thoughtful steps often work better than a long, drawn-out marathon.
Ask yourself: - What info does a buyer need at each stage? - How often can you follow up before you become a nuisance? - Do you need different tracks for different buyer types?
Write out your steps as plain-language bullets, like: - Step 1: Welcome email with a relevant resource - Step 2: Follow-up with a customer story, 3 days later - Step 3: Personal check-in from a sales rep, 1 week later
If you can’t explain your sequence in under 60 seconds, it’s too complicated.
Step 3: Set Up Segments in Unless
Unless lets you create audience segments based on user traits, behavior, or previous actions. This is where things get real.
How to do it:
- Define your audience: Are they new leads? Existing contacts who’ve stalled? Someone who downloaded a white paper?
- Segment by behavior: Create groups based on what buyers have actually done (visited pricing page, requested a demo, etc.).
- Don’t over-segment: It’s tempting to create dozens of micro-audiences, but unless you have the content and time to support them, keep it simple.
What to ignore: Fancy demographic filters that don’t impact buying—job title is less useful than “visited our ROI calculator 3 times.”
Step 4: Build Your Sequence Triggers
Triggers are the “if this, then that” rules that start each step in your sequence. Unless gives you options like “after X days,” “on page visit,” or “on event.”
Some practical triggers:
- Time-based: Send Step 2 three days after Step 1.
- Action-based: If someone reads a case study, send a follow-up.
- Inactivity triggers: If there’s no response after a week, send a gentle nudge.
What works: Time-based triggers are your bread and butter. Action-based triggers are great, but only if you have reliable tracking. Don’t get too clever—if you have to diagram it, it’s probably overkill.
Step 5: Create (Actually Useful) Content for Each Step
Here’s where most nurture sequences fall flat: boring, generic content. If every email feels like a pitch, expect your open rates to tank.
How to avoid that:
- Be specific: Reference their actual problem or recent action.
- Add value: Share a resource, answer a common question, or offer a short call—not just another sales deck.
- Mix it up: Alternate formats—emails, in-app messages, and tailored landing pages.
Honest take: If you don’t have something genuinely helpful to send, skip the step. Quality beats quantity every time.
Step 6: Build and Test Your Sequence in Unless
Now you’re ready to set it up in Unless.
The nuts and bolts:
- Create your campaign: Give it a name that makes sense (not “Nurture Sequence v4 FINAL”).
- Add your steps: Plug in your content and select the right trigger for each step.
- Assign to segments: Double-check you’re targeting the right people.
- Test, test, test: Use test contacts or your own email to see how it actually feels. Watch for:
- Weird timing gaps
- Duplicate messages
- Broken links or formatting
What doesn’t work: “Set it and forget it.” Always run your own sequence first—catching mistakes in a live campaign is embarrassing and expensive.
Step 7: Monitor, Adjust, Repeat
Once it’s live, don’t just watch open rates. Pay attention to: - Drop-off points: Where do people stop engaging? - Replies or unsubscribes: Are you hitting a nerve (in a bad way)? - Sales feedback: Are leads more qualified, or just annoyed?
If something isn’t working, adjust one thing at a time. Don’t overhaul the whole sequence on a whim.
Ignore: Vanity metrics. If your click rate is up but sales aren’t, dig deeper.
What to Skip (and Why)
There’s a lot of advice floating around about nurture sequences. Here’s what to ignore for complex B2B: - Overpersonalization: You don’t need a custom video for every lead. It’s not scalable. - Gimmicky subject lines: They might boost opens, but won’t help close deals. - Monster automations: If you need a flowchart the size of a wall, it’s too much.
Stick to what moves the deal forward.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Stay Human
Building multistep nurture sequences in Unless isn’t rocket science, but it does take a clear head and a willingness to keep things simple. Don’t chase every shiny new automation feature—focus on what your buyers actually need to hear, when they need to hear it.
Iterate. Watch what works. Cut what doesn’t. Above all, remember: you’re not trying to automate being human—you’re just trying to make it easier.