Do I need to instrument events in my app?

Minimal. In most cases, a single PATCH to /api/v2/contacts whenever an onboarding step completes is enough, update the onboarding_step integer and SegMailer handles the rest via segment re-evaluation.

How many emails should an onboarding flow have?

Four to six is typical. Behavioral flows tend to send fewer emails per user than linear drips because non-engaged users exit via the branch and activated users exit via the conversion goal.

Can I branch on specific features used?

Yes. Store each feature's first-use timestamp as an attribute (e.g., first_integration_at). Branch on whether the attribute is set.

What about teams / multi-seat products?

Track per-user activation (did the individual complete their own setup?) independently from account activation (did the admin invite anyone, connect integrations, etc). Run two separate flows.

Should I send from a person or a brand?

For onboarding, from a person consistently outperforms from a brand. Use your founder's name + their real email, with a brand signature at the bottom.

How do I A/B test email timing?

Duplicate your workflow, change the wait step on the duplicate. Split-assign new users 50/50. Compare activation rates after 2 weeks; keep the winner.

What about mobile push for onboarding?

SegMailer is email-only. For mobile push, pair it with a dedicated push tool (Customer.io, OneSignal, or your own BE). The attribute model stays the same, both tools read from your backend.

Can I exclude trial expired users?

Yes. Add "trial_status != expired" to your trigger segment. Expired users exit the workflow automatically.

Use case / SaaS onboarding

Onboarding sequences that adapt to real behavior.

Generic welcome drips lose activation. SegMailer triggers emails based on what users actually do, or fail to do, inside your product. Skip steps trigger nudges; completed steps exit the flow; nothing gets sent after activation.

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The problem

Most onboarding sequences are linear drips: 7 emails across 7 days regardless of what the user did. The result is familiar: the user who activated on day 1 gets 6 more emails they do not need, and the user who bounced on day 2 gets 6 more emails they will never open. Both outcomes waste your list and train users to ignore your brand.

The behavioral approach

Behavioral onboarding replaces the calendar with the user's actual state. Users who complete setup exit the flow. Users who skip a step get a targeted nudge for that step, not a generic email. Users who go dormant get a different reactivation path than users who are stuck on a specific screen.

Implementation

How to ship it, step by step.

Model activation as an attribute

Push an onboarding_step attribute (integer 0–N) or a boolean for each activation milestone. Every attribute change re-evaluates segments in real time.

Build the trigger segment

Segment: signed_up within 14 days AND onboarding_completed is false. New users flow in; activated users flow out automatically.

Design the workflow

Trigger: segment entry → wait 2h → welcome → branch on onboarding_step → step-specific nudges → exit on activation.

Set a conversion goal

Goal: onboarding_completed = true. Converted users exit immediately. SegMailer reports activation rate per email, so you know which nudge drives which step.

Segment examples

Actual segment rules you can copy.

Fresh signups not yet activated

signed_up within 14 days AND onboarding_completed is false

Stuck on first-run

signed_up more than 2 days ago AND onboarding_step = 1

// Skipped past "create your first project"

Nearly there

onboarding_step >= 3 AND onboarding_completed is false

Silent dropout

signed_up within 14 days AND last_login more than 3 days ago

Email examples

Subject lines that actually work.

Welcome, {{firstName}}, one tip before you start

Set expectations, drive first login

Missing just one step to finish setup

Re-activate stuck users (branched)

{{firstName}}, here's what other teams do next

Suggest high-value next action

Still here? We can help

Reactivate silent dropouts with founder-signed email

What good looks like

Typical results for teams who do this well.

+15–30%

Activation rate lift

2.1 (down from 6)

Average sends per user

Under an afternoon

Setup time

// Directional ranges, not guarantees, depends on your baseline, audience, and product.

FAQ

SaaS Onboarding Emails, answered.

Minimal. In most cases, a single PATCH to /api/v2/contacts whenever an onboarding step completes is enough, update the onboarding_step integer and SegMailer handles the rest via segment re-evaluation.

Ship this flow this week.

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