How to set up automated email welcome sequences that drive actual product activation

We used to send a generic welcome email after sign-up and nearly seventy percent of new users did not return to finish their onboarding. We replaced that blast with a three-part behavioral sequence that started when users clicked inside the web app during their first hour. The first message went out immediately. Included a quick setup guide. The second message arrived twenty-four hours later. Included a case study. The third message offered a live support chat. I found that user retention, on day seven increased by eighteen percent because the welcome emails matched the stage of the onboarding journey. I recommend mapping your emails directly to user actions instead of sending rigid time‑based blasts. What metrics do you track closely for your onboarding email flows?