Drip Campaign

A drip campaign is an automated sequence of marketing messages delivered over time to guide leads, customers or supporters through a journey. These messages are often delivered by email but can also include SMS, social media, in-app notifications or direct mail. Drip campaigns are triggered by specific actions or timelines, such as signing up for a newsletter, downloading a resource or abandoning a shopping cart. The purpose is to build trust, provide value and nurture the relationship without overwhelming the recipient.

Each message in a drip campaign is designed to match the recipient’s current stage of interest. For example, a new subscriber might receive a welcome series introducing the brand, followed by educational content, testimonials and eventually a call to action. A donor campaign might start with a thank-you email and continue with impact updates, behind-the-scenes stories and invitations to future events. Timing, frequency and message relevance are key to success. Most marketing platforms such as HubSpot, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit allow users to build, automate and test drip campaigns.

Drip campaigns offer several benefits, including increased engagement, higher conversion rates and better resource efficiency. They help teams stay top of mind, reduce manual follow-up and deliver personalised experiences at scale. For nonprofits, drip campaigns can improve donor retention and volunteer onboarding. For B2B and SaaS companies, they support lead nurturing and product education. Well-designed drip campaigns are structured, thoughtful and aligned with user intent, making them a vital part of any inbound or lifecycle marketing strategy.