> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.manypi.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sequences

> Multi-step cold email templates with merge variables, threading and A/B variants.

A **sequence** is the content: step 1 plus the follow-ups. It knows nothing
about who receives it or which mailbox sends it — that is the campaign's job —
so one sequence can be reused across campaigns, brands and inboxes.

## Steps

Each step has:

| Field         | Meaning                                                             |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `subject`     | Subject line. Merge variables allowed.                              |
| `body_html`   | Body as simple HTML.                                                |
| `wait_days`   | Days to wait after the previous step. Step 1 is always `0`.         |
| `thread_mode` | `new` starts a fresh thread; `reply` threads under the first email. |

A `reply` step sends as `Re:` the first email's subject, so the recipient sees
one conversation rather than four unrelated messages. Step 1 is always `new`.

A sequence can have up to 10 steps.

<Tip>
  Three steps over eight days converts about as well as seven steps over a
  month, and annoys far fewer people. Start with `0 / 3 / 5` day gaps.
</Tip>

## Merge variables

| Variable         | Fills with        |
| ---------------- | ----------------- |
| `{{first_name}}` | Lead's first name |
| `{{company}}`    | Company name      |
| `{{title}}`      | Job title         |
| `{{domain}}`     | Company domain    |
| `{{location}}`   | Location          |

```html theme={null}
<p>Hi {{first_name}},</p>
<p>I saw {{company}} is hiring in {{location}} — usually a sign the
outbound team is stretched.</p>
<p>Worth a quick look at how we'd fill the top of your funnel?</p>
```

<Warning>
  A variable with no value renders empty, which produces `"Hi ,"`. Only use a
  variable in the subject or first line when the field is required on the lead —
  set `required_fields` accordingly when you [find
  leads](/leads/finding-leads).
</Warning>

## Body HTML

Bodies are **simple HTML** on purpose: `<p>`, `<br>`, `<strong>`, `<a>`. No
images, no tracking pixels beyond ManyPI's own open tracking, no CSS-heavy
templates. Plain-looking mail from a real person outperforms a designed
newsletter in cold outbound, and it also survives spam filtering far better.

## Drafting with AI

Click **Draft with AI**, or call
[`POST /api/outreach/generate`](/api-reference/outreach/generate-email).
Describe what you are selling and ManyPI writes the email — or the whole
sequence — against your brand context.

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://app.manypi.com/api/outreach/generate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer mpi_your_api_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "instructions": "We help e-commerce agencies find new client leads without cold-calling. Ask for a 15-minute call.",
    "mode": "sequence",
    "steps": 3
  }'
```

```json theme={null}
{
  "steps": [
    { "subject": "Quick question about {{company}}", "html": "<p>Hi {{first_name}},</p>…", "wait_days": 0 },
    { "subject": "", "html": "<p>Following up…</p>", "wait_days": 3 },
    { "subject": "", "html": "<p>Last note…</p>", "wait_days": 5 }
  ]
}
```

The generator only **drafts**. Nothing is saved and nothing is sent — feed the
result into a sequence or a one-off send.

Pass a `lead_id` to tailor the tone toward that kind of recipient.

<Note>
  The brand's description, value proposition and personas are injected
  automatically, which is why the instructions box only needs to say what is
  different about *this* message.
</Note>

## A/B variants

<Info>Pro and Business plans.</Info>

Give a step two subject or body variants and ManyPI splits enrollments between
them, then reports per-variant opens and replies in the campaign analytics. Run
it until the difference is real, then keep the winner.

Test one thing at a time. A variant that changes the subject *and* the offer
tells you nothing about either.

## Managing sequences over the API

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Create theme={null}
  curl -X POST https://app.manypi.com/api/outreach/sequences \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer mpi_your_api_key" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "name": "Agency outbound Q3",
      "steps": [
        { "subject": "Quick question about {{company}}",
          "body_html": "<p>Hi {{first_name}},</p><p>…</p>",
          "wait_days": 0, "thread_mode": "new" },
        { "subject": "",
          "body_html": "<p>Following up on the above.</p>",
          "wait_days": 3, "thread_mode": "reply" }
      ]
    }'
  ```

  ```bash List theme={null}
  curl https://app.manypi.com/api/outreach/sequences \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer mpi_your_api_key"
  ```
</CodeGroup>

Sequences are **brand-scoped**. A sequence created while working in one brand
belongs to that brand; use `?brand=all` on the list endpoint to see every
brand's sequences at once.