Wait & Timing
Give Leads Time to Reply. Then Follow Up.Email sequence timing set by wait steps, so each follow-up lands when you planned.
Put a wait step between any two steps, and each lead pauses there for as long as you set, from minutes to weeks. If the sequence has sending hours, a wait that would end at night moves to the next opening, so follow-ups land inside your hours.
- Any length, in minutes
- Never earlier than set
- Respects sending hours
How it works
- A step goes outAn email, a text or a call task
- The lead waitsOne day on a new wait step
- Due time adjustedMoved later if outside your hours
- Next step runsWithin about a minute of the due time
Follow-Ups Spaced the Way You Planned.
Space steps out so people have time to open, click or reply before the sequence asks again.
The wait you type is a minimum. Sending hours can only push it later.
Minutes, a day or a month: there is no upper limit on a wait step.
Pause the sequence and waiting leads stay parked until you set it live again.
Set Your Timing in Three Steps.
Add a Wait Step
Drop it between any two steps in the sequence builder. It starts at one day.
Type the Length
Enter the wait in minutes: 60 for an hour, 1,440 for a day, 10,080 for a week.
Set Sending Hours
Optional. Turn them on, and any wait ending outside them moves to the next opening.
How Email Sequence Timing Works in Adoptiv.
Email sequence timing is the gap between one follow-up and the next. In Adoptiv you set it with a wait step: a step whose only job is to hold each lead in place for as long as you choose before the sequence moves on.
A wait step is set in minutes, one whole number per step. A new one starts at 1,440, which is one day, and there is no upper limit. When a lead reaches the step, Adoptiv works out their due time, marks them as waiting and parks them there. When the time comes, the next check picks them up and the sequence carries on.
The time delay in an email sequence is a minimum, not an appointment. If the sequence has sending windows turned on, a due time outside them is moved forward to the next opening, never earlier. Adoptiv checks for due steps every minute, so short waits can run up to a minute late.
How long to wait between follow-up emails depends on your buyers and how fast they usually answer. A good follow-up email schedule leaves room for a reply before a branch checks for one, and the sequence builder lets you change any wait and publish again without moving leads already partway through.
Timing Control for Every Step.
Hold each lead between any two steps for as long as you set.
From a few minutes to many weeks, one whole number per step.
Long waits are stored and honored like short ones.
Pausing a sequence leaves waiting leads parked where they are.
For Teams That Follow Up at the Right Pace.
Wait Steps vs Calendar Reminders.
| What | Reminders in a calendar | With Adoptiv |
|---|---|---|
| Setting the gap | Reminders in a calendar: A reminder per lead, per follow-up | With Adoptiv: One wait step covers every lead |
| Nights and weekends | Reminders in a calendar: Easy to send at the wrong hour | With Adoptiv: Moved inside your sending hours when they’re on |
| Changing the timing | Reminders in a calendar: Edit every reminder | With Adoptiv: Change the step and publish |
| Who is waiting where | Reminders in a calendar: Hard to see | With Adoptiv: Each lead shows as waiting, with a due time |
Wait & Timing Questions, Answered.
What is a wait step in an email sequence?
A step that holds each lead in place for a set time before the next step. It is how you control the gap between follow-ups.
How do I set a delay between follow-up emails?
Add a wait step between the two emails and type the length in minutes. A day is 1,440 minutes, which is what a new wait step starts with.
Can a wait end on a specific date?
No. A wait is a length of time, not a calendar date. Use sending hours to keep it inside your working day.
Is there a maximum wait?
No. A very long wait is stored and honored the same as a short one.
How precise is the timing?
To about a minute. Adoptiv checks for due steps every minute, so a short wait may run up to a minute late.
How long should I wait between follow-up emails?
It depends on your buyers and how quickly they usually reply. A new wait step starts at one day, and you can test two timings against each other with an A/B split.
Can I wait in hours or days instead of minutes?
The wait is set in minutes, so multiply: 60 for an hour, 1,440 for a day, 10,080 for a week.
What happens to waiting leads if I pause the sequence?
They stay parked. The due time is not extended, so when you set the sequence live again, anyone whose time has passed moves on at the next check.
Can a wait step skip weekends?
Yes, with sending hours: exclude weekends on the sequence, and a wait ending on Saturday or Sunday rolls to Monday’s opening hour.
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