This article recaps the "welcome journey and habit-building" segment of our Customer Journeys & Drip Campaigns webinar (AppFront Growth Series, Campaigns 201).

A typical welcome journey fires one touch immediately at sign-up and a second roughly 48 hours later — a welcome message and program introduction first, then details on tier benefits or a follow-up item. These are suggested starting points, not fixed rules; adjust the delay and messaging to fit your brand.

The biggest drop-off in most guest lifecycles happens between the first and second visit, and again between the second and third. A real habit typically takes about 21 to 28 days to form, so sprinkling 7 to 10 touches over roughly a month is what actually shifts someone from a one-time visitor into a repeat guest.

Even though a journey is "set it and forget it" once built, revisit the items and assets featured in it on a quarterly basis. That keeps new menu items and LTOs working their way into the sequence instead of the journey going stale.

Next up: the four journeys to turn on first, and how to get your creative ready before you build.