What Is Custom Wait Time for Recurring Timers?
Custom wait time lets a recurring countdown timer pause for a set duration after it reaches 00:00:00, then start the next cycle automatically. During the pause (the Wait state) you decide whether the timer stays visible at zero or disappears entirely on your enrollment pages, while emails show a zero-state banner that links to your expiry page.
Use this feature to run "Every Friday" flash sales, weekly tour countdowns, or monthly open house events—without rebuilding timers each time they reset.
Key Benefits of Custom Wait Time
Adding a pause between cycles unlocks new enrollment campaign ideas and eliminates repetitive setup work:
- Automate recurring promos such as "Every Friday Enrollment Special" or weekly open house reminders
- Run evergreen tour events by counting down to the next scheduled session each week
- Control visibility—hide timers on enrollment pages during off-hours to keep pages tidy
- Reuse a single asset across emails and enrollment pages instead of creating multiple timers
- Align email & page behavior with consistent zero-state and redirect logic
How to Configure a Recurring Timer with Wait Time
Follow these steps once; the timer will manage every cycle automatically.
[SCREENSHOT: Navigation to Marketing > Countdown Timer, showing the main timer dashboard]- Navigate to Marketing ▸ Countdown Timer ▸ New Timer
- Choose Recurring and set your Start and End offsets
- Toggle Custom Wait Time and enter a duration (e.g., 5 days 12 hours)
- (Optional) Enable Hide Timer in Wait State to remove the timer from enrollment pages during the pause
- Select the Expiry Page / URL visitors should see when they click the timer or refresh a page during Wait
- Click Save and embed the timer block in your enrollment pages and/or emails
Timer Lifecycle Explained
Knowing what parents see at each stage helps you design seamless enrollment journeys.
Active Cycle ─┐
│ hits 00:00
▼
Wait State (custom duration)
│ auto-restart
▼
Next Active Cycle → … (repeats)
| State | Email Behavior | Enrollment Page Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Live ticking countdown | Live ticking countdown |
| Wait | Timer shows 00:00:00; clicking it redirects to Expiry Page | • Timer hidden or shows 00:00:00 (based on your toggle) • If the page is refreshed while Wait is active, visitor is redirected to Expiry Page |
| Reset | New cycle begins automatically | New cycle begins automatically |
Use-Case Templates
Plug-and-play configurations to get started quickly:
| Scenario | Start → End | Wait Time | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every Friday Enrollment Special | Fri 00:00 → Fri 23:59 | 6 days 1 min | Timer re-arms for the next Friday at midnight |
| Weekly Tour Countdown | Mon 09:00 → Thu 17:00 | 3 days 16 hrs | Countdown resumes each Monday morning |
| Monthly Open House | 1st 00:00 → 3rd 23:59 | 27 days | Runs on the first three days of every month |
Known Behaviors & Pro Tips
Understand these details to avoid surprises:
- Email zero-state displays as unstyled "00:00:00". Custom CSS/styling isn't applied during Wait
- Hide-Timer toggle affects enrollment pages only; emails always show zero-state
- If a visitor's session spans Active → Wait without page refresh, they stay on the enrollment page (no auto-redirect)
- Max wait duration: 365 days; Min: 1 minute
- Analytics log a "Timer Expired" event the moment Wait starts—use it to trigger follow-up automations
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a wait period cross Daylight-Saving-Time changes?
Yes—timers store durations, not fixed dates. The platform recalculates offsets when DST shifts.
What happens if I edit the wait time later?
The new duration applies the next time the timer enters Wait; the current cycle is unaffected.
Can I style the zero-state in emails?
Not yet. Zero-state uses the default timer font and color for email deliverability consistency.
Does the redirect fire on enrollment pages if I disable Hide-Timer?
Yes—refreshing the page during Wait always redirects, regardless of visibility.
How many cycles can one timer run?
Unlimited—cycles continue until you archive or delete the timer.
Will parents see different times in cached emails?
Email timers refresh with real-time data when opened; cached images are replaced server-side.
Can I add a wait period to non-recurring timers?
No—wait time is exclusive to the Recurring timer type.
Next Steps
- Build a pilot "Every Friday Enrollment Special" timer with a 7-day wait period
- Embed the timer block in an enrollment landing page and preview the Wait-state behavior
- Schedule an email campaign using the same timer block
- Review analytics after two promo cycles and fine-tune your start/end offsets