Decide once which sequence of touchpoints fits a situation (new job, new house, finished project), then just run it each time it comes up.
The idea
The trick is separating the strategy (deciding what to do) from the execution (doing it). Put real creative effort into designing a sequence once, for a type of relationship or a type of event. After that, you follow what's due each day without having to think. And the sequence can run for years, which makes your system the elephant that never forgets.
How to do it
Pick a situation that recurs in your world.
Write out the touchpoints and the gaps between them. Any action counts: an email, a call, a gift, a bit of research, a social follow.
Template the messages.
Each time the situation comes up, start the recipe and do what's due.
Example
My job-change recipe: wait five days and send a congratulations email; at 30 days, a "how's the new job going?" check-in; around the two-month mark, remind me to look for intros or business opportunities at their company; at 12 months, "Happy one year!" LinkedIn made day-one congrats a single click, which drains its value. A call at one year ("Wow, you made it a year!") stands out.
Other recipes I've suggested:
New house: homeowner tips over time, like checking the air filter or getting ready for winter.
New baby: periodic check-ins with useful parenting resources.
After a conference: a short series with resources and a bit more about you.
After a project: thank you, then a check-in, then a review request, then an intro ask.
Potential hire: every six months, ask whether they're in the market or what they'd want next.
Watch out for
Keep a human on the send button for anyone who matters.
The Job-Change Campaign: A prebuilt sequence for when someone changes jobs: congrats at day 5, check-in at day 30, look for intros, then 'happy one year' at month 12.
Templatize Your Actions: Template the repetitive parts of your outreach and personalize at send time, so "what do I say?" becomes "which one do I send?"
Automate the Cue, Not the Relationship: Automation your contacts can detect tells them they aren't worth a personal note, so let the system queue the message and you press Send.
Time-Shift Your Congratulations: When someone changes jobs, send the congrats and then add the notes nobody else sends, one month in and again at one year.