If you’re in sales or revenue ops and tired of leads slipping through the cracks, you’re not alone. Automating lead management in Slack sounds great, but actually getting it right? That’s another story. This guide is for folks who want to use Troops to build custom Slack workflows that actually help manage leads—without creating more noise or busywork.
Let’s get into what actually works, what to watch out for, and how to set up workflows that make your sales process better, not just busier.
Why bother with custom Slack workflows in Troops?
If you’re reading this, you probably already know the basics: Troops connects your CRM (like Salesforce or HubSpot) with Slack. The idea is to send the right info, to the right people, fast—so leads get handled and nothing falls through the cracks.
When it’s done right, you’ll:
- Respond to new leads faster (before your competitor does)
- Keep sales reps accountable without micromanaging
- Cut down on manual data entry and status checks
- See real updates, not just noise
Done wrong? You’ll just annoy everyone with alerts they ignore.
1. Start with the real problems—not just “what’s possible”
It’s easy to get excited by all the triggers and actions Troops offers. But before you build anything, nail down these:
- Where do leads get stuck now? Is it handoff, follow-up, qualification?
- What do reps actually forget to do? Be honest.
- What does your team complain about most? Clunky tools? Slow notifications? Lack of context?
- What info do you really need in Slack? Not everything—just what moves the lead along.
Pro tip: Talk to your reps and SDRs (not just managers). They’ll tell you which notifications are useful and which ones they just mute.
2. Map your lead workflow—then simplify it
Draw out your current lead flow, even if it’s just on paper. Who gets what, when, and why? Look for:
- Handoffs (marketing → sales, SDR → AE, etc.)
- Status changes (new, working, qualified, lost)
- Action points (call, email, demo booked)
The goal: Find the moments where automation helps, not just adds noise.
What to skip: Don’t try to automate every single field update or status change. Focus on:
- New lead alerts
- Key status transitions (e.g., “Qualified” → “Opportunity”)
- Stalled leads (no activity for X days)
- Wins and losses (for learning, not just cheerleading)
3. Build your first workflow in Troops: Step-by-step
Let’s walk through creating a “New Lead” alert that actually gets used.
a. Decide who needs to know
- Avoid blasting every new lead to a general channel.
- Use direct messages or small group channels for specific reps or pods.
- For volume, consider a summary at set intervals (hourly/daily), not real-time for everything.
b. Set up your trigger
- Use your CRM’s “New Lead Created” event.
- Filter by criteria—don’t alert on junk leads or test records.
- If you qualify inbound leads elsewhere, trigger only on “Qualified” status.
c. Design the alert message
- Keep it short. Include only what reps need: name, company, lead source, next step, and owner.
- Add direct CRM links for context, but don’t paste the whole record.
- Use clear calls to action: “Claim lead,” “Contact now,” etc.
Example message:
🚀 New Qualified Lead!
Name: Jane Doe, Acme Corp
Source: Website
View in Salesforce
➡️ Reply here when first contact is made.
d. Add follow-up reminders (optional but powerful)
- If no one claims or contacts the lead in X minutes/hours, send a gentle nudge.
- For high-volume teams, batch these reminders so you’re not spamming.
e. Test with a small group
- Don’t roll out to everyone at once. Use a test channel or a few reps who’ll give honest feedback.
- Ask: “Would you actually act on this?” If not, tweak it.
4. Don’t over-automate: Avoid these common mistakes
- Too many alerts: Nothing gets ignored faster than a noisy Slack channel. Less is more.
- Info overload: Don’t dump the entire CRM record into Slack. Highlight the “so what?” details.
- Assuming action: Just because you send an alert doesn’t mean someone did something. Build in ways to acknowledge or close the loop.
- Ignoring feedback: If reps mute your workflow, it’s failing. Ask for feedback and iterate.
5. Expand carefully: Useful workflow ideas (and what to skip)
Once your first workflow actually works, add more if it solves a real problem.
Workflows that tend to work:
- Stalled lead alerts: Notify the owner if a lead hasn’t been touched in X days.
- Deal stage transitions: Alert the team when a lead becomes an opportunity.
- Handoff notifications: Let AEs know when an SDR qualifies and passes a lead.
- Closed-won/lost summaries: Post daily or weekly summaries—not every single event.
Workflows to skip (or use sparingly):
- Every field change: No one cares if a phone number or “lead score” changes.
- Company-wide spam: Don’t blast lead alerts to the whole org. Nobody wants that.
- Celebration overload: Wins are great, but if you’re posting every $500 deal, it’s noise.
6. Pro tips for making workflows actually stick
- Name your workflows clearly: “New Lead Alert – Inbound Only” beats “Workflow #9.”
- Include instructions: Tell people what to do, not just what happened.
- Use reactions or threads: Ask reps to emoji-react or reply when they’ve acted. It closes the loop.
- Monitor and tweak: Check if alerts get acted on. If not, adjust timing, channel, or content.
- Document your workflows: So new team members know what to expect (and how to mute what they don’t need).
7. Keeping Slack (and your team) sane
You want Slack to help, not become just another inbox. A few last things to keep in mind:
- Review usage monthly: Are people acting on alerts? Or just ignoring them?
- Get rid of what’s not working: Delete or pause noisy workflows. No shame in killing bad automation.
- Train new people: Show them what each alert means and how to act on it.
- Keep it simple: The best workflows are the ones people barely notice—because they just work.
That’s it. Start small, focus on real problems, and don’t be afraid to scrap what doesn’t help. Good workflows in Troops can save you hours and help you close more deals—but only if you keep things focused and listen to your team. Iterate, cut the noise, and let Slack actually work for you.