If you do sales calls or customer check-ins, you already know: the real work starts after you hang up. Following up with emails is where deals move forward—or die quietly in someone's inbox. But remembering to send those emails (and actually writing them) is a pain. If you use Quackdials, you can automate most of this, so you actually get replies without living in your Sent folder.
This guide is for anyone who wants to save time, get more responses, and not make a mess of their follow-ups. I'll walk you through setting up automated follow-up emails after calls in Quackdials. You’ll see what’s worth doing and what’s just noise.
Why Automate Follow Up Emails?
Before we get into the how, let’s be clear on the why:
- You’ll forget. Even with the best intentions, follow-up emails slip through the cracks.
- Speed matters. The faster you follow up, the more likely you’ll get a response.
- Consistency wins. A solid process beats inspired one-off efforts every time.
Automation handles the grunt work, so you can focus on the conversations that actually matter.
Step 1: Map Your Follow-Up Workflow
Don’t jump into settings yet. Spend 10 minutes mapping out what you want to happen after a call.
- Who gets a follow-up? (Everyone? Only prospects? Hot leads?)
- What should the email say? (A quick recap? Next steps? A calendar link?)
- How soon after the call? (Minutes? Hours? The next day?)
- Do you want one email or a sequence? (Some people respond to the first nudge, others need a reminder.)
Pro Tip:
Start simple. Pick one or two triggers and a single email template. You can always add complexity later. Too many branching paths = headaches.
Step 2: Set Up Call Outcomes in Quackdials
Quackdials tracks your calls, but it needs to know what happened on each one. This is where “call outcomes” come in.
- After a call, you (or your reps) log the outcome. Examples: Connected, Left Voicemail, Interested, Not Interested.
- These outcomes can trigger automations. For example, send a follow-up only if the outcome is “Interested.”
What works:
Being ruthless about updating call outcomes immediately after each call. If you’re loose here, your automations will go sideways fast.
What doesn’t:
Trying to automate follow-ups for every possible scenario right away. Keep it to the main outcomes at first.
Step 3: Create Your Follow-Up Email Template
Now, the actual message. Resist the urge to make it fancy or long-winded.
A solid follow-up email includes:
- A quick thank you or acknowledgment of the call
- A recap of key points or next steps (just bullet points, no essays)
- A clear ask (“Does Tuesday at 2pm work?” or “Any questions on the proposal?”)
- Your contact info
Template example:
Subject: Quick Recap & Next Steps
Hi {{FirstName}},
Thanks for the call today. Here’s a quick recap:
- [Key point #1]
- [Key point #2]
- [Next step or question]
Let me know if I missed anything, or if you have questions. Otherwise, does [proposed time/action] work for you?
Best,
[Your Name]
What works:
Using merge tags (like {{FirstName}}) for personalization. Don’t overthink it; generic templates are fine as long as they’re clear.
What doesn’t:
Overloading your email with sales fluff or attachments unless they specifically asked for them.
Step 4: Build the Automation in Quackdials
Here’s where you tie it all together.
- Go to the Automations section in Quackdials.
- Create a new automation. Name it something obvious, like “Post-Call Follow Up.”
- Set the trigger:
- Choose “Call completed” or “Call outcome is [Interested/Connected/etc.]”
- Add the action:
- Select “Send email.”
- Pick your template.
- Set the delay (immediately, after 15 minutes, etc.).
- Test it.
- Run a call, log the outcome, and see if you get the email. Fix anything that’s off before rolling it out to your whole team.
Pro Tip:
Always send yourself a test email before activating anything. It’s stunning how often a merge tag is broken or you catch a typo at the last second.
Step 5: Avoid Common Pitfalls
Automating follow-ups is great—until it isn’t. Here’s what to watch for:
- Over-automation. If someone gets three emails from you in 24 hours, they’re more likely to hit spam than reply.
- Template fatigue. If your email reads like a bot, you’ll get ignored. Sprinkle in the person’s name, a line about the call, or something specific.
- Wrong triggers. Double-check your triggers. Sending a follow-up to someone who was angry or said “never call again” is a bad look.
- No way to opt out. Always give people a way to say “not interested” and actually respect it.
Ignore:
The urge to buy or build fancy AI writing tools for your follow-ups. They rarely add real value over a clear, human template.
Step 6: Track Replies and Adjust
Automation isn’t set-and-forget. Keep an eye on what’s working:
- Are people replying? If not, tweak your subject lines or call-to-action.
- Are you getting flagged as spam? If so, slow down your cadence or make your templates sound more human.
- Are leads closing faster—or ghosting you? Adjust your timing and follow-up content accordingly.
What works:
Looking at real results every week or two—not just once a quarter. People’s attention spans and inboxes change.
Step 7: Level Up (But Only If It’s Working)
Once your basic automation is humming, you might want to:
- Add a second or third follow-up (“Just checking in…”)
- Segment your follow-ups by call outcome (e.g., “Interested” gets a calendar link, “Maybe later” gets a reminder next month)
- Pull in data from your CRM for even more context
But—and this is important—don’t do this until your basic follow-up is actually getting responses. Complexity is only worth it if you’ve nailed the fundamentals.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink
Automating follow-up emails in Quackdials isn’t magic, but it’s the closest thing to cloning yourself for the boring stuff. Start with one clear workflow, get it running, and only add bells and whistles once you’ve proven it actually gets replies. Most people stall out by making things too complicated or chasing every new feature. Stick to what moves the needle: fast, relevant, and personal follow-ups.
You can always tweak as you go. The only real mistake? Not following up at all.