If you’re juggling sales leads and keep finding yourself losing track of follow-ups, this guide’s for you. Maybe you’re a sales rep, team lead, or the one-person show who has to do it all. If your leads are slipping through the cracks, automating your follow up emails in Vanillasoft can save your bacon. But it’s not magic. You’ve still got to set things up right—and avoid the traps that can make automation feel robotic or get you flagged as spam.
Here’s how to set up automated follow up emails in Vanillasoft so you actually get replies (and don’t just add to the noise).
Why Automate Follow Up Emails Anyway?
Let’s be honest: following up manually sucks. You forget, you get busy, and it’s just tedious. Automation means:
- No more dropping leads because you missed a reminder.
- Consistent touchpoints (even when you’re slammed).
- More time for real conversations, less time rewriting the same email.
But here’s the catch: done wrong, automation just blasts out noise. You want your emails to sound like you, not like a robot.
Step 1: Get Your Foundations Right
Before you dive into templates and workflows, make sure these basics are covered:
- Import and clean your leads: Garbage in, garbage out. Scrub your contact list so you’re not sending emails to dead addresses or the wrong people.
- Know your cadence: How often should you follow up? Too many emails annoy people. Too few, and they forget you. Start with 3–4 emails spaced a few days apart—then tweak based on what works.
- Segment your leads: Not every lead belongs in the same bucket. If you can, group by interest, lead source, or how hot the lead is.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure where to start, keep it simple. You can always get fancy later.
Step 2: Map Out Your Follow Up Sequence
Don’t just wing it. Take a few minutes and sketch your sequence. Here’s a basic example:
- Initial outreach — “Hey, thanks for your interest. Here’s that info you asked for.”
- Follow up #1 (2 days later) — “Just checking in—any questions?”
- Follow up #2 (5 days later) — “Still interested? Here’s a case study.”
- Last chance (after 1 week) — “Should I close your file, or is now a bad time?”
You can add more, but past 4–5, you’re mostly just burning goodwill.
What to skip: Don’t overthink personalization at this stage. Get the bones of your sequence down—names, company, and basics. You can add details later.
Step 3: Create Your Email Templates in Vanillasoft
Now, let’s get practical. Vanillasoft calls these “Email Templates.” Here’s how to build them:
- Go to the Admin panel and find “Email Templates.”
- Create a new template for each step in your sequence.
- Use merge fields (like {{FirstName}} or {{Company}}) so each email feels at least a bit personal.
- Keep it short. Nobody wants a wall of text. Aim for 3–5 sentences per email.
- Sound human. Read your email out loud—if you wouldn’t say it, rewrite it.
What works: Templates that feel like a one-to-one note get replies. “Just checking in” is fine—but add a line about why you’re checking in.
What to ignore: Don’t copy-paste some “proven” template from a guru’s blog. It’s probably overused.
Step 4: Set Up Your Workflow Automation
This is where Vanillasoft does its thing. You want the system to send (or prompt you to send) the right email at the right time.
- Go to “Workflow” settings in Vanillasoft.
- Set up Triggers: For each step, decide what fires off the next email. Options include:
- Time delay after the last action (e.g., send follow up #1 two days after the first email).
- Status change (e.g., if a lead moves to “Interested,” pause the sequence).
- No response after X days.
- Assign Templates: Attach the email templates you created to each trigger.
- Choose Send Method:
- Automated Send: Vanillasoft sends the email without you having to do anything.
- Manual Review: The system prompts you to approve or tweak the email before sending. (Best for high-value leads.)
- Test the sequence: Run a test lead through the workflow to make sure emails go out as expected, and merge fields aren’t broken.
Pro tip: Start with manual review until you’re confident the automation isn’t embarrassing you.
Step 5: Monitor, Measure, and Adjust
Automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” Here’s what you should do:
- Check open and reply rates: If nobody’s opening or responding, your subject lines or content might suck.
- Watch for unsubscribes or spam reports: Too many, and you’ll hurt your sender reputation.
- Tweak timing: Maybe 2 days is too soon. Maybe your “last chance” email works better after a week.
- Update templates regularly: If you keep sending the same stuff, leads catch on. Refresh your content every quarter or so.
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over tiny changes. Focus on clear trends—if a step gets zero responses for a month, it’s time to rewrite.
Step 6: Avoid Common Automation Pitfalls
Here’s what bites most people:
- Over-automation: Don’t set up endless email drips. More isn’t better.
- Generic messaging: Personalization isn’t just {{FirstName}}. Mention something real if you can.
- Lack of a clear “off-ramp”: Always give leads a way to opt out or let you know they’re not interested.
- Outdated info: If your templates mention old promos or wrong dates, you look sloppy.
Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder to review your automation every month—even if it’s just a five-minute check.
What About Integrations and Advanced Tricks?
Vanillasoft integrates with some other tools (like Outlook and some CRMs), but don’t get distracted by shiny features until you’ve nailed the basics. If your process is working, then look at syncing data with your CRM, automating more touchpoints, or connecting with SMS. But honestly, most sales teams don’t need to get fancy to see results.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t let the idea of automation turn into a time sink. Start with a basic, 3–4 step sequence. Use the built-in tools in Vanillasoft. Once you’ve got it running, watch what works and tweak the rest. You’ll spend less time chasing leads—and more time closing them.
Remember: the best automation sounds like you, not a robot. Keep it human, keep it short, and don’t be afraid to kill what isn’t working.