If you’re tired of leads slipping through the cracks—or just sick of sending the same “Just checking in” email for the hundredth time—this guide’s for you. I’ll walk you through setting up automated follow-up emails using Leadliaison workflows. No fluff, just the steps that actually matter. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or just got voluntold to fix this, you’ll find what you need here.
Why Automate Follow-Up Emails?
Let’s get real: Most leads don’t convert on the first touch. Following up makes a difference. The problem is, manual follow-up is a time sink, and humans forget. Automation solves both problems—if you set it up right.
Here’s what automation can help you do: - Consistently reach out to every qualified lead (not just the ones you remember). - Personalize messages at scale, so you don’t sound like a robot. - Free up your team to focus on closing, not chasing.
But don’t expect a magic wand. Automation works if your emails don’t suck, your criteria are clear, and you actually follow up on the replies.
Step 1: Get Your Qualified Leads in Order
Before you automate anything, know exactly who you want to follow up with. Automation is only as good as your list.
What works: - Use clear, measurable criteria. Example: “Downloaded whitepaper and opened our pricing email.” - Start simple. Don’t try to automate every possible scenario from day one.
How to do this in Leadliaison: - Use Lead Scoring: Assign points based on actions (visits, downloads, form fills). Adjust thresholds until you’re only flagging real prospects. - Segment Your Leads: Create a segment (or list) of “qualified leads” using filters like score, industry, or activity.
Pro Tip: Don’t let marketing and sales fight about what “qualified” means. Nail it down together, or your automation will just annoy everyone.
Step 2: Map Your Follow-Up Sequence
Now, sketch out what follow-up looks like. Don’t overcomplicate. More emails aren’t always better.
A good sequence might look like: 1. Immediate “Thanks for reaching out” email. 2. 2 days later: A helpful resource or answer to their original question. 3. 5 days later: A personal note or invitation to connect. 4. 10 days later: Last follow-up—“Should I close your file?”
What to avoid: - Don’t send seven “Just checking in” emails. It’s needy. - Don’t automate every possible reply. Some things need a human.
Write out your sequence in plain English before building it in Leadliaison. Make sure every email has a purpose.
Step 3: Build Your Emails (Don’t Sound Like a Bot)
Leadliaison’s email builder is drag-and-drop, but the real key is your copy.
What works: - Use dynamic fields like First Name or Company Name, but don’t overdo it. - Keep it short. People scan, they don’t read. - Make it easy to reply. “Just hit reply and I’ll get back to you.”
What doesn’t: - Don’t cram in six links, three CTAs, or a wall of text. - Avoid generic “We noticed you…” intros. Be specific: “I saw you downloaded our guide on [topic].”
Set up your emails: - In Leadliaison, head to Content > Emails > New Email. - Pick a simple template or start from scratch. - Use merge fields for personalization. - Test your emails. Send one to yourself, and if you cringe reading it, rewrite it.
Pro Tip: Have someone outside your team read the emails. If they can’t tell it’s automated, you’re doing it right.
Step 4: Create the Workflow in Leadliaison
Now for the main event: building the workflow that ties it all together.
Here’s how: 1. Go to Automation > Workflows > New Workflow. 2. Set your trigger: For follow-ups, you’ll want “Lead added to Qualified Leads segment” or “Lead score crosses threshold.” 3. Add actions: - Email #1: Send immediately. - Wait: Add a delay (e.g., 2 days). - Email #2: Send. - Repeat as needed for your sequence. 4. Add exit conditions. Example: If a lead replies or books a meeting, stop the workflow so you don’t keep pestering them.
What to skip: - Don’t chain 20 actions “just in case.” Start with your core follow-ups; you can always add more later. - Don’t trigger on every little thing. Only start workflows for leads that meet your defined criteria.
Pro Tip: Use branching if you want to send different follow-ups based on lead behavior (opened email vs. didn’t open, clicked link vs. didn’t click). But don’t get lost in the weeds unless you have the data (and the patience).
Step 5: Test (and Break) Your Workflow
Before you unleash anything on real leads, test it. Hard.
How to do it: - Add your own email (and a few teammates) to the qualified leads segment. - Watch what happens. Check for typos, delays, and weird behavior. - Reply to a test email. Make sure the workflow stops as intended. - Try to “break” it: What happens if someone gets re-added to the list? Does the workflow start again? Fix any gotchas.
What works: - Testing with real-world scenarios, not just the “happy path.” - Asking sales or support to sanity-check the logic.
What doesn’t: - Assuming “it’ll work fine because the demo did.” - Skipping testing to “save time.” You’ll pay for it later.
Step 6: Launch and Monitor (Don’t Set and Forget)
Hit go. But keep watching. Automation is not a Ronco rotisserie—don’t just “set it and forget it.”
What to look for: - Are leads getting the right emails at the right time? - Are reply rates going up? Are you getting more meetings? - Any angry replies or unsubscribes? Adjust your cadence or messaging if people complain.
Leadliaison reports will show you open, click, and reply rates. Don’t obsess over vanity metrics, but do look for signals that your emails are working (or not).
Iterate: If something’s not working, change it. Shorten your sequence, tweak your subject lines, or adjust your criteria. Small tweaks beat big overhauls.
What to Ignore
- Complex “AI-powered” sequences: Unless you have a huge volume and a data team, keep it simple.
- Hyper-personalization tools: If your basic emails aren’t getting replies, fancier tools won’t help.
- One-size-fits-all templates: Your audience is unique. Use templates for structure, not substance.
Wrapping Up
Automating follow-up emails isn’t rocket science, but it does take some planning and a willingness to keep things simple. Start with a clear definition of a qualified lead, a short sequence of useful emails, and a workflow that stops when someone actually replies. Don’t chase shiny features—get the basics right, then iterate. You’ll save time, close more deals, and wonder why you didn’t set this up sooner.