If you’ve ever stared at your inbox wondering if you forgot to follow up with a client, this is for you. Chasing people down by hand is tedious, easy to mess up, and frankly—beneath you. Automating follow-up emails isn’t just about saving time; it’s about making sure nothing slips through the cracks. Here’s how to do it with Clientpoint workflows—plus what actually works, what to skip, and a few things the marketing materials gloss over.
Why Automate Follow-ups Anyway?
Manual follow-ups are the silent killer of deals. You get busy, you lose track, and suddenly that hot lead is ice cold. Automation fixes this by:
- Sending emails on time, every time.
- Taking repetitive grunt work off your plate.
- Making your process look more professional (no more “oops, sorry I forgot” emails).
- Keeping deals moving—even when you’re not glued to your inbox.
But let’s be clear: automation won’t make a bad email good, or magically revive dead leads. It’s a safety net, not a silver bullet.
Before You Start: What You’ll Need
- Access to Clientpoint (obviously).
- A clear idea of when and why you want follow-up emails sent.
- Email templates that don’t sound like a robot wrote them.
- (Optional but smart) A test client or dummy account, so you don’t accidentally spam real people.
If you’re still writing each email from scratch or winging your sales process, stop here and get your basics sorted first. Automation only works if your system does.
Step 1: Map Your Follow-Up Flow
Don’t just start slapping on automation for every email you send. Think about:
- Trigger points: When should a follow-up go out? Common ones:
- After a proposal is sent.
- If a client doesn’t open or respond within X days.
- After a meeting or demo.
- How many follow-ups: One gentle nudge? A three-email sequence? Don’t overdo it—too many, and you’re annoying; too few, and you’re forgettable.
- Who gets what: Different clients need different messages. If you sell to both small businesses and enterprises, you’ll want separate workflows.
Pro tip: Sketch your process on paper or in a doc before touching Clientpoint. You’ll save yourself a ton of backtracking.
Step 2: Set Up Email Templates in Clientpoint
You’ll need templates for each follow-up touch. Inside Clientpoint:
- Go to your Templates or Email Settings section.
- Write your follow-up email. Keep it short, specific, and human. Resist the urge to go full “Dear valued client, we value your business” mode.
- Personalize with tokens (like [First Name], [Company], etc.)—but check how these render. Nothing screams automation fail like “Hi [First Name],”.
- Save each template with a clear name (e.g., “Follow-up #1: Proposal Sent”).
What works:
- Quick reminders (“Just checking in on the proposal I sent last week…”)
- Asking a simple question (“Any feedback or questions on what I sent?”)
- Offering value (“I attached a case study that might help…”)
What doesn’t:
- Overly formal, generic emails.
- Pushing too hard (“Are you ignoring me?”—don’t be that person).
- Templates stuffed with links and images. Keep it simple; fancy emails often trigger spam filters.
Step 3: Build Your Workflow
Here’s where the magic happens. In Clientpoint, workflows let you automate actions based on triggers and timing.
Example: Automate a 3-Step Follow-Up Sequence
- Create a new workflow:
- Navigate to the Workflow or Automation section.
- Click “Create Workflow” or whatever the button says.
- Set your trigger:
- E.g., “Proposal Sent” or “Document Viewed.”
- You can usually choose from a list—pick what makes sense for your process.
- Add your first action:
- “Send Follow-up Email #1” immediately or after a short delay.
- Set delays for next steps:
- E.g., 2 days after the first email, send “Follow-up #2” if there’s no reply.
- You can add conditions, like “Only send if client hasn’t responded.”
- Repeat for each step:
- Most people stop at 2-3 follow-ups. More than that, and you risk getting blocked or ignored.
- End the workflow:
- Choose what happens if you get a reply. (Usually, the sequence stops.)
What to ignore:
- Overcomplicating with too many branches or conditions. Start simple. You can always add complexity if you really need it.
- “Best practice” templates that feel off-brand. Use your own voice.
Heads up:
Some workflow features may be locked behind higher-tier plans. If something’s missing, check your subscription before tearing your hair out.
Step 4: Test, Tweak, and Don’t Trust Automation Blindly
Before you turn this loose on real clients:
- Test each workflow with your dummy account.
- Check for typos, broken personalization tokens, and weird formatting.
- Make sure emails show up in your test inbox (and not in spam).
- Double-check timing—are delays too short or too long?
Pro tip: Run your workflow on a small batch of real leads first. Watch the results, adjust as needed, and only then roll out to everyone.
What works:
- Reviewing your metrics (open rates, replies) and tweaking your templates.
- Asking a colleague to review your emails—fresh eyes catch things you won’t.
What doesn’t:
- “Set it and forget it.” Even the best automation needs regular checkups.
Step 5: Stay Human—Even When You Automate
Automation is a tool, not a replacement for actual relationships. A few things to keep in mind:
- Always give people an easy out (“Let me know if you’re not interested, and I’ll stop following up.”)
- Don’t automate everything. Some leads need a phone call or a personal note.
- If someone replies, the workflow should stop. Nothing tanks trust faster than a robot email after a real conversation.
Pro tip: Set reminders to review your automation every couple of months. Markets change. So should your emails.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
- Spammy subject lines: If your open rates tank, rewrite your subject lines. Avoid all-caps, exclamation points, or anything that screams “marketing.”
- Too many follow-ups: 2–3 is plenty for most deals. More, and you’re just pestering.
- Not tracking results: If you aren’t measuring replies, opens, and conversions, you’re flying blind.
- Ignoring replies: Don’t let automation replace basic manners. Reply to people like a human.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It
Automating follow-up emails with Clientpoint isn’t rocket science, but it does take a little upfront work. Start small, test everything, and focus on sounding like yourself—not a robot. If you’re not sure whether to automate a step, leave it manual and see how it goes. You can always tweak your workflow once you know what works.
Remember: the goal isn’t to send more emails—it’s to get more real conversations started, with less effort. Automate the boring stuff, and spend your saved time on what really moves the needle.