How to automate follow up sequences and increase response rates in Getfollow

If you’re tired of sending follow-up emails by hand (and getting ghosted for your trouble), you’re not alone. Most people ignore cold pitches, and even warm leads often go dark after the first message. But automating your follow-up sequences—done right—can save time and actually nudge people to respond. This guide is for anyone using Getfollow who wants more replies without sounding like a robot or a pest.

Let’s break it down step by step, with a critical eye on what really works.

1. Get Your List and Message Basics Right

Before you even think about automating, you need two things dialed in:

  • A solid, targeted contact list. No tool can fix a spray-and-pray approach. If your list is full of randoms, your response rate will tank, no matter how clever your follow-ups are.
  • A message worth replying to. If your pitch is off, no amount of automation can save it. Keep it short, clear, and actually relevant to the person you’re contacting.

Pro tip: If you don’t know why someone should care about your message, your automation isn’t ready yet.

2. Set Up Your Getfollow Account and Import Contacts

Assuming you’ve already signed up for Getfollow, here’s what to do:

  1. Log in and head to the dashboard.
  2. Import your contact list.
  3. Use a CSV file or connect to your CRM directly if Getfollow supports it. Double-check for duplicates and obvious mistakes.

  4. Make sure you have first names, company names, or any other fields you’ll want to personalize.

  5. Segment your contacts.

  6. Don’t send the same follow-up to everyone. Create groups based on things like job title, industry, or where you met.
  7. Segmentation is where a lot of people get lazy. Don’t. It’s what separates spam from a message that feels personal.

What to ignore: Fancy list enrichment tools that promise to “unlock 10x reply rates.” Most of them just pull generic data you can find in a LinkedIn search.

3. Write Your Initial Email (Don’t Overthink It)

Your first email is the one that sets the stage for your whole sequence. Here’s what works:

  • Keep it to 4–5 sentences max. You are not writing a novel.
  • Personalize the opening. Make it obvious you didn’t just blast this to 500 strangers.
  • Ask a single, simple question. The easier it is to answer, the more replies you’ll get.
  • Ditch the “just circling back” language. Nobody likes it.

What doesn’t work: Gimmicky subject lines (“RE: Our Meeting” when you’ve never met), over-flattery, or pretending you’re not selling something.

4. Build Your Follow-Up Sequence in Getfollow

Now for the automation part—the real reason you’re here.

  1. Go to the “Sequences” or “Campaigns” tab in Getfollow.
  2. Create a new sequence and name it something obvious.
  3. Add your initial message.
  4. Schedule your first follow-up.
  5. Wait at least 2–3 days after your initial email. Anything sooner feels desperate.
  6. Keep it even shorter than the first message. Reference your earlier email, and add a new reason to respond (not just “bumping this up”).
  7. Add a second (and maybe third) follow-up.
  8. Space them out by another 3–5 days.
  9. Each follow-up should offer something new: a case study, a relevant resource, or a question tailored to their role.
  10. Stop at 3–4 emails total. After that, you’re just annoying people.
  11. Use personalization tokens.
  12. Getfollow lets you insert things like {FirstName} or {Company}. Use them, but don’t go overboard. If every sentence is stuffed with tokens, it reads like a bad Mad Lib.

Pro tip: Write all your follow-ups before you launch. Too many people fire off the first email, then scramble to write the rest.

5. Set Up Smart Sending Rules (and Avoid the Spam Folder)

You want your emails to actually land in inboxes, not spam. Here’s how to make that more likely:

  • Set reasonable sending windows. Don’t blast 200 emails at 8:01 AM. Spread them out to look more natural.
  • Limit daily sending volume. Getfollow usually lets you throttle sends. Stay under 100–150/day per email address if you’re using cold outreach.
  • Use a custom sending domain if possible. This protects your main company domain from getting blacklisted.
  • Warm up new sending accounts. If you just created a new email, send a handful of manual emails for a week before automating. Otherwise, you’ll get flagged fast.

What to ignore: Anyone who tells you “deliverability is solved” by their tool alone. There’s no magic fix—just good habits.

6. Track Replies and Adjust Your Sequence

Automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” You need to watch what’s working and what’s not.

  1. Monitor open and reply rates in Getfollow.
  2. If your first email’s open rate is below 30%, try a different subject line.

  3. If replies are low, try a new call-to-action or tweak your follow-up timing.

  4. A/B test your follow-up messages.

  5. Try two versions of the same step. Getfollow usually lets you do this. Don’t change everything at once—just one variable.

  6. Pause contacts after a reply.

  7. Make sure your automation stops if someone answers. Nothing says “I’m a robot” like getting a follow-up after you’ve already replied.

Pro tip: Go back every few weeks and prune your sequence. Kill what’s not working. Double down on what is.

7. Don’t Be That Person: Maintain Your Reputation

Automating follow-ups is great—until you get flagged as spam or your name gets passed around as “that annoying salesperson.” Here’s how to avoid that fate:

  • Easy opt-outs. Always include a way for people to say “no thanks” without jumping through hoops.
  • No guilt trips. Your follow-ups should be polite, not passive-aggressive (“I guess you’re not interested…”).
  • Don’t fake forward or reply chains. It’s obvious, and people hate it.
  • Respect unsubscribes. If someone asks out, take them off your list—manually if you have to.

What to ignore: Tricks that “guarantee” replies—like pretending you’re following up on a previous conversation that never happened. That stuff burns trust, fast.

8. Measuring What Actually Matters

Don’t obsess over open rates—they’re easy to game and don’t tell you much. Focus on:

  • Reply rate: How many real, human responses you get. This is the only metric that matters for most people.
  • Positive responses: Track the number that actually move the conversation forward—not out-of-office replies or “not interested.”
  • Meetings booked or deals started: If you’re in sales, these are your real goals.

Honest take: There’s no “one weird trick” for sky-high reply rates. Success comes from testing, tweaking, and not giving up after one attempt.

9. Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Over-Automate

Here’s the truth: Most people overcomplicate their sequences and end up with a mess. Start simple:

  • One clear message.
  • Two to three short, respectful follow-ups.
  • Personalization where it counts.
  • Review and adjust every month.

You’ll get better results from a simple, well-targeted sequence than from a 10-step, hyper-automated monster. Focus on real conversations, not just “automation.” If something feels spammy, it probably is.

Bottom line: Start small, pay attention, and keep tweaking. The best sequences are never really finished—they just get better over time.

Now go set up your first sequence, hit send, and see what actually works for you.