If you’re in sales, you know the grind: sending follow-up emails, logging activities, updating notes, setting reminders—rinse and repeat. It’s the kind of work that makes your coffee taste weaker. If you’re drowning in busywork and want to actually sell (not just look busy for your manager), this guide is for you.
We’ll walk through practical ways to automate the repetitive stuff in Getctrl so you can spend less time clicking around and more time actually closing deals. No fluff, no vague promises—just what works, what doesn’t, and how to get started.
1. Figure Out What to Automate (and What to Ignore)
Before you dive into automating everything, pump the brakes. Not every task should be automated. Start by listing out the stuff you do over and over:
- Sending the same “Just checking in!” follow-ups
- Logging calls and meetings
- Updating lead statuses
- Scheduling reminders
- Moving deals through your pipeline
Ask yourself: “If I never had to do this again, would I miss it?” If the answer is no, it’s a candidate for automation.
What not to automate:
Anything that actually requires a personal touch—like custom proposals, price negotiations, or nuanced client questions. Automation is for the grunt work, not the relationship-building.
2. Map Out Your Sales Process Inside Getctrl
Don’t skip this. If your process is a mystery, your automation will be too.
- Write out your typical sales steps. What happens from new lead to closed deal?
- Identify trigger points. When does something need to happen? (e.g., “When a lead goes cold for 3 days, send a follow-up.”)
- Note the tools you use. Are you bouncing between Getctrl, your email, Slack, and spreadsheets? More integrations mean more potential for automation.
Pro tip:
Keep it simple at first. Automate one small step, see if it actually saves time, then move to the next.
3. Use Getctrl’s Built-In Automations
Getctrl comes with some decent built-in automation features, but don’t expect magic. Here’s what’s actually useful:
a. Automated Follow-Up Emails
- Set up rules to auto-send emails when leads go silent.
- Personalize the templates as much as possible. (Robotic emails get ignored.)
- Make sure there’s a delay—nobody likes getting pinged the second they miss your call.
How to set it up:
Go to your pipeline settings → Automations → “Follow-up on inactivity.” Choose the trigger (e.g., “No reply for 48 hours”), pick your template, and set it live.
b. Auto-Logging Activities
- Getctrl can automatically log emails and meetings if you connect your calendar and email.
- Saves you from having to update every call or meeting manually.
- Double-check what’s getting logged. Sometimes, the wrong emails get sucked in if your filters are too broad.
c. Task Reminders and Notifications
- Set reminders for yourself or teammates when deals reach certain stages.
- Automate recurring tasks, like “Weekly pipeline review” or “Monthly check-in.”
- Don’t overdo it. Too many notifications = tuned out.
d. Deal Stage Triggers
- Move deals to the next stage when a specific action is completed (e.g., contract signed).
- Helpful for keeping your pipeline clean without extra clicks.
What’s not worth your time:
- Over-customizing every notification. You’ll just annoy yourself (and your team).
- Using automation for “relationship” emails. People notice—and not in a good way.
4. Integrate Getctrl with Other Tools
Getctrl plays nice with some outside tools, but don’t expect it to plug into everything under the sun. Here’s what typically works:
a. Email and Calendar
- Connect your work email and calendar. This handles a lot of activity logging for you.
- Watch out for privacy—double-check what’s being synced.
b. Zapier or Make.com
- Use these platforms to connect Getctrl to 3rd-party tools (think Slack, Google Sheets, or marketing platforms).
- Set up Zaps (or “Scenarios”) like:
- When a new lead is added in Getctrl, create a row in Google Sheets.
- When a deal is won, send a Slack notification.
- Don’t go wild. Each new integration is another thing to troubleshoot.
c. Webhooks and API Access
- If you’ve got a developer, you can build custom automations using Getctrl’s API.
- Useful for really specific workflows (e.g., syncing with a custom billing system).
- Be realistic: APIs break, and maintenance is on you.
5. Test Everything (Seriously)
Automations are great—until they break or do something embarrassing, like sending a “Just checking in!” email to a client who just told you to never contact them again.
- Test with internal leads first. Use your own email addresses or fake deals to see what triggers when.
- Check for edge cases. What happens if a lead replies just as your automation fires? Does it double-send?
- Review logs regularly. Make sure automations are running and nothing is stuck.
Pro tip:
Set a recurring calendar reminder to check on your automations once a month. It’s easy for things to quietly break.
6. Measure Results and Adjust
Don’t assume everything you automate is actually saving time—or helping you close more deals.
- Track your metrics. Are you following up faster? Are deals moving through the pipeline more quickly?
- Ask your team. Is this actually making your life easier?
- Be ready to turn stuff off. If an automation is more annoying than helpful, kill it.
7. Common Automation Mistakes to Avoid
- Automating before you standardize. If your process is a mess, automation will just make a bigger mess.
- Automating everything. More automation isn’t always better. You want to save time, not become a robot.
- Ignoring the human factor. If every message sounds canned, your close rates will drop.
- “Set it and forget it.” Automations aren’t fire-and-forget. Check in now and then to make sure they’re still helping.
8. Pro Tips for Sustainable Sales Automation
- Start small. Automate one task, see if it works, then add another.
- Document your automations. So when something breaks, you remember what you set up (and why).
- Keep feedback loops open. Regularly ask your team what’s working—and what’s not.
- Don’t chase every shiny feature. Stick to what actually moves the needle.
Wrapping Up
Automating repetitive sales tasks in Getctrl can save you a ton of time—if you keep it simple and focus on what actually matters. Don’t try to automate your way out of every problem. Start with the boring, time-consuming tasks, test your setup, and adjust as you go. If something stops working, don’t be afraid to scrap it. The goal isn’t perfect automation—it’s just making your sales process suck less.
Keep it simple, iterate, and get back to the stuff that actually closes deals.