If you’re tired of chasing your own tail trying to remember who needs a nudge, or you’ve let too many follow-ups fall through the cracks, you’re not alone. This guide is for folks who use BetterContact and want their task reminders and follow-ups to just...happen—without post-it notes or “I’ll remember” lies.
We’ll walk through exactly how to set up automated reminders and follow-ups in BetterContact. No fluff, no empty promises—just what actually works, what’s worth your time, and what to skip. Let’s get your to-do list off your mind and into the system.
Why Automate Reminders and Follow-Ups?
Before we dive in, let’s clear something up: automation isn’t about being lazy. It’s about not wasting brainpower on stuff you can hand off to software. Here’s what you’ll get:
- Fewer dropped balls: Automated nudges mean less “Sorry, meant to follow up last week…”
- Less mental clutter: Offload reminders and focus on real conversations.
- Consistency: No more “Oh, I only remembered to check in with that client.”
Just don’t expect automation to magically fix broken processes. Garbage in, garbage out. But if you know what you want to track, it’s a lifesaver.
Step 1: Get the Basics Set Up
You can’t automate what doesn’t exist. Make sure you’ve got these essentials in place:
- Contacts imported: If you haven’t already, import your contacts. CSV works fine. Clean up duplicates now—it’ll save you a headache later.
- Tasks enabled: BetterContact calls them “Tasks,” but you might also see “Reminders” or “Follow-Ups” in some templates or views. It’s all the same engine.
- Notifications set: Check your profile settings so notifications actually reach you (email, in-app, mobile push, whatever you’ll actually see).
Pro Tip: Spend 15 minutes cleaning up your tags and custom fields. Automation is only as good as your data.
Step 2: Create a Task Reminder
Let’s start with a simple task reminder. Here’s how to make sure you never forget to call Susan back:
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Find the Contact
Search for Susan in your contacts list. Click into her profile. -
Add a Task
Look for the “Add Task” or “New Reminder” button. It’s usually up top or in a sidebar. -
Set the Details
- Task name: Keep it clear—“Call Susan re: proposal.”
- Due date/time: When do you want the reminder?
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Notes: Anything you need to remember (her dog’s name, the annoying thing about the budget, etc.).
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Assign a Reminder
- Set an alert for a time before it’s due (BetterContact lets you pick minutes, hours, or days ahead).
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Decide if you want an email, a push notification, or both.
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Save It
That’s it—the system will nudge you when it’s time.
What to ignore: Don’t overcomplicate it. You don’t need three reminders for every task. One or two, max.
Step 3: Automate Recurring Reminders
For stuff that happens on a schedule—weekly check-ins, monthly reports—you can automate recurring tasks.
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Add a New Task
Same as before, but look for a “Repeat” or “Recurring” option. -
Choose the Frequency
- Daily, weekly, monthly, or custom (e.g., every third Tuesday).
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Set an end date or leave it open-ended.
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Set Reminders for Each Occurrence
Just like before, pick how you want to be notified. -
Save and Review
Check your task list to make sure it shows up as recurring.
What works: Recurring reminders are great for regular check-ins and billings.
What doesn’t: Don’t use recurring tasks for stuff that might happen. You’ll just start ignoring them.
Step 4: Automate Follow-Ups After an Action
Want to automatically remind yourself to follow up after a meeting, email, or call? Here’s the workflow:
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Create a Workflow Rule
BetterContact calls these “Automations” or “Workflows.” Find it in the sidebar or settings. -
Set the Trigger
- Common triggers: “Task marked complete,” “Contact status changes,” or “Email sent.”
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Example: After logging a meeting with a contact.
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Define the Action
- Action: “Create follow-up task.”
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Set the delay—do you want to follow up in 3 days? 1 week?
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Add Details
- Pre-fill the task with a default name (“Follow up after meeting”), or use merge fields to personalize.
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Assign to yourself or another team member.
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Activate
Test it once. Mark a meeting as done, and see if the follow-up task appears.
Honest take: These automations are powerful, but they can get messy fast. Keep rules simple and review them monthly.
Step 5: Use Templates for Faster Follow-Ups
BetterContact lets you create templates for common follow-up tasks or messages. This saves you from rewriting the same “Just checking in…” email every time.
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Go to Templates
Find the “Templates” section—usually under settings or automations. -
Create a New Template
- Give it a clear name (“2-Day Post-Meeting Follow-Up”).
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Write your standard message, but use merge fields for names, dates, or details.
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Attach Template to Workflow or Task
- When setting up an automation, choose to add this template as an auto-generated task or email.
- Now, every time the trigger happens, you’ll get a ready-to-send follow-up.
Pro Tip: Don’t go overboard with templates. Keep a handful for your most common scenarios. Otherwise, you’ll never remember which is which.
Step 6: Review and Adjust Your Automation
Automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” Here’s how to make sure it’s actually helping:
- Check your task list weekly
If you see a bunch of overdue tasks, your reminders aren’t working for you. - Review automation rules monthly
Are you getting too many reminders? Not enough? Tweak the timing or triggers. - Ask teammates for feedback
If you’re on a team, see if anyone’s getting confused or overwhelmed. - Turn off what’s not working
If a rule just creates noise, kill it. Less is more.
Common Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)
- Too Many Reminders: If you get numb to notifications, you’ll miss the real stuff. Only automate what matters.
- Vague Tasks: “Follow up” isn’t clear. “Email John re: contract signature” is.
- Ignoring the System: Automations won’t save you if you never open BetterContact.
- Not Testing: Always run through a new automation with a test contact. Better to catch bugs early.
What’s Worth Your Time (and What’s Not)
Do: - Automate the boring, repetitive stuff. - Keep task names and templates specific. - Use recurring reminders for real, regular tasks. - Set up a monthly review of your automations.
Don’t: - Automate things you rarely do. - Set up reminders you’ll ignore. - Make your system so complex you need a flowchart to use it.
Wrap-Up: Keep It Simple, Tune As You Go
Automating reminders and follow-ups in BetterContact isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of setup and the occasional tune-up. Start small—just automate what genuinely slips your mind. Once you trust the system, you can add more.
Don’t worry about perfect. Just get the basics working, pay attention to what’s actually useful, and adjust as you go. Your future self (and your contacts) will thank you.