If you’re in B2B sales, you probably already know that following up is half the battle. But keeping track of who needs a nudge (and when) gets messy fast—especially if you’re juggling dozens or hundreds of leads. That’s where Reply.io comes in. It’s a sales automation tool with built-in follow-up task features. This guide is for sales teams who want to use Reply.io to keep their pipeline moving—without turning your CRM into a graveyard of overdue tasks.
Let’s get into the practical side of making follow-up tasks that don’t just pile up, but actually help you close more deals.
Why Most Follow-Up Tasks Fail (And How to Avoid It)
Before we dive into the how-to, let’s get clear on what not to do.
- Too generic: “Follow up with John next week.” About what? Why?
- Too many clicks: If adding tasks feels like extra work, your team won’t do it.
- No context: Tasks without notes or links to the conversation are just noise.
- No real priority: If everything’s marked “high,” nothing is.
If you want follow-up tasks to work, they need to be: - Specific (what’s the next step?) - Actionable (what do you actually need to do?) - Easy to set (right from where you’re working) - Connected to the right lead and conversation
Now, let’s walk through actually doing this in Reply.io.
Step 1: Understand How Tasks Work in Reply.io
Reply.io isn’t your basic to-do list—it’s built around sequences. Tasks in Reply.io are actions tied to your contacts or deals. You can set them up manually or as part of an automated sequence.
Types of tasks you can create: - Call: Remind yourself to actually pick up the phone. (Still works, trust me.) - Email: Not just automated—these can be manual, personalized follow-ups. - To-Do: Anything else—LinkedIn messages, sending a resource, checking in.
Pro tip: Don’t try to automate everything. Sometimes the best follow-up is a well-timed, personal note. Use tasks for these, not just for bulk actions.
Step 2: Map Out Your Sales Process (Briefly!)
Don’t skip this. If you just start adding random tasks, you’ll end up with chaos.
- List the key steps in your sales process.
- Where do leads typically stall? That’s where follow-ups matter most.
- Decide which steps you want to automate, and which need a human touch.
Example: - Day 1: Automated intro email - Day 3: No reply? Manual LinkedIn message (create a task) - Day 7: Still quiet? Schedule a call task
Knowing this flow means you’re not just guessing when to follow up.
Step 3: Set Up Follow-Up Tasks in Reply.io
A. Manual Tasks (for one-off follow-ups)
- Go to the contact or deal you want to follow up with.
- Click “Add Task.”
- Choose the type: Call, Email, To-Do.
- Set a due date and add a clear description. (“Send updated pricing deck based on feedback.”)
- Link any relevant notes or emails so you have context later.
What works:
- Adding specific details (“Call to answer John’s pricing questions” beats “Call John”)
- Setting realistic deadlines (tomorrow, not “someday”)
- Keeping everything tied to the contact for easy reference
What doesn’t:
- Vague tasks (“Follow up”)
- Piling up overdue tasks you’ll never look at again
B. Automated Tasks (as part of sequences)
Reply.io lets you build sequences where tasks get triggered automatically.
- Go to your sequence editor.
- Insert a task step (Call, Manual Email, To-Do) after an automated email step.
- Write a clear instruction for your future self or teammate.
- Set when you want the task to trigger (e.g., 2 days after no reply).
Pro tip:
Don’t overload sequences with tasks you’ll ignore. Only add manual follow-ups where you really need a personal touch.
Step 4: Make Tasks Actionable and Impossible to Ignore
Tasks should make it obvious what needs to happen.
- Be specific: “Send case study about X company” instead of just “Send info.”
- Add context: Link to previous emails, or summarize the last call.
- Assign owners: If you’re working with a team, assign tasks to the right person.
- Use deadlines: Not everything is urgent. Set real due dates.
What to ignore:
- Task comments that are just “touch base” or “circle back.” If you don’t know what you’re following up about, neither will your teammate.
Step 5: Actually Work Your Tasks (And Keep It Clean)
Even the best task system is useless if you don’t work it.
-
Start your day in the Reply.io Tasks tab.
Don’t skip this. If you let overdue tasks pile up, your follow-ups will be late and your pipeline will stall. -
Clear out old, irrelevant tasks.
If a deal is dead, close the task. Don’t let your list turn into a junk drawer. -
Use filters and sorting.
Focus on what’s due today, or filter by high-priority leads.
Pro tip:
Batch similar tasks. Got 10 “Send LinkedIn message” follow-ups? Knock them out in one go.
Step 6: Review and Improve (Don’t Set and Forget)
Every sales process changes over time. Review your follow-up tasks regularly:
- Which types of follow-ups get the best responses?
- Where are you dropping the ball (e.g., too many overdue tasks)?
- Are you getting “task fatigue” from too much busywork?
Tweak your sequences and manual tasks so you’re focusing on what actually moves deals forward.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Skip
What actually works: - Setting clear, specific, and contextual tasks - Mixing automation with human follow-ups - Regularly cleaning up your task list
What doesn’t: - Over-automating—people can smell a canned follow-up from a mile away - Creating tasks just to hit a quota (activity ≠ progress) - Letting overdue tasks pile up
What to skip: - Overly complex tagging or custom fields. Keep it simple unless you really need the data. - Fancy integrations that create more work than they save.
Quick Checklist for Effective Follow-Up Tasks
- [ ] Is the task specific and actionable?
- [ ] Is it tied to the right contact/deal?
- [ ] Does it have enough context (notes, links, etc.)?
- [ ] Is the due date realistic?
- [ ] Will you (or your teammate) know exactly what to do?
If you can answer “yes” to all five, your follow-up task is probably worth creating.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Setting up effective follow-up tasks in Reply.io isn’t rocket science. The trick is to keep it simple, stay consistent, and adjust as you go. Don’t overload your team (or yourself) with busywork. Focus on clear, actionable steps that actually move deals forward. If something’s not working, tweak it. The best systems are the ones you’ll actually use.