If you're tired of chasing leads or nudging clients manually, automating your follow-ups is a no-brainer. But most tools overcomplicate things or drown you in “AI magic.” This guide is for marketers, founders, and anyone who just wants to get their follow-up emails out the door without babysitting. We'll walk through exactly how to schedule and automate follow-up sequences in Hoppycopy, what works, what to skip, and how to avoid common headaches.
Why Automate Follow-Up Sequences Anyway?
Before we get into the “how,” let’s get clear on the “why.” You’re here because:
- People rarely respond to your first email.
- You forget who needs a nudge (or you just hate keeping track).
- You want results, not busywork.
Hoppycopy promises to save you time by writing, scheduling, and even improving your follow-ups. Does it deliver? Mostly yes—if you know how to use it right. Let’s get you set up.
Step 1: Map Out Your Follow-Up Sequence (Don’t Wing It)
Before you touch any software, sketch out your sequence. How many emails? How many days apart? What’s your goal—booking a call, making a sale, getting a reply?
Pro tip: Write your sequence in a Google Doc first. It’s faster to tweak, and you’ll avoid the clunky “edit-save-preview” dance inside any platform.
Here’s a simple starter template:
- Email 1: Original pitch or outreach
- Follow-up 1: 2 days later (“Just checking in…”)
- Follow-up 2: 4 days after that (“Still interested?”)
- Final nudge: 7 days after that (“Last try—should I close your file?”)
You can always add or subtract steps later. Don’t overthink it—more emails aren’t always better.
Step 2: Draft Your Emails in Hoppycopy
Now open Hoppycopy. Yes, it’ll suggest AI-generated follow-ups, but honestly: these are hit-or-miss. Use them for inspiration—not as gospel.
How to Draft:
- Create a new campaign: Find the “Sequences” or “Campaigns” section.
- Choose a template or start from scratch: If you have your own copy, paste it in. If not, try Hoppycopy’s prompts—but be prepared to rewrite.
- Personalize: Use merge tags (like {{FirstName}}) for things like names or company—just double-check these actually work in your version.
What to ignore: Don’t get lost tweaking “tone” sliders or chasing the perfect AI phrase. Clear and direct beats clever every time.
Step 3: Set Up Your Sequence Timing
Here’s where you actually automate.
- Add emails to your sequence, one at a time.
- For each email after the first, set the delay—usually in days or hours—from the previous send.
- Decide if you want follow-ups to stop if someone replies. (You do. Otherwise, you’ll look like a robot.)
Heads up: Hoppycopy’s scheduling can be a little basic. There’s usually not a ton of granularity—you can’t (yet) do “send only on weekdays” or “skip holidays.” If that’s a dealbreaker, you might need something more advanced.
Step 4: Double-Check Deliverability Settings
No point automating if your emails get spammed. In Hoppycopy:
- Connect your sending domain (usually Gmail or Outlook). Follow their setup guide—don’t skip SPF/DKIM settings if you care about landing in the inbox.
- Test with your own email first. Sometimes, merge tags or formatting get weird.
- Keep your first few sends small. Ramp up volume once you know things aren’t breaking.
Pro tip: Avoid attachments, lots of images, or spammy words (“free,” “guaranteed,” etc.). Hoppycopy doesn’t magically fix these—use your head.
Step 5: Activate and Monitor Your Sequence
Once everything looks good, hit “Start” or “Activate.” But don’t walk away forever.
You should: - Check your open and reply rates after the first batch. - Pause the sequence if you’re getting spam complaints or weird replies. - Edit on the fly—don’t wait weeks to fix something if you spot a mistake.
What doesn’t work: Blindly trusting the analytics dashboard. Open rates can be unreliable (thanks to privacy settings), and “AI sentiment analysis” is mostly fluff. Focus on real replies and outcomes.
Step 6: Iterate—Don’t Set and Forget
The truth: No sequence is perfect out of the gate. Here’s how to actually improve:
- Tweak only one thing at a time (subject line, timing, or body copy).
- If your reply rate is low, try making your ask smaller or more specific.
- If you’re getting ignored, shorten your emails. People don’t read walls of text.
Ignore: The temptation to obsess over endless A/B tests. Unless you’re sending thousands of emails, small tweaks won’t move the needle much. Do what feels human and direct.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
- Over-automating: The more robotic you sound, the less people care. Always review your sequence before launching.
- Ignoring replies: If someone writes back, respond like a person. Don’t let the bot keep emailing them.
- Bad data: Double-check your lists. Nothing kills trust like “Hi {FirstName}” or sending to dead emails.
Pro Tips for Better Follow-Ups
- Keep it short. Each follow-up should have a single, clear ask.
- Change up your subject lines. Don’t just add “Re:” to everything.
- Space out your emails. Daily blasts get ignored (or marked as spam).
- Be ready to stop. If someone unsubscribes, don’t try to “win them back.” Respect goes a long way.
Do You Need Hoppycopy—Or Is a Spreadsheet Enough?
Honestly? If you’re sending a handful of follow-ups per week, you can do this with Gmail, canned responses, and a simple spreadsheet.
But if you: - Want to scale up to dozens or hundreds of prospects, - Need to schedule out weeks of nudges, - Or just hate the admin side of follow-up,
...then Hoppycopy is worth a look. Just know it won’t magically make your emails irresistible. That part’s still on you.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Ship Fast
Automating your follow-ups in Hoppycopy isn’t rocket science. Map your sequence, keep your emails clear, set up the schedule, and pay attention to what’s actually working. Don’t get distracted by shiny features or analytics dashboards. Start small, learn fast, and tweak as you go. The best sequence is the one you’ll actually use—so keep it simple and get back to work.