If you’re reading this, you probably want to stop letting demo leads slip through the cracks—and maybe save your reps from endless, manual follow-ups. This guide is for folks already using Goconsensus, or anyone serious about making their demo-to-close process less painful and more productive. No fluff: just the nuts and bolts of automated demo follow-ups, what works, what to skip, and how to avoid common headaches.
Why bother automating demo follow-ups?
Here’s the honest truth: most sales teams are terrible at consistent follow-up. Not because they’re lazy—just busy and distracted. Demos go great, but then leads get a weak “just checking in” email days later, or worse, nothing at all.
Automation fixes this in a way that’s actually useful: - Every lead gets timely, relevant follow-up (no more ghosting). - You free up reps to focus on real conversations, not busywork. - You can track what works and tweak as you go.
But don’t expect magic. Automation isn’t a silver bullet—it just makes it a lot harder to forget or drop the ball.
What you need to get started
Before you dive in, check these boxes: - A Goconsensus account with admin or template access. - Your demo assets (videos, decks, whatever) uploaded and ready. - A basic idea of your follow-up sequence. Don’t overcomplicate it—think “thanks for watching,” “any questions?”, “ready to talk?” - CRM or email integration set up (Salesforce, HubSpot, or at least a connected email account).
You don’t need a coder or a huge tech stack. Just a bit of prep and a willingness to test.
Step 1: Map your follow-up sequence
Start simple. Overly clever drip campaigns rarely perform better than a clear, honest sequence.
Typical sequence: 1. Immediate thank-you (sent as soon as the demo is watched) 2. Reminder/check-in (2–3 days later) 3. Last call/nudge (5–7 days after demo)
What to include in each: - Keep it concise. Don’t re-pitch; just be helpful. - Reference their demo (personalize if you can). - Clear next step (“book a call,” “reply with questions,” etc.)
Pro tip: Write these out in plain text before you touch any software. It’ll save you from fiddling with templates later.
Step 2: Set up your follow-up templates in Goconsensus
Goconsensus has its own template builder for follow-up emails. It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done.
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Log in to Goconsensus and navigate to Templates
Find the “Templates” or “Email Templates” section (names vary slightly based on your account type). -
Create a new template for each step
- Name them clearly (“Demo Follow-up #1: Thank you,” etc.)
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Write your email body. Use short paragraphs, a real sender name, and don’t overthink design.
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Add personalization tokens
- Goconsensus lets you insert tokens like {{FirstName}}, {{Company}}, and specific demo links.
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Double-check your tokens—the preview tool isn’t perfect.
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Test send to yourself
- Always send a test to your real email. Typos and broken links look sloppy.
What to ignore: Don’t get hung up on making these look “beautiful.” Most prospects read follow-ups on their phone. Clean, readable, and actionable is all you need.
Step 3: Configure your automation triggers
This is where the magic happens—when you tell Goconsensus to send these emails automatically.
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Go to Automation or Workflows
Look for a section called “Automation,” “Workflows,” or “Sequences.” If you can’t find it, you might need higher-level access or to enable the feature. -
Set your trigger
- The most common is “Demo viewed” or “Demo completed.”
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You can also trigger based on partial views, but don’t overcomplicate unless you have a lot of volume.
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Sequence your emails
- Add your first template to go out immediately.
- Schedule follow-ups at your chosen intervals (e.g., 2 days, 5 days).
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Make sure there’s a way for leads to opt out or reply easily.
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Choose recipients
- Usually, this will be the person who watched the demo and filled out their info.
- If you get a lot of “forwarded” demos, consider if you want to follow up with everyone who viewed or just the main contact.
Heads-up: Test your workflow by running through it as a prospect. It’s shocking how many automations break in real life due to typos, misfired triggers, or missing data.
Step 4: Connect your CRM or email (if you haven’t already)
You’ll want these emails logged somewhere, and you might want to trigger actions in your CRM.
- Integrate with your CRM:
- Goconsensus has standard integrations for popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot. You’ll find these in “Integrations” in your account.
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Make sure the demo activity and follow-up emails sync to the right lead or contact.
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Connect your email sending account:
- You can usually send from a generic address (like demo@yourcompany.com) or the assigned rep’s address.
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If you use Gmail or Outlook, connect the account so emails come from a real person—not “noreply.”
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Test again.
- Check that emails show up in your CRM history.
- Make sure replies go to a real inbox, not a black hole.
What to skip: Don’t obsess over “tracking pixels” or overly detailed analytics at this stage. Focus on whether the basics are working.
Step 5: Monitor, tweak, and keep it human
Once your automated follow-ups are live, your job isn’t done. Automation is only as good as its last update.
- Monitor open and reply rates. If nobody’s replying, your subject line or timing probably needs work.
- Spot-check for weirdness. Every so often, check that emails aren’t going to spam or showing “Hi {{FirstName}}.”
- Update sequences based on feedback. If leads say your emails are annoying, dial it back. If they ask the same questions, address them in the sequence.
- Jump in manually when it matters. Automation is great, but when a hot lead replies, take over as a human.
Pro tip: Don’t add more emails just because you can. It’s better to have three great, useful follow-ups than a 12-step drip that annoys everyone.
What works, what doesn’t, and what to watch out for
What works: - Fast, relevant follow-up. The sooner you follow up after a demo, the more likely you’ll get a response. - Personalization. Even just using a name and referencing the actual demo goes a long way. - Clear next steps. Don’t leave leads guessing what to do next.
What doesn’t: - Over-automation. Too many emails, or generic “just checking in,” get ignored (or marked as spam). - Fancy designs. Most B2B buyers care about content, not how pretty your email is. - One-size-fits-all sequences. Different markets respond differently—test and tweak.
Watch out for: - Broken tokens ({{FirstName}} fails) - Emails landing in spam (especially if you send a lot or use a bad sender address) - Ignoring replies (automation is not a substitute for real conversations)
Keep it simple, iterate, and don’t overthink it
Automated demo follow-ups can save your team hours and make sure no good lead gets forgotten. But don’t get bogged down in endless tweaks or try to build a perfect sequence from day one. Set up the basics, see how it works in the real world, and adjust as you go.
Remember: automation should make things easier for your prospects, not just for you. If your follow-ups feel like something you’d ignore, your leads probably will too. Start small, keep it human, and make changes based on what actually works—not what the latest “sales automation guru” says. You’ll see better results, and your team will thank you for it.