So, you’ve got leads trickling in but they’re just sitting there, gathering dust. You know you should be following up, but who has the time to hand-craft 10 emails for every new contact? If you’re tired of watching potential customers go cold, this guide’s for you. I’ll walk you through setting up automated email sequences in Beautiful, step by step. This isn’t about chasing shiny features—just honest, practical advice for actually getting value out of your lead list.
What Is an Automated Email Sequence (And Why Bother)?
An automated email sequence is just a series of pre-written emails that go out to new leads over time. The idea is to warm up a prospect—build trust, answer common questions, and gently nudge them closer to a sale. If you’re selling anything with a sales cycle longer than “add to cart,” nurturing leads is almost always worth the effort.
Who should care? - Small business owners who don’t have hours to chase every lead. - Solo founders tired of writing the same follow-up email 30 times. - Anyone who wants to stop leads from ghosting after the first contact.
Automated emails aren’t magic, but they do keep you from dropping the ball.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Goal (Don’t Start With the Tech)
Before you even open Beautiful, get specific about why you’re sending these emails. What do you want your leads to do? Schedule a call? Read a case study? Reply with their needs? If you can’t answer this, no tool will save you.
Pro tip: Write down your one desired outcome. More than one, and your sequence will get muddy.
Common goals: - Get a lead to schedule a demo - Move them to a sales call - Push them to download a resource
You don’t need a 10-email magnum opus. Start lean.
Step 2: Map Out Your Sequence (On Paper, Seriously)
Don’t jump into the app yet. Sketch your sequence first. How many emails? What’s the main point of each? How much time between them? This saves you the headache of re-writing everything inside the tool.
Here’s a basic example (for a demo booking):
- Welcome Email: Thanks for signing up—here’s what to expect.
- Value Email: Share a quick tip or resource.
- Testimonial: Show proof someone like them succeeded.
- Call to Action: Nudge them to book a demo.
- Last Chance: One final reminder, then let it rest.
Spacing: 2-3 days between emails is a good start. Nobody wants a daily barrage.
What to skip: Don’t cram everything you know about your product into these. Keep each email focused and short.
Step 3: Collect Your Leads in Beautiful
You can’t nurture leads if they aren’t in your system. Beautiful gives you a few ways to add leads:
- Manual entry: Fine for small lists.
- Import CSV: If you’ve got a spreadsheet, use it.
- Integrations: Connect your forms, website, or CRM if you have one.
Pro tip: Clean your list before you import. Old, bounced, or fake emails will hurt your deliverability.
Don’t overcomplicate this. If you’re just starting, a spreadsheet import is plenty.
Step 4: Build Your Sequence in Beautiful
Now, finally, open up Beautiful and get into the sequence builder. Here’s how to do it without getting lost in the weeds:
1. Create a New Sequence
- Navigate to the “Sequences” or “Campaigns” section.
- Click “New Sequence” (or whatever they call it—look for a big button).
2. Add Your Emails
- For each step, paste in your email draft.
- Set the time delay for each (e.g., “Send 2 days after previous”).
- Personalize! Use merge fields for names, company, etc.—but don’t get too cute. “Hey {FirstName}!” is fine.
3. Set Triggers
- Decide what starts the sequence. Usually, it’s when a lead is added to a list or fills out a form.
- You can get fancy with segmenting, but it’s optional at the start.
What to Ignore (For Now):
- A/B testing: Not until you have enough leads to matter.
- Conditional paths: Stick to a linear sequence first.
- Design-heavy templates: Plain text works. Don’t obsess over graphics.
Step 5: Test Your Sequence (Don’t Skip This)
Send every email to yourself (and maybe a friend). Look for: - Broken links - Merge field mishaps (“Hi {FirstName},” is a classic) - Typos or weird formatting - Emails landing in spam
If something looks off, fix it now. It’s a lot less embarrassing than hearing about it from a prospect.
Step 6: Turn It On (But Watch What Happens)
Once you’re sure everything works, activate your sequence. Leads should start receiving emails automatically as soon as they’re added to the system.
Don’t “set and forget.” For the first few weeks, check: - Are people opening your emails? - Are they replying or booking? - Is anything breaking?
If leads are ignoring you, tweak your subject lines or content. If you get spam complaints, dial back the frequency.
Step 7: Iterate—But Don’t Obsess
It’s easy to get stuck fiddling with copy, timing, or layouts forever. Resist the urge. Set up a simple, honest sequence, run it for a month, and see what’s working.
What’s worth changing: - Subject lines that never get opened - Messages that get a lot of unsubscribes
What’s not worth stressing over: - The perfect emoji - Whether your email is “on brand” enough
Treat this as a living thing. You’ll get better results by sending something imperfect than by waiting for perfection.
What Actually Works (And What Doesn’t)
What works: - Emails that sound like a real person wrote them - Sequences with one clear goal - Following up more than once (most folks don’t reply to the first email)
What doesn’t: - Over-designed emails that scream “marketing” - Sending seven emails in seven days (unless you like unsubscribes) - Relying only on automation—sometimes a personal follow-up is needed
If you’re not sure, ask yourself: “Would I reply to this?”
Keep It Simple (And Actually Use It)
Automated email sequences are like a gym membership: they only work if you actually use them. Don’t get lured into building a Rube Goldberg machine of tags, triggers, and conditions. Start small, review what’s happening, and adjust as you go.
The best setup is one you’ll actually maintain. Keep your sequence short, your emails human, and your process simple. You’ll convert more leads—and save yourself a ton of time and mental energy.