If you’ve ever let a hot lead slip through the cracks because you just forgot to follow up, you’re not alone. Sales is messy, and nobody’s memory is perfect. That’s why automating your follow up reminders isn’t just nice—it’s how you keep your pipeline moving. This guide is for sales teams who want to use Letterfriend to set up reminders that actually work, without hours of fiddling or a degree in Zapier.
There’s a lot of noise out there about “AI-driven, fully automated workflows.” Most of it’s overkill. The real win comes from setting up simple, reliable reminders that nudge you (or your team) to take the next step, right when you need it.
Let’s get into it.
1. Get Your Letterfriend Account Ready
First things first: you’ll need access to Letterfriend. If you’re already using it, great—log in and make sure you’ve got admin or “manager” permissions. If not, sign up, poke around, and get comfortable. Don’t worry, Letterfriend isn’t overloaded with features you’ll never use, but it does have a few quirks, so it’s worth spending ten minutes clicking through the sidebar.
Checklist before moving on: - You can log in to Letterfriend. - You have permission to set up reminders for yourself or your team. - Your sales leads or contacts are already imported (CSV upload, manual entry, or via CRM sync).
Pro tip: If your contacts aren’t in yet, don’t bother setting up reminders. Garbage in, garbage out.
2. Decide What’s Worth a Follow Up Reminder
Not every lead needs a nudge. Before you automate, decide what you actually want to be reminded about. Here are the common scenarios where reminders make sense:
- Following up after an intro call
- Checking in after sending a proposal
- Nudging a lead who’s gone dark
- Setting renewal reminders for existing customers
What not to automate:
Don’t set up reminders for every single email or touchpoint. That’s a recipe for alert fatigue. The goal is to catch the important stuff, not drown in notifications.
3. Set Up Your Reminder Templates
Letterfriend has a built-in reminder system that lets you create reusable templates. This saves you from re-inventing the wheel every time you want to set a follow up.
How to do it:
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Navigate to the Reminders Section:
In the sidebar, look for “Reminders” or “Tasks.” (The naming might drift depending on updates, but it’s usually obvious.) -
Create a New Template:
Click “New Reminder Template” or “Add Reminder.” Give it a clear name like “2 Day Follow Up After Demo.” -
Customize the Details:
- Trigger: When should the reminder pop up? (e.g., 2 days after a demo)
- Message: What do you want it to say? (“Check in with {{lead_name}} re: demo feedback”)
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Assigned To: Yourself or a specific teammate, if you’re delegating.
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Save the Template:
Double-check for typos. Save.
Honest take: Don’t overcomplicate templates. Start with one or two—like “Initial Follow Up” and “Proposal Check-In.” Add more only if you find you’re manually repeating certain reminders.
4. Automate Reminders for New Leads or Activities
Now, the real magic: making sure reminders automatically appear at the right time, not just when you remember to set them.
Option A: Trigger Reminders When You Add a New Lead
Most sales teams want a nudge a day or two after a new lead comes in. Here’s how to automate that:
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Go to Lead Settings:
In Letterfriend, open the settings for your leads or contacts module. -
Find the ‘Automation’ or ‘Workflow’ Tab:
If your instance of Letterfriend supports automations, there’ll be a tab or section for this. (If not, skip to Option B below.) -
Set Up a Trigger:
- Select “When a new lead is added”
- Choose your reminder template (e.g., “2 Day Follow Up After Demo”)
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Pick the timing (immediately, or after a set number of days)
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Assign the Reminder:
Decide if it should always go to the lead owner, a specific rep, or a shared team inbox. -
Activate the Automation:
Test it with a dummy lead to make sure the reminder fires.
Option B: Attach Reminders to Specific Activities
If you want more control (say, reminders only after meetings or proposals), set up automations tied to activities.
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Inside a Lead’s Record:
Add a new note, meeting, or email and look for an “Add Reminder” option. -
Attach a Reminder:
- Pick the template or create one on the fly
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Set the due date (e.g., 3 days later)
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Save and Move On:
The reminder will show up in your dashboard or get pushed to your email/calendar.
What doesn’t work:
Don’t try to automate reminders for every possible action. You’ll end up with a mess of overlapping alerts. Instead, focus on the 2-3 key actions where dropping the ball actually costs you deals.
5. Integrate With Your Calendar or Email (If You Need To)
Letterfriend’s built-in reminders are decent, but let’s be honest: most salespeople live in their inbox or calendar. If you want reminders to actually get seen, sync them to where you already work.
How to do it:
- Calendar Sync:
- In Letterfriend settings, look for “Integrations.”
- Connect your Google Calendar, Outlook, or whatever you use.
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Choose to have reminders automatically create calendar events or notifications.
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Email Notifications:
- Enable email alerts for reminders (usually a toggle in your notification settings).
- Test it. If you’re getting too many, dial it back.
Pro tip: If you’re already drowning in email, skip the email reminders and rely on calendar pop-ups or the Letterfriend dashboard.
6. Review and Clean Up Your Reminders (Regularly!)
Automations are great until they’re not. Over time, your reminder system can get clogged with outdated templates or annoying alerts.
Every month or so: - Audit your templates—delete or tweak ones nobody uses. - Check if reminders are firing at the right times. - Ask your team if they’re actually helpful (or just noise).
What to ignore:
Don’t obsess over building the “perfect” system from day one. You’ll end up stuck in setup mode, not selling. Set up the basics, see what works, and adjust.
7. Bonus: Advanced Tips for Power Users
If you’re the type who likes to squeeze every drop out of your tools, Letterfriend has a few extras:
- Conditional Reminders:
Some versions let you set rules (e.g., only remind if there’s been no reply after 3 days). - Bulk Actions:
Apply reminders to multiple leads at once—handy for campaigns or re-engagement pushes. - Reporting:
See which reminders actually get acted on (and which get ignored).
Reality check: Most teams don’t need these right away. Skip unless you’re hitting the limits of basic reminders.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Automated follow up reminders won’t magically make your sales team diligent, but they’ll stop you from forgetting the stuff that matters. Start with a couple of key reminders, get your team using them, and only add complexity if you really need it.
The best system is the one you actually use. Set it up, see what breaks, and keep it simple. That’s how you make sure no deal falls through the cracks—without creating more work for yourself.