If you’ve got leads slipping through the cracks or customers who ghost after the first email, you know you need better follow-ups. Setting up automated follow-up sequences isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s how you make sure your outreach doesn’t die in someone’s inbox. This guide is for anyone who wants to wrangle Bitscale’s automation features, get results, and skip the hype.
We’ll walk through how to get your first automated sequence up and running in Bitscale, what to watch out for, and how to avoid the most common pitfalls. Whether you’re in sales, support, or running your own newsletter hustle, you’ll get straightforward steps and honest advice.
1. Get Your Bitscale Account Ready
Before you can automate anything, you need the basics sorted.
Quick Checklist
- Have a Bitscale account. If you’re still on the fence, sign up for a free trial first—there’s no sense paying before you’ve poked around.
- Verify your sender email. Bitscale won’t send squat until your email is verified. Head to Settings > Email and knock this out.
- Import your contacts. Clean data makes all the difference. Scrub duplicates and bad emails before uploading.
Pro tip: Don’t dump a cold, ancient email list into Bitscale. High bounce rates can get you flagged, and your automated sequences won’t matter if your sender reputation tanks.
2. Map Out Your Follow-Up Sequence (Before You Click Anything)
It’s tempting to jump into the app and start clicking, but you’ll save yourself headaches by sketching out your sequence first.
- Decide your goals: Are you chasing demos, sign-ups, payments, or just trying to keep a conversation alive?
- Choose your touchpoints: How many follow-ups do you really need? (Three is usually enough. Anything past five starts to look desperate.)
- Plan timing: Gaps of 2–5 days between emails are standard. Don’t spam daily—you’ll just annoy people.
- Draft your messages: Write these in plain English, not in “salesbot” voice. Personalization tokens are good; fake urgency is not.
What to ignore: Don’t overthink branching logic or complex “if/then” trees at first. Start simple. Complexity kills momentum.
3. Build Your Sequence in Bitscale
Now, let’s move your plan into Bitscale.
Step 1: Find the Automation Tools
- Go to the Sequences or Automations tab (Bitscale sometimes changes the name, but it’s usually on the main sidebar).
- Click New Sequence or Create Automation.
Step 2: Set Up Your Triggers
- Trigger: Usually, you want “When contact added to list” or “When tag applied.”
- If you’re importing leads or syncing from another app, double-check the mapping so people don’t get dropped into the wrong sequence.
Step 3: Add Your Follow-Up Emails
For each follow-up:
- Choose Send Email as the action.
- Paste in your drafted message.
- Use Bitscale’s personalization fields (like {{FirstName}}), but don’t go wild—too much “personalization” feels robotic.
Timing: Set the delay between steps. For example: - Step 1: Immediate (first email) - Step 2: Wait 3 days, then send follow-up - Step 3: Wait 5 days, then send final nudge
Step 4: Review and Activate
- Double-check your grammar and links.
- Turn on the sequence.
- Test with your own email address first. Always.
Honest take: Bitscale’s editor is decent, but not perfect. Formatting can get weird with pasted text—send yourself a test every time.
4. Set Up Conditional Steps (Optional, Not Mandatory)
If you want to get fancy, you can add conditions like “If contact replied, stop sequence” or “If link clicked, send different message.”
- Only use conditions if you’re sure you need them. Simple sequences work best most of the time.
- To add a condition in Bitscale, use the Add Condition or Branch button after an email step.
- Common uses:
- Stop follow-ups if someone replies.
- Send a different email if a link was clicked.
Reality check: Overcomplicating early on just means more things to debug. Start with basics, then layer on conditions as you spot real-world needs.
5. Import (or Sync) Your Contacts
You can’t run sequences without contacts. Bitscale lets you:
- Import a CSV file: Make sure your columns line up. “First Name,” “Email,” and any tags you want to use.
- Sync with your CRM: If you use HubSpot, Salesforce, or a similar tool, connect via Bitscale’s integrations.
- Manual add: For one-offs or small batches.
Pro tip: Tag your contacts clearly (e.g., “Webinar2024,” “TrialUsers”) so you can trigger the right sequence for the right group.
6. Monitor Results and Adjust
Automation isn’t “set and forget.” Check in after a few days.
What to watch:
- Open rates: If they’re low, your subject lines (or deliverability) are the problem.
- Reply rates: If nobody’s biting, your message is off, or your timing stinks.
- Bounces/spam complaints: If these creep up, pause everything and clean your list.
How to fix common issues:
- Low opens: Change subject lines, and avoid spammy words (“free,” “guarantee,” “limited time”).
- Low replies: Rewrite your body copy—ditch the generic pitch and talk like a human.
- High bounces: Remove bad addresses, or use a verification tool.
- Automation errors: Bitscale’s error messages aren’t always useful. If something breaks, retrace your steps and test with a small batch.
7. Pro Tips for Better Follow-Ups
- Keep it short: Long, essay-style emails rarely work. Aim for 2–3 short paragraphs.
- Make it easy to reply: Ask simple questions. “Is this something you’re still interested in?” works better than a sales novel.
- Don’t fake personalization: If you don’t know the person, don’t pretend (“I loved your recent blog post…” when you clearly haven’t read it).
- Space out your emails: Too many too quickly = unsubscribes and spam flags.
- Review your metrics weekly: Even a simple check on opens and replies can tell you what’s broken or working.
8. What to Ignore (For Now)
- A/B testing: Useful later, but don’t get bogged down before you’ve sent your first 100 emails.
- Complex multi-channel steps: Just get email working before you add SMS or LinkedIn DMs.
- Over-automation: Not every lead should get 7 emails. Sometimes, less is more.
9. Troubleshooting: When Things Don’t Work
Even with a good setup, expect hiccups.
Common problems:
- Contacts not entering sequence: Double-check your triggers and list/tag mapping.
- Emails look broken: Test with your real email client, not just Bitscale’s preview.
- Spam folder: Warm up your sender domain or use a different email if you’re getting stuck in spam.
If you’re stuck on a bug, Bitscale’s support is… OK, but the user forum or Reddit might get you answers faster.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Tweak As You Go
Don’t overthink your first sequence. Start with one or two emails, see what happens, and improve from there. The best automated follow-ups are the ones that actually get sent—and don’t annoy people. If you keep it simple, pay attention, and fix what’s not working, you’ll see results fast.