If you’re drowning in follow-up reminders, tired of leads slipping through the cracks, or just want to stop babysitting your CRM, you’re in the right place. This guide walks you through setting up automated lead nurturing workflows in Upscale, so you can actually spend your time talking to prospects instead of chasing them.
If you’re looking for a magic “set it and forget it” solution, sorry—automation helps, but you still need to think. But if you want practical, real-world automation that actually saves you time (without making your emails sound like they were written by a robot), let’s get started.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
Don’t skip this. You’ll save yourself a ton of headaches later. Here’s what you should have ready:
- Access to an Upscale account (with admin or workflow permissions)
- A list of leads you actually want to nurture—not everyone in your database
- Clear idea of what you want to achieve (e.g., book a call, get a reply, educate)
- Some basic email copy (don’t worry, you can improve it as you go)
If you don’t have these, it’s worth spending 15 minutes to get organized first.
Step 1: Map Out Your Lead Nurturing Sequence
Before you even touch Upscale, sketch out what you want to happen. The tool can help automate, but it can’t read your mind.
Ask yourself: - What’s the main goal? (e.g., get a demo scheduled, re-engage cold leads) - How many touches should there be? (Hint: 3–6 is typical. More than 10, and you’re probably annoying people.) - What channels will you use? (Upscale does email, calls, LinkedIn, and tasks) - What’s your timing between steps? (Don’t bombard people every day)
Pro tip: Start simple. Overbuilding a sequence usually backfires. You can always add more steps later.
Step 2: Create a New Sequence in Upscale
Now log into Upscale and get your hands dirty.
- Go to the “Sequences” tab in the left-hand menu.
- Click “Create Sequence.”
- Name your sequence something obvious (e.g., “Demo Nurture – Q2” or “Cold Inbound Follow-up”).
- Choose your channels (email, call, LinkedIn, etc.). Upscale lets you mix these, but don’t use them all unless it actually makes sense for your audience.
What to avoid:
Don’t get sucked into every shiny feature. If you’re new, stick with email to start. Add calls or LinkedIn later if you see it’s worth it.
Step 3: Build Out the Steps in Your Workflow
This is where you add your emails, calls, tasks, and timing.
For each step: - Choose the channel: Email is the default for most nurturing. - Write your message: Keep it short, specific, and human. No templates that scream “automated.” - Set the delay: Usually 2–5 days between steps. More if it’s a high-value prospect. - Decide on branching: Upscale lets you branch based on replies or actions (e.g., stop sequence if they reply). Use this, but don’t overcomplicate.
Example sequence: 1. Day 1: Email — “Just checking in” or value-add content. 2. Day 4: Email — Case study or testimonial. 3. Day 7: LinkedIn connect or call (if appropriate). 4. Day 10: Final gentle nudge or break-up email.
Pro tip:
Most people overthink their copy. Focus on being clear and helpful, not clever or “personalized at scale.”
Step 4: Set Up Triggers and Enrollment Rules
This is where the automation happens. You tell Upscale who should go into the workflow and when.
- Manual enrollment: Good for one-off campaigns or testing.
- Automatic enrollment: Best for ongoing lead nurturing. For example, auto-add all new “Inbound Demo Request” leads.
To set up automatic enrollment: 1. Go to “Rules” or “Automation” in Upscale. 2. Set the trigger (e.g., “When Lead Status = New Inbound”). 3. Choose the sequence to enroll them in. 4. Add any filters (don’t blast your entire database by accident).
What not to do:
Don’t auto-enroll every new lead without segmenting. You’ll irritate people and tank your deliverability.
Step 5: Test Your Workflow Before Going Live
This is the step most people skip—and regret.
- Enroll yourself or a test lead first.
- Check every email for typos, broken links, weird {{merge tags}}.
- Make sure the timing works (not all at once).
- If you’re using branching, reply to see if the workflow pauses as it should.
Pro tip:
If something feels off, fix it before adding real leads. Sending a broken sequence to 500 people is a mess you don’t want to clean up.
Step 6: Monitor, Adjust, and Don’t Settle for “Good Enough”
Automation doesn’t mean “done forever.” Check your sequence results after a week or two:
- Are people replying?
- Are you getting meetings booked?
- Any weird patterns (like everyone dropping off at the same step)?
If open or reply rates are terrible, try: - Shortening your emails - Changing your subject lines - Spacing out the steps more
If everything’s working, great. But don’t be afraid to tweak.
Ignore:
Anyone who says “just set it up once and scale.” That’s not how real lead nurturing works. Audiences change, and so should your workflows.
What Works (and What Doesn’t) in Upscale Lead Nurturing
What works:
- Personal, relevant messages: No one wants to read obvious templates.
- Keeping it simple: Fewer, better steps outperform long, complex workflows.
- Using auto-enrollment for repeatable processes: Saves tons of time once dialed in.
What doesn’t:
- Spraying everyone with the same sequence: Segmentation is your friend.
- Overusing every channel: If your leads don’t use LinkedIn, don’t add it.
- Forgetting to test: You will make mistakes. Test on yourself first.
Quick Tips for Not Annoying Your Leads
- Always have a way for leads to opt out.
- Be respectful with your timing and frequency.
- Avoid “fake” personalization (like weird first-name merge fails).
- If someone replies, stop the sequence immediately.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Automated nurturing in Upscale can save you hours and recover leads you’d otherwise lose. But don’t try to build a Rube Goldberg machine—start with the basics, see what works, and improve from there.
You’ll get better results (and fewer headaches) by keeping things clear, direct, and human. Set up your first workflow, test it on yourself, and keep tweaking. That’s how real automation pays off.