If you’re tired of chasing clients to complete tasks, sign documents, or upload files, you’re not alone. Automated reminders can save your sanity—but only if they actually work and don’t just spam people into ignoring you.
This guide is for anyone using Journey who wants to set up reminders that clients actually notice (and act on), without making things more complicated than they need to be. You’ll get a no-nonsense walkthrough, some honest warnings, and a few practical tips you won’t find in the marketing materials.
Why Automated Reminders Matter—and Where They Go Wrong
Reminders are supposed to make life easier, but let’s be real: poorly set-up reminders just annoy everyone. Here’s what actually helps:
- Clear, actionable reminders: “Sign this document” beats “You have a pending task.”
- Right timing: Too many reminders = ignored. Too few = nothing gets done.
- Personalization: A little context goes further than you think.
- Respect for the client’s inbox: If they feel spammed, you’ve lost.
Journey’s automation tools are pretty solid, but you’ve got to set them up thoughtfully. Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Decide What Needs a Reminder (and What Doesn’t)
Before you start clicking buttons, figure out what actually needs a nudge. Not every step is worth an email or text.
Typical candidate actions: - Uploading a required document - Signing a contract or form - Completing an onboarding task - Scheduling an appointment
What to skip: - Low-priority tasks that won’t hold up the process - “FYI” updates (save those for batch summaries)
Pro tip: If you wouldn’t want to get a reminder for it, don’t set one for your client.
Step 2: Map Out Your Client Journey
You’ll save hours of tweaking if you sketch out the client experience first.
- List every client action in your Journey pipeline.
- Mark which steps are “must-complete.” These are the ones where a delay actually causes problems.
- Decide on your nudge style: Do you want one reminder, a series, or a mix? (Hint: one thoughtful reminder is usually better than three generic ones.)
Example:
| Step | Needs Reminder? | Notes | |----------------------------|----------------|----------------------------| | Sign onboarding agreement | Yes | Legal bottleneck | | Watch welcome video | No | Not critical | | Upload ID document | Yes | Compliance requirement | | Book intro call | Maybe | Only if not done in 3 days |
This is the time to keep things simple. Don’t automate for the sake of it.
Step 3: Set Up Your Triggers in Journey
Journey lets you trigger reminders based on client actions (or inaction). Here’s how you do it, step by step:
- Log in and open your workflow or pipeline.
- Find the step you want to automate. Click into the task, document request, or signature assignment.
- Look for the “Automation” or “Reminders” tab. (It might be called something slightly different depending on your version.)
- Choose your trigger:
- Time-based: e.g., “If not completed in 2 days, send reminder.”
- Event-based: e.g., “If client hasn’t opened the task within 24 hours.”
- Set your conditions. Keep it tight—don’t set up daily nags unless you want to be ignored.
What works best? - One reminder 24–48 hours after the task is assigned. - A second, final reminder 2–3 days later (only if action still isn’t taken). - Skip anything more frequent unless it’s truly urgent.
What to ignore: - “Every 6 hours” reminders. Nobody likes those. - Multiple channels (email + SMS + push) unless your client expects it.
Step 4: Write Reminders Clients Will Actually Read
Journey lets you customize the reminder messages. Don’t just use the default text.
Tips for writing reminders: - Be direct: “Please upload your ID to keep your application moving.” - Add context: “This is required to verify your identity.” - Use a friendly tone, but skip the fluff. - Include a clear link or button to the action.
Example:
Subject: Quick Reminder — Please sign your service agreement
Hi [First Name],
Just a heads up—your service agreement is ready for signature. You can sign it here: [Link]
Let us know if you have any questions!
Pro tip: Test your reminders on yourself. If you’d ignore it, rewrite it.
Step 5: Test Your Setup (Don’t Skip This)
Before you roll things out to real clients, run through the process as if you’re the client.
- Assign yourself (or a test client) the tasks.
- Wait for the reminder window to pass and confirm the message arrives.
- Click through—does the link work? Is it clear what you’re supposed to do?
- Check for typos or weird formatting.
Common pitfalls: - Reminders not sending because the trigger condition isn’t met (double-check your logic). - Typos in links that lead nowhere. - Overlapping reminders if you have multiple automations for the same action.
Step 6: Monitor and Adjust
No automation is perfect out of the gate. Keep an eye on how clients are responding.
- Are tasks getting done faster? Great—leave it.
- Are people still dragging their feet? Consider tweaking the message (not just sending more reminders).
- Getting “too many emails” complaints? Dial it back.
Journey’s reporting will show you which steps are bottlenecks. Use that data before you start tinkering.
Pro Tips and Honest Warnings
- Don’t cross the line into nagging. One or two reminders is almost always enough.
- Personalization helps, but don’t overthink it. First name and context are plenty.
- Automate the big stuff, not everything. Manual nudges are sometimes worth it for complex cases.
- Test with a real human. What looks good in the builder may be confusing in a real inbox.
- Watch out for timezone mismatches. If clients are global, double-check reminder timing.
When Automated Reminders Won’t Save You
Let’s be honest—no amount of reminders will fix a broken process, unclear tasks, or a client who’s checked out. Reminders are a tool, not a cure-all.
- If clients are confused by what you’re asking, rewrite the task, not the reminder.
- If you’re chasing the same person every week, maybe automation isn’t the problem.
Keep It Simple, Review Regularly
Start with a light touch. It’s easy to add more reminders, but much harder to win back trust if clients feel spammed or micromanaged. Set up your essentials, test, and see how it goes. Make small tweaks as you learn what works for your clients. The goal is less busywork for you—and a smoother experience for everyone.
Remember: automation should take something off your plate, not add to it.