How to set up notifications and alerts in Leadformly for new leads

If you're using Leadformly to collect leads, but you're still missing out on hot prospects because nobody saw the new lead email—this is for you. Maybe your team’s drowning in inbox noise, or maybe you just want a simple way to know when a decent lead comes in. Either way, setting up notifications and alerts in Leadformly should be easy, reliable, and not a giant time sink.

Here's how to get it done, step by step—plus some honest advice on what matters, what doesn’t, and how to avoid alert overload.

Why Bother? A Quick Reality Check

Before we get into the how-to, let’s be real: notifications can be a blessing or a curse. Done right, you’ll respond to leads faster and maybe even close more deals. Done wrong, you’ll just train yourself (and your team) to ignore every ping.

Pro tip: Only set up notifications you’ll actually use. More alerts ≠ more sales.

Step 1: Figure Out Who Needs to Know

It sounds obvious, but most teams skip this. Ask yourself:

• Who actually needs to see new lead alerts? (Sales? Marketing? You?)
• Does everyone need every alert, or just certain leads?
• Would a daily summary work, or do you need instant notifications?

Don't: Dump every alert on everyone’s inbox. That’s how things get missed.

Step 2: Log Into Leadformly and Head to Form Settings

1. Sign in to your Leadformly account.
2. Click on the form you want to set up notifications for.
3. In the form dashboard, look for “Form Settings” or "Form Notifications." Leadformly sometimes moves things around, but it's usually in the left sidebar or top menu.

If you manage multiple forms (say, one for contact requests and one for demo bookings), repeat these steps for each form. There’s no “set it once for all forms” option.

Step 3: Set Up Email Notifications

By default, Leadformly emails the account owner when a new lead comes in. That’s fine if you’re a one-person shop, but most teams need more.

To Add or Change Notification Recipients:

1. Find the “Notification Email(s)” field—you’ll see the current email(s) listed.
2. Add more emails by separating them with commas. For example:
   alex@yourcompany.com, sales@yourcompany.com, you@yourcompany.com
3. Save your changes.

What’s Good Here:
- Straightforward. No need for a developer. - You can use group emails (like sales@ or support@) if your team likes shared inboxes.

What’s Not:
- No fancy filtering. Everyone on the list gets every lead. - If you want different notifications for different types of leads, you’ll need to get creative (see Step 6).

Step 4: Customize the Email Message (Optional, But Worth It)

Leadformly lets you tweak the notification email so it’s actually useful—not just a wall of form data.

1. Look for an option like “Customize Notification Email” or “Edit Email Template.”
2. Use the merge fields to pull in details (like name, company, phone, etc.).

3. Keep it simple. Highlight the info you care about. For example:

   New Lead from {{form_name}}
   Name: {{lead_name}}
   Email: {{lead_email}}
   Phone: {{lead_phone}}
   Message: {{lead_message}}

Why bother?
If the email’s clear, you’ll actually read it. If it’s a mess, it’ll go unread—guaranteed.

Step 5: Set Up SMS Notifications (If You Really Need Them)

Leadformly can send SMS alerts when a new lead comes in. Sounds great, but let’s be honest—do you really need a text every time someone fills out a form? For most, email is plenty. SMS is best for:

• High-value leads you can’t afford to miss (think: enterprise deals, urgent requests)
• Teams who are rarely at their desks

To set up SMS notifications:

1. In your form settings, find the “SMS Notifications” or similar section.
2. Enter your mobile number. Some plans let you add more than one.
3. Customize the SMS template if possible (keep it short).
4. Save.

Caveats: - SMS costs can add up if you get lots of leads. - Not all plans include SMS alerts—double-check your subscription. - You’ll still want email as a backup; texts can get lost or delayed.

Step 6: Use Lead Routing or Zapier for Advanced Alerts

If you want smarter notifications (e.g., only notify Bob about leads from California), Leadformly’s built-in options are limited. Here’s what actually works:

Lead Routing (If Available)

Some Leadformly plans let you set up “lead routing” rules based on form answers (like location, budget, or service). If your plan includes this:

1. In form settings, look for “Lead Routing” or “Conditional Notifications.”
2. Set rules—e.g., if “State = California,” send to bob@company.com.
3. Test it. These get fiddly; double-check that the right people get the right alerts.

Zapier: The Swiss Army Knife

If Leadformly’s built-in logic isn’t enough, Zapier (or similar automation tools) can bridge the gap.

How to do it:

1. Create a free Zapier account if you don’t have one.
2. Set up a “Zap” that triggers when a new Leadformly submission comes in.
3. Choose actions like:
   • Email specific team members based on form fields
   • Post to Slack, Teams, or SMS
   • Add leads to your CRM and then trigger notifications

Honest take:
Zapier’s powerful but can be overkill for simple setups. It’s worth it if you need custom logic; otherwise, stick to built-in notifications.

Step 7: Test Your Notifications—Don’t Skip This

This is the step everyone ignores, then regrets later.

• Submit a test lead using your form.
• Check that every recipient gets the alert—email, SMS, Slack, whatever you set up.
• Make sure the message is clear and has all the info you need.
• If you’re using Zapier or lead routing, test all your “edge cases” (like different states, services, or budgets).

Pro tip: Do this any time you make changes. You’d be surprised how often notifications break and nobody notices.

Step 8: Keep Alert Fatigue in Check

A flood of notifications is almost as bad as none at all. A few ways to keep things sane:

• Limit alerts to critical team members, not everyone.
• Use daily or weekly summaries if you get a ton of leads.
• Consider using rules in your email client to sort or flag lead alerts.
• Revisit your setup every few months. As your team or process changes, your notifications should too.

What to Ignore (Most of the Time)

• “Push notifications”: Unless you’re glued to your phone and your volume is always on, these are just another distraction.
• CC’ing the whole company: It never helps.
• Fancy integrations: If you’re not sure you need it, you probably don’t.

Quick Troubleshooting Tips

• Not getting emails? Check your spam folder first. Add Leadformly’s email address to your contacts.
• Delays or missing SMS? Re-enter your number, and make sure your plan covers SMS.
• Zapier not working? Double-check your triggers and filters in the Zap.

If all else fails, Leadformly’s support is usually pretty responsive. But honestly, most issues are typos or filters set wrong.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often

Getting notifications right in Leadformly isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overcomplicate. Start simple: email the right people, make the alerts readable, and test everything.

As your team grows or your process changes, tweak your setup. Don’t be afraid to cut back on alerts if people stop paying attention. In the end, the best notification is the one you’ll actually notice—and act on.