If you're drowning in follow-up tasks or have too many leads slipping through the cracks, this one's for you. Most sales folks know the pain: you mean to send a quick check-in, but your inbox gets buried, and suddenly that warm lead is ice cold. Automated follow-up isn't about annoying people with spam—it’s about making sure good leads don’t get ignored. Let’s break down how to actually set up smart, useful workflows in Pipedrive so you stay on top of things, without becoming a robot yourself.
Why automate follow-ups in the first place?
First, let's be honest: manual follow-up is where deals go to die. You’re busy. You forget. Or someone else drops the ball. Automation makes sure:
- No lead gets forgotten.
- People get a timely nudge, even if you’re out sick.
- You get reminders when it’s time to add a personal touch.
But don’t overdo it. You want to automate what’s repetitive, not what’s genuinely personal. If every lead gets a generic “Just checking in!” at the exact same time, people notice—and not in a good way.
How does Pipedrive workflow automation actually work?
In Pipedrive, workflow automation lets you set up “if this, then that” rules. For example: “When a new lead is added, send an intro email” or “If a deal has no activity for 3 days, create a task to follow up.”
The basics: - Triggers: What sets off the automation (e.g., a new deal, a deal moving stages, no activity for X days). - Actions: What happens when the trigger fires (e.g., send email, create task, move deal). - Conditions: Extra filters, so you don’t send the wrong thing to the wrong person.
The good news: you don’t need to code anything. The not-so-good news: the more complicated your process, the more time you’ll need to get it right.
Step-by-step: Setting up follow-up automation in Pipedrive
Let’s walk through how to actually build these workflows, without getting lost in menus.
1. Map out your follow-up process first
Before you touch settings, grab a notebook or whiteboard and answer:
- When should you follow up? (After X days? After a specific action?)
- How many follow-ups do you want before you give up?
- What should each message say—or should it just be a reminder for you to call?
Pro tip: Don’t try to automate everything at once. Start with the most common scenario, like following up three days after a new lead comes in.
2. Open Workflow Automation in Pipedrive
- Go to the “Tools and apps” menu and find “Workflow Automation.”
- Click “Create workflow.”
- Give it a name you’ll remember (e.g., “New lead follow-up”).
3. Set your trigger
Pick what should kick off the automation. Common examples:
- New deal added: Great for instant welcome emails or reminders.
- Deal moved to specific stage: Handy if you want to follow up after a proposal.
- No activity for X days: Helps with leads that have gone quiet.
What to ignore: Don’t set triggers that are too broad (like “every time a deal is updated”) or you’ll just annoy your team and your leads.
4. Add conditions (so you don’t spam the wrong folks)
Refine your workflow so it hits the right targets. For example:
- Only trigger if the deal value is over $1,000.
- Only send to leads in a certain pipeline or stage.
- Exclude deals with a specific label (like “Do Not Contact”).
Why bother? Because not every lead deserves the same attention, and you don’t want to look clueless.
5. Choose your action(s)
This is what actually happens after the trigger.
- Send email: Can be from a template, but tweak them so they don’t sound robotic.
- Create activity/task: Reminds you or your team to make a call or send a custom message.
- Move deal: For more advanced setups, you can move deals to a “Follow-up” stage automatically.
Honest take: Automated emails are fine as a first touch, but after that, real human follow-up works better. Use tasks to remind yourself to send something personal.
6. Personalize your emails (don't be a spam bot)
If you’re sending automated emails, use Pipedrive’s merge fields (like {{FirstName}}) to keep things personal. But don't just rely on a name—reference something specific if you can.
What to skip: Don’t write a 500-word pitch. The goal is to be brief, relevant, and helpful.
Example follow-up email:
Hi {{FirstName}},
Just wanted to check in and see if you had any questions about [your product/service]. Let me know if you’d like to hop on a quick call.
Best, {{YourName}}
7. Test (then test again)
Before you turn on any workflow:
- Run a test deal through it (use your own email).
- Make sure emails look right and tasks show up where you want them.
- Check the timing—does it make sense, or is it too fast/slow?
Watch out: It’s easy to accidentally send too many emails or reminders. Double-check your logic for duplicates.
8. Turn it on and monitor
Once you’re happy, switch the workflow to “Active.” But don’t walk away just yet.
- Monitor results for a week or two.
- Ask your team for feedback. Did it help? Is it annoying?
- Adjust as needed. Don’t be afraid to turn it off if it’s not working.
Pro tips for workflows that actually work
- Less is more: One or two well-timed follow-ups beat a drip campaign nobody reads.
- Keep subject lines honest: “Just checking in” is fine, but better if you add context (“Any thoughts on the proposal?”).
- Track what's working: Look at open rates, response rates, and (most importantly) deals won.
- Don’t automate apologies: If you messed up, reach out personally. Automation can’t fix dropped balls.
- Revisit regularly: As your process changes, update your workflows. What worked last year might not work now.
What to skip (or be careful with)
- Over-automating: If every touchpoint is automated, you’ll sound like a robot and people will tune out.
- Long sequences: Three to four steps is plenty. More than that, and you risk hitting the spam folder.
- Generic templates: People know when they’re getting a form letter. Add something real, or keep it to a reminder for you to send something custom.
- Ignoring replies: If someone responds, make sure your automation doesn’t keep sending them follow-ups. That’s a fast way to get marked as spam.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, tweak as you go
Automation isn’t magic. It’s just a way to keep you from dropping the ball when life gets busy. Use Pipedrive to handle the repetitive stuff, but always jump in where a human touch is needed. Start small, see what actually saves you time, and don’t be afraid to turn something off if it gets in the way.
Most importantly: don’t stress about making it perfect. The best workflows are the ones you actually use—and improve over time.