Setting up automated follow up sequences using Buyerdeck templates

Let’s be honest: nobody likes chasing prospects who ghost you after a demo. But if you’re not following up, you’re leaving deals on the table. The problem? Manual follow-ups are tedious, easy to mess up, and—let’s admit it—kind of soul-sucking. That’s where automated follow-up sequences come in.

If you’re using or considering Buyerdeck to manage your sales process, you can use its templates and automation features to put your follow-ups on autopilot (without sounding like a robot). This guide will show you how, step-by-step, with a focus on what actually works and what’s just noise.

Who’s this for? Anyone in sales or customer success who wants to stop dropping the ball on follow-ups, save time, and still sound like a human.

Why Automate Follow-Ups in the First Place?

You’re busy. No one has time to remember who to nudge and when.
Consistency wins deals. Most reps give up after one or two tries; the money’s usually in the fifth or sixth touch.
Manual follow-ups are error-prone. Forgetting to send that second email? Happens all the time.
Templates save brainpower. Stop rewriting the same message 20 times a week.

But let’s not kid ourselves: automation done badly just annoys people. The trick is to set up sequences that don’t sound like spam, and to actually pay attention to replies.

Step 1: Get the Lay of the Land in Buyerdeck

Before you start automating, poke around Buyerdeck’s automation and template tools. If you’ve never set up an email sequence before, don’t worry—it’s less complicated than your CRM’s admin panel.

What to look for:

Templates library: Buyerdeck has a bunch of ready-made follow-up templates. Some are good, some are cringe. More on that in a bit.
Sequence builder: This is where you chain messages together, set delays, and decide what happens if someone replies.
Personalization tokens: You can drop in fields like {{first_name}} or {{company}} so you don’t have to hand-edit every message.
Trigger settings: You choose when a sequence starts (e.g., after a meeting, when a buyer opens your deck, etc.).

Pro Tip: Don’t try to automate everything at once. Start with the follow-up sequence you use most often (like post-demo or after sending a proposal).

Step 2: Pick (Or Build) Your Templates

Here’s where most people get lazy: they grab the first template they see and blast it to everyone. That’s how you end up in spam folders—or worse, on LinkedIn “roast this email” threads. Take five minutes to do it right.

What Makes a Good Follow-Up Template?

Short and direct. Nobody’s reading a novel in their inbox.
Personalized. Use what you know—reference the last call, their goals, or something you actually discussed.
Clear ask. Don’t just say “thoughts?” or “bumping this up.” Be specific about what you want.
Easy to reply to. Avoid open-ended questions that require mental energy.

Using Buyerdeck’s Pre-Built Templates

Buyerdeck offers a library of templates like “Post-Demo Follow-Up,” “Proposal Sent,” and “Breakup Email.” Some are decent, but don’t trust them blindly. Read each one and ask:

Would you reply to this?
Does it sound like you, or like a bot?
Does it mention things specific to your sales process?

If the answer is no, tweak it or build your own from scratch.

Pro Tip: Steal good lines, not whole templates. Mix and match phrases that sound natural to you.

Step 3: Build Your Sequence

Now for the fun part: stringing your messages together so the system takes care of the grunt work.

How Many Touches?

There’s no magic number, but here’s what usually works (and doesn’t):

3 to 5 emails, spaced out over 2–3 weeks. Any more and you start to look desperate.
Mix up your approach. Don’t just resend the same email. Vary your subject lines and angles.
Know when to stop. If they haven’t replied after 5 touches, move on or try a different channel.

Sequencing in Buyerdeck

In Buyerdeck’s sequence builder:

Add your first email. This is the “thanks for your time” or “here’s the info” message.
Set a delay. Typically wait 2–3 days before the next touch.
Add follow-up emails. Each should have a different purpose—reminder, new angle, last call, etc.
Set exit conditions. If someone replies, the sequence should stop automatically.
(Optional) Add tasks or reminders. Sometimes a phone call or LinkedIn message is worth more than another email.

Example sequence:

Day 0: “Thanks for your time today—here’s what we covered…” (Reference the meeting.)
Day 3: “Quick question about your decision process…” (Make it easy for them to reply.)
Day 7: “Still interested in moving forward?” (Short, direct.)
Day 14: “Last attempt—should I close your file?” (The classic breakup email.)

What Doesn’t Work

Sending the same email over and over. People notice.
Fake urgency (“last chance!”) when there’s no real deadline.
Gimmicky subject lines. “Did you fall into a well?”—just don’t.

Step 4: Personalize Without Losing Your Mind

Automation is great, but if your follow-up looks like a mail merge from 2009, it’s not helping you.

Use Personalization Tokens Wisely

First name, company, recent event. That’s usually enough.
Reference the last conversation or a specific pain point. This is what separates you from the bots.
Don’t overdo it. Forced personalization (“How’s the weather in Boise?”) is worse than none at all.

Where to Edit

Before you hit “activate,” go through each message in your sequence and:

Double-check the personalization tokens. Typos stand out.
Add a line or two that’s unique to the recipient if you can.
Cut anything that sounds generic or doesn’t add value.

Pro Tip: If you can’t personalize every touch, at least make the first and last emails count.

Step 5: Set Triggers and Monitor Responses

Automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” You still need to pay attention to replies and adjust your approach.

Triggers to Use (and Not Use)

Best: After a key meeting, when someone opens your deck, or when a proposal is sent.
Avoid: Blasting sequences to cold leads who’ve never heard from you. That’s spam.

Watch for Signals

If someone replies, pause or end the sequence.
If they click but don’t reply, consider a different approach (call, LinkedIn, etc.).
If they unsubscribe or mark you as spam, rethink your content.

Adjust as You Go

Check your open and reply rates after a few weeks:

Low open rates? Tweak your subject lines.
No replies? Change your call-to-action or try a new approach.
High unsubscribe? You’re probably too aggressive or not relevant.

Pro Tip: Automation is only as good as what you put in. Review and refine your sequences monthly.

Step 6: Don’t Fall for the Automation Hype

Buyerdeck can save you a ton of time, but it won’t magically make people care. Here’s what to ignore:

Promises of “20x higher reply rates” with the right template. There’s no silver bullet.
Fancy graphics or GIFs in your emails. They usually hurt deliverability.
Over-automating. If you never check your inbox or tailor a message, you’ll sound like a robot.

Focus on being helpful, clear, and (when possible) human.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often

Automated follow-ups in Buyerdeck are a lifesaver if you set them up thoughtfully. Start with one sequence, keep your messages short and useful, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. If you find yourself dreading your own emails, prospects probably are too—so keep it real and keep improving. You’ll close more deals and spend less time in your inbox, which is the real win.