Setup: Your First Workflow

Why This Matters

Workflows automate your follow-up process so no contact falls through the cracks. Instead of manually remembering to send emails, create tasks, or update records, workflows handle these steps automatically—saving you hours each week while ensuring consistent, timely communication with every contact.

Your first workflow establishes the foundation for automated marketing and follow-up systems that run reliably in the background while you focus on closing deals and serving clients.

Before You Begin

Decide which follow-up scenario you need most. Common first workflows include welcoming new leads, following up after consultations, or nurturing newsletter subscribers.

Review the pre-built workflow templates available in your system—these give you a proven starting point rather than building from scratch.

Prepare any email templates you'll need. Workflow templates include generic emails that you should customize to match your voice and business before activating the workflow.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Access Workflows

Go to Automation in your main navigation menu and select Workflows from the dropdown.

The Workflows page displays all existing workflows organized in a table showing workflow names, number of steps, duration, and current active contacts.

This is your workflow command center where you'll create, edit, and monitor all automated sequences.

Time: 30 seconds


2. Choose a Sample Template

Click the Samples button in the top right corner.

A modal appears showing seven pre-built workflow templates designed for common follow-up scenarios:

  • Smart Start Follow-Up - For contacts you already know
  • Free Resource Delivery Follow-Up - For downloadable content
  • Consultation Request Follow-Up - For discovery calls
  • Quote/Estimate Request Follow-Up - For service quotes
  • Event/Webinar Registration - For events and workshops
  • General Inquiry Follow-Up - For Contact Us forms
  • Newsletter Signup Welcome - For email subscribers

Click the template that best matches your most common follow-up need. For example, if you frequently get consultation requests, select "Consultation Request Follow-Up."

The system creates a copy of this template in your workflow list, ready for you to customize.

Templates save you from building workflows from scratch by providing proven sequences you can adapt to your business.

Time: 2 minutes


3. Review the Workflow Structure

Click your newly created workflow name to open the workflow builder.

You'll see the complete workflow sequence displayed vertically, showing:

  • Global Rules section at the top - Conditions that apply before every step
  • Workflow Steps section - Each action listed in order with icons indicating step type
  • Email steps (envelope icon) - Automated emails sent to contacts
  • Task steps (checkmark icon) - To-dos created for your follow-up
  • Pause steps (pause icon) - Time delays between actions

Scroll through the entire sequence to understand what this workflow does, when it sends emails, what tasks it creates, and how long the complete sequence runs.

Understanding the workflow structure before customization helps you see how everything connects and where changes make the most sense.

Time: 3 minutes


4. Customize Workflow Emails

The template emails are generic placeholders—you must customize them before using the workflow with real contacts.

For each email step in your workflow:

  • Click the Edit icon (pencil) next to the email step
  • Click Go to Template or the template name link
  • Review the email content, subject line, and sender settings
  • Edit the content to match your voice, business, and specific offer
  • Update placeholder text like "[Your Company]" or "[Your Service]"
  • Ensure the tone and messaging align with your brand
  • Save the email template

Return to the workflow after editing each email. Repeat this process for all email steps.

Generic template emails feel impersonal and reduce effectiveness—customization makes your automation feel human and relevant.

Time: 15-30 minutes depending on how many emails need editing


5. Review and Adjust Tasks

Check the task steps created by the workflow. Click the Edit icon next to any task step to review:

  • Task name and description
  • Due date timing (when the task appears after the workflow starts)
  • Who the task is assigned to

Adjust task timing or descriptions if needed to match your actual follow-up process. For example, if the template creates a task "due in 1 day" but you prefer 2 days, change it.

Tasks ensure you take timely personal action while the workflow handles automated communications.

Time: 5 minutes


6. Adjust Timing Between Steps (Optional)

Review the pause steps between actions. Click Edit on any pause to adjust timing.

You can change:

  • Duration (days, hours, or minutes)
  • Pause type (set duration, until specific date, until day of week, etc.)

For example, if the template pauses 2 days between emails but you prefer 3 days, edit the pause step and change it to 3 days.

Timing affects how contacts experience your follow-up—too fast feels pushy, too slow loses momentum. Adjust based on your sales cycle and industry norms.

Time: 3 minutes


7. Review Global Rules

Check the Global Workflow Rules section at the top of your workflow. These conditions apply before every step runs.

Common global rules include "Stop if Contact is Assigned Tag: [Tag Name]" which prevents the workflow from sending additional steps once a condition changes.

The template may include rules like "Stop if Tag = Consultation Scheduled" to prevent sending follow-up emails after someone books a call. Leave these in place or adjust tags to match your system.

Global rules ensure workflows respect contact status changes and stop automatically when appropriate.

Time: 2 minutes


8. Name Your Workflow

Click Rename at the top of the workflow page.

Replace the generic template name with a clear, descriptive name that explains the workflow's purpose. Examples:

  • "New Lead Welcome Series"
  • "Consultation Request Follow-Up - 5 Days"
  • "Event Registration Confirmation Flow"

Avoid vague names like "Workflow 1"—you'll manage multiple workflows over time and clear names help you find and update them quickly.

Clear naming makes workflow management effortless as your automation library grows.

Time: 1 minute


9. Test Your Workflow

Before using your workflow with real contacts, test it on yourself:

  1. Create a test contact using your own email address
  2. Go to that test contact's record
  3. Click the Actions menu
  4. Select Run Workflow
  5. Choose your newly customized workflow
  6. Watch for emails to arrive and verify content, timing, and sender information
  7. Check that tasks appear in your To-Do list as expected

If something looks wrong, go back to the workflow, make adjustments, and remove the test contact from the workflow to test again.

Testing catches mistakes before they reach real contacts, protecting your professional reputation.

Time: 10-15 minutes including waiting for timed emails


10. Apply Your Workflow to Contacts

Once testing confirms everything works correctly, you're ready to use the workflow with real contacts.

For individual contacts:

  1. Open any contact record
  2. Click the Actions menu
  3. Select Run Workflow
  4. Choose your workflow from the list
  5. The contact immediately enters the workflow sequence

For landing pages (recommended for new leads):

  1. Go to Landing Pages in your main menu
  2. Edit the landing page that collects the type of leads this workflow serves
  3. In the Automation tab, select your workflow from the "Run Workflow" dropdown
  4. Save the landing page

Now every new contact who submits that landing page form automatically enters your workflow.

Connecting workflows to landing pages creates truly hands-free lead nurturing that runs 24/7.

Time: 2-5 minutes per contact or landing page connection

Questions and Answers

Q: Do I have to use a template, or can I build a workflow from scratch?

A: You can do either. Templates provide a proven starting point that's faster to set up, while building from scratch gives you complete control. For your first workflow, templates help you learn the system before designing custom sequences.


Q: What happens if I don't customize the template emails?

A: The generic template emails will send with Mail Merged Profile information. We do recommend you customize the templates, but if you don't, they will work and contain your contact information.


Q: Can I edit a workflow after contacts are already in it?

A: Yes, but changes only affect contacts entering the workflow after your edits. Contacts already in progress continue with the original version they started with.


Q: How do I know which contacts are currently in my workflow?

A: From the Workflows list page, check the "Current Contacts" column. Click that number to see everyone actively going through the sequence. You can also check individual contact records—the Workflow tab shows which workflows they're in.


Q: What if someone opts out of email mid-workflow?

A: The system automatically respects opt-out status. Contacts who unsubscribe won't receive pending workflow emails even if they technically remain "in" the workflow.


Q: Can I stop a workflow for a specific person?

A: Yes. Open their contact record, go to the Workflow tab, and remove them from any active workflows. This stops all pending steps immediately.


Q: Should I create different workflows for different types of leads?

A: Absolutely. Create separate workflows for consultation requests, free resource downloads, event registrations, and other distinct scenarios. Targeted workflows with relevant content perform better than generic sequences.


Q: How long should my first workflow be?

A: Start simple—3 to 5 emails over 7 to 14 days works well for most follow-up scenarios. You can always extend it later once you see how contacts respond.


Q: Can I add text messages to a workflow template?

A: Yes, if text messaging is enabled on your account. Click "Add Step" and select "Send Text Message" to add SMS at any point in the sequence.


Q: What if I want to send emails only on weekdays?

A: Edit pause steps and change from "Pause For Set Duration" to "Pause Until Day of Week" to skip weekends. This ensures emails only send Monday through Friday.


Q: How do I stop the entire workflow if someone becomes a client?

A: Add a global rule at the top: "Stop if Contact is Assigned Category: Client." This checks before every step and automatically ends the workflow if their status changes.


Q: Can I see what my workflow did for a specific contact?

A: Yes. Open their contact record and check the activity log. It shows all emails sent, tasks created, and other actions performed by workflows.

Guide Type: One-Time Setup Task

Estimated Time: 45 minutes