How to Automate Lead Follow-Up in GoHighLevel (Step-by-Step Screenshots)
In sales, speed is everything. The first agent to respond to a lead wins 50% more often. But manual follow-up is time-consuming and inconsistent.
GoHighLevel (GHL) has powerful automation features that let you automate lead follow-up completely. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through building a multi-channel, smart follow-up sequence that responds within seconds, adapts based on prospect behavior, and never lets a hot lead go cold.
What you’ll build:
- Instant SMS acknowledgment when lead submits form
- Email + SMS nurture sequence (days 1, 2, 3, 7)
- Behavior-based branching: if they open/click, adjust messaging
- Automatic task creation for sales reps on high-engagement leads
Time required: 45 minutes
Prerequisites:
- GHL Agency or Pro plan (with SMS enabled)
- Twilio number configured in GHL (Settings → Phone Numbers)
- Email sending domain configured (Settings → Email)
- A contact pipeline (e.g., “Sales Pipeline”)
Step 1: Create the Master Automation Workflow
Navigate to Settings → Automations → Create Workflow.
Choose Trigger
We want this to fire when a lead enters our pipeline. Select:
- Trigger type: Contact
- Trigger event: Adds to pipeline
- Pipeline: [Your sales pipeline]
(Screenshot placeholder: Trigger selection screen showing “Contact adds to pipeline”)
Step 2: Instant Acknowledgment (SMS)
The first action sends an immediate SMS acknowledgment. This is critical — response within 60 seconds increases conversion by 5x.
Add Action → Send SMS
- From number: [Your Twilio number]
- To: {{contact.phone}}
- Message: “Hi {{contact.first_name}}! Thanks for reaching out to [Your Company]. I’ll review your info and get back to you shortly. In the meantime, any specific questions?”
- Timeout: 30 seconds (don’t delay the rest of the workflow)
(Screenshot placeholder: SMS action configuration with merge tags)
Step 3: Add Wait & Email Sequence
Now we’ll add a delay and send the first follow-up email.
Add Action → Send Email
- Delay: 15 minutes after SMS sent
- Email template: Create a new template called “Lead Follow-Up #1”
- Subject: “Following up about [contact.first_name]”
- Body: Personalized with contact name, company, and a clear call-to-action (link to calendar booking)
- From: [Your agent email]
- Reply-to: [Same]
Pro tip: Use the email builder to create a clean, mobile-responsive template. Include a big “Book a Call” button that links to Calendly or your GHL calendar booking page.
Step 4: Conditional Branching Based on Email Opens
If the lead opens the email, we want to accelerate the cadence and notify the sales rep immediately.
Add Condition (IF/ELSE)
- Condition: Email “Lead Follow-Up #1” → Has been opened
- IF true:
- Create task for sales rep: “Call {{contact.first_name}} immediately — they opened email!”
- Send SMS to rep: “Hot lead {{contact.name}} opened your email. Call now.”
- Skip the remaining nurture and jump to “Hot Lead” workflow (we’ll create this later)
- ELSE (false): Continue to next email (Day 2)
Step 5: Day 2 Follow-Up Email
If no opens, send a different angle on Day 2.
Add Action → Send Email (with 24h delay)
- Delay: 24 hours after previous email
- Email template: “Lead Follow-Up #2 – Value Pitch”
- Subject: “A quick question about [contact.company]”
- Body: Focus on value, not features. Example: “I noticed you’re in [industry]. We helped [similar client] increase [metric] by 40% in 30 days. Are you open to a quick chat about how we could do the same for you?”
Step 6: Day 3 SMS Nudge
After the second email, send an SMS to increase response rates.
Add Action → Send SMS (48h after first SMS)
- Message: “Hey {{contact.first_name}}, just following up on my email. Did you have a chance to see it? Reply YES if you’re interested in learning more.”
- From: [Your Twilio number]
Why SMS here? Mixing channels increases response by 2-3x. SMS has 98% open rate.
Step 7: Final Attempt & Cool-Down
If still no response after 7 days, send one last attempt and then stop for 90 days to avoid being spammy.
Add Action → Send Email (Day 7)
- Subject: “Last try — still interested in [Your Service]?”
- Body: Direct, respectful closing. “I don’t want to clutter your inbox. If you’re not interested, just reply ‘NO’ and I’ll stop. If yes, let’s talk.”
Add Action → Add Tag & Stop
- Add tag: “Cold Lead – 90 Day Cooldown”
- Stop this workflow from triggering again for this contact (90-day exclusion)
Step 8: Hot Lead Handoff
When a lead engages (opens email, clicks link, replies), we need to notify the sales rep immediately.
Create Separate “Hot Lead” Workflow
- Trigger: Contact → Tag added → “Hot Lead”
- Actions:
- Create task in GHL: Priority High, call within 5 minutes
- Send SMS to assigned sales rep: “🚨 HOT LEAD: {{contact.name}} ({{contact.phone}}). They just opened email #3. CALL NOW.”
- Log in contact notes: “Automated hot lead alert at [timestamp]”
Step 9: Test Everything
Before going live, test with a dummy contact:
- Create test contact in your pipeline
- Trigger the workflow manually
- Verify SMS sends (check Twilio logs)
- Verify emails arrive (check GHL → Email Logs)
- Check that conditions fire correctly (open email → task created)
- Verify tasks appear in GHL Tasks tab
Step 10: Activate & Monitor
Set the workflow to “Active.” Then monitor for the first week:
- Deliverability: Email open rates should be 30-50%
- SMS delivery: Check Twilio for failed deliveries (invalid numbers)
- Task creation: Ensure reps see and act on tasks
- Conversions: Track how many leads become opportunities
Pro Tips & Gotchas
Compliance: TCPA & SMS Opt-Out
Always include opt-out instructions in SMS: “Reply STOP to unsubscribe.” GHL handles this automatically if you use their SMS system. Keep records of opt-outs.
Rate Limiting
Twilio and email providers have sending limits. If you have 100+ leads/day, add delays or batch sends to avoid being flagged as spam.
Personalization is Key
Use merge tags aggressively: {{contact.first_name}}, {{contact.company}}, {{contact.phone}}. Personalized messages convert 3-5x better.
Don’t Over-Automate
Once a lead replies “YES” or “Interested,” stop the automation and hand off to human immediately. Automated replies after engagement hurt conversion.
Template Export & Download
We’ve built this exact workflow for dozens of clients. Get the exportable GHL automation template (JSON) plus a 15-minute video walkthrough by contacting Flowix AI.
The template includes:
- All steps configured (no setup needed)
- Email templates (HTML)
- SMS message bank
- Best practice notes in comments
Expected Results
After implementing this workflow:
- Lead response time: drops from 4 hours → 60 seconds
- Email open rates: 35-50% (industry avg 18%)
- Contact-to-opportunity conversion: increases 3-5x
- Sales rep productivity: 10+ hours/week saved on manual follow-up
All on autopilot, 24/7, while you sleep.
Need Help Implementing?
Building and debugging automations in GHL can be tricky. Flowix AI specializes in GHL automation for agencies and small businesses. We’ll:
- Set up this exact lead follow-up system (or customize for your needs)
- Connect your Twilio, calendar, and email
- Test thoroughly and train your team
- Provide ongoing support and optimization
Book a free consultation and start automating your lead follow-up today.
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