How to Set Up Automatic Email & SMS Followup in GoHighLevel

Managing follow-ups manually is killing your agency's efficiency. Every lead that doesn't get a timely email or SMS is a lost opportunity—and if you're handling dozens or hundreds of prospects, it's simply impossible to stay on top of manually. That's where GoHighLevel's automation engine changes the game.

In this guide, I'll walk you through setting up powerful automated email and SMS drip campaigns that nurture leads 24/7 without touching a single contact twice. Whether you're an agency running client funnels or a service business scaling your followup, these workflows will become the backbone of your lead conversion system. Ready to implement this? Start your free 30-day trial here and double the standard trial period.

Understanding GoHighLevel's Automation Section

Before you build your first workflow, you need to know where everything lives. GoHighLevel's automation powerhouse is accessed through the Automation section in your dashboard sidebar. This is your command center for all drip campaigns, email sequences, SMS triggers, and workflow recipes.

When you open Automation, you'll see two primary options: Workflows and Workflow Recipes. Workflows are custom automation sequences you build from scratch, while Workflow Recipes are pre-built templates that solve common marketing problems. For beginners, starting with recipes is smart—they're battle-tested sequences you can customize for your specific niche.

The interface uses a flow-based builder where you add "actions" in sequence. Each action represents something your automation will do: send an email, send an SMS, wait a certain amount of time, check a condition, update contact data, or assign a task. Think of it like building a flowchart for your lead nurturing process.

How to Create Automated Email Followup Workflows

Email automation is the foundation of most nurture campaigns. Here's the step-by-step process:

Step 1: Navigate to Workflows
In your Automation section, click "Workflows" then "New Workflow." Give it a clear name like "Lead Magnet Email Sequence" so you can identify it later.

Step 2: Set Your Trigger
A trigger is what starts the workflow. The most common trigger for email followup is "Form Submission." Select the specific form that will kick off the automation. For example, if you have a contact form on your website, every submission to that form will enter this workflow.

Step 3: Add a Wait Action (Optional but Recommended)
Before sending your first email immediately, add a "Wait" action. This gives the lead a moment to breathe after converting. A 30-minute to 2-hour wait is standard. This also prevents your emails from looking too desperate or automated.

Step 4: Add the Send Email Action
Click "Add Action" and select "Send Email." You'll choose from your email templates or create a new one inline. This first email should acknowledge their submission and provide immediate value—share the promised lead magnet, answer a key question, or set expectations for follow-up.

Step 5: Build Your Sequence
Add more wait actions followed by additional emails. A typical sequence might look like this:

• Email 1 (immediate): "Here's your [lead magnet]"
• Wait 3 days
• Email 2: Value-driven content related to their interest
• Wait 3 days
• Email 3: Address common objections or pain points
• Wait 2 days
• Email 4: Soft call-to-action or consultation offer

Step 6: Save and Activate
Click the toggle to activate your workflow. New form submissions will automatically enter the sequence. You can pause workflows without deleting them if you need to adjust messaging.

Setting Up SMS Drip Campaigns for Lead Nurturing

Email is powerful, but SMS has a 98% open rate. Combining both channels creates an unstoppable nurture system. SMS is perfect for speed-to-lead—that critical first contact that often determines whether a lead stays engaged.

Creating Your First SMS Workflow
The setup mirrors email workflows. Create a new workflow and choose your trigger—again, form submission is common. Add a shorter wait time for SMS (30 seconds to 5 minutes is typical). SMS should feel immediate and urgent, not scheduled days out.

Crafting the SMS Action
Click "Add Action" and select "Send SMS." Write concise, benefit-driven messages. SMS works best with:

• One clear message per text
• A single call-to-action (click link, reply, call)
• Under 160 characters when possible (keeps it to one SMS segment)
• Personalization tokens like {{firstName}} to create connection

Multi-Channel Sequences
The real magic happens when you combine SMS and email. A high-performing sequence might be: immediate SMS with a link, followed by an email with more details 2 hours later, then another SMS after 2 days with a different angle. This multi-touch approach keeps your offer top-of-mind.

This is built into GoHighLevel. Try it free for 30 days →

Best Practices for High-Converting Drip Sequences

Segment Your Audience
Not all leads are the same. Use conditions in your workflow to branch sequences. For example, if a lead came from a webinar about "Email Marketing," they enter one sequence. If they came from a webinar about "SMS Marketing," they enter a different one. This requires an extra "Condition" action, but conversion rates jump dramatically.

Test Your Timing
The wait periods between emails matter. 3-day gaps are standard, but your industry might differ. B2B clients often respond better to longer waits (5-7 days), while B2C leads might drop off if waits are too long (2-3 days max). Monitor open rates and reply rates, then adjust.

Focus on Value, Not Selling
The biggest mistake agencies make is hard-selling too early. Your first 3-4 emails should educate, inform, or entertain. Save the sales pitch for email 4 or 5, after you've built trust. This approach dramatically reduces unsubscribes and improves click-through rates.

Use Clear Subject Lines and Preview Text
Your email subject line determines opens. Use curiosity, specificity, or numbers. Avoid spam triggers like excessive caps, exclamation marks, or "FREE!!!" Clear preview text (the first 40-50 characters) should expand on the subject, not repeat it.

Personalizing Workflows with Contact Data

Generic drip campaigns get ignored. Personalization boosts engagement. GoHighLevel lets you insert dynamic tags that pull directly from your contact record.

Common Personalization Tokens:

• {{firstName}} — Lead's first name
• {{lastName}} — Lead's last name
• {{phone}} — Phone number
• {{email}} — Email address
• {{customField}} — Any custom field you created

In your email or SMS, simply add these tags in double braces. When the email sends, GoHighLevel automatically fills in the actual data. "Hi {{firstName}}, thanks for downloading our guide" becomes "Hi John, thanks for downloading our guide."

Advanced Personalization
Use conditions to branch workflows based on custom fields. If a contact selected "Agency Owner" in a dropdown, they enter a sequence for agencies. If they selected "Freelancer," they enter the freelancer sequence. This level of segmentation feels hand-crafted and converts far better than one-size-fits-all messaging.

You can also log actions within the workflow. Update a contact's status to "Engaged" after they click an email link, or add a tag like "Webinar-Attendee" to build segments for future campaigns.

Final Thoughts

Automated email and SMS followup isn't about being lazy—it's about being strategic. Once your workflows are live, you can nurture 100, 500, or 1,000 leads simultaneously with zero additional effort. Your sequences run while you sleep, converting cold contacts into warm leads and warm leads into customers.

The best time to start was yesterday. The second-best time is right now. Pick one workflow, build it this week, and watch how it transforms your lead conversion rates. GoHighLevel's automation tools are built for this exact purpose, and the 30-day free trial gives you plenty of time to test, measure, and optimize before committing.