How to Set Up Automatic Lead Follow-Up in 30 Minutes

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The Goal

By the time you finish this guide, you'll have:

• ✅ Missed-call text-back running automatically
• ✅ A 3-message follow-up sequence that runs by itself
• ✅ A system that tells you when you actually need to call someone

Total time if you follow along: about 30 minutes.

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What You Need

• A HighLevel account (any plan)
• A phone number assigned in HighLevel
• About 30 uninterrupted minutes

If you haven't set up A2P 10DLC yet, you can still build everything — your texts just won't send reliably until registration is approved. Start the registration first, build while you wait.

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Phase 1: Missed-Call Text-Back (10 minutes)

This is the foundation. When someone calls and you can't answer, they get a text immediately.

1. Settings → Phone System → Voice → Voicemail & Missed Call Text Back
2. Select Missed Call Text Back
3. Toggle ON
4. Write your message. Keep it simple:

> "Hey, [NAME] from [COMPANY]. On a job and missed your call. I'll call back within 30 min, or text me here."

1. Send a test to your own number
2. Save

Done. Every missed call now gets a response. [🔗 Full setup guide with screenshots →]

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Phase 2: The 3-Message Follow-Up Sequence (15 minutes)

Now let's build the automation that handles what happens after the first text.

Create a New Workflow

1. Go to Automations → Workflows
2. Click Create Workflow
3. Name it: "Lead Follow-Up Sequence"
4. Trigger: Select "Missed Call Received"

Build the Sequence

• Action: Send SMS
• Template: Your missed-call text-back message (from Phase 1)
• (Or skip this if you're using the native missed-call text-back instead)

• Action: Wait
• Duration: 24 hours

• Action: If/Else (Conditional)
• Condition: Lead has replied to any message
• If YES → Remove from workflow. Tag: "Needs Human Follow-Up"
• If NO → Continue

• Action: Send SMS
• Template:

> "Hey, [NAME] from [COMPANY] checking in. Still need help with [service]? Happy to chat when you're free."

• Same as Step 3

• Action: Send SMS
• Template:

> "Last message from me! Reach out anytime at [phone]. -[NAME] from [COMPANY]"

• Action: Add Tag "Cold — Followed Up"
• Remove from workflow

Save and Publish

Click Save then Publish. It's now live.

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Phase 3: The Human Follow-Up List (5 minutes)

Automation is great, but you still need to call people back when they reply. Let's create a saved view to see exactly who needs a callback.

Create a Smart List

1. Go to Contacts → Smart Lists
2. Create New Smart List: "Needs Callback"
3. Filters:

• Tag equals "Needs Human Follow-Up"
• Last contacted is not today

1. Save

Now you (or your team) can check this list daily and make callbacks. Once you call them, remove the tag.

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That's It

In 30 minutes, you've built:

• An automatic response to every missed call
• A 3-message drip that follows up over 3 days
• A daily callback list so you never forget who to call

No ongoing effort. No remembering. Just texts that send themselves and a list that tells you what to do.

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What to Do Next

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Want to Go Further?

Once this basic system is running, you can add:

• Estimate follow-ups: A separate workflow for after you send a quote
• Review requests: Automatically ask for a review after job completion
• Reactivation campaigns: Reach out to cold leads after 30-60 days
• Booking links: Let leads schedule calls directly from your texts

But start here. Get the basics running. See results. Then layer on more.

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