10.12 Planning Your Automation Strategy (Key Real Estate Workflows)

Don't try to automate everything at once. Start by identifying the most time-consuming, repetitive tasks or critical follow-up points in your agency's processes and build workflows for those first. Focus on high-impact automations that will save time and prevent leads from falling through the cracks.

Key Real Estate Workflows to Consider Implementing:

  1. New Lead Follow-Up (Crucial - Speed to Lead):
    • Triggers: Form Submitted (Website, Valuation), Facebook/TikTok/LinkedIn Lead Form Submitted, Contact Created (filtered by Portal Source Tag like Zillow/Realtor).
    • Actions: Add source tag, Create/Update Opportunity, Assign Owner (Round Robin/Territory), Internal Notification to Agent (SMS/App), Wait 1-5 mins, Send Initial Welcome SMS, Send Initial Welcome Email, start longer-term nurture sequence (Wait steps + value emails/SMS + manual call tasks).
  2. Appointment Reminders:
    • Triggers: Appointment Status = Confirmed or Customer Booked Appointment (filtered by specific Calendar: Showing, Consultation, Listing Appt).
    • Actions: Wait until X hours/days before -> Send SMS Reminder, Send Email Reminder. Include {{appointment...}} details.
  3. Post-Appointment Follow-Up:
    • Triggers: Appointment Status = Showed OR Appointment Status = No Show (filtered by specific Calendar). Use If/Else based on trigger status.
    • Actions (Showed): Add Tag Attended Showing/Consult, Send Thank You / Feedback Request Email/SMS, Create Task for Agent Follow-up.
    • Actions (No Show): Add Tag Missed Showing/Consult, Send "Sorry we missed you" Email/SMS with reschedule link ({{appointment.reschedule_link}}), Create Task for Agent to call/reschedule.
  4. Task Creation Based on Pipeline Stage:
    • Triggers: Pipeline Stage Changed (filtered by Pipeline and specific Stage).
    • Actions: Add Task assigned to relevant user (Agent, TC). Examples: Stage Listing Appt Set -> Task Prepare Listing Presentation. Stage Under Contract -> Task Order Inspection. Stage Closing Scheduled -> Task Coordinate Final Walkthrough.
  5. Post-Closing Sequence:
    • Triggers: Opportunity Status Changed = Won (filtered by Pipeline).
    • Actions: Wait a few days, Send Thank You Email, Send Review Request action, Add Task (Send Closing Gift), Add to Workflow (Past Client Nurture). Add Past Client Tag. Update Contact Type.
  6. Sphere / Past Client Long-Term Nurture:
    • Triggers: Birthday Reminder, Custom Date Reminder (Home Anniversary), Contact Tag (Past Client, Sphere).
    • Actions: Send personalized Birthday/Anniversary Email/SMS. Periodically (Wait steps) send valuable Market Update emails, Home Maintenance Tip emails, Community Event info. Maintain top-of-mind awareness for referrals/repeat business.
  7. Internal Notifications / Lead Routing:
    • Triggers: New Lead events (Forms, Ads, Calls).
    • Actions: Use If/Else based on source/zip code -> Assign to User -> Send Internal Notification to assigned agent. Notify manager for high-value leads.

Start with 1-2 core workflows, test them thoroughly, and gradually build out more automation as you gain confidence and identify further opportunities for efficiency.