Lead Follow-Up System

Why This Matters

Golf clubs lose revenue not because they lack enquiries, but because those enquiries are not followed up consistently or quickly enough. Leads arrive through website forms, Facebook ads, and phone calls. Without a structured system, they land in personal inboxes, get noted on Post-its, or get forgotten entirely.

The club that responds fastest wins the booking.

A lead contacted within five minutes of enquiring is 21x more likely to convert than one contacted after 30 minutes. Clubs that respond in hours rather than minutes are losing bookings to competitors who respond in seconds.

The Two Systems

CAPTURE runs two distinct follow-up systems. Which one applies depends on a single question: will this club call their Facebook leads personally?

One lead, one opportunity card — always. Every lead generates exactly one opportunity card in exactly one pipeline. There is no duplication. Lead source is recorded via tags, but the lead itself lives in one place only.

Pipeline Stages

The following stages apply to every department pipeline in CAPTURE. The structure is identical across all pipelines; only the message copy changes depending on the enquiry type.

Department Pipelines

All department pipelines share the same stage structure above. The Facebook Leads pipeline is used by Lead Autopilot only and has a different structure.

Process Flow Diagrams

The diagram below shows the complete process for both systems. Use the tabs to switch between Speed to Lead and Lead Autopilot.

Speed to Lead — Step by Step

Core mechanic: Each pipeline stage = 3 contact modes. Call (manual, by salesperson) + SMS (automatic) + Email (automatic). The salesperson handles the call. The system handles everything else.

Step 1 — New Lead

A lead submits a form or is added manually. The contact is placed in the New Lead stage of the relevant department pipeline. An auto-reply email fires immediately, the lead is assigned to a salesperson, and a task is created: call within 5 minutes.

Step 2 — First Call

The salesperson calls the lead as quickly as possible — the target is within 5 minutes of the enquiry arriving. If the lead replies to the auto-reply at any point before or between calls, the system automatically moves them to In Contact (Warm) and fires a staff notification. The salesperson picks up the conversation manually from that point.

If there is no reply, the salesperson makes the call and moves the card based on the outcome.

Step 3 — Attempted Contact 1, 2, and 3

The salesperson calls the lead. If there is no answer, they move the opportunity card to Attempted Contact 1. The system fires an SMS, an email, and creates a 48-hour follow-up task automatically.

If the salesperson does not make the next call within 48 hours, a notification fires every 24 hours until they act.

At any point, if the lead replies to any automated message, they are automatically moved to In Contact (Warm), the automation stops, and staff take over.

This same pattern repeats at Attempted Contact 2 and 3.

Step 4 — Outcome

If the lead converts at any point during the sequence — after a call, after replying, or after a visit — the salesperson moves the card to Won manually. This closes the opportunity and stops all automation.

Lead Autopilot — Step by Step

Lead Autopilot is a fully automated follow-up system for Facebook leads where the club will not call. Facebook leads are typically colder and can arrive in high volume. The system runs the entire outreach sequence automatically, surfacing only those leads who actively respond.

The key difference: In Speed to Lead, the salesperson is the trigger. In Lead Autopilot, the system is the trigger. Staff only get involved when a lead replies.

Step 1 — Lead Created

A Facebook Lead Ad form is submitted. The system automatically:

• Creates a contact record
• Tags the lead with source_facebook and the campaign name (e.g. campaign_womens_membership_mar26)
• Records GDPR consent
• Sends a confirmation email: "Thanks for your interest — we'll be in touch shortly"

The lead is placed in the Facebook Leads pipeline (not a department pipeline). No staff action is required at this point.

Step 2 — Automated Follow-Up Sequence

If the lead does not reply to the confirmation message within 24 hours, the system runs the following sequence automatically:

At each point the system checks for a reply. If the lead replies at any stage, they are immediately pulled out of the sequence (see below). If they do not reply, the next message fires automatically.

Step 3 — How Replies Are Handled

This is the most critical piece of the build. When a lead replies to any message in the Lead Autopilot sequence:

1. The lead is immediately removed from the automated follow-up sequence
2. The system checks which campaign the lead came from via the campaign tag
3. The lead is automatically moved into the correct department pipeline at In Contact (Warm) (e.g. a Membership campaign lead goes into the Membership pipeline at In Contact (Warm))
4. A staff notification fires
5. The salesperson picks up the conversation manually from that point

The routing logic must be built into the workflow trigger in GHL. Each campaign workflow needs to know which department pipeline to route replied leads into, based on the campaign tag applied when the lead was created.

Step 4 — No Response

If the lead does not reply after all three follow-ups, they are tagged as non-responsive and enter a long-term nurture sequence. The system re-activates them automatically if they open or click a future message.

Campaign Structure

Each Facebook Lead Ad campaign gets its own dedicated workflow folder in GHL. The process for a new campaign:

1. Create the Facebook Lead Ad and form in Meta for Business
2. Duplicate the master Lead Autopilot workflow folder in GHL
3. Rename to match the campaign (e.g. Women's Membership — Mar 2026)
4. Update the trigger to match the specific lead form
5. Update the campaign tag (e.g. campaign_womens_membership_mar26)
6. Set the department pipeline routing for replies (to In Contact (Warm))
7. Write bespoke follow-up copy for this campaign
8. QA test with a dummy lead before going live

Message Templates

All copy below is provisional until approved by each client. Custom values pull in the relevant details automatically.

Custom Values

Auto-Reply (New Lead)

Email subject: We've received your enquiry — [Club Name]

Hi [contact.first_name],

Thank you for getting in touch. We've received your enquiry and someone
from our team will be in contact with you shortly.

If you'd prefer to speak with us now, please call us on [department_phone].

Best,
[Club Name] Team

Attempted Contact 1

SMS:

Hi [contact.first_name], we just tried to call you about your
[enquiry_type]. If now isn't a good time, just reply to let us know
when works best. — [user.first_name]

Email subject: We tried to reach you — [Club Name]

Hi [contact.first_name],

I just tried to give you a call about your [enquiry_type] but wasn't
able to get through. I'd love to chat through what you're looking for.

When would be a good time to try again? Just reply or call me on
[department_phone].

Best,
[user.first_name]

Attempted Contact 2

SMS:

Hi [contact.first_name], just following up on your [enquiry_type].
We're keen to help — let me know if you'd prefer a call or email.
— [user.first_name]

Email subject: Quick follow-up — [enquiry_type]

Hi [contact.first_name],

I wanted to follow up on your [enquiry_type] — I know things get busy
and messages can slip through. I'm here whenever you're ready to chat.

Best,
[user.first_name]

Attempted Contact 3 (Final)

SMS:

Hi [contact.first_name], this is my final attempt to reach you about
your [enquiry_type]. If the timing isn't right, no problem — just let
me know. Otherwise I'll close this off for now. — [user.first_name]

Email subject: Closing the loop — [enquiry_type]

Hi [contact.first_name],

I've tried to reach you a few times about your [enquiry_type] and
haven't been able to connect. I completely understand if the timing
isn't right.

I'll close this off for now, but if you'd like to pick things up,
just reply to this email.

All the best,
[user.first_name]

Staff Overdue Notification (Internal)

Internal Reminder: You have not contacted [contact.first_name]
[contact.last_name] in the past 48 hours. This lead is waiting for a
follow-up call. Please contact them now or move them to the next stage
in CAPTURE.

Lead Autopilot Message Templates

All copy is bespoke per campaign and must be written or approved before going live. The templates below are starting points only.

Confirmation (Immediate — on Lead Creation)

Email subject: Thanks for your interest — [Club Name]

Hi [contact.first_name],

Thanks for your interest in [campaign offer]. We've received your details
and will be in touch shortly with more information.

Best,
[Club Name] Team

Day 1 Follow-Up

SMS:

Hi [contact.first_name], thanks for your interest in [campaign offer].
I'd love to tell you more — just reply here and I'll get back to you.
— [Club Name]

Email subject: A little more about [campaign offer]

Hi [contact.first_name],

I wanted to follow up on your interest in [campaign offer] and share
a bit more about what's included.

[Insert campaign-specific details here]

If you have any questions or want to chat, just reply to this email.

Best,
[Club Name] Team

Day 3 Follow-Up

SMS:

Hi [contact.first_name], just checking in about [campaign offer].
Happy to answer any questions — just reply here. — [Club Name]

Email subject: Still interested in [campaign offer]?

Hi [contact.first_name],

I wanted to check in on your interest in [campaign offer]. I know things
get busy, so no pressure at all.

If you'd like to find out more or have any questions, I'm here.

Best,
[Club Name] Team

Day 7 Follow-Up (Final)

SMS:

Hi [contact.first_name], this is my last message about [campaign offer].
If the timing isn't right, no problem — just let me know and I'll leave
you in peace. — [Club Name]

Email subject: Closing the loop — [campaign offer]

Hi [contact.first_name],

I've reached out a couple of times about [campaign offer] and I don't
want to keep bothering you if the timing isn't right.

If you'd like to pick things up at any point, just reply to this email
and I'll be happy to help.

All the best,
[Club Name] Team

Source Tracking

Every lead in CAPTURE is tagged with its source when the contact is created. These tags must never be removed.

Implementation Guide

First test client: Crane Valley Golf Club. All Speed to Lead build and testing must be done in Crane Valley's sub-account first. Do not push anything live without James's explicit approval and a full QA pass.

Phase 1 — Update All Pipelines

• Add Won stage to every department pipeline in the master snapshot, positioned after In Contact (Hot)
• Confirm stage order is: New Lead › Attempted Contact 1 › Attempted Contact 2 › Attempted Contact 3 › In Contact (Warm) › In Contact (Hot) › Won › Long Term Prospect
• Apply to all live client sub-accounts
• Update master spreadsheet to reflect new stage structure

Phase 2 — Speed to Lead Workflows (Membership First)

• New Lead: auto-reply + assign + task (5 mins)
• Attempted Contact 1: SMS + email + task (48hrs) + overdue reminder
• Attempted Contact 2: SMS + email + task (48hrs) + overdue reminder
• Attempted Contact 3: final SMS + email + task (72hrs) + overdue reminder
• Reply handler: detect reply → auto-move to In Contact (Warm) → staff notification
• Long Term Prospect: 30-day nurture + re-activation trigger

Phase 3 — Speed to Lead QA

• Test with dummy contact in Membership pipeline
• Verify SMS, email, tasks, and overdue reminders all fire correctly
• Test reply detection: confirm auto-move to In Contact (Warm) works
• Send results to James for sign-off
• Get Crane Valley approval on all copy before go-live

Phase 4 — Roll Out to All Pipelines

• Duplicate workflows for all seven remaining department pipelines
• Update enquiry type custom value per pipeline
• QA each pipeline with a dummy contact

Phase 5 — Add to Master Snapshot

• Add confirmed workflows to master snapshot
• Document all tags, custom fields, and custom values in master spreadsheet

Phase 6 — Lead Autopilot Build

• Replicate GDPR tagging from website form automations
• Confirm custom field naming convention with James
• Create test Facebook Lead Ad form in Albatross Meta account
• Build master Lead Autopilot workflow folder in GHL
• Build reply handler: detect reply → check campaign tag → route to correct dept pipeline at In Contact (Warm) → fire staff notification
• Test with dummy leads through the Meta test tool
• Verify reply routing works correctly for at least two different campaign types
• QA thoroughly before any live client deployment

Non-Negotiable Rules

1. Never publish to a live client sub-account without James's explicit approval.
2. Any new tags, custom fields, or custom values must be added to the master spreadsheet immediately.
3. Flag anything unclear before building — it is far easier to correct a plan than unpick a live automation.
4. All client-facing copy is provisional until the client has approved it.
5. QA every workflow with a dummy contact before it touches a real lead.