Master the follow-up: a step-by-step guide to nethunt crm email sequences in gmail
Why NetHunt CRM is the ultimate tool for gmail automation
Most email tools feel like "add-ons"—extra buttons that clutter your screen and require you to jump back and forth between your inbox and a separate dashboard. NetHunt CRM is different because it was built specifically to live inside Gmail. It doesn't just send emails; it turns your inbox into a living, breathing command center for your business.
It’s more than just email; it’s CRM intelligence
The biggest mistake businesses make is keeping their "conversations" (Gmail) separate from their "data" (CRM). When you use NetHunt, every automated email is linked to a customer record. This means if a lead opens your email five times, that data is recorded directly on their CRM profile. You aren't just sending messages into a void; you are building a timeline of every interaction a customer has with your brand.
The power of behavioral triggers
While basic tools send sequences based only on a timer (e.g., "Send Email 2 after two days"), NetHunt allows you to trigger sequences based on CRM behavior.
- This ensures your automation feels personal and timely, rather than robotic.
- NetHunt notices this change and can automatically kick off a "Success Stories" sequence to help close the deal.
- Imagine a prospect moves from the "Evaluating" stage to "Interested" in your sales pipeline.
The "one-tab" workflow
Context switching is a productivity killer. Statistics show that it takes the brain significant time to refocus after switching between different apps. With NetHunt, there is zero tab-switching. You manage your leads, update deal values, and build complex multi-step sequences without ever clicking away from your Gmail tab. The CRM sidebar sits right next to your emails, giving you all the context you need to make every automated message feel like it was hand-typed just for the recipient.
Step 1: crafting your message templates
The secret to a successful automated sequence is making sure your recipients never feel like they are "just a number" in a database. Before you build the logic of your sequence, you need to prepare the content. In NetHunt, this starts with Email Templates.
Using personalization tags: make automation feel human
Nothing kills a lead's interest faster than an email that starts with "Dear Customer" or "Hi there." NetHunt allows you to pull information directly from your CRM records and "inject" it into your emails using Personalization Tags.
When you write your template, you use placeholders like {{First Name}} or {{Company}}. When the email is sent, NetHunt automatically replaces those tags with the actual data from that specific contact’s profile.
The Result: Your recipient receives an email that says, "Hi Sarah, I noticed [Company Name] is expanding..." instead of a generic blast. It looks like you spent the morning researching them, even though NetHunt did the work in milliseconds.
Go Beyond the Name: You aren't limited to just names. You can use tags for {{Last Purchase}}, {{Job Title}}, or even a {{Custom Note}} field you’ve created.
Step 2: building your workflow
Once your templates are ready, it’s time to build the "brain" of your sequence. In NetHunt CRM, this happens in the Workflows section. Think of a workflow as a map: you’re telling the system exactly which path a contact should take from the moment they enter your radar.
Choosing your trigger: how the sequence starts
Every automation needs a "Spark" - an event that tells NetHunt, "Start the sequence for this person right now." In NetHunt, triggers are incredibly flexible because they are tied to your CRM data.
- New Record Created: The moment a lead is added (manually or via import), the sequence kicks off. This is perfect for a "Welcome" series.
- Field Change: This is a fan favorite. You can set the trigger to "When Status changes to Demo Completed." The moment you update the lead in your Gmail sidebar, the follow-up sequence begins automatically. You can trigger ANY change of the field.
- Web Form Submission: If a prospect fills out a contact form on your website, NetHunt can catch that data and start the conversation before you even finish your cup of coffee.
Setting the "wait" periods: timing is everything
You don't want to bombard your leads with five emails in five minutes. To make the conversation feel natural, you use the "Wait" (Delay) function.
In the workflow builder, you simply drop a "Wait" block between your email actions. You can set these for:
- Specific Durations: "Wait 2 days" or "Wait 4 hours."
- Specific Times: "Wait until Monday at 9:00 AM." (This ensures your emails hit their inbox at the start of the work week, rather than sitting at the bottom of a pile on a Sunday night).
Adding "check conditions" or helpers: intelligent automation
The biggest fear with automation is sending a "Why haven't you replied?" email to someone who actually just replied. NetHunt solves this with Helpers.
Before the system sends the next email in your sequence, you can tell it to "Check" for certain criteria. The most common condition is: "Has the recipient replied to the previous email?"
- If Yes: The workflow stops (or moves them to a "Manual Follow-up" list), so you can jump in personally.
- If No: The workflow continues to the next automated follow-up.
Why this matters: This logic protects your reputation. It ensures you never look "automated" or out of touch, maintaining that crucial human connection even while the system does the heavy lifting.
Step 3: designing a sample 4-step sequence
Now that you understand the logic, let’s see what a high-converting sequence looks like in action. We’ll design a "New Inquiry" sequence - the kind used when a potential client reaches out but hasn't booked a meeting yet.
In NetHunt, your workflow visualization makes it easy to see the journey. Here is how you would structure these four steps:
The "perfect" 4-step follow-up model
| Step | Action | Timing | The Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Lead moves to "New" | Instant | Make a great first impression. |
| Email 1 | The "Welcome & Value" | 0 mins | Deliver what they asked for (e.g., a pricing guide or intro). |
| Email 2 | The "Problem Solver" | 2 Days Later | Share a relevant case study or a tip that solves a common pain point. |
| Email 3 | The "Soft Invite" | 3 Days Later | Ask a simple, low-pressure question to encourage a reply or a demo booking. |
| Email 4 | Soft Goodbye | 5 Days Later | Gently pause the conversation while leaving the door open for future contact. |
Why this works
The beauty of this 4-step structure in NetHunt is that it mirrors a real human interaction. You start helpful, provide social proof, offer a direct chat, and then respectfully pull back. Because NetHunt is checking for replies at every step, the moment they say "Yes, let's talk," the rest of the steps are instantly canceled.
Step 4: setting "stop" rules (the magic of NetHunt)
One of the most powerful features of NetHunt CRM is the ability to create "Exit Criteria." This ensures that your automation is smart enough to know when its job is done. You don't want to keep "nurturing" someone who has already bought your product!
Automatic unenrollment
In the Workflow settings, you can define exactly when a contact should be removed from a sequence. Most users set the following "Stop" rules:
- On Reply: As soon as an incoming email is linked to that contact record, NetHunt kills the sequence.
- On Field Change: If you manually change a lead's status to "Closed Won" or "Not a Fit," the sequence stops immediately.
- On Link Click: (Optional) You can even set a rule to stop the sequence if they click a specific "Book a Meeting" link in your email.
Manual Intervention
Sometimes, you might have a phone call with a lead and realize they need a few weeks of "radio silence." In this case, you can manually stop the workflow for this person, you just need to define the action in the CRM that stops sending sequence – either tag removal or stage change, you choose.
Step 5: launching and monitoring performance
You’ve built the engine and fueled it with content; now it’s time to turn the key. Launching a sequence in NetHunt is satisfyingly simple, but the real magic happens after the "Send" button is clicked, when you start seeing the data roll in.
Enrolling leads: how to start the engine
There are two ways to get people into your new sequence:
- The "Set and Forget" Method (Automatic): If you set your trigger to "New Lead Created," you don't have to do anything. As soon as a lead enters NetHunt, they are enrolled.
- The Bulk Enrollment (Manual): If you have an existing list of 50 prospects you want to reach out to, you can go to your "Contacts" view, filter for the specific group, select them all, and trigger the Workflow.
Analyzing the stats: what’s working?
NetHunt provides a dedicated Campaign Report for every sequence. You don't have to guess if your emails are landing; the numbers tell the story:
- Open Rates: If this is low, your subject line needs work.
- Click Rates: If people are opening but not clicking your links, your "Call to Action" (CTA) might not be clear enough.
- Reply Rates: This is the ultimate metric. A high reply rate means your "Check Conditions" are working and your personalization feels authentic.
Ready to automate your sales?
Setting up multi-step automated sequences in NetHunt CRM is like hiring a sales assistant who never sleeps, never forgets to follow up, and works directly inside your inbox. You save hours of manual typing while ensuring that no potential deal ever falls through the cracks.
Stop "checking in" manually and start growing automatically.
Next Step: If you’re ready to see this in action, start your 14-day free trial of NetHunt CRM or book a personalized demo with our team to help build your first workflow.