Mastering Follow Up Boss Action Plans: Automation Secrets for Busy Agents

Handling leads manually wastes time and risks losing clients. Follow Up Boss Action Plans automate repetitive tasks like sending emails, assigning tasks, and updating lead stages, so you can focus on closing deals. With features like behavior-based triggers, pre-built templates, and AI-powered Follow Up Ace, you’ll never miss a follow-up again.

Key Takeaways:

Action Plans automate workflows like drip campaigns and task reminders.
Triggers (manual, lead flow, or behavior-based) ensure timely follow-ups.
Customization allows templates to match your brand and market.
Follow Up Ace uses AI to draft messages, log activities, and manage leads on the go.
Organization with folders, tags, and regular reviews improves efficiency.

Automation ensures consistent communication, increases lead engagement by 28%, and saves time. Start with high-priority workflows, then expand as you go. Tools like Follow Up Ace are easy to set up and integrate directly with your Follow Up Boss account.

Action Plans and Automations

How to Set Up and Customize Action Plans

Creating your first Action Plan in Follow Up Boss is straightforward, thanks to tools designed to simplify automation workflows. Whether you're building from scratch or tweaking pre-made templates, the process is quick and easy to master - perfect for busy agents.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Action Plans

To get started, head to the Action Plans section in your Follow Up Boss dashboard. Here, you can create new plans or explore the Action Plan Sharing Library, which offers pre-built templates. These templates save time while providing reliable frameworks to build on.

Start by naming your Action Plan and selecting a trigger. You can choose from:

Manual activation: Gives you full control over when the plan starts.
Lead Flow triggers: Automatically launch plans for new leads from specific sources.
Behavior-based automations: Activate plans based on specific actions or characteristics of a contact.

Once you've set the basics, use the plan builder to add steps like drip emails, task assignments, stage updates, notes, or tags. You can schedule each step to occur a certain number of days after the previous one. For instance, you might send a welcome email right away, follow up with a market report three days later, and schedule a phone call a week after that.

To manage multiple Action Plans effectively, use clear names and folder structures. For example, you could organize plans by lead type, property category, or team member. This makes it easier to locate and manage your workflows.

Finally, take the time to tailor these templates to reflect your unique branding and workflow.

How to Customize Templates for Your Brand

The templates in the Action Plan Sharing Library are a great starting point, but customization is where they become truly effective. Once you copy a template, it’s fully editable, allowing you to adjust every detail to match your style and business needs.

Customizing templates not only aligns them with your brand but also refines the automation process. For emails, adjust the tone to match your personality, include market insights tailored to your area, and highlight your value with links to helpful resources. Keep in mind that editing a template within an Action Plan updates it everywhere it’s used, so plan changes carefully.

Swap out generic follow-ups for specific, actionable tasks like “Send neighborhood market analysis,” “Schedule a showing for properties under $500,000,” or “Provide a referral for a mortgage lender.” These details keep you focused and ensure clear next steps, even during hectic times.

Consistency is key to building trust and recognition. Use the same tone, formatting, and professional standards throughout your emails and tasks. Include your headshot, office address, and social media links where relevant. This cohesive approach reinforces your brand at every interaction.

Action Plan emails come with unsubscribe links to ensure compliance with email marketing regulations. You can customize the wording and placement of these links to maintain a polished, professional look while respecting recipients’ preferences.

How to Organize and Manage Action Plans

Once your templates are customized, keeping your Action Plans organized is critical for long-term success. A well-structured system ensures you can quickly find and implement the right plan when needed.

Use descriptive titles like “First-Time Buyer 30-Day Nurture” or “Luxury Listing Follow-Up” instead of vague names like “New Lead Sequence.” Clear names make it easier for you and your team to identify the purpose of each plan.

Organize your plans into folders that mirror your business operations. For example, you might create folders based on lead sources (Zillow, referrals, open houses), property types (residential, commercial, luxury), or team members. Admins can manage folders for the entire account, while individual agents can add or remove their own templates as needed.

Tags are another powerful tool for organization. When an Action Plan applies specific tags to a contact, those tags can trigger further automations or be used to filter your database for targeted outreach. This creates a seamless system where every action contributes to better lead management.

Regular maintenance is essential to keep your Action Plans effective. Review them quarterly to update market data, tweak timing based on performance, and remove outdated content. Pay attention to which plans generate the best response rates, and use that information to improve underperforming sequences.

Proper organization also makes team collaboration easier. New agents can quickly understand your systems, and experienced team members can share strategies that work. The Action Plan Sharing Library supports this by allowing your whole team to benefit from proven workflows while maintaining consistent messaging across all client interactions.

Advanced Automation Methods for Follow Up Boss

Follow Up Boss

Once you've mastered the basics of Action Plans, it's time to take things up a notch. Advanced automation in Follow Up Boss helps you create workflows that respond automatically to lead behavior using precise triggers and conditions. Here's how you can set up these workflows to work smarter, not harder.

How to Set Up Triggers and Conditions

Triggers are the backbone of advanced automation. They determine when a workflow should kick off, eliminating the need for manual activation like in basic Action Plans. Only account owners and admins have the ability to create these advanced automations.

To get started, head to the Follow Up Boss dashboard and navigate to Admin > Automations > + Add Automation. Give your automation a clear, descriptive name, such as "Luxury Lead Property View Follow-Up" or "30-Day Post-Close Check-In." Some common triggers include:

Stage Changed: For example, when a lead moves from "New" to "Qualified."
Tag Added: Like tagging a lead as a "Hot Lead."
Property Viewed: When a lead checks out a specific listing.
Calendar Date: For time-based events, such as 30 days after a deal closes.

Triggers are designed to capture key moments of engagement, ensuring your workflows activate at just the right time.

Conditions, on the other hand, act as filters to fine-tune your automations. These add an "AND" requirement to the trigger, so workflows only activate when specific criteria are met. For instance, you could trigger an automation for "Property Viewed" only if the lead is tagged as a "First-Time Buyer" and their budget is under $400,000. If you're familiar with smart list filters, conditions will feel intuitive; you can filter by lead source, ZIP code, price range, property type, or custom fields.

Important Note: Use Lead Flow for managing new leads. By default, automations only run once per contact unless you adjust the settings. Be cautious when enabling repeat workflows to avoid overwhelming contacts with excessive emails or tasks.

Once you've created advanced automations, you can share them across your team to boost efficiency and maintain consistency. Follow Up Boss allows account owners and admins to share automations, making it easy to distribute successful setups throughout the organization.

To share an automation, go to Admin > Automations, find the one you want to share, and click "Share." Enable sharing, copy the link, and include a description explaining the automation's purpose and best use cases. This helps your team understand the workflow before they implement it.

Team members can access shared automations by clicking the link and selecting "Use Automation." After copying the setup, they'll need to review and adjust any assignment-specific conditions or Action Plan steps to fit their market or communication style.

Sharing automations streamlines workflows across the team. For example, a top-performing agent's luxury buyer workflow can be duplicated and customized by others, keeping the core structure intact while allowing for personal tweaks. New team members can hit the ground running with proven workflows instead of building from scratch.

Additionally, shared automations promote transparency. Anyone with the sharing link can view the entire setup - including triggers, conditions, and Action Plans - ensuring everyone understands how workflows function. Just make sure to share these links only with authorized team members to maintain control over your processes.

Shared automations are ideal for standardizing responses to common scenarios, such as new buyer inquiries, seller follow-ups, post-closing nurture sequences, and outreach to referral partners. They help ensure no lead slips through the cracks while maintaining consistency in your brand's messaging. Plus, because copied automations are fully editable, team members can adapt them to match their unique needs or market conditions while still benefiting from the original framework.

Using Follow Up Ace for AI-Powered Automation

Follow Up Ace

Follow Up Ace takes automation to the next level by combining advanced tools with AI specifically designed for busy agents. Integrated directly into the Follow Up Boss CRM, this tool acts as a smart assistant, handling natural language commands and automating complex workflows - all without requiring technical know-how.

What Follow Up Ace Can Do

Follow Up Ace offers two pricing plans tailored to different needs: Ace at $25 per user/month, which includes embedded text chat, and Ace Pro at $55 per user/month, adding voice commands and mobile access.

With Follow Up Ace, you can use voice or text commands to update client records, schedule appointments, and activate Action Plans. The system analyzes CRM data to provide helpful insights, such as key discussion points before client meetings or suggested next steps based on a lead's behavior.

It also simplifies communication by generating messages that match your personal style, using your existing templates and communication patterns. Messages can be sent directly through Gmail or SMS templates, ensuring a consistent tone across all client interactions.

On top of that, Follow Up Ace delivers real-time insights by analyzing notes, calls, texts, and website activity within Follow Up Boss. For Ace Pro users, the system even pulls in Federal Reserve economic data to provide market insights during client discussions.

"Ace AI is built from the ground up for Follow Up Boss - no generic CRM connectors, no half-baked integrations. Our laser focus means deeper automation, richer insights, and instant self-serve onboarding the moment you connect."
– Follow Up Ace

Real Examples of Using Follow Up Ace

Follow Up Ace makes it easy to integrate AI into your daily routine. After a client meeting, you can describe the conversation, and the tool will log the activity, create follow-up tasks, and draft your next message - all in one go.

For lead management, agents on the move can use voice commands to update lead stages, add tags, or schedule callbacks. This hands-free approach ensures no detail gets overlooked, keeping your CRM accurate without needing dedicated desk time.

The AI's ability to draft personalized messages is particularly handy. For instance, if a lead views multiple properties online, Follow Up Ace detects this behavior and generates tailored messages referencing the specific properties, complete with market insights and suggested next steps.

According to Follow Up Ace, users report closing 27% more deals with less effort compared to manual CRM management. This efficiency highlights why many agents are making the switch.

Follow Up Ace vs Manual Automation Comparison

Here’s how Follow Up Ace stacks up against manual automation in day-to-day tasks:

Aspect	Manual Automation	Follow Up Ace
Setup Complexity	Requires multiple steps and technical setup	Simple, natural language setup - just like sending a text
CRM Updates	Manual data entry through multiple screens	Instant updates via voice or chat commands
Message Creation	Write from scratch or copy/paste from templates	AI-generated messages that match your brand voice
Lead Insights	Requires manual review of notes and history	Automatic analysis with relevant talking points and next steps
Mobile Usage	Limited functionality on mobile	Full voice control with the Ace Anywhere app
Learning Curve	Requires training on CRM and automation tools	No learning curve - use your existing Follow Up Boss login

While manual automation might seem "free", the time spent on setup and upkeep adds up quickly. By contrast, Follow Up Ace’s pricing of $25–$55 per user/month often offsets itself through time savings and higher conversion rates.

"While your competition struggles with manual CRM work, Ace AI users are closing more deals with less effort. Every feature is designed to give you an unfair advantage in Follow Up Boss."
– Follow Up Ace

Security and Team Options

Follow Up Ace prioritizes security with bank-level encryption and SOC-2 compliant data anonymization, ensuring your client information stays protected. This focus on secure automation aligns with best practices and gives agents peace of mind.

For team use, Follow Up Ace provides volume discounts and flexible payment options. For example, Sarah, who manages a 12-agent brokerage, chose the "Business Pays" option, covering all agents’ subscriptions for $420/month - saving $240 compared to individual pricing. On the other hand, Marcus, who works with a mix of employees and contractors, sponsors 5 Pro seats for $275/month while contractors handle their own subscriptions.

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Tested Methods and Examples for Busy Agents

Using Master Action Plans and AI-driven automation can transform how busy agents manage their workloads. By automating repetitive tasks, agents can focus more on client meetings and closing deals. Below, you'll find practical workflows and strategies designed to keep operations smooth while ensuring consistent client engagement.

Workflow Examples That Save Time

New buyer leads: Use the "Zillow/Trulia/Realtor.com with text message action plan." This workflow sends an initial text message, followed by emails and task reminders to ensure quick follow-ups.
Facebook advertising leads: Implement the "Facebook Lead Ads action plan" to automatically engage prospects captured through Facebook campaigns.
Website-generated leads: Apply the "Buyer New Lead Website Registration" plan to acknowledge interest and guide leads toward scheduling consultations or viewings.
Seller prospects: Use the "Seller Lead Drip" plan to nurture relationships and the "Seller Home Evaluation Request" plan to address valuation inquiries.
Long-term leads: Keep in touch with undecided buyers using the "Buyer Long Term Nurture" campaign.
Cold leads: Reconnect with inactive prospects through the "Stale Lead Engagement" action plan.
Past clients: Maintain relationships and encourage referrals with the "Post Closing Plan" or "Renee Funk's Ultimate Past Client Checklist".
Open house attendees: Follow up using the "Open House Leads" action plan.

How to Add These Tools to Your Daily Routine

To get the most out of these workflows, seamlessly integrate them into your daily processes with the following tips:

Morning setup: Schedule Action Plan triggers so that new leads from platforms like your website or social media automatically enter the correct nurturing sequence. Emails within these plans are typically sent around 9:00 AM for maximum engagement.
Hands-free updates: Use Follow Up Ace’s voice commands to update your CRM on the go. After a meeting, simply dictate the conversation details to log activities, schedule follow-ups, and draft messages.
Pause automation for responses: When a lead replies, pause their Action Plan to avoid sending automated messages unnecessarily.
Timely reminders: Let Action Plans handle reminders for follow-ups, property showings, and regular check-ins based on lead activity.
Team collaboration: Share Action Plans across your team to ensure consistent workflows. Assistants can use these plans to manage new leads effectively.
Customize regularly: Browse the Action Plan Sharing Library to find pre-built templates. Refine them based on your market's response rates and conversion data to enhance performance.
Email limits: Follow Up Boss restricts Action Plan emails to four per day. Use this limit strategically to prioritize the most impactful messages.
Gradual implementation: Start with your highest-volume lead source when introducing new workflows. Once the setup is running smoothly, expand to other automations for broader efficiency.

Security, Compliance, and Best Practices

When automating real estate workflows with tools like Follow Up Boss Action Plans and Follow Up Ace, safeguarding client data is crucial. Real estate professionals handle sensitive information daily, so building a secure and compliant foundation is essential for any automation strategy. This ensures that the efficiencies gained through automation don’t come at the cost of client trust.

How Follow Up Ace Protects Your Data

Follow Up Ace uses enterprise-grade security measures, including SOC-2 compliance, to keep client data safe. One of its key features is data anonymization. During AI training and analysis, personal identifiers are removed from your CRM data, ensuring individual client information stays protected. Additionally, all data transmission and storage are secured with bank-level encryption. These measures are critical for maintaining trust while benefiting from the streamlined workflows automation provides.

Best Practices for Safe and Ethical Automation

Integrating AI into real estate workflows comes with responsibilities. Security and compliance must remain at the heart of your strategy to ensure ethical and effective use of automation tools.

Adhere to Privacy Laws: Regulations like GDPR and CCPA mandate explicit consent for processing personal data. Make sure your privacy policies clearly explain how AI tools handle lead information.
Avoid Discrimination: AI algorithms used for lead scoring or automated responses should be carefully reviewed to ensure they don’t unintentionally violate fair housing laws. Regularly audit Action Plan triggers and conditions to prevent discrimination based on protected characteristics.
Transparency in AI Outputs: The 2017 Zillow "Zestimate" lawsuit highlights the importance of clear disclaimers for AI-generated analyses. If Follow Up Ace creates property valuations or market insights, include statements clarifying that these are AI-generated estimates, not professional appraisals.

"Potential risks in leveraging AI for real estate aren't barricades, but rather steppingstones. With agility, quick adaptation, and partnership with trusted experts, we convert these risks into opportunities." - Yao Morin, Chief Technology Officer, JLLT

Tips for Maintaining Compliance

Human Oversight: Always review automated messages to catch errors and maintain a personal touch. This ensures that AI-generated responses align with client expectations.
Client Agreements: Verify that client contracts explicitly allow AI-powered data analysis, especially when it involves referrals.
Detailed Records: While Follow Up Boss logs Action Plan activities, keeping additional documentation of human reviews of AI-generated content can demonstrate due diligence during audits.
Team Training: Train your team to recognize when AI-generated responses might be inappropriate and establish clear protocols for pausing automation to address sensitive situations manually.
Regular Reviews: Conduct periodic evaluations of your Action Plan configurations to ensure compliance with evolving regulations and best practices.

Conclusion: Master Automation for Better Results

Follow Up Boss Action Plans and Follow Up Ace simplify daily workflows, revolutionizing how busy agents manage their operations. Agents who integrate CRM workflows see a 28% increase in lead engagement compared to those relying on basic contact management systems. Additionally, 63% of top-performing sales teams use CRM automation to drive productivity.

Take Ryan Fitzgerald of Raleigh Realty as an example. By implementing an automated email sequence that delivers targeted messages to potential clients at just the right intervals, he achieved a 30% boost in lead conversion within just three months. This success highlights the power of automation - freeing agents from manual follow-ups and allowing technology to handle the heavy lifting.

The stats make it clear: automation is no longer optional. 71% of online leads go untouched when follow-ups are handled manually. Action Plans solve this issue by ensuring every lead is nurtured consistently over the average 183-day conversion cycle. Whether it’s setting up drip campaigns, automating task assignments, or using Follow Up Ace's voice commands to update your CRM on the go, these tools allow you to focus on more impactful activities.

Take a moment to evaluate your current workflow. Identify time-consuming, repetitive tasks and start automating them. Begin with new lead follow-ups, then expand to include listing presentations, buyer consultations, and post-closing processes. With Follow Up Ace’s 7-day free trial and an easy setup process, you can start seeing results right away - using your existing Follow Up Boss account.

The timing couldn’t be better. The global workflow automation market is growing at 12.51% annually and is expected to hit $264.69 billion by 2026. Real estate professionals who embrace automation now will gain a competitive edge over those stuck in outdated, manual processes. Automation ensures your clients receive consistent, timely communication while giving you back valuable hours for relationship building and closing deals.

FAQs

How can I customize Follow Up Boss Action Plans to align with my brand and local market?

To ensure your Follow Up Boss Action Plans genuinely represent your brand and connect with your local audience, focus on personalization and relevance. Tailor the messaging, timing, and triggers in each plan to match your brand's identity and the specific characteristics of your market. For instance, you might include local market data, highlight seasonal trends, or incorporate references that resonate with your community to make your communication more engaging.

It's also essential to regularly revisit and refine your Action Plans. Keep them in sync with evolving market conditions and shifting client preferences. Use insights from previous interactions to tweak your approach, ensuring your follow-ups remain effective and meaningful. By maintaining a consistent brand voice and customizing your plans to your audience, you'll deliver a polished and professional experience that leaves a lasting impression.

What are the main advantages of using Follow Up Ace's AI automation over traditional manual follow-ups?

Using Follow Up Ace’s AI tools can transform the way you work by taking over repetitive tasks and completing them with speed and precision. This not only minimizes human error but also ensures every follow-up is handled consistently. Instead of getting bogged down with administrative duties, you can focus on what really matters - building meaningful relationships with your clients.

AI-powered automation also makes it easy to scale your efforts, tailor interactions to each client, and boost your productivity. For agents juggling a packed schedule, it’s a powerful way to manage leads efficiently and stay competitive in a fast-paced market.

How does Follow Up Boss ensure data security and compliance when using automation tools like Follow Up Ace?

Follow Up Boss places a strong emphasis on keeping your data secure and confidential. They achieve this by using encryption, conducting regular security audits, and strictly following privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA. These efforts help ensure your client information is well-protected.

With tools like Follow Up Ace, Follow Up Boss not only simplifies your workflows but also upholds its dedication to safeguarding sensitive data while ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.