Tip of the Week #74 – How to Automatically Re-Engage Cold Leads
Important Note Before You Start
Your account includes every phone number that has ever contacted your gym — including wrong numbers, marketers, and spam calls.
Before launching this campaign, make sure your Smart List includes a “First Name is not empty” filter so only real contacts receive your messages.
This week, I want to show you a super simple way to reach out to cold leads — the people you haven’t heard from in a while — just in time for the new year.
The goal here is to get back on their radar and spark a quick conversation about their fitness plans for 2026.
🛠 Step 1: Create a New Workflow
Go to Workflows and click + Create New.
Name it something like:
2026 Re-Engagement Workflow
This is where we’ll build a quick message sequence to reconnect with old leads.
💬 Step 2: Add a Simple Text Message
Start with an SMS step. Keep it short, casual, and personal:
Hey {{contact.first_name}}, it’s {{user.first_name}} from the gym.
Are you getting started with workouts in 2026, or what’s your plan?
This works because it sounds like a real person, not a robot.
⏳ Step 3: Wait for a Reply
Add a Wait for Reply step (about 1 hour works well).
If they reply → stop the workflow or move them to a follow-up path.
If they don’t reply → send a quick nudge:
Hey, just checking — did you see my last text?
You can even randomize the wait time (like 47 minutes) so it feels less automated.
📧 Step 4: Add a Quick Email Backup
Just in case they miss the texts.
Subject: You working out in 2026?
Body:
Hey {{contact.first_name}},
Just wondering — are you planning to get back into the gym in 2026?
Short. Human. Effective.
🧠 Step 5: Build Your Smart List (⚠️ Important Update)
This is the most important part.
By default, your account contains every phone number that has ever contacted your gym — including wrong numbers, marketers, spam calls, etc.
Without the right filters, this campaign will text all of them.
So let’s clean it up.
Go to Contacts → Smart Lists → Create New
Name it:
2026 Re-Engagement List
Add these filters:
- Type ≠ Customer
- Last Activity > 30 days ago
- Workflow Status ≠ Fitness Appointment Booked
- First Name → Is Not Empty ⬅️ (this is the safety filter)
That last one ensures you only text real contacts who actually exist in your system — not random phone numbers.
Save the list.
🚀 Step 6: Drop Them Into the Workflow
Open your new Smart List.
- Select all contacts
- Click Trigger Automation
- Choose your 2026 Re-Engagement Workflow
- Confirm and launch
That’s it. You’ve just woken up your cold leads with a simple, human follow-up system.
If you have a big list, it’s a good idea to add people in small batches — just to keep things manageable and to help control your SMS Segments.
And that’s it! You’re now re-engaging your cold leads with a light, personal touch — and setting your gym up for a strong start in the new year 💪