Follow-ups: how follow-up sequences work

Last updated: October 7, 2026

A follow-up sequence is a list of steps that Outcraft runs after a lead replies. This article explains when a sequence starts, how you edit it, and which rules apply.

When a follow-up sequence starts

Outcraft reads each reply and sets an outcome for the lead: Positive, No Decision, or Negative. Each outcome has its own sequence. A lead that never replies gets no follow-up sequence. That lead stays in the Outreach Sequence until it ends.

Follow-ups are available for Book Appointment, Client Reactivation, Post-Delivery Follow-Up, Qualify Lead, Recover Abandoned Checkout, Send Information, and Upsell Post-Purchase campaigns. Provide Support, Inbound Refund Request, and Qualify Inbound Lead campaigns have none.

Turn on a follow-up sequence

  1. Open your campaign and click General Settings.

  2. In Follow-ups, turn on After a Positive Response, When a Lead Is Engaged but Undecided, or After a Negative Response.

  3. Click Publish now.

Tip: When a Lead Is Engaged but Undecided is on by default. After a Positive Response is on by default for Recover Abandoned Checkout campaigns only.

Edit a sequence

  1. Open your campaign and click Follow-Ups.

  2. In Choose follow-up sequence to edit, select Positive, No Decision, or Negative.

  3. Click Add Step.

  4. In Choose step, select a step. In Time delay until this action, enter a number and select Minutes, Hours, or Days.

  5. To change the order, click Reorder actions, move the steps, and click Save.

The list shows only the sequences that you turned on. Each of these sequences needs at least one step.

How the steps run

A sequence uses Ping Call, Ping Email, and Ping Sms steps. Outcraft adds default steps when you first open the page. Each delay starts when the previous step finishes. The first delay starts after Outcraft handles the reply.

Outcraft gives the agent the last 10 interactions of the lead in the same campaign run. For a call, the agent gets the call summary. For an email or SMS, the agent gets the full text. This is how a step refers to the earlier conversation.

Follow-up steps use these rules:

  • The campaign schedule and the time zone of the lead apply.

  • Outcraft stops sending when the lead state is Disqualified, Requested not to contact, Blacklisted, Review required, Handoff requested, or Unreachable.

  • Outcraft skips a step when the lead has no contact detail or has blocked that channel.

  • After two voicemails, Outcraft skips the call steps for that lead.

  • A new reply cancels the planned steps. Outcraft then chooses the next action.

Follow-up steps do not add to your campaign run count.

Messages outside a sequence

After a Positive or No Decision outcome, Outcraft also writes and sends one message. This message is not a step in a sequence.

Warning: Removing the email steps from a sequence does not stop this message. To stop it, turn off Email in Outreach Channels. Outcraft then skips the email.

For SMS, select the outcomes in When to trigger SMS? in Outreach Channels. The default is Positive Response and No Decision.

Discount codes

Outcraft reads the campaign discount codes when it writes a message. A removed code can still appear for two reasons. A planned step keeps the instructions from when Outcraft created it. The agent also reads earlier messages that can contain the old code.