Email and SMS Campaigns Every Local Business Should Be Running

Stop Relying on Hope — Start Following Up Automatically

Running a local business means wearing every hat imaginable. You’re the manager, the marketer, the customer service rep, the scheduler — and if you’re lucky, you get to focus on actually delivering your service. With so much going on, there’s one area that often falls through the cracks: follow-up.

You’ve probably been there — someone visits your website, fills out a form, maybe even books an appointment. But then… nothing. Days go by. You’re too busy to follow up right away. That once-warm lead gets cold. Or worse, they go with the competitor who simply responded faster.

It’s not because you’re bad at your job — it’s because you’re trying to do everything manually.

And in today’s world, manual follow-up is costing you money.

That’s where automated email and SMS campaigns come in. Not the spammy kind that floods inboxes with generic sales messages — we’re talking personalized, relevant, and well-timed communication that builds trust, drives bookings, and keeps your business top of mind.

This is where High Level CRM becomes a game-changer.

With High Level CRM, you can build smart follow-up campaigns that are triggered by real actions — like filling out a form, missing an appointment, or visiting your business. It sends the right message to the right person at the right time — automatically.

And the best part? You only have to set it up once.

Think about it:

• Every new lead gets a warm, branded welcome
• Every booked client gets reminders and shows up on time
• Every happy customer gets a review request
• Every quiet customer gets a check-in months later — without you remembering to do it

Instead of relying on handwritten notes, calendar alerts, or good intentions, you have a system that never forgets and never drops the ball.

Automation isn’t impersonal — it’s professional.

It tells your customers, “We’ve got our act together.”
It keeps the conversation going without you chasing it.
And it frees up your time to focus on what matters most — delivering a great experience.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the four essential email and SMS campaigns every local business should be running. These are campaigns that generate revenue, increase retention, and boost your reputation — all on autopilot.

You’ll learn:

• What to send (and when)
• How to pair emails and texts for maximum results
• How to build them inside High Level CRM in under an hour

If you’re tired of cold leads, no-shows, or one-and-done clients, this is your next best move. And once you see how easy it is, you’ll wonder why you didn’t set this up sooner.

Because the truth is:
The fortune is in the follow-up.
And High Level CRM makes it automatic.

Section 1: The 4 Types of Campaigns That Drive Real Results

You don’t need 30 different email automations or a fancy marketing degree to grow your local business — you just need four campaigns. These cover the full customer journey: from new lead to loyal fan.

Here’s what they are, why they work, and when to use them:

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1. New Lead Welcome Sequence

Goal: Build trust and get the appointment booked
Best For: People who fill out a form or claim an offer but haven’t booked yet

When someone shows interest in your business, timing is everything. A welcome sequence makes sure that interest doesn’t fade. You don’t want to wait until you have time to respond — because by then, they’ve moved on.

A good welcome sequence includes:

• An instant confirmation text thanking them for their interest
• A follow-up email with more details, a calendar link, and a reminder of the offer
• A soft nudge the next day with a testimonial or FAQ
• A final message two or three days later encouraging them to act before the offer expires

These messages make your business feel responsive, professional, and organized — even if you’re busy with other clients.

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2. Booking Reminder + Confirmation Flow

Goal: Reduce no-shows and give a better client experience
Best For: Anyone who has booked an appointment

You shouldn’t have to remember to remind people to show up — your system should. High Level CRM can automatically send:

• A confirmation text and email as soon as they book
• A reminder the day before
• A reminder the day of, 1–2 hours before their appointment
• Optional: a Google Maps link, parking instructions, or “what to bring” details

These touchpoints reduce missed appointments and make the customer feel like they’re in good hands. It also saves your front desk or admin from having to chase confirmations manually.

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3. Post-Visit Review Request

Goal: Boost your online reputation and attract more leads
Best For: Anyone who has completed an appointment or service

Getting reviews doesn’t have to be awkward — not when it’s automated.

After a client visit, High Level CRM can trigger:

• A thank-you text with a direct link to your Google or Yelp review page
• A follow-up email that says, “We’d love your feedback — and so would future customers!”
• Optional: a special offer for leaving a review, like 10% off next visit

More reviews = more visibility, more trust, and more people choosing you over the competition.

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4. Reactivation / Win-Back Campaign

Goal: Bring back past clients and increase lifetime value
Best For: Clients who haven’t booked or visited in 60+ days

It’s easier to bring back a past client than to find a new one. With High Level CRM, you can automatically check in with anyone who’s gone quiet:

• “Hey [First Name], we miss you! Ready for your next [service]?”
• “It’s been a while — come back this week and get 10% off”
• “Spots are filling fast for [holiday/weekend/special] — book now!”

You can set this to trigger based on time since their last visit, ensuring you stay top of mind — even months later.

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These four campaigns alone can bring structure, scale, and serious ROI to your business — and they only take a few hours to build once inside High Level CRM.

In the next section, we’ll show you how to do exactly that — step-by-step.

Learn – Why I Switched to GoHighLevel (And Why You Might Want To Too)

Section 2: How to Build These Campaigns Inside High Level CRM

Setting up automated campaigns inside High Level CRM is surprisingly simple — even if you’ve never built a workflow before. Everything runs off triggers, actions, and delays that tell the system exactly when to message your leads or clients and what to say.

Let’s walk through how to build each of the four key campaigns — and the best practices that make them work.

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Campaign 1: New Lead Welcome Sequence

Trigger: Form submission, Facebook lead ad, or funnel opt-in
Workflow Setup:

1. Trigger: “Form Submitted” or “Contact Tag Added”
2. Action: Send SMS — “Thanks for claiming your offer! Book your appointment here: [calendar link]”
3. Wait: 1 hour
4. Action: Send Email — share details about your offer and a call to action to book
5. Wait: 1 day
6. Action: Send SMS with social proof or testimonial
7. Wait: 2 days
8. Conditional Check: “Did they book an appointment?”
   • If no → Send final email with urgency (“Offer expires in 48 hours”)

Pro Tip: Use merge fields like {{contact.first_name}} to personalize the messages.

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Campaign 2: Booking Reminder + Confirmation Flow

Trigger: Appointment created through calendar booking
Workflow Setup:

1. Trigger: “Appointment Status is Confirmed”
2. Action: Send Email — confirmation details, what to expect
3. Wait: 1 day before appointment
4. Action: Send SMS reminder — “Just a reminder for your appointment tomorrow at [time]”
5. Wait: 2 hours before appointment
6. Action: Send another SMS — “We’re excited to see you soon! Let us know if you have any questions.”

Pro Tip: Include a Google Maps link and parking or arrival instructions to reduce confusion and lateness.

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Campaign 3: Post-Visit Review Request

Trigger: Appointment status marked as “Completed”
Workflow Setup:

1. Trigger: “Appointment Status is Completed”
2. Action: Wait 1 hour
3. Action: Send SMS — “Thanks for visiting! Would you mind leaving us a quick review? [link]”
4. Wait: 1 day
5. Action: Send follow-up Email — “Your feedback helps us grow. Here’s the link again: [review link]”

Pro Tip: If you’re on the Agency Plan, you can even use the Reputation Management feature to filter positive reviews and follow up with unhappy customers privately.

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Campaign 4: Reactivation / Win-Back Campaign

Trigger: No activity in the past 60–90 days
Workflow Setup:

1. Trigger: Use “Last Appointment Date” or “Date Added” filter to segment contacts
2. Action: Send SMS — “We miss you! Come back this week and get 10% off your next visit.”
3. Wait: 2 days
4. Action: Send Email with a reminder and link to your calendar
5. Wait: 5 days
6. Action: Send final “last chance” text with urgency — “Offer ends this weekend!”

Pro Tip: Run this campaign quarterly to re-engage past clients automatically and fill slow weeks in advance.

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General Best Practices for Local Campaigns

• Use short, friendly messages — especially for SMS. Make it feel like a personal text, not a system blast.
• Keep delays realistic. Don’t spam. Spread messages out to create a natural rhythm.
• Test everything — send the campaign to yourself first. Make sure links work and messages look good.
• Add a call to action in every step. Don’t leave them wondering what to do next.

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With these campaigns in place, your marketing is always on — even when you’re off. And because everything lives inside High Level CRM, you don’t need to patch together tools or hope someone remembered to follow up.

In the next section, I’ll give you copy-and-paste message templates for each campaign to save you even more time.

Section 3: Examples You Can Steal

You don’t need to be a copywriter to build high-converting campaigns in High Level CRM — you just need the right message at the right moment. Below are real-world, plug-and-play message templates you can copy, paste, and customize for your business.

Each example pairs SMS + email messaging for maximum response, and is written with a local, friendly tone that builds trust and encourages action.

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💡 Campaign 1: New Lead Welcome Sequence

Text (Immediately After Form Submission):

Hi {{contact.first_name}} — thanks for grabbing our new client offer!
You can book your appointment here 👉 [Your Calendar Link]
We’re excited to meet you!

Email (1 Hour Later):
Subject: Let’s get your first visit scheduled
Hi {{contact.first_name}},
Thanks again for claiming our [offer name]! We’d love to get you on the calendar.
Here’s the link to book your appointment now: [calendar link]
Questions? Just reply to this email — we’re here to help.
— [Your Business Name]

Text (Next Day):

{{contact.first_name}}, we saved your offer — but spots are filling fast.
Book now and we’ll include a bonus upgrade when you come in 😉

[calendar link]

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💡 Campaign 2: Booking Reminders

Text (24 Hours Before Appointment):

Hi {{contact.first_name}} — just a reminder that your appointment is tomorrow at {{appointment.start_time}}.
We’ll see you at [Your Business Name]!
Need directions? [Google Maps Link]

Text (2 Hours Before):

Hey {{contact.first_name}}! Looking forward to seeing you soon.
If you have any questions before your visit, just reply here.

Email (Confirmation):
Subject: You’re confirmed for {{appointment.start_time}}
Thanks for booking, {{contact.first_name}}!
We’ll see you on {{appointment.start_date}} at {{appointment.start_time}}.
You can reschedule or ask a question by replying to this email anytime.

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💡 Campaign 3: Post-Visit Review Request

Text (1 Hour After Appointment):

Thanks for coming in today, {{contact.first_name}}!
If you had a great experience, would you leave us a quick Google review?
[Review Link]
We really appreciate it!

Email (Next Day):
Subject: Your feedback means everything
Hi {{contact.first_name}},
Thank you for choosing [Your Business Name].
We’d love to hear what you thought! It only takes 30 seconds:
[Review Link]
Thanks again,
[Your Team]

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💡 Campaign 4: Reactivation / Win-Back Campaign

Text (60–90 Days After Last Visit):

Hey {{contact.first_name}}, it’s been a while — we miss you!
Ready for your next [service name]?
Come in this week and get [discount or bonus offer].
Book here 👉 [Calendar Link]

Email (2 Days Later):
Subject: Let’s get you back on the calendar
Hi {{contact.first_name}},
Life gets busy — we totally get it. But if you’re ready to treat yourself again, we’ve got you.
Book this week and we’ll include [offer or freebie].
Claim your spot now: [Calendar Link]
We hope to see you soon,
[Your Business Name]

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Quick Customization Tips:

• Replace placeholders like {{contact.first_name}}, [Your Business Name], and [Calendar Link] with your actual info or dynamic merge fields in High Level CRM.
• Add emojis where appropriate to make messages feel more personal and less robotic.
• Use your voice — if you’re casual in person, keep your messages conversational too.

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These examples are meant to speed up your setup, reduce decision fatigue, and get your automation system live faster — because done is better than perfect.

I’ll tie it all together and show you how to launch your first campaign in one afternoon.

Build It Once. Let It Work Forever.

If you’ve ever said, “I meant to follow up but got busy,” this system is for you.

Most local business owners don’t struggle because they’re bad at what they do — they struggle because they don’t have the time, tools, or system to follow up consistently. Leads go cold. Clients forget to rebook. Reviews don’t get asked for. All that lost opportunity adds up.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

With High Level CRM, you can build a complete follow-up engine that:

• Welcomes new leads the moment they opt in
• Confirms and reminds clients of their appointments
• Follows up after a visit and asks for a review
• Re-engages quiet customers and brings them back

And the best part? You only have to build it once.
From there, the system runs 24/7 — even when you’re off the clock.

Whether you’re a solopreneur, a service-based business, or running a busy shop with staff, these four campaigns alone can boost your bookings, grow your reputation, and increase client loyalty — all on autopilot.

If you’ve made it this far, you already know you need to do this. Now it’s time to stop thinking about it — and start building it.

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👉 Start your free trial of High Level CRM here:
https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=asktheearl

I’ll also send you:

• Pre-built versions of these four campaigns
• A drag-and-drop setup checklist
• Templates you can import and go live today

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Want to see how it all fits into a full lead generation and booking system?
Check out the complete guide:
👉 High Level CRM for Local Businesses: How to Bring in Leads on Autopilot

Because automation doesn’t replace great service — it protects it.