Speed wins leads: reply within five minutes and your chances of a conversation go way up. A workflow can reply in five seconds. We will build the classic starter: when a new contact is created, send them a text.

The steps

1. Open Automation

   Click Automation in the left sidebar, then click + Create Workflow (top-right corner). Choose Start from scratch.

2. Add the trigger

   Click Add New Trigger — the “when this happens” part. Search for and select Contact Created. Save the trigger. Now the workflow fires whenever anyone new lands in your contact list, whether from a form, an import, or manual entry.

3. Add the action

   Click the + below the trigger and choose Send SMS. This is the “do this” part.

4. Write a message that sounds like you

   Something like: “Hi {{contact.first_name}}, thanks for reaching out! This is [your name]. I’ll call you shortly — or reply here with a good time.” The curly-brace part is a merge field — pick it from the tag icon in the message box, and each person gets their own name.

5. Publish the workflow

   Find the Draft/Publish switch in the top-right corner and flip it to Publish, then click Save. A workflow left in Draft does nothing — this switch is the #1 beginner gotcha.

6. Test it with a fake lead

   Add a new test contact with your own mobile number (delete your old test contact first if it already exists). Within seconds, your phone should buzz with the message — with your real first name filled in.

Common questions

“Nothing happened when I tested. Why?” Check three things in order: the workflow is Published (not Draft), your test contact was truly new (re-adding an existing contact may not fire “Contact Created”), and the account’s phone number is set up for SMS.

“Can I add a delay before the text?” Yes — add a “Wait” step between the trigger and the SMS and set it to, say, 2 minutes. Instant can feel robotic; two minutes feels human.

“What should my second workflow be?” An appointment reminder: trigger on Appointment Booked, wait until 1 hour before, send a reminder text. It measurably cuts no-shows.