How to Automate Follow-Ups & Reminders for Better Customer Retention

April 14, 2025
Tinuade
blog

When was the last time you followed up with a customer and got a response like, “Oh yes, thanks for the reminder!”?

If it’s been a while, you’re not alone.

Most businesses are missing out on easy wins because they don’t have a system to automate follow-ups and reminders. And guess what? That’s where your customer retention strategy starts to wobble.

According to Bain & Company, increasing customer retention rates by just 5% increases profits by 25% to 95%.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to automate your follow-ups and reminders in a way that’s practical, scalable, and keeps your customers coming back for more.

Whether you’re a startup, a growing SaaS platform, or a full-blown enterprise, these insights apply to you.

Let’s dive in.

Why Follow-Ups and Reminders Are Crucial for Customer Retention

We all know that it’s cheaper to retain a customer than to acquire a new one. But most businesses treat customer engagement like a one-time interaction.

That’s a problem.

Follow-ups and reminders are essential because they:

Keep your brand top of mind
Reduce churn by addressing customer needs proactively
Encourage repeat purchases or re-engagement
Help customers complete actions they’ve started (but abandoned)

Here’s a quick stat bomb: 80% of sales require five follow-ups, but 44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up. Yikes.

In B2B and B2C, automated follow-ups aren’t just helpful—they’re revenue-saving machines.

Let’s look at a few use cases.

Real-World Use Cases of Follow-Up Automation

1. SaaS Free Trial Reminders

Most SaaS platforms offer a free trial. But if you’re not following up during that trial period, you’re letting leads go cold.

Example: Yournotify users set up an email sequence that sends:

A welcome email immediately after signup
A feature highlight on Day 3
A customer success story on Day 5
A reminder on Day 7 to book a demo
A final email on Day 13 with a “Don’t miss out” subject line

This keeps the user engaged and moves them closer to conversion.

2. Abandoned Cart Recovery (B2C E-commerce)

Cart abandonment is the bane of online retailers. The global cart abandonment rate is 70.19% (Baymard Institute).

Fix: Set up a three-part automated reminder:

Email 1: “Forget something?” (1 hour later)
Email 2: “Still available, just for you” (24 hours later)
Email 3: “Last chance to claim your cart” (3 days later with a small discount)

3. Payment Reminders for Subscription Renewals

Ever lost a customer just because their payment failed? That’s a painful leak.

Automated reminders can notify users before renewal, after a failed payment, and post-expiry.

Pro Tip: Add a grace period and show empathy in your tone. “We get it—life’s busy. But we’d hate to see you go.”

How to Automate Follow-Ups (Step-by-Step Framework)

Automation shouldn’t feel robotic. It should feel like helpful nudges from a friend who’s rooting for your success.

Here’s how to set it up right:

Step 1: Map the Customer Journey

Start by identifying the key points where customers drop off, hesitate, or forget.

Examples:

After signing up for a trial
After booking a demo
After their first purchase
Right before subscription renewal

Step 2: Segment Your Audience

Don’t blast the same email to everyone. Segmentation = relevance.

Segment based on:

Stage in the funnel (lead, trial user, active customer)
Behavior (opened emails, clicked links, no activity)
Purchase history

Step 3: Write Follow-Up Copy That Converts

Make your follow-ups feel human. Nobody wants to read a robotic reminder.

Use this formula:

Start with context: “Hey [First name], we noticed you haven’t completed your profile.”
Add value: “Here’s why that matters…”
Add a CTA: “Finish in just 2 clicks.”

Step 4: Set Triggers and Timing

Time is everything. Set automated workflows that trigger based on user action (or inaction).

Some tools to use:

Yournotify – for drip campaigns, reminders, and transactional messages
HubSpot – for lead nurturing and workflows
Zapier – for connecting different apps and automating actions

Step 5: Monitor, Test & Optimize

Even automated sequences need TLC. Keep an eye on:

Open rates
Click-through rates
Unsubscribes
Conversion rates

Run A/B tests to improve subject lines, send times, and CTA placements.

Pro Tips to Boost Retention With Smart Reminders

Personalize Like a Pro

Personalized emails deliver 6x higher transaction rates. And yet, 70% of brands don’t personalize.

Use dynamic tags, behavioral data, and past interactions to tailor your reminders.

Use Multichannel Reminders

Don’t just rely on email.

Try a combo of:

SMS reminders
WhatsApp nudges
Push notifications
In-app messages

The more relevant channels you use, the higher your chances of getting seen.

Add Urgency and Scarcity

A gentle nudge is nice. But a nudge with urgency works better.

Try lines like:

“Your access expires in 24 hours”
“Only 5 slots left for this month’s demo”
“Your cart will be released soon”

Always Offer Value

Each reminder should feel helpful, not salesy. Show users how they’ll benefit from taking action.

Examples:

“Complete your profile to unlock personalized reports”
“Download our free checklist before your trial ends”

Final Thoughts: Build Retention, Not Just Reminders

Automating follow-ups and reminders isn’t just about sending more emails.

It’s about building meaningful relationships that keep your customers engaged, loyal, and happy.

With the right strategy, tools like Yournotify, and a bit of creativity, you’ll turn missed opportunities into revenue wins.

So, what are you waiting for?

Start automating—and watch your customer retention climb.

Need help setting this up? Yournotify makes it insanely easy to create automated campaigns that feel personal and drive real results.

Try Yournotify today and stop losing customers to forgetfulness.

Tinuade

Marketing Content Strategist