A lead nurture sequence in GoHighLevel automates your follow-up with new leads across multiple touchpoints over a defined period. Here is how to build a 5-step sequence from scratch — from trigger to final message — that works for any local service business or B2B operation.

What a 5-Step Nurture Sequence Looks Like

Step 1 (Day 0, immediate): SMS introducing yourself and asking a qualifying question. Step 2 (Day 2): Follow-up SMS with a piece of value — a tip, a stat, or a relevant result. Step 3 (Day 5): Email with more detail about your service and a social proof element. Step 4 (Day 9): SMS with a direct ask — a specific offer, a free consultation, or a booking link. Step 5 (Day 14): Final "break-up" message that creates urgency before pausing the sequence.

Step 1: Create a New Workflow

In GoHighLevel, go to Automation > Workflows > New Workflow. Name it something descriptive — "[Business] New Lead Nurture" — so you can identify it later. Choose your trigger. For most lead nurture sequences, the trigger is "Contact Created" filtered to a specific source tag, or "Form Submitted" for leads coming from a specific landing page.

Step 2: Add Your First Action (Immediate SMS)

Click the plus button below the trigger. Select "Send SMS." Write your first message. It should be personal and ask an open question: "Hey [First Name], this is [Name] from [Company]. Just wanted to reach out — what are you looking for help with?" Use the First Name merge tag ({contact.first_name}) so the message personalizes automatically.

Step 3: Add a Wait Step

After the first SMS, add a Wait step. Set it to 2 days. This delays all subsequent steps by 2 days from when the contact entered the sequence. GoHighLevel's wait steps can be configured by exact time delay or by specific days and times — using specific times ensures messages send during business hours rather than at 3am.

Step 4: Add Steps 2 Through 5

Continue adding alternating Send SMS, Send Email, and Wait steps following the timeline above. For each step, write the content directly in GoHighLevel's message editor. Use merge tags for personalization. Keep SMS messages under 160 characters. Keep emails focused on a single point — not a newsletter, just one message with one purpose.

Step 5: Add an If/Else Branch

Add a conditional branch after the first SMS that checks whether the contact has replied. If they have replied, remove them from the sequence — you do not want automated messages going to someone you are actively conversing with. Set the condition to "Contact Reply" or check a tag that gets applied when a conversation starts. If they have not replied, continue the sequence.

Step 6: Test and Activate

Use GoHighLevel's test feature to send yourself through the sequence before activating it. Verify that each message sends correctly, that merge tags populate properly, and that wait times are configured correctly. Activate the workflow once testing is complete. Monitor the first 20 to 30 contacts who go through it and adjust messages based on reply rates.