How marketing automation for small business works
Each automation is a simple sentence: when this happens, only if these conditions are true, do these steps.
When can be a new lead, a lead status change, an appointment booked, completed, cancelled or marked no show, an estimate sent, signed, declined or still unsigned after a number of days, a job completed, an invoice sent, paid or a number of days overdue, or an AI Receptionist call ending.
Only if can check the lead source, status, service, workspace, tag, amount, customer type, whether they agreed to texts, whether they have an email or phone, and whether someone is assigned.
Then can wait, check again, email the customer from your business mailbox, text the customer, start an AI call, notify the team, create a task, assign the lead by taking turns, change the lead status or add a tag.
Before you turn an automation on, test mode shows what would have run over the last 30 days and the first message it would have sent, without sending anything. A daily cap limits automatic customer messages per business, and every run has a full history.
Ready made recipes
You can start from recipes and edit them. They begin switched off so you choose what runs.
- Instant lead reply: a text to a new lead within about a minute, the heart of speed to lead automation.
- New lead follow-up: a task after one day, then a text two days later if the lead is still New.
- Estimate follow-up: an email two days after an unsigned estimate, then a call task three days later.
- Overdue invoice reminders: emails 3, 7 and 14 days after the due date, stopping when paid.
- Payment receipt: a thank you and receipt when an invoice is paid.
- AI calls new leads: an AI call two minutes after a lead comes in, only with call consent and only in daytime hours. Needs the AI Receptionist.
- Missed call text back: a text about a minute after an AI Receptionist call ends without a booking, only to numbers that have not opted out.
- Missed opportunity check-back: a follow up 90 days after a lead is marked Lost.
For the lead side in detail, see automated lead follow up.
Texting and email rules that protect you
Automated text and email follow up only helps if it stays polite. Automatic texts go out from your approved business number through the business texting add-on, $50 a month for 1,000 texts. They only go to customers who agreed to texts, STOP is honored, and texts wait during quiet hours from 9 PM to 8 AM in your time zone. Emails go from your own mailbox, and customer marketing email includes an unsubscribe link. CSV imports never start automations, so loading an old list will not text hundreds of people at once.
A CRM with social media and marketing automation in one place
The social side works from the same account. Connect a Facebook Page, an Instagram business account, LinkedIn, X or Pinterest, then pick one of the social media posting plans: 1, 3, 7, 14 or 21 posts a week. The AI picks posting times for your industry, city and networks.
To fill the plan:
- Post ideas: Dheed reads your website and services and writes ready posts, each with a stock photo already found.
- Write from a link: paste an article or page, and Dheed writes a caption that credits the source and attaches the link.
- Pictures: stock photos or AI pictures, stored square with your logo stamped in the corner.
Each network's rules are checked before posting, such as an image for Instagram and Pinterest and 280 characters on X. Social posting is included on Pro and Business. More is on the social media management page.
A starter plan for your first month
- Week one: turn on Instant lead reply and New lead follow-up.
- Week two: turn on Estimate follow-up and Overdue invoice reminders.
- Week three: connect your social accounts and start a 3 posts a week plan.
- Week four: review run history and adjust the wording.
Dheed is an all-in-one business platform, so automations, texting and social share one record. See plans and pricing, or start free.
Frequently asked questions
What can I automate in Dheed?
Automations start from events such as a new lead, a status change, an appointment booked, completed, cancelled or missed, an estimate sent, signed or still unsigned, a job completed, an invoice sent, paid or overdue, or an AI Receptionist call ending. Steps can wait, check conditions, text or email the customer, start an AI call, create or assign a task, add a tag or notify your team.
Will automations keep texting a customer who already replied?
No. After each wait, Dheed checks the reason again, for example that the lead is still New or the invoice is still open, plus your conditions. If the customer acted, the run stops. Texts respect consent, STOP replies and quiet hours.
Which social networks can Dheed post to?
A Facebook Page, an Instagram business account, LinkedIn, X and Pinterest. You can post now, schedule a post, or use a posting plan of 1, 3, 7, 14 or 21 posts a week at times the AI picks for your industry and city.
Do I need a separate email marketing tool?
For follow up tied to leads, estimates, appointments and invoices, Dheed's automations send email from your own business mailbox. Dheed is not a newsletter builder, so if you send large promotional newsletters you may still want a dedicated email tool.