# Follow-Ups & Nudges

Rentalot can automatically follow up with prospects on your behalf -- so no lead goes cold while you're busy.

## Follow-Up Automation

Automatic follow-up messages sent to prospects who haven't replied after a configurable delay. Requires **Starter** plan or above.

### Configuration

Go to **Settings > General > Follow-ups** to configure:

- **Enable auto follow-ups** -- toggle the feature on/off
- **Idle threshold** -- how long to wait after your last message before sending a follow-up (24, 48, or 72 hours)
- **Max follow-up messages** -- cap the sequence at 1, 2, or 3 messages per conversation

### Message Templates

You can define your own templates for each follow-up step. Templates support placeholder interpolation -- use variables like `{contact.name}` and `{property.address}` to personalize messages.

When a template matches, it's sent directly without an LLM call. If no template is defined, the AI agent generates a contextual follow-up.

## Contact Nudges

Lifecycle-aware automated outbound messages triggered by prospect activity or inactivity. Unlike basic follow-ups, nudges respond to specific events across the prospect journey.

### Nudge Types

| Type | Trigger | Default Delay | Tier |
|------|---------|---------------|------|
| Idle prospect | No reply from prospect | 72h | Starter+ |
| Showing reminder | Upcoming showing | 24h before | Starter+ |
| Post-showing | Showing completed | 24h after | Pro+ |
| Incomplete pre-screening | Prospect abandoned form | 24h | Pro+ |
| Scheduled, no reply | Scheduled contact silent | 72h | Pro+ |
| Emailed, no reply | Outbound email, no reply | 72h | Pro+ |
| Blast, no reply | Blast form submitted, no agent reply | 72h | Pro+ |
| Re-engage | Long-inactive prospect | 14 days | Pro+ |

Nudges are **email-only**. If a contact has no email address, nudges are skipped for that contact. You must have an email integration connected (Gmail, Microsoft 365, or SMTP) in [Settings > Integrations](/settings).

### Configuration

Go to **Settings > General > Contact Nudges** to configure:

- **Enable contact nudges** -- master toggle; no nudges fire unless this is on
- **Per-type controls** -- each nudge type has its own on/off switch and a configurable delay

### Sending Nudges Manually

From any contact detail page, click **Send Nudge** to pick a nudge type and send it immediately -- no need to wait for the automated trigger.

### Sending Nudges via Management Chat

You can also ask the AI assistant to send a nudge on your behalf:

> "Send an idle prospect nudge to John Smith"

The assistant will confirm the nudge type and contact before sending.