A real estate drip campaign is a short series of pre-written emails that sends itself after a trigger, such as a new buyer lead or an open house sign-in. The ones that work are three to six emails over a few weeks, each with one job, written like a personal note, and they stop as soon as the person takes the next step.
Below are six sequences you can copy: a new buyer lead, a new seller lead, open house visitors, past clients, expired listings and cold leads. Each has its timing, subject lines and short emails. Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details, and send each sequence only to people who agreed to hear from you. Our article on email compliance for agents in Canada and the USA explains what that means on each side of the border.
What a drip campaign is
A drip campaign (also called an email sequence or automation) has three parts:
- A trigger that starts it for one person: they’re tagged “Buyer”, added to an “Open house visitors” list, or added as a new contact.
- A series of emails, each sent a set number of days after the one before.
- A stop rule: once the person does what the sequence is for, such as booking a showing, the rest isn’t sent.
The difference from a newsletter is timing. A newsletter goes to everyone on the same day. A drip campaign runs on each person’s own clock, from the moment they became a lead, so someone who signed up on a Tuesday night gets their welcome straight away instead of waiting for your next issue.
Good sequences read like a note from you, not a brochure: one job per email, a plain layout, and an easy way to reply.
Before you build one
- Pick the trigger. Tags are the most flexible: you can tag someone from their profile, in bulk from your contact list, straight after an import, or automatically from a sign-up form.
- Decide what “done” looks like, and give it its own link. If the goal is a showing, link every email to a page with a distinctive address, such as
yourwebsite.com/book-a-showing. That piece of the address becomes your stop rule. - Check consent. A lead who asked about a listing has made an inquiry; a past client has a business relationship with you. Both are covered in the compliance article, along with how long implied consent lasts in Canada.
- Read the timing correctly. The day numbers in the sequences below count from the day someone enters. In OneHive Mail each email’s wait counts from the email before it, so “Day 0, 2, 5, 10, 21” becomes waits of 0, 2, 3, 5 and 11 days. Each sequence below shows both.
[First name] becomes a personalisation tag in OneHive Mail: “Hi {{first_name|there}},” uses the contact’s first name and falls back to “there” when you don’t have one. Everything else in brackets, such as [Area] or [Booking link], is for you to fill in once when you set the sequence up.
Sequence 1: New buyer lead
Trigger: tagged “Buyer”. Stop rule: clicks a link containing book-a-showing. Timing: Day 0, 2, 5, 10, 21 (waits 0, 2, 3, 5, 11).
Hi [First name],
Thanks for getting in touch about [Address or area]. I’m [Your name] with [Brokerage], and I help buyers find homes in [Area].
Over the next couple of weeks I’ll send you a few short notes with the things buyers here usually ask me about. If you’d rather talk now, just reply to this email or pick a time that suits you: [Booking link]
[Your name]
Hi [First name],
Here are three homes that recently sold or are for sale in [Area] around [Price range], so you can see what the money buys today:
[Home 1: address, price, one line on what stands out]
[Home 2]
[Home 3]
Is this close to what you have in mind, or should I look a little differently? Reply with what you’d change and I’ll send a better list.
Hi [First name],
A mortgage pre-approval tells you what you can comfortably spend and shows sellers you’re ready, which matters when a home you love gets more than one offer.
If you don’t have one yet, I can introduce you to [Mortgage broker or lender name], who works with many of my buyers. Or if you’re already pre-approved, let’s get some showings booked: [Booking link]
Hi [First name],
Buyers looking in [Area] often end up loving [Neighbourhood]. A few things worth knowing: [schools or catchments], [commute or transit], [parks, shops or a favourite café], and homes there have recently sold for around [range, with source].
Want to see a few homes there this weekend? [Booking link]
Hi [First name],
I don’t want to fill your inbox, so one simple question: what’s the one thing your next home must have?
Reply with a line or two and I’ll keep an eye out for you. And when you’re ready to look, booking a showing takes a minute: [Booking link]
Need a more designed look for the neighbourhood email? The buyer follow-up templates include buyer guides and a first-time buyer walkthrough you can use as a step.
Sequence 2: New seller lead
Trigger: tagged “Seller”. Stop rule: clicks a link containing home-valuation. Timing: Day 0, 3, 7, 14, 30 (waits 0, 3, 4, 7, 16).
Hi [First name],
Thanks for reaching out about your home. Whether you’re planning to sell soon or just curious, the best place to start is an up-to-date estimate of what it might sell for.
I prepare those from recent sales nearby and a look at your home’s features. Request yours here and I’ll be in touch within a day: [Valuation link]
[Your name], [Brokerage]
Hi [First name],
Here’s what has sold close to you over the last [period], from [source]:
[Address or block, sale price, days on market]
[Address or block, sale price, days on market]
[Address or block, sale price, days on market]
Every home is different, so these are a starting point, not a price for yours. For a proper estimate: [Valuation link]
Hi [First name],
Sellers often spend money on the wrong things. Worth doing: [repair 1], [repair 2], [fresh paint in busy rooms], [declutter and depersonalise], [curb appeal]. Usually not worth it before a sale: [a full kitchen renovation], [new flooring throughout], [and so on].
Happy to walk through your home and tell you which list each job belongs on.
Hi [First name],
When I list a home in [Area], here’s what happens: [professional photos and floor plan], [MLS® listing and online advertising], [an email to buyers who are looking in your area], [open houses and private showings], and [a weekly update so you always know where things stand].
If you’d like to talk it through for your home, reply here or call me at [Phone].
Hi [First name],
Some sellers I talk to are ready this month; others are planning for next year. Either is fine. If it helps, I can send you a short note each month with what’s selling near you, so you can decide when the time is right.
Just reply “yes” and I’ll add you. Or if you’re ready for that valuation: [Valuation link]
The seller follow-up templates include home valuation offers and seller prep guides if you’d like a designed version of any step.
Sequence 3: Open house visitors
Trigger: added to a list called “Open house visitors”. Stop rule: clicks a link containing book-a-showing. Timing: Day 1, 4, 10 (waits 1, 3, 6).
One sequence can serve every open house if it doesn’t name a specific address. Send the address-specific thank-you as a regular campaign on the day (our open house follow-up emails article has copy for it), and let this sequence handle the days after.
Hi [First name],
Thanks again for coming by the open house. If it wasn’t quite the one, here are a few homes nearby with a similar feel:
[Home 1: address, price, one line]
[Home 2]
[Home 3]
I can set up private viewings for any of them: [Booking link]
Hi [First name],
Lots of people come to open houses at different stages: some are ready to buy, some are just starting, and some are neighbours who are curious. Where are you?
Reply with a word or two and I’ll only send you what’s useful. If you’re ready to look properly: [Booking link]
Hi [First name],
A short update for anyone keeping an eye on [Area]: [number] homes sold last month at a median of [price], and [new listings or inventory note], according to [source].
If you’d like a list of homes that match what you’re looking for, reply and tell me your must-haves.
Sequence 4: Past clients and your sphere
Trigger: tagged “Past client”, ideally on closing day. Stop rule: none. Timing: Day 0, 30, 90, 180, 365 (waits 0, 30, 60, 90, 185).
Tag clients on closing day and the last email arrives close to their first home anniversary. In Canada, a closing usually gives you implied consent for two years, so the first email is a natural moment to ask whether they’d like to keep hearing from you.
Hi [First name],
Congratulations! It was a pleasure helping you with [Address]. I’ve put together a short moving checklist: [Checklist link]
Once you’re settled, I send a short note each month on what’s happening in the local market. Would you like to keep getting it? Just reply “yes”.
[Your name]
Hi [First name],
A month in, you’ve probably found the closest coffee. Here are some trades my clients trust in [Area]: [plumber], [electrician], [handyperson], [cleaner]. Mention my name if you call them.
And if anything about the house has you puzzled, ask me. I’m happy to help.
Hi [First name],
Five jobs worth doing this [season]: [job 1], [job 2], [job 3], [job 4], [job 5].
Small jobs now save bigger repairs later, and they all help when it’s time to sell, whenever that is.
Hi [First name],
Six months in! I’d love to hear how you’re finding [Neighbourhood].
If any friends or family are thinking of buying or selling, I’d be grateful for an introduction. I’ll look after them the way I looked after you.
Hi [First name],
A year ago this week you got the keys. Happy home anniversary!
If you’re curious how your home’s value has moved since then, I can put together a short update based on recent sales nearby. Just reply and I’ll send it over.
After the first year, keep in touch through your newsletter. The client appreciation templates include closing thank-yous and home anniversary designs.
Sequence 5: Expired listings
In Canada, finding a homeowner’s email address online doesn’t give you consent to email them. Start this sequence only for owners who have asked to hear from you, for example someone who contacted you after their listing expired, or who asked you on the phone to email your plan. In the US you can email without asking first, but every email must meet CAN-SPAM’s requirements. Phone and text outreach have their own rules; see the compliance article.
Trigger: tagged “Expired: requested plan”. Stop rule: clicks a link containing book-a-call. Timing: Day 0, 7, 14 (waits 0, 7, 7).
Hi [First name],
Thanks for taking my call. As promised, here’s how I’d approach selling [Address]: [Plan link or three short points].
I know it’s frustrating when a home doesn’t sell. If you’d like to talk through it, pick a time that works: [Booking link]
Hi [First name],
Here’s what I’d do differently with [Address] on a relaunch: [1], [2], [3]. And one thing I’d keep exactly as it is: [a genuine strength of the home].
No obligation, just my honest view. [Booking link]
Hi [First name],
Whether you relist now, wait for [season] or decide to stay, I hope this was useful. If you’d like a second opinion at any point, reply to this email or call me at [Phone].
Keep the tone respectful: criticising the previous agent rarely wins the listing. And check the listing has truly expired before you start.
Sequence 6: Re-engaging cold leads
Trigger: tagged “Re-engage”. Stop rule: clicks a link containing still-interested. Timing: Day 0, 4, 10 (waits 0, 4, 6).
Use this for leads who haven’t opened, clicked or replied in months. In OneHive Mail the engagement score marks them as cold, based on the last 90 days of opens, clicks and activity. Before you tag anyone, check that you still have valid consent to email them: implied consent from an inquiry lasts six months in Canada.
Hi [First name],
It’s been a while since we last talked about [buying or selling in Area]. Plans change, so I wanted to check in.
Still interested? Tap here and I’ll send you what’s new: [Still-interested link]
Not right now? No problem at all; you can unsubscribe at the bottom of this email.
Hi [First name],
A lot can move in a few months. Since we last talked: [prices, inventory or rates, with source]. In plain terms, that means [your one-sentence view].
If you’d like a fresh list of homes or an updated value for yours: [Still-interested link]
Hi [First name],
I don’t want to send email you aren’t reading, so this is my last note unless I hear from you. If you’d still like updates, click here: [Still-interested link]
Either way, thanks, and best of luck with whatever comes next.
When the sequence ends, archive the people who didn’t respond. Archived contacts keep their history, aren’t emailed and don’t count toward your plan. Our guide to cleaning your real estate contact database covers the rest of the routine.
Set it up in OneHive Mail
- Go to Automations, name the sequence (for example “New buyer lead”) and click Create.
- Under Trigger and stop rule, choose when it starts: when someone is tagged, when someone is added to a list, or when a new contact is added. Then enter your stop text, such as
book-a-showing, under Stop early when they click a link containing. - Click Add email for each step and set how many days after the previous email it goes out. For the first email, 0 days sends it as soon as someone is enrolled.
- Design each email in the same designer you use for campaigns, with your branding filled in, and give it a subject line and preview text.
- Open Switch it on. It lists anything you still need to fix, and asks whether to start with new people only or also everyone who already has the tag or is on the list.
A few things worth knowing about how sequences behave:
- Everyone gets each email once, in order, and each person is enrolled only once, so re-tagging someone later won’t restart it.
- The stop rule watches clicks on any of your emails after the person started the sequence, including regular campaigns. A reply doesn’t stop it, and neither does moving someone along your pipeline, so write later emails so they still read well for someone you’re already working with.
- Unsubscribing, bouncing or being archived always stops it for that person, and every email carries your compliance footer and unsubscribe link automatically.
- Each email has its own results, so you can see where people lose interest.
- Pair it with hot leads. Mark your booking or valuation link as a hot link, and everyone who clicks it shows up under Hot leads for a personal follow-up.
The step-by-step guide to building your first automation has more detail, and the built-in CRM is where you pick up the conversation once someone responds. Automations are included on every plan; see pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How many emails should a real estate drip campaign have?
Three to six is plenty for most leads, a few days apart at first and further apart later. For long-term contacts such as past clients, follow a short sequence with your regular newsletter rather than adding more steps.
What’s the difference between a drip campaign and a newsletter?
A newsletter goes to everyone on the same day. A drip campaign runs on each person’s own timeline from when they joined, and stops when they take the next step. Most agents use both.
Can I start a drip campaign for contacts I already have?
Yes. When you switch an automation on in OneHive Mail, you can choose to enrol everyone who already has the tag or is on the list. Check their consent first, especially for older contacts.
What happens when a lead replies?
Replies go to your own reply-to address, so you can answer personally. A reply doesn’t stop the sequence by itself; the stop rule is a click on your chosen link. Write later emails so they still make sense for someone you’re already talking to.
Do I need consent to send drip emails in Canada?
Yes. Drip emails are commercial messages under CASL, so you need express consent or valid implied consent, such as from a recent inquiry or a past transaction. The compliance article covers the details.