A workflow sends emails, texts and push messages in order when something happens, such as a new lead or an expiring membership. You can add waits between messages, check what the member did, and add or remove tags along the way. This guide shows how to build, test and track a workflow.
Workflows or automations?
Workflows send several messages in a row, with waits and yes/no checks. Use them for follow-up sequences.
Automations send one message when one event happens. See How to Set Up Automations.
Step 1: Open Workflows
Go to Marketing Tools → Workflows. The list shows each workflow's Title, Trigger, Status, Entries (how many members started it) and Last run.
Use the status filter to show Draft, Active, Paused or Archived workflows.
Step 2: Start a new workflow
Click Add workflow.
Choose a template, or Start from a blank canvas.
New lead onboarding (Recommended): follows up with leads who enquired but never came in. Up to 2 messages over 3 days.
Membership ending soon: reminds members before their renewal window passes. 2 messages over 14 days.
Birthday wishes: 2 messages on the member's birthday.
After a trial: reaches members who tried a class but haven't signed up. Up to 2 messages over 3 days.
NextKick saves it right away as a Draft and opens it in the builder. If you leave before finishing, you'll find it in the list as a draft.
Step 3: Set what starts the workflow
Double-click the Start step.
Under What starts this, choose the trigger.
Fill in any extra details, such as which status or tag.
Triggers include:
When member status changes
When a lead signs up as a member
When a tag is assigned
When an intake form is submitted
When a member checks in
When homework is assigned, or gets feedback
When learning center content is added
When a membership is assigned
When a store order is placed
When invited to an event or a promotion test
When promotion test status changes
When a rank changes
Based on the membership end date
Based on the birthday
Workflows based on the birthday or the membership end date are checked once a day at 10 AM in your school's time. Under When to send, choose Before, After or On the day.
Step 4: Add steps
Click + between two steps and choose what to add:
Email: choose who it goes to under Send to: Member, Parent or Staff. Then write the subject and message.
Text: choose Member, Parent or Staff under Send to, then write up to 480 characters. The panel shows how many SMS credits each text uses.
Push: send a push notification to the student app. Push only reaches the member, so use email or text for parents and staff.
Wait: pause for a number of minutes, hours or days before the next step.
Condition: split the flow into Yes and No paths. You can check Booked a trial?, Attended a trial?, Started a membership? or Has a specific status?
Add tag or Remove tag: change the member's tags. See How to Use Tags and Groups.
Double-click a step to edit it in the panel on the right. To add the member's name or your school's name, click a custom field such as Member first name or School name. Click the trash icon on a step to remove it.
Use the zoom buttons to zoom in and out, and Auto arrange to tidy up the steps.
Example: the New lead onboarding template starts when a member's status changes to Lead. It sends a welcome email, waits 3 days, then checks Attended a trial? If not, it sends a text inviting them to book a first class.
Step 5: Choose whether members can repeat it
Click ⋮ at the top right and choose Workflow settings.
Under When can the same member enter again?, choose an option.
Click Save.
Again after it finishes: a member can start it again once their previous run has ended.
Every time: a member starts it every time the trigger happens.
Only once: a member goes through it only once. This isn't available for birthday or membership end date workflows, since they need to run every time.
Step 6: Test, save and turn it on
Click ⋮ → Test send, pick a member and click Run test. Nothing is actually sent. NextKick only records which steps would run and in what order, and shows the result in Run history marked as a test.
Click Save to keep your changes. The workflow stays a draft.
Click Activate to turn it on.
Step 7: Track results
Open the workflow and use the tabs at the top. Both are available after you turn the workflow on.
Run history: who entered, their status (Running, Waiting, Completed, Failed or Cancelled), and when they entered and ended. Check Show test runs to include tests.
Analytics: how many members entered and completed it, how each step performed, and email open and click rates. Test runs aren't counted.
Step 8: Pause, edit or delete a workflow
In Marketing Tools → Workflows, click ⋮ on the workflow:
Active workflows: Pause, Edit, Run history, Analytics or Delete.
Draft workflows: Activate, Edit or Delete.
A paused workflow doesn't send anything, including to members who are partway through it.
Common questions
Can a workflow message parents?
Yes. In an Email or Text step, choose Parent under Send to. Push notifications only reach the member.
Does Test send message the member I pick?
No. It only records which steps would run. Check the result in Run history.
If I have an automation and a workflow for the same event, will members get both?
Yes. Turn one of them off so members don't get two messages.
Why can't I choose Only once?
Workflows based on the birthday or membership end date have to run each time, so Only once isn't available for them.
Why are Run history and Analytics empty?
They're available after you turn the workflow on.
Why don't my test runs show in Analytics?
Analytics leaves out test runs. To see them, check Show test runs in Run history.