A guide to building your 24/7 real estate marketing engine

Time commitment

• Quick version (this guide): 2–3 hours
• Full version (see original post): 4–8 hours (adds lead scoring, routing, multi-channel personalization, and reporting)

The build (minimum viable version)

Step 1: Create one capture form per lead type — 30 minutes

Set up two forms in ActiveCampaign: one for buyers (listing alert sign-up) and one for sellers (home valuation request). Each form should collect name, email, and phone number. Configure each form to automatically tag the contact (prospect-buyer or prospect-seller) and add them to the appropriate list.

Quick version: Use ActiveCampaign’s ready-made form templates. Describe what you need to Active Intelligence and let AI generate the form for you.

Step 2: Build two automated welcome sequences — 45 minutes

Use the AI Automation Builder to create a short drip sequence for each lead type. For buyers: an instant email confirming their sign-up, followed by a listing alert. For sellers: an email with a CMA guide and home prep tips, followed by an SMS reminder two days later to schedule an appointment.

Quick version: Start with the real estate prospect drip automation recipe and customize the emails. Two to three messages per sequence is enough to start.

Step 3: Add after-hours acknowledgment — 15 minutes

Add an If/​Else condition to each automation that checks whether the inquiry came in outside business hours. If yes, send an immediate text or email thanking the prospect and letting them know when you’ll personally follow up. Queue a follow-up for the next business morning.

Quick version: A single ​“Thanks for reaching out — I’ll get back to you by [time]” SMS is enough. You can add a more detailed email later.

Step 4: Install site tracking — 15 minutes

Add the ActiveCampaign tracking code to your website. This lets you see which listings prospects view and which pages they visit, which feeds into lead scoring later.

Quick version: Just install the code snippet. You don’t need to set up scoring rules yet — the data will be collecting in the background for when you’re ready.

You’re done when…

• A test submission on your buyer form triggers an automatic welcome email
• A test submission on your seller form triggers an email + SMS sequence
• An after-hours test submission gets an acknowledgment message
• Site tracking shows your own visits in ActiveCampaign