How to Set Up Systeme.io for a Coaching Business (Funnel, Tags and Follow-Up)
Most coaches don’t need five tools. They need a way to get booked calls, follow up with the people who didn’t buy yet, onboard new clients smoothly and invite them back when a package ends. Systeme.io can do all of that in one account, and the free plan covers up to 2,000 contacts.
This guide walks through a practical setup for a coaching business in Systeme.io: the funnel, the tags, the email sequences and the automation rules, in the order you should build them. Menu names can change as Systeme.io updates its interface, so treat the paths as a guide rather than a click-by-click script.
Follow along in your own account
Create a free Systeme.io account and build each step as you read. Free for up to 2,000 contacts, no card needed.
What you’ll build
- A discovery-call funnel: an application or booking page and a thank-you page.
- Tags that show where every contact is: lead, call booked, client, past client.
- Four email sequences: pre-call, “not yet”, onboarding and end-of-package.
- Automation rules that move people between them without you touching anything.
- Optional: a sales page and payment for your package or group programme.
Step 1: create your tags
Tags are how Systeme.io knows who is who. Create these under your contacts settings: lead, call-booked, not-yet, client, package-ending, past-client. Keep the list short; you can add more later.
Step 2: build the discovery-call funnel
- Page 1, opt-in or application: name, email and one or two questions (“What would you like to change in the next six months?”). Add the tag
leadon submit. - Page 2, thank-you and booking: confirm what happens next and let people pick a call time. If you use a separate scheduler, embed it on this page.
- When a call is booked: add the tag
call-booked(through your scheduler’s integration, or by hand after you get the booking notification until you connect it).
Step 3: write the four sequences
Pre-call sequence (starts with the call-booked tag)
Email 1, straight away: confirmation, what to expect, one question to think about. Email 2, the day before: a reminder and a short client story. Keep both brief.
“Not yet” sequence (starts with the not-yet tag)
Day 2: a resource that speaks to their goal. Day 7: a gentle offer to hold a place. Then one useful email a month: a framework, a story or a reflection prompt. Plenty of clients sign months later.
Onboarding sequence (starts with the client tag)
Welcome, what happens next, the intake form, how to book the first session and how to contact you. Everything a new client needs in the first 48 hours.
End-of-package sequence (starts with the package-ending tag)
A reflection prompt on progress, an invitation to talk about next steps in the next session, and a request for a testimonial after the final session.
Step 4: connect it with automation rules
In Systeme.io’s automation rules you choose a trigger and an action. The rules you need:
- Tag added:
call-booked→ subscribe to the pre-call sequence. - Tag added:
not-yet→ subscribe to the “not yet” sequence and removecall-booked. - Tag added:
client(or a purchase of your package) → subscribe to onboarding and unsubscribe from the “not yet” sequence. - Tag added:
package-ending→ subscribe to the end-of-package sequence.
After each discovery call, you only do one thing: add client or not-yet. Everything else follows.
Step 5 (optional): sell the package or a group programme
Add a sales page with an order form so clients can pay online, and let the purchase add the client tag automatically. If you run a group programme or course, Systeme.io can host it too, so enrolment, payment and delivery sit in one place.
Limits worth knowing
- Systeme.io is email-first; it doesn’t send SMS reminders natively.
- For a detailed sales pipeline across several coaches, a CRM like Zoho or Pipedrive is stronger.
- Don’t store sensitive health information in marketing tools.
Ready to stop losing clients between calls?
Build the funnel and four sequences once, and every lead and client gets the right message at the right time. Free for up to 2,000 contacts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Systeme.io’s free plan enough for a coaching business?
For many solo coaches, yes: up to 2,000 contacts with funnels, email and automation. Upgrade when you outgrow the limits.
How long does this setup take?
Plan an afternoon for the funnel and tags, and another session to write the four sequences. Writing the emails takes longer than building them.
Can I use my existing calendar tool?
Yes. Embed it on the thank-you page and connect it so bookings add the right tag.
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