Getting Started Best Practices, Part 1: Account Setup

About this guide

This guide walks you through the foundational setup of your Sure Send account: stages, custom fields, appointments, and ponds. Get these four right and you've built the structure that lets you see, at any moment, where every contact is and why they're there.

Every named item below sits in a copy-paste block. Copy it, paste it into Sure Send, and move on. No retyping.

None of this is a rigid prescription. It's a menu. That's the beauty of Sure Send. You can build it out as simple or as sophisticated as your business calls for. Take what fits, skip what doesn't, and adapt the rest.

A note on industry: This guide is built from a real estate perspective, with real-estate stages and examples throughout. Sure Send is industry-agnostic, though. Mortgage, roofing, home services, and plenty of others run on it. If you're outside real estate, the principles and the foundation still apply. Just adjust the stages to match your industry's workflow and customer journey.

You can find a companion video showing every section being built out here: Build with Me | Getting Started with Sure Send: Part 1

1. The Why: Your Database, Accounted For

The size of your database doesn't matter. Chaos is common. A clean, accountable database is rare.

A good CRM is not a place to store leads. It's a system that lets you see, at any moment, where every lead is and why they're there.

If you're paying for leads or doing the work to generate them, you should be able to point at any lead and say: this is where they are, this is why, this is what's next.

A clean, accountable database doesn't happen by accident. It comes down to a solid foundation. What we'll cover in this guide is part of that foundation: stages, custom fields, appointments, and ponds. Get these right and you can see, at any moment, where every contact is and why they're there. That's the bird's-eye view that this guide, along with the other parts of this series, builds toward.

2. What CRM Actually Means

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. The goal is not to store leads. The goal is to manage relationships with the people you serve.

Everything in this guide supports that goal. If you can't see your relationships clearly, you can't manage them well.

3. The Account Setup Checklist

Start here. This is the first thing to do, and it shapes a lot of what comes later. A few of these items, like Appointment Types and Appointment Outcomes, get covered in more depth later in this guide, so feel free to jump ahead to those sections when you reach them.

Sure Send's Getting Started page has 11 items in Account Setup and 8 in Personal Setup. You don't need to do them all in one sitting, but you should know what each one is for.

Account Setup

• Team Settings: basic team info

• Email Settings: connect your sending email

• Phone Provider Settings: connect your phone and SMS

• Media Manager: where your logos and assets live

• Business Hours: when you're open for communication

• Appointment Types: the kinds of appointments your team takes (covered in Section 6)

• Appointment Outcomes: what can happen at the end of an appointment (covered in Section 6)

• Referral Settings: referral tracking

• Credits Overview: how the credit system works

• Bring In Your Data: import existing contacts (covered in Part 2)

• Explore the Library: shared templates and automation playbooks

Personal Setup

Profile, notifications, calendar, Win the Day, and more. Full walkthrough in Part 3.

Your Help Center

Every section above has a matching article in the Sure Send Help Center.

https://suresend.ai/help/category/getting-started

Bookmark it. It's your first stop anytime you get stuck.

4. Stages: Your Database Foundation

Stages are the single most important foundation in Sure Send. A stage answers one question: where is this lead in my pipeline right now?

Every lead should be in exactly one stage at any time. No exceptions.

The universal definition of "Qualified"

Motivation, timeline, and ability all confirmed. Without all three, they're not qualified.

Stage reference chart

These are example stages with definitions you can adopt, modify, or skip. Sure Send ships with Lead, Closed, and Trash as defaults. You can rename, redefine, or modify any of them. They are not locked.

A quick note on the Qualified tiers. The A, B, C, and D labels map to how soon a prospect is likely to transact, from soonest to furthest out. You don't need to bake the timeline into the stage itself. Sure Send has a native timeline field on every contact, so set that and let the stage stay clean.

A note on appointments and stages

You'll notice there's no "Appointment" stage on this list, and that's on purpose. An appointment can happen at any stage. A Contacted lead, a Qualified A prospect, or an Active Client can all have appointments scheduled. Rather than forcing appointments into the pipeline as a stage, Sure Send tracks them natively with their own types, outcomes, and reporting. More on that in Section 6.

Copy-paste blocks for stage setup

Go to Settings > Stage Management and create the ones you need. Lead, Closed, and Trash are already there.

Attempted Contact

Contacted

Qualified A

Qualified B

Qualified C

Qualified D

Nurture

Active Client

Under Contract

SOI / Past Client

Not Qualified

You don't have to use every stage on this list. Use what fits your business. But every stage you use should have a clear definition and a clear next action.

5. Custom Fields and Sub-Statuses

Stages tell you where someone is. Custom fields tell you who they are and why.

This is where you add the context that lets you actually segment your database. A Qualified A buyer who's relocating behaves differently than a Qualified A buyer going through a divorce. Custom fields are how you make those distinctions.

Here's where the customizability really shows. Some of the lists below work great as custom fields. Others you might choose to set up as sub-statuses under a stage instead. There's no single right answer. These are possibilities to consider, not a checklist to complete. Build what serves your business.

Sure Send ships with no custom fields by default. The lists below are a starter menu. Each field is a dropdown unless noted.

Go to Settings > Custom Fields > New Field for each one you want.

Field 1: Contact Type

What kind of contact is this? The descriptions show how one team defines each. Adjust the language to fit yours.

Field name:

Contact Type

Dropdown options:

Agent - Opposing agent in transaction
Buyer - Client purchasing with us
Buying & Selling - Simultaneous buy + sell client
FSBO - Owner selling without an agent
Investor - Owns non-primary / rental property
Referral Agent - Agent we refer out-of-scope business to
Renter - Referred to another agent for rental
Seller - Client listing their home with us
Agent Recruit - Prospective agent joining our team
Vendor Partner - Service provider we work with regularly

Field 2: Prospect Motivation

Why are they moving?

Field name:

Prospect Motivation

Dropdown options:

Death or Inheritance
Divorce
Financial Distress
Financial Windfall
First Time Homebuyer
Health Issues
Investment Property
Job Opportunity
Relocation
Retiring or Downsizing
Secondary Home
Upgrading / Selling & Buying
Other

Field 3: SOI Source

Where did this contact come from?

Field name:

SOI Source

Dropdown options:

Absentee Owner
Agent Website
Altos Research
Circle Prospect or Cold Calling
Door Knocking
Expired Listings
ez Home Search
Farming
FSBO
Lead Portal
Open House
Other Agent or Vendor
Property Boost & SMM
Referral
Renters
SOI
Wholesale

Field 4: Active Client Sub-Status

Where is this client in the active engagement? This pairs naturally with the Active Client stage. You could run it as a custom field, or you could set these up as sub-statuses under the Active Client stage. Your call.

Field name:

Active Client Sub-Status

Dropdown options:

Buyer - Signed Rep Agreement
Buyer - Showing Homes
Buyer - Temporarily Paused Search
Buyer - Submitting Offers
Buyer - Offer Accepted
Seller - Signed Listing Agreement
Seller - Coming Soon
Seller - Active Listing
Seller - Temporarily Off Market
Seller - Accepted Offer

Field 5: Under Contract Sub-Status

Where is this transaction in the closing process? Same idea as above: works as a custom field or as sub-statuses under the Under Contract stage.

Field name:

Under Contract Sub-Status

Dropdown options:

Option Period
Pending
Clear to Close
Closed

Field 6: Disposition

If they didn't move forward, why? Pairs well with the Nurture or Not Qualified stages.

Field name:

Disposition

Dropdown options:

Already Bought or Sold Their House
Already Working with an Agent
Bad Email & Number
Bad/Missing/Wrong Phone Number
Changed Their Mind
Chose to Buy in Another State or Market
Didn't Qualify for Financing
Do Not Contact
Helping a Friend or Family Member
Just Looking for a Rental
Just Looking or Curious
Needs Credit Repair
No Intentions of Buying or Selling
Not Interested
Not Pre-Approved
Past Client
Renter Waiting for Lease to Expire
Responsive at First, Then Became Unresponsive
SOI
Unresponsive
Will Buy or Sell at a Later Time
Other

Optional: Appointment Status

Here's a good example of the "it depends on your setup" principle. Sure Send tracks appointments natively (Section 6), so most teams won't need a custom field for appointment status. But if your workflow calls for tagging where an appointment stands, you could capture it as a custom field, or even as sub-statuses. It's optional. Listed here so you know the possibility exists.

Field name:

Appointment Status

Dropdown options:

Met
No Show / Unresponsive
Needs to be Rescheduled

6. Appointments

An appointment is not a stage. Appointments can happen at any stage. A lead can be Contacted, Qualified A, or Active Client and have appointments scheduled at any point along the way.

That's why Sure Send manages appointments as their own thing, with their own types, outcomes, and tracking. You get the reporting and Set-to-Met visibility without cluttering your pipeline.

Appointment Types

Sure Send ships with four default types: Meeting, Phone Call, Video Call, and Other. Each can have its own color and icon.

Three real-estate-specific types worth adding:

Copy-paste blocks. Go to Settings > Appointment Types > New Type.

Buyer Consultation - Virtual

Buyer Consultation - In Person

Listing Appointment

Appointment Outcomes

Sure Send ships with four default outcomes. For most teams these cover every scenario. You can add custom outcomes for a specific use case.

One note: an outcome that already has appointments attached to it can be deactivated, but not deleted.

Reporting

Set-to-Met tracking is built into the Win the Day leaderboard. A dedicated appointment reporting dashboard is on the wish list.

7. Ponds

There are two ways to think about ponds.

The first is as a prospecting tool: intake, follow-up sequences, lead distribution. That's a Part 2 topic.

The second is as a repository: quiet containers for hygiene and organization. That's the lens for this handout. Some of these repositories may later become smart lists as you build out your account.

The reference below is the full set, including the prospecting ponds covered in Part 2. The detail here is intentional. The more context you have on entry and exit criteria, the easier it is to decide which ponds your business actually needs.

Go to Groups & Ponds > My Ponds > Create Pond for each one you want.

Full pond reference

New Inquiry (Money Time Pond)

• Definition: Primary intake pond for all fresh inquiries and reactivated contacts requiring immediate high-intensity follow-up

• Entry criteria: Brand new leads; existing contacts with new inquiries; recently reactivated contacts; any lead requiring immediate response

• Communication strategy: 15 days high-intensity follow-up; 25 to 30 contact attempts; multi-channel (calls, emails, texts); daily touch attempts

• Exit criteria: 15 days elapsed; contact established; qualified and moved to the appropriate next pond; claimed by an agent; unresponsive after the full sequence

• Pond owner: Owner, Admin, or a dedicated ISA user account

• Note: Highest priority pond. All new opportunities flow here first.

• Best for: Teams with ISAs

Active Follow-Up Pond

• Definition: Intermediate stage for leads who've completed the initial intensive period but still require consistent, structured outreach before moving to long-term nurture

• Entry criteria: Graduated from New Inquiry after 15 days; showed some engagement but not ready to transact; leads needing continued active pursuit; timeline 16 to 45 days from initial contact

• Communication strategy: Twice weekly contact (every 4 to 5 days); 45-day structured follow-up period; mix of calls, emails, and value-add content; relationship-building focus

• Exit criteria: 45 days total elapsed; contact becomes responsive or qualified; clear timeline established; complete non-response

• Pond owner: Owner, Admin, or a dedicated ISA user account

• Note: The bridge between intensive and nurture. Prevents leads from going cold too quickly.

• Best for: Teams with ISAs

Nurture Pond

• Definition: Medium to long-term prospects who've shown initial interest but aren't ready to transact within 6 months. Focus on relationship maintenance and top-of-mind positioning.

• Entry criteria: Completed the Active Follow-Up period; expressed a future timeline of 6+ months; past engagement but not a current priority; seasonal buyers waiting for timing

• Communication strategy: Monthly touchpoints; market updates and value content; seasonal and lifecycle trigger campaigns; low-pressure relationship maintenance; event invitations

• Exit criteria: Timeline accelerates (moves to active ponds); annual review shows no engagement; contact requests removal; graduates to transaction-ready

• Pond owner: Owner, Admin, a dedicated ISA, or a Marketing Team user account

• Note: A long-term investment pond. Focus on staying top-of-mind for when the timing is right.

• Best for: Teams with ISAs

Email Only Pond

• Definition: Database segment for leads with valid email addresses but missing or invalid phone numbers. Communication limited to email-only strategies due to contact limitations.

• Entry criteria: Valid email confirmed; missing phone number; invalid or disconnected phone number; opted out of phone contact

• Communication strategy: Email-only communication; automated email sequences; content marketing focus; phone number acquisition campaigns; social media connecting attempts

• Exit criteria: Valid phone number obtained; email engagement stops; unsubscribes from email; graduates to phone-enabled ponds

• Pond owner: Owner, Admin, or a Marketing Team user account

• Note: Requires different KPIs. Focus on email open rates, click-through, and phone number capture.

• Best for: Anyone

Past Clients Pond

• Definition: Successfully closed transactions maintained for repeat business, referrals, and testimonials. A permanent relationship pond focused on lifetime value.

• Entry criteria: Closed transaction completed; successful buy or sell with your team; positive relationship established; review or testimonial provided

• Communication strategy: Quarterly relationship touches; annual market updates; referral request campaigns; life-event-triggered outreach; anniversary and birthday recognition

• Exit criteria: Rarely exits this pond; only for relationship issues; client requests no contact; death or permanent move

• Pond owner: Owner, Admin, or a Marketing Team user account

• Note: Highest lifetime value pond. Focus on referral generation and repeat business.

• Best for: Anyone

Archive Pond

• Definition: Repository for inactive contacts no longer receiving active marketing. Cold storage for contacts who aren't part of active communication strategies.

• Entry criteria: No engagement after a full nurture cycle; requested reduced contact; unqualified after full follow-up; inactive 12+ months with no response

• Communication strategy: Minimal to no communication; annual reactivation campaigns only; excluded from regular marketing; a database cleanup staging area

• Exit criteria: Reactivation campaign response; new inquiry received; data quality improvement

• Pond owner: Owner, Admin, or a Marketing Team user account

• Note: Maintains database hygiene while preserving contact data for potential future reactivation.

• Best for: Anyone

Do Not Contact (DNC) Pond

• Definition: Legally protected contacts who have explicitly requested no communication, or who are on regulatory do-not-contact lists. A permanent compliance pond requiring strict adherence to legal requirements.

• Entry criteria: Federal or State DNC Registry members; explicit DNC requests (phone, email, or both); legal cease-and-desist requests; TCPA violation risks; regulatory compliance requirements

• Communication strategy: NO outbound communication; compliance monitoring only; legal documentation maintenance; system-level contact blocks; regular compliance audits

• Exit criteria: Rarely exits; only with explicit written consent to resume contact; legal review required for any changes; supervisor approval mandatory

• Pond owner: Owner or Admin user account

• Note: Highest legal protection. System blocks are essential to prevent violations and potential fines.

• Best for: Anyone

Trash Pond

• Definition: A repository for contacts you'd otherwise delete. Trash is also a stage (see Section 4). The stage marks what the lead is. The pond is where it's assigned, keeping it out of your active working views.

• Entry criteria: Bad or missing phone AND email; hostile or abusive contacts; repeated do-not-contact denials; anything you'd be tempted to delete but didn't pay to lose

• Communication strategy: None. Excluded from all campaigns.

• Exit criteria: Rarely. Only if usable contact info is recovered or the contact re-engages legitimately

• Pond owner: Owner or Admin user account

• Note: The stage and the pond work together. Set the stage to Trash and assign the contact to the Trash pond to fully quarantine it.

• Best for: Anyone

A note on Trash: trash, don't delete

A quick word on why the Trash pond exists. Some CRMs put trashed leads into a kind of limbo: search for the name and you'll get a small "1 result in trash" notice rather than the contact popping straight into your active views. Sure Send doesn't behave that way on its own, so the Trash pond gives you that quarantine container. Set the contact's stage to Trash and assign them to the Trash pond, and they stay out of your day-to-day working lists without being erased.

That last part is the whole point.

Delete is fine when:

• A robocall or random call auto-created a contact

• A junk contact made it in with no reason to be there

• You spent no money and no effort acquiring it

Trash, don't delete when:

• You paid for the lead or worked to acquire it

• The contact is real, even if they're a bad fit right now

• You want the option to revisit later

Leads can rise from the ashes and convert months later. If you put effort into getting them, keep them.

Which ponds do I actually need?

The prospecting ponds (New Inquiry, Active Follow-Up, Nurture) really shine when you have a dedicated ISA team. Solo agents and small teams without ISAs should focus on Email Only, Past Clients, Archive, and DNC.

8. Conclusion

Get these four foundations in place (stages, custom fields, appointments, and ponds) and you've built the structure that turns a pile of contacts into a database you can actually manage. Every contact has a known location and a clear next action. That's the bird's-eye view.

Build it as simple or as detailed as your business needs. You can always refine as you go.

Questions or feedback? Drop them in the Facebook group.