Marketing Inbox Workflow

Overview

The Marketing Inbox shows all email replies from contractors you've reached out to via Apollo outreach campaigns. Review new responses, assign conversations to team members, update lead status based on interest level, and reply directly from the inbox - keeping all outreach communication centralized. Email replies automatically thread back to the original outreach message, and you can attach files when responding to provide additional context or materials.

Accessing the Inbox

1. Log in with an admin account
2. Navigate to Admin > Marketing > Inbox
3. View all conversation threads from Apollo outreach

Understanding Thread Status

Status Types

• needs_review - New replies that haven't been categorized yet
• interested - Contractor expressed interest in BlueClerk
• question - Contractor has questions that need answers
• not_interested - Contractor declined or said no
• unsubscribed - Contractor opted out of future emails
• auto_reply - Out-of-office or automated response
• replied - You've responded to their message
• closed - Conversation is complete and archived

Reviewing Conversations

Opening a Thread

1. Click any conversation in the inbox list
2. View full message history in the thread view
3. See contractor details - company name, contact info, location, trade
4. Review lead status and source information

What You'll See

Each thread shows:

• Contact information - Name, email, company
• Location details - City, state, trade
• Source - Where this lead came from (Apollo, Google Places, etc.)
• Lead status - Current status in your pipeline
• Message history - Full conversation with timestamps and email threading

Replying to Messages

Composing a Reply

1. Open a conversation thread
2. Type your response in the reply box at the bottom
3. Click "Send Reply" to send your message
4. Your reply is sent via email from a trackable reply address
5. Future responses thread back to this conversation automatically

Email Threading

When you reply:

• Emails send from a unique reply address for this thread
• Contractor replies go to that same address
• Responses automatically thread back to this conversation
• No manual sorting needed - BlueClerk matches replies by thread ID

Adding Attachments

When composing a reply:

1. Type your message in the reply box
2. Click the attachment icon or paperclip button
3. Select files to attach (PDFs, images, documents)
4. See attachment previews below your message
5. Click "Send Reply" to send message with attachments
6. Attachments are included in the email sent to the contractor

Attachments help you:

• Send pricing sheets or service catalogs
• Share case studies or portfolio examples
• Provide detailed information contractors requested
• Include contracts or agreements for review

Updating Thread Status

Categorizing Responses

1. Open a conversation to review
2. Click the status dropdown at the top of the thread
3. Select the appropriate status:
   • Interested - If they want to learn more
   • Question - If they need clarification
   • Not Interested - If they declined
   • Closed - If conversation is complete
4. Status updates automatically and affects filtering

Best Practices

• Review new threads daily - Respond quickly to interested leads
• Update status immediately - Keeps your inbox organized
• Close completed threads - Reduces clutter in active view
• Mark auto-replies - Filter out out-of-office messages

Assigning Conversations

Delegating Follow-Up

1. Open a conversation you want to assign
2. Click "Assign To" dropdown
3. Select a team member from the list
4. They receive a notification about the assignment
5. Track who's handling each lead

Filtering and Search

Filter by Status

Use the status filter at the top to see:

• Needs Review - Unprocessed replies
• Interested - Hot leads
• Replied - Threads you've responded to
• All other status categories

Search Threads

1. Use the search box at the top of the inbox
2. Search by:
   • Company name
   • Contact name
   • Email address
   • Trade or location
3. Results filter as you type

Managing Lead Pipeline

Converting to Customer

When a conversation progresses:

1. Update lead status as they move through your pipeline
2. Track in CRM separately if needed
3. Mark as Closed once deal is won/lost or conversation ends

Tracking Metrics

The inbox shows:

• Total threads by status
• Response rates (how many replied)
• Conversion rates (how many became customers)
• Average response time for your team

Tips

• Respond within 24 hours - Quick replies increase conversion
• Personalize responses - Reference their specific trade or location
• Keep threads organized - Update status and assign promptly
• Use templates - Save common responses for efficiency
• Include attachments - Provide additional materials when needed
• Review weekly - Check for threads needing follow-up

Questions

Q: Can I reply from my regular email client? A: No, replies must be sent through the BlueClerk inbox to maintain threading and tracking. The system uses unique reply addresses per thread.

Q: What happens when I mark a thread as Closed? A: Closed threads move to the Closed filter but remain searchable. You can reopen them anytime if the conversation resumes.

Q: How do I know if a contractor opened my reply? A: Email open tracking isn't currently available, but replies are automatically threaded so you'll see when they respond.

Q: Can I attach files to my replies? A: Yes, click the attachment icon when composing a reply to add PDFs, images, or documents. Attachments are included in the email sent to the contractor.

Q: What file types can I attach? A: You can attach common file types like PDFs, images (JPG, PNG), Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and other standard business file formats.