Follow-up sequence when a retainer is paused
A follow-up sequence when a retainer is paused confirms the pause, waits 30 days, checks status again, alerts the team, and asks about restarting.
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A retainer gets paused, work stops, and then nobody knows if the pause is temporary or if the subscription is going to sit there for months. This follow-up sequence when a retainer is paused runs when a subscription is paused, so the pause gets acknowledged and the next check-in doesn’t rely on someone remembering to circle back.
The automation moves through five steps: Confirm the pause, then a 30-day wait, then a Still paused? check. If the subscription hasn’t restarted, the sequence Tell whoever set it up and then Ask if they are ready to pick back up, so the person who paused it gets a clear nudge instead of silence... and the internal owner gets a heads-up at the same time.
- Confirm the pause Sends the first message acknowledging the subscription pause, using the email address on the subscription.
- Wait 30 days Holds the sequence for 30 days before the next check-in runs.
- Still paused? Checks whether the subscription is still paused, so the rest of the sequence only runs if nothing has restarted yet.
- Tell whoever set it up Notifies the internal person responsible for the setup that the retainer is still paused.
- Ask if they are ready to pick back up Sends a restart check-in to the client so they can confirm whether they want to resume.
The only setup this automation needs is an email address on the subscription, because every message in the sequence uses that. No third-party account is required, since every step runs inside Plutio. If the wording needs to match your retainer terms, you edit the messages in the relevant steps before switching it on.
We went from spending hours on every proposal to creating fully customized ones in under 5 minutes. That's not an exaggeration - we timed it.
Every step, in order
Plutio runs these 5 steps top to bottom, from the trigger through each action and condition. Every one arrives configured and stays editable. The automation is added as a draft, so it sends nothing until you turn it on.
Starts: When Subscription is paused
- Confirm the pause
- Wait 30 days
- Still paused?
- Tell whoever set it up (Still paused? → Yes)
- Ask if they are ready to pick back up
What happens when you install it
- This automation is copied into your workspace with all 5 steps already configured.
- It arrives as a draft, so nothing runs until you turn it on.
- Every step stays editable, so the wording, the timing and the conditions all change before or after you activate it.
Who it is for
Agencies and freelancers running retainers who need a consistent check-in when a subscription pause stretches on.
Questions about this automation template
What happens when a subscription is paused?
The automation triggers when the subscription status changes to paused. It sends a confirmation, waits 30 days, checks if the subscription is still paused, then notifies the internal owner and follows up with the client.
How long does the follow-up wait before checking in again?
The sequence waits 30 days after confirming the pause. After that wait, it checks whether the subscription is still paused before sending the remaining messages.
What do I need set up for the emails to send?
The subscription needs an email address, since the automation uses that to send messages. Nothing else is required for delivery inside this template’s steps.
Do I need Mailchimp, Zapier, or another third-party tool for this?
No third-party account is required. Every step in the sequence runs inside Plutio.
Can the sequence notify someone on my team as well as the client?
Yes. One step in the sequence tells whoever set it up when the subscription is still paused, and another step follows up with the client about restarting.
How many steps are in the automation?
The automation contains five steps. Those steps cover confirmation, a 30-day wait, a status check, an internal notification, and a client check-in about resuming.
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