Bonzo Starters is a plug-and-play, pre-configured workflow designed to help you hit the ground running by combining a single pipeline, connected marketing campaigns, and simple automation. Whether you're importing past clients, working new leads, or managing a team, Starters gives you a structured and effective starting point for managing opportunities inside Bonzo.
*Note: Bonzo Starters is currently only available to select BETA testers.
What It Includes:
Starters comes with 1 core pipeline called Lead to Loan, made up of 9 clearly defined stages.
Each stage with the exception of "Past Client Database" and "In Process" is connected to a dedicated campaign and may include built-in automation to move prospects forward based on their time spent in the stage.
Pipeline Stages and Their Purpose:
- Past Clients - Long-term nurturing for funded clients.
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New Lead – First outreach to get a response.
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Engaging – Encourages the lead to begin an application.
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Initial App Journey – Prompts the lead to complete their application.
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Pre-Approved – Keeps pre-approved buyers engaged as they house-hunt.
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In Process – For active loans in underwriting or closing.
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Save Opportunity – Attempts to re-engage prospects who’ve gone quiet.
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Cold Lead – Softer outreach for unresponsive leads.
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Dead Lead – Final outreach attempts before archiving.
Certain stages have automated rules that will move prospects forward that fail to respond. For example, moving contacts from New Lead to Cold Lead after 11 days without a response. These automations are enabled by default, but can be customized to fit your needs.
Pipeline Settings
Pipeline settings are limited, see below default settings:
- Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- Cumulative Column > Loan Amount
The following must all be manually set by the Team Owner:
- Use Prospect’s Local Timezone
- Exclude Major Holidays
- Locked Pipeline
- Unique Events Per Prospect
A more detailed settings review is recommended during review and implementation.
Note: To learn more about Pipeline Settings, click on the link below.
Pipelines: Settings
Campaigns and Their Purpose:
Nearly every pipeline stage has a matching campaign. These are ready-made, with message copy and merge tags. They include SMS, email, and task reminders, so that after review, you can simply add your prospects and start working.
Stage: New Lead
Purpose: Engage fresh leads immediately and prompt a response.
Length: 6 days
Messages: 4 SMS/Email, 2 Calls/Tasks
Automation: Moves to Cold Lead if not dispositioned within 11 days.
Stage: Engaging
Purpose: Nudge engaged prospects to begin their loan application.
Length: 14 days
Messages: 5 SMS/Email, 4 Calls/Tasks
Automation: Moves to next stage Cold Lead if not dispositioned within 20 days.
Stage: Initial App-Journey
Purpose: Follow up with prospects who started but didn’t finish their application.
Length: 14 days
Messages: 4 SMS/Email, 4 Calls/Tasks
Automation: Moves to next stage Cold Lead if not dispositioned within 20 days.
Stage: Pre-Approved
Purpose: Maintain contact and offer support during the home search process.
Length: 9 weeks
Messages: 5 SMS/Email, 4 Calls/Tasks
Automation: Moves to next stage Save Opportunity if not dispositioned within 70 days.
Stage: Save Opportunity
Purpose: Reignite interest in borrowers with expired pre-approvals.
Length: 42 days
Messages: 4 SMS/Email, 4 Calls/Tasks
Automation: Moves to Cold Lead if not dispositioned within 50 days.
Stage: Past Client Database
Purpose: Stay top-of-mind with clients who closed on a purchase loan.
Length: 300+ days
Messages: 10 SMS/Email
Automation: None
Stage: Past Client Database
Purpose: Keep in touch with clients who completed a refinance.
Length: 300+ days
Messages: 8 SMS/Email
Automation: None
Stage: Cold Lead
Purpose: Gently nurture unresponsive leads over time.
Length: 180 days
Messages: 7 SMS/Email, 2 Calls/Tasks
Automation: Moves to Dead Lead if not dispositioned within 185 days.
Stage: Dead Deal
Purpose: Make one last attempt to re-engage completely unresponsive leads.
Length: 180 days
Messages: 6 SMS/Email, 1 Call/Task
Automation: None
Note: Pipeline stage "In-Process" is the only stage that doesn't have a connected campaign. For the "Past Client Database" stage, you can choose to connect the "Post-Close Purchase" or the "Post-Close Refi" campaign based on your immediate needs.
Campaign Message: Merge Tags
Merge Tags in Bonzo are designed to help you personalize messages at scale by automatically pulling specific data from a contact's profile and inserting it into your emails or text messages. Whether you're sending messages via campaigns, broadcasts, or one-off communications, merge tags allow you to create customized messages that feel personal to each recipient, saving you time and effort.
Bonzo Starters Campaign messages use the following merge tags. So it's important to ensure that you are capturing these data points on your prospects.
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Primary First Name or %prospect_first_name%:
- What it is: The first name of the lead/prospect/client receiving the communication.
- Source: Standard Bonzo contact field. Must be populated for each contact.
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Assignee Name or %assignee_name%:
- What it is: The first name (or full name, depending on Bonzo setup) of the Bonzo user assigned to the contact and running the campaign.
- Source: Bonzo user profile information.
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Company Name or %company_name%:
- What it is: The name of the company the Bonzo user represents.
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Source: Typically set in the Bonzo account/business settings or user profile.
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Email Signature or %email_signature%:
- What it is: The pre-configured email signature of the assigned Bonzo user.
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Source: Set up within the user's Bonzo profile/settings.
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My Phone or %campaign_phone%:
- What it is: The specific phone number associated with the campaign for sending SMS and making calls (the user's provisioned Bonzo number).
- Source: Configured within Bonzo, usually linked to the user or the campaign settings.
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My Application Link or %application_link%:
- What it is: The unique URL/link to the user's online mortgage application portal (e.g., Floify, Blend, custom link). Crucial for the "Application Needed" and "Loan App Followup" campaigns.
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Source: This is configured in "Settings" -> "General." Paste your link in the field underneath "Application, Feedback, and Compliance Resources," then click "Save" at the bottom of the page.
Utilizing Starters Merge Tags:
To use the Bonzo Starters campaigns effectively, you must ensure:
- Your contact records have at least the First Name populated.
- Your account profile has your Name and Email Signature correctly set up.
- Your account/business settings specify your Company Name.
- A valid Bonzo phone number is assigned (%campaign_phone%).
- You have your specific online application URL ready and saved in your Account Settings (see above).
Note: to learn more about Merge Tags, click on the link below.
Bonzo Merge Tags
Campaign Settings:
Campaign settings vary based on the campaign, see below default settings:
- New Lead - Stop Sequence, Enable Disclaimer, Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- Application Needed - Stop Sequence, Enable Disclaimer, Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- Loan App Follow - Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- House Shopping - Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- Save Opportunity - Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- Post Close (Purchase) - Enable Disclaimer, Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- Post Close (Refi) - Enable Disclaimer, Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- Cold Leads - Stop Sequence, Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
- Dead Leads - Stop Sequence, Sender Identification, Cutoff Time & Sending Days
The following must all be manually set during review and implementation.
- Use Prospect’s Local Timezone
- Exclude Major Holidays
Note: to learn more about Campaign Settings, click on the link below.
Campaigns: Settings
FAQ
What is Bonzo Starters?
Bonzo Starters is a pre-built pipeline and campaign bundle designed to help you start working your leads immediately—minimal setup required. Whether you're a solo loan officer or a small team, Starters gives you a streamlined framework for managing leads, automating outreach, and accelerating ROI. Watch a full walkthrough of the Lead to Loan Journey Pipeline and connected Campaigns led by Dan Lawrence (Member Trainer) & Jacob Boyle (Corporate Trainer) 👇
Why Use Bonzo Starters?
Bonzo Starters delivers immediate structure and value to your sales process:
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Ready on Day 1: Your account comes preloaded with a proven pipeline and 9 campaign templates covering the full lead-to-loan journey.
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Built-in Guidance: Every pipeline stage includes optional notes that suggest automation logic (e.g., “Move to Cold Lead after 10 days”) to guide your setup.
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Automated Follow-Up: Once enabled, Campaigns provide automated out reach to your prospects at every stage of your sales funnel. Thus, you have more time to focus on conversations and conversions.
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Clear Performance Visibility: With consistent structure, you’ll know exactly what’s working and what you need to optimize.
How Flexible is Starters?
Starters is designed to work across a variety of business models and lead sources:
- Use it for past leads or new clients- whether you're nurturing fresh prospects, re-engaging cold contacts, or staying-top-of-mind with long-term relationships, Bonzo Starters is designed to support a variety of engagement strategies.
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Delete or remove Pipeline Stages or Campaigns that don't apply to your business.
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Duplicate and customize any campaign to tailor messaging by source or lead type or for specific team members.
How Are Campaigns and Pipelines Applied?
Campaigns and pipelines are installed directly into your account—no need to import from templates. This includes:
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A pre-set pipeline aligned to a “Lead-to-Loan” journey.
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Nine campaigns covering lead generation, nurturing, and re-engagement.
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Campaigns are not turned on by default, giving you control over when and how to launch.
Do I Need to Adjust Campaign Settings?
Yes—some light configuration is needed:
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Campaigns are installed and paired with specific Pipeline stages.
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Review message content and adjust Campaign Settings like "Sending Days" and "Cut-Off" times, to set them live.
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If you have a team, the team owner must share approved campaigns with other users on the team.
Can I Edit the Campaigns of Pipeline?
Yes, but it’s best to duplicate campaigns before making edits. This ensures you preserve the original Starter templates for future use or reference. Use the original as a base, then tailor the duplicate to fit a specific lead source or strategy. For pipelines, follow the suggested notes in each stage to add automations or adjust timing—but avoid removing the structure unless you're building something new. Keeping the core format intact helps maintain consistency across your workflows.
Are Pipeline Stage Automations Included?
Yes. In the Lead to Loan Journey pipeline, stage movement automations are pre-configured for you. For example, a lead in the New Lead stage may automatically move to Cold Lead after 10 days. These automations are included to help streamline your workflow and ensure no lead gets left behind.
You'll see a reminder about the automation inside the Edit view of the pipeline stage. You’re free to modify or delete these automations at any time based on your business needs.
To see which stages include automations, scroll up to the Campaigns section—each relevant campaign will note the stage it’s attached to.
Can Starters Support Lead Routing and LOS Integrations?
Absolutely. Starters is designed to scale:
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You can connect lead sources using webhooks to send contacts to the correct pipeline stage.
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Starters works alongside LOS integrations (like Arrive or MMI) without causing conflicts.
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For more advanced routing, campaigns can be set up to round-robin between team members or push leads to specific users.
What if I Accidentally Delete a Starter Campaign or Pipeline?
No worries. Contact Bonzo Support in-platform OR through support@getbonzo.com to have the missing content reinstalled.
What If I’m Part of a Team?
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Campaigns and pipelines are installed at the team owner level.
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Team members must be granted access to each campaign manually.
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Once shared, team members can use the assets just like the owner.
Bonzo Starters brings together the core tools you need to turn contacts into clients: a simple pipeline, smart automation, and ready-to-use campaigns. It helps eliminate guesswork, reduce manual work, and accelerate results—so you can focus on building relationships and closing more loans.
Note: to learn more about Pipelines and Campaigns, click the links
Pipelines: General Overview
Campaigns: General Overview