REVSET LABS · EXPERT GUIDE·Automation & Workflows

Pre-Plan Holiday Promotions with GoHighLevel's Custom Date Trigger

880 words·4 min read·Updated 28 April 2026·beginner·

Arsalan ZaffarLinkedIn

👉 Start your 30-day GoHighLevel free trial.

Quick Answer

To pre-plan holiday promotions using a custom date trigger, go to Automation → Workflows and add a 'Custom Date' workflow trigger. This setup allows you to schedule campaigns to launch automatically on specific dates, saving you manual effort. You can typically set this up in about 5-10 minutes.

Key Takeaways

✓Set up holiday workflows well in advance to avoid last-minute rush and ensure smooth execution.
✓Utilize the Custom Date trigger for precise, automated campaign launches on any specific date and time.
✓Always test your workflows thoroughly before the actual promotion date to catch and fix any potential errors.
✓Combine custom date triggers with conditional logic (If/Else) to create targeted offers for different audience segments.
✓Review past holiday campaign performance to gather insights and continuously improve your future promotional strategies.

What is the Custom Date Trigger and Why Use It for Holidays?

The Custom Date trigger in GoHighLevel allows you to initiate a workflow on a specific date and time. This feature is perfect for pre-planning holiday promotions, sales events, or any time-sensitive campaign. You can build your entire marketing sequence weeks or months ahead, then let GoHighLevel launch it precisely when needed. Using this trigger eliminates the stress of last-minute setup and reduces the risk of human error during busy holiday periods. It ensures your special offers reach your audience exactly when they are most relevant, maximizing engagement and sales opportunities. This guide shows you how to implement it for your next big holiday push.

How Do I Create a New Workflow for Holiday Promotions?

Start by creating a new, blank workflow in GoHighLevel. This provides a clean canvas to build your automated holiday promotion sequence.

Navigate to Automation — From your GoHighLevel dashboard, click on Automation in the left-hand menu. This opens your workflows section.

Create a New Workflow — Click the Create Workflow button. This action allows you to start building a new automation sequence.

Start from Scratch — Select Start from Scratch from the template options. Then, click Create New Workflow to begin with an empty workflow.

Name Your Workflow — Give your workflow a clear, descriptive name, such as "Black Friday Sale 2026" or "Christmas Promo Campaign". Click Save to apply the name.

How Do I Set the Custom Date Trigger for a Specific Holiday?

This is the crucial step where you define when your holiday promotion will begin. The Custom Date trigger ensures your workflow starts exactly on schedule.

Add a New Workflow Trigger — Click Add New Workflow Trigger at the top of your blank workflow. This opens the trigger selection panel.

Select the Custom Date Trigger — Search for "Custom Date" in the trigger search bar and select Custom Date. This trigger will fire on a specific date you define.

Configure Date and Time — Under Date Type, choose "Specific Date". Then, select the exact Date and Time when your holiday promotion should launch. For example, set November 28, 2026, at 12:00 AM (midnight).

Choose Time Zone — Select the Time Zone that is most relevant to your target audience or business operations. Ensure this matches your desired launch time. Click Save Trigger to finalize.

🔥 Pro Tip

For holiday promotions targeting a broad audience, consider setting your time zone to a central one (like EST or PST) or even UTC, then communicate launch times clearly to your audience. Alternatively, create separate workflows for different time zones for hyper-local precision.

Try GoHighLevel Free

Start your 30-day GoHighLevel free trial

Everything in this guide is in your free trial. 30 days, no credit card — the platform behind 78+ revenue systems.

Start 30-Day Free Trial →

Some links are affiliate links — if you sign up we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend GoHighLevel because we build on it every day.

How Do I Add Promotional Messages to My Holiday Workflow?

After your Custom Date trigger is set, you need to add the actual promotional actions. These are the steps that deliver your holiday messages and offers to your contacts.

Add Your First Action — Click the + icon directly below your Custom Date trigger. This opens the action selection menu.

Select Communication Method — Choose Send SMS or Send Email as your first action to deliver your initial holiday message. You can also add other actions like `Add Tag` or `Update Contact Field`.

Configure Message Content — Write your compelling holiday offer message or select an existing template. Ensure all details, links, and merge fields are correct. Click Save Action.

Add Follow-Up Actions — Continue adding actions like Wait steps, more Send SMS or Send Email actions, or If/Else conditions to build out your full holiday sequence. This allows for multi-stage campaigns.

⚠️ Ensure all merge fields (e.g., {{contact.first_name}}) in your messages are correctly mapped to prevent sending incomplete or incorrect information to your contacts. Always preview your messages.

How Do I Test and Launch My Pre-Planned Holiday Workflow?

Testing is a critical step to ensure your holiday workflow functions perfectly before its official launch. After testing, you can publish it to go live.

Enable Test Mode — Toggle the workflow switch at the top right from Draft to Test Mode. This prevents actual messages from being sent to live contacts during testing.

Add a Test Contact — Click Test Workflow and search for a test contact from your GoHighLevel account. This contact will run through your workflow in test mode.

Review Test Execution — Check the workflow history for your test contact to confirm all actions fired correctly and messages were generated as expected. Adjust any steps as needed.

Publish Your Workflow — Once you are satisfied with your tests, toggle the workflow switch from Test Mode to Publish. Click Save to make your holiday promotion live and ready to fire on the set date.

✅ Always test your workflows thoroughly before publishing them live, especially for critical holiday campaigns. A small error can impact your entire promotion.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

⚠️ My workflow didn't fire on the set holiday date/time.

Check if the workflow is set to Publish and not Draft or Test Mode. Also, confirm the Time Zone in the Custom Date trigger settings matches your intended launch time.

⚠️ Holiday messages were sent, but content was missing or incorrect.

Review all Send SMS and Send Email actions within the workflow. Verify that all merge fields are correctly populated and that the correct message templates were selected and saved.

⚠️ A specific contact was not added to the holiday promotion workflow.

Ensure the contact meets any additional Filters you might have set on the Custom Date trigger. If no filters are present, try adding the contact manually in Test Mode to debug the entry point.

⚠️ The workflow fired too early or too late for my audience.

Double-check the exact Date and Time settings within your Custom Date trigger. Pay close attention to AM/PM selections and the chosen Time Zone to ensure accuracy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

→Forgetting to switch the workflow from Draft or Test Mode to Publish before the intended launch date.
→Setting the Time Zone incorrectly within the Custom Date trigger, leading to messages sending at an unexpected local time.
→Not thoroughly testing the entire workflow with a real test contact, including all message content and conditional paths.
→Overlooking additional Filters applied to the Custom Date trigger that might unintentionally exclude certain contacts from the promotion.
→Using generic or uninspired promotional messages instead of crafting personalized, value-driven content specific to the holiday.

Frequently Asked Questions

QCan I schedule multiple holiday promotions within the same workflow?

While possible, it's generally best practice to create separate workflows for distinct holiday promotions to maintain clarity and ease of management. Each workflow can have its own Custom Date trigger for specific events. Combining too many promotions into one workflow can become complex and harder to troubleshoot.

QWhat happens if a contact is added to the workflow after the custom date has passed?

If a contact is added to a workflow where the Custom Date trigger is set for a past date, the trigger will not fire for that contact. The Custom Date trigger only activates for contacts who are in the workflow when the specified future date and time are reached. For late entries, you'd need to manually add them or have a separate workflow path.

QHow can I ensure my holiday messages are personalized?

You can personalize your holiday messages by using custom fields and merge tags within your email and SMS actions. For example, use `{{contact.first_name}}` to address contacts by their name. Ensure your contact records have these fields populated for effective personalization.

QWhat if I want to schedule a promotion that repeats every year, like an annual sale?

The Custom Date trigger typically fires once for a specific date. For annual recurring events, you would set a new specific date each year for that particular holiday promotion. GoHighLevel also has a 'Recurring Date' trigger, but it's typically tied to a contact's custom field (like a birthday) rather than a general holiday. For general annual sales, you'd update or duplicate the workflow annually.

QHow do I segment my audience for different holiday offers within a workflow?

You can segment your audience using **If/Else** conditions immediately after your Custom Date trigger. Add branches based on contact tags, custom fields, or lead source. This allows you to send different holiday offers or messages to specific segments of your audience within the same workflow.

Try GoHighLevel Free

Start your 30-day GoHighLevel free trial

Everything in this guide is in your free trial. 30 days, no credit card — the platform behind 78+ revenue systems.

Start 30-Day Free Trial →

Some links are affiliate links — if you sign up we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend GoHighLevel because we build on it every day.

Arsalan Zaffar

Revset Labs · Revenue Systems · 78+ GHL Builds

Arsalan writes GHL guides from real build experience — 78+ systems, $9.2M in client pipeline. Wharton, CXL & Google certified.

Connect on LinkedIn

Tags:WorkflowsAutomationMarketingHolidayCRMScheduling