How to Add a Unique Deadline to Kajabi

You’ve built a powerful course in Kajabi, but your sales are tied to live launches. This works for a launch, but what about the 95% of the time you’re not actively promoting? Your automated funnels lack real urgency because the deadlines aren’t unique for each lead.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to add a unique, evergreen deadline to your Kajabi pages and emails. We’ll cover the limitations of Kajabi’s native tools and show you a step-by-step process for a more powerful setup.

What is a unique deadline?

A unique deadline is a personalized countdown timer assigned to each individual lead. It starts the moment a specific person takes an action, like signing up for your email list or watching a webinar on your Kajabi site.

Here’s how it works in practice. If someone joins your newsletter on Monday, their 72-hour special offer expires on Thursday. But if another person signs up on Wednesday, their 72-hour clock starts then, expiring on Saturday. Each person gets their own personal window to act.

This system is the core of creating a personalized countdown timer on the website that feels authentic. It works by connecting an action in your email platform (like MailerLite or ActiveCampaign) to a timer that is perfectly synchronized with your Kajabi pages.

The difference between a unique (evergreen) deadline and a traditional fixed deadline is crucial for automating your sales.

Feature	Unique Deadline (Evergreen)	Fixed Deadline (Launch)
Trigger	Individual user action (e.g., email signup)	A specific, pre-set calendar date
Personalization	High – each user has their own timeline	Low – one deadline for everyone
Scalability	Fully automated and runs 24/7	Manual; requires a live launch event
Best Use Case	Automated funnels, VSLs, tripwires	Product launches, live webinars, holiday sales

A unique deadline system allows you to build a true “set it and forget it” sales machine. It respects the user’s journey while creating genuine urgency, which is a powerful combination for any Kajabi creator.

Why add a unique deadline to Kajabi?

Adding a unique deadline to your Kajabi offers is a strategic move. It transforms one-off launches into a predictable, automated sales system that works 24/7, giving every new lead a compelling reason to act now, not “later.”

The core benefits are straightforward:

• Fully Automate Your Sales: You can connect a unique deadline to your Kajabi email automations. When a new lead signs up, their personal offer window begins. This creates a true “set it and forget it” sales machine.
• Increase Conversions with Real Urgency: A personal deadline that truly expires triggers a powerful psychological response: Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO). This motivates potential customers to make a decision, boosting sales from your automated funnels.
• Build and Protect Your Credibility: When your deadline is real, your audience learns to trust your offers. A deadline that can be bypassed by clearing cookies damages your brand’s reputation and makes future promotions less effective.

What are your unique deadline options?

When adding a unique deadline in Kajabi, you have three main paths. Each option varies in complexity, cost, and effectiveness, so understanding the trade-offs is key to making the right decision for your business.

Here’s a breakdown of your choices:

1. Using Kajabi’s native countdown timers. This is the most straightforward option because it’s built-in. It’s suitable for simple, fixed-date promotions but lacks the flexibility for true evergreen funnels.
2. Implementing custom code or manual tracking. This DIY approach gives you maximum flexibility but requires technical skills or hiring a developer. It’s often complex, prone to errors, and can become a major time sink.
3. Integrating a specialized third-party tool. These tools are designed to create reliable, automated, and personalized deadlines for each lead. This is the most robust way to create a timer that syncs perfectly between your emails and Kajabi pages.

Option 1: Kajabi’s native countdown timers (Limitations)

Kajabi includes a native countdown timer, which is a solid option for simple, site-wide promotions. It’s designed to be straightforward and works directly within the Kajabi ecosystem without any external tools.

However, these are fixed-date timers. They count down to a single, universal deadline that is the same for every visitor. This is perfect for a product launch or a Black Friday sale that ends for everyone on the same day.

The main issue is that Kajabi’s timers are not built for true evergreen automation. They cannot generate a unique deadline for each individual lead based on when they join your email list. This makes them unsuitable for personalized funnels.

Here are the specific limitations you’ll face:

• No Per-User Personalization: The deadline is identical for everyone, removing the personalized urgency needed for an effective automated sales sequence.
• Lack of Email Synchronization: The timer on your Kajabi page does not sync with a countdown in an email from a platform like MailerLite or ActiveCampaign.
• Vulnerability to Manipulation: A savvy user can simply clear their browser data or open an incognito window to reset the offer, which undermines your credibility.

Option 2: Custom code or manual tracking

For creators with technical skills, building a custom solution is another path. This involves writing custom JavaScript to generate and manage timers, then embedding that code into your Kajabi pages.

This approach gives you total control, but it introduces significant complexity. You need a way to store each lead’s unique deadline on a server and ensure it’s tamper-proof. A simple cookie-based timer can be easily reset, which destroys your credibility.

The alternative is manual tracking—using a spreadsheet to log when each person signs up and manually revoking their offer. This is extremely time-consuming and prone to human error, making it unscalable for any serious business.

Option 3: Tool that creates unique deadline for each lead

This is the most reliable and scalable way to implement true urgency. Instead of relying on limited native features or complex custom code, you use a specialized tool designed specifically to create and manage unique deadlines for each lead.

This approach automates the entire process. A dedicated tool like Apresly connects your email marketing platform and your Kajabi pages, ensuring every new lead gets their own personal deadline. It’s the set-it-and-forget-it solution for evergreen sales.

Here’s why it’s the superior option:

• True Automation: Deadlines are triggered automatically when a user takes an action, like getting tagged in your CRM. No manual work is required.
• Foolproof Scarcity: The deadline is tied to the lead’s email, not their browser. Clearing cookies, switching devices, or using an incognito window won’t reset the timer.
• Universal Compatibility: These tools work with any page builder, including Kajabi. You add the tracking code once, and it works everywhere.
• Synchronized Experience: The timer is perfectly synced between your emails and your Kajabi landing pages, creating a consistent and trustworthy user experience.

What do you need before setup?

Before you dive into the technical steps, let’s get your assets in order. A successful setup isn’t just about the tool—it’s about having a clear strategy and the right components ready to connect.

Here’s a simple checklist of what you need:

1. A Defined Offer and Deadline Rules. Decide on the specifics. What product are you offering? How long will the unique deadline last for each person (e.g., 72 hours, until midnight on the 3rd day)?
2. Your Kajabi Offer Page. This is the landing page where your audience will see the countdown timer and the “buy” button. It should be fully built and ready to go.
3. An Email Marketing Platform. Your unique deadline needs a trigger. This is usually an action inside your email tool, like a subscriber joining a specific group or getting a tag.
4. A Unique Deadline Tool. You need an external tool like Apresly to act as the “brain” of the operation. It will generate the unique timer for each lead and ensure it stays synchronized.
5. An “Offer Expired” Page. Create a simple page in Kajabi that explains the offer has ended. This is crucial for maintaining trust and the integrity of your deadlines.

How to add a unique deadline to Kajabi?

With your assets prepared, you can now implement the unique deadline. The entire process involves three main stages, providing a straightforward framework for a reliable setup.

Step 1: Choose your deadline solution

Your choice comes down to your technical comfort and your goals. Most creators find that using one of the best tools for countdown timers in email is the most reliable option.

Here’s a quick breakdown to help you decide:

• Kajabi Native Timer: Great for a simple launch where everyone has the same deadline. It lacks the ability to create a unique, personalized deadline for each lead.
• Custom Code: Powerful but risky. A small error can break your entire sales process, and it requires constant maintenance.
• Dedicated Tool (like Apresly): The clear choice for building automated systems. It gives you the power of a custom solution without the technical headaches.

For the rest of this guide, we’ll focus on using a dedicated tool, as it’s the most effective and reliable method for creating automated, high-converting funnels in Kajabi.

Step 2: Configure your unique deadline

This is where you define the rules for your offer: how long it lasts, what triggers it, and what happens when time runs out. Using a dedicated tool like Apresly makes this process precise and fully automated.

Here’s how to set it up for maximum impact:

1. Create a New Campaign: First, log into your deadline tool. In Apresly, you’ll click to create a new campaign.

2. Select the “Evergreen” Campaign Type: This is the most critical choice. An Evergreen campaign ensures each new lead gets their own personal countdown, regardless of when they join your list.

3. Set the Duration and Expiration URL: Define how long your offer is valid—for example, 72 hours. Next, specify the redirect URL for after the deadline expires. This is crucial for making your scarcity real.

4. Define the Trigger: Apresly integrates directly with email platforms like MailerLite, Kit, and ActiveCampaign. You can set the timer to start automatically when a subscriber is added to a specific group or tag.

5. Customize Timer Appearance: Personalize how your timer looks to match your brand:

• Choose between inline timer (embedded in your content) or sticky timer (fixed to the top/bottom of the screen)
• Select colors that complement your website’s design
• Customize fonts to match your brand’s typography
• Edit text labels (like “Days,” “Hours,” “Minutes”) to fit your messaging
• Add customized messages before/after the timer to create stronger urgency

Step 3: Integrate with Kajabi pages and emails

With your deadline configured, the final step is to make it visible on your Kajabi pages and in your email sequences to create a seamless, synchronized experience.

Adding Tracking Code to Your Kajabi Page

Adding the Apresly tracking code to your Kajabi page is simple:

1. Log in to your Apresly account and copy your tracking code from the settings section.

2. In your Kajabi dashboard, navigate to the page where you want to add the deadline.

3. Click “Edit page” to open the page editor.

4. Add a new “Custom Code” element to your page by clicking the “+” icon and selecting “Custom Code” from the elements menu.

5. Paste the Apresly tracking code into the custom code field.

6. Save and publish your page.

That’s all you need to do. After adding the tracking code to your Kajabi page, any countdown timers you configure in Apresly will automatically display on that page. You don’t need to add separate timer codes – the tracking code handles everything.

Embedding the Timer in Kajabi Emails

To complete your synchronized deadline system, add the timer to your email sequences:

1. In your Apresly campaign, copy the HTML code generated specifically for emails.
2. In the Kajabi email editor, add a “Custom Code” block.
3. Paste the HTML code where you want the animated timer to appear.

With this setup, you’ve created a fully synchronized unique deadline system. Every lead will see the same countdown whether they’re checking their email or viewing your Kajabi offer page.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can I use Kajabi’s native timer for an evergreen funnel?
No. Kajabi’s native timers are fixed-date only, meaning they have the same deadline for everyone. They cannot create a unique, personalized deadline for each lead, which is essential for an evergreen funnel.

2. How does a tool like Apresly prevent users from cheating the deadline?
Apresly ties the deadline to a lead’s unique identifier (like their email address), not their browser’s cookies. This means the deadline is stored on a server and cannot be reset by clearing cookies, switching browsers, or using a different device.

3. Do I need coding skills to integrate a unique deadline tool with Kajabi?
No. Integrating a tool like Apresly involves copying and pasting a single tracking script into your Kajabi page using the Custom Code element. No custom coding is required.

4. Will the countdown timer work in all email clients?
Yes. Tools like Apresly generate an animated GIF timer for emails, which is a universally supported format. It will display correctly in virtually all email clients, including Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.

What are common unique deadline issues?

Even with a solid setup, you might run into a few snags. Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide to the most common issues creators face when implementing unique deadlines in Kajabi.

1. The countdown timer isn’t showing up

This is the most frequent issue. The problem is almost always caused by the tracking code being placed in the wrong section of your Kajabi settings. Check your code placement and ensure the script is in the Custom Code element on your page.

2. The deadline isn’t truly unique

A user reports they could access an offer a week later by clearing their browser cookies. This happens when your timer relies on browser data, not user data. It undermines your credibility and trains your audience to ignore your deadlines.

A professional tool like Apresly solves this by tying the deadline to the lead’s email address. The deadline is stored on the server, making it virtually impossible to bypass.

3. The timer in the email and on the page are out of sync

A user sees “2 days left” in their email, but the landing page shows “2 days, 6 hours left.” This disconnect breaks trust and makes your offer look unprofessional. The solution is to use a single, synchronized system like Apresly.

4. The redirect after expiration doesn’t work

The timer hits zero, but the user can still access the offer page. This defeats the purpose of urgency. To fix this, you must correctly configure the “expired URL” in your timer settings.

Conclusion

While Kajabi is a powerful platform, its native timers fall short for creating true, individual urgency. Relying on timers that users can bypass costs you sales and erodes the trust you’ve built with your audience.

You need a solution that is both reliable and cheat-proof. A dedicated tool generates a unique deadline for each lead, synchronized across their email and your Kajabi pages. This ensures your offer’s scarcity is always authentic.

Apresly integrates with any page builder, including Kajabi, and works with your email marketing platform to automate the entire process. The deadline is tied to the subscriber, not their browser, making it virtually impossible to circumvent.

Final thoughts:

• Protect Your Reputation: Authentic deadlines build trust. When an offer truly expires, your audience learns to act on future promotions.
• Automate Your Revenue: A proper evergreen system converts leads into customers 24/7, giving you predictable income.
• Focus on Creating: Stop wasting time with manual tracking or fixing broken code. A reliable tool lets you focus on what you do best.

Ultimately, implementing a robust unique deadline system protects your reputation and automates your sales funnels. Start your Apresly trial today and build evergreen systems that convert.