The SMS channel allows you to create and send short messages to your contacts, either individually or in batches, and to integrate them into automated campaigns. SMS can be combined with email to reach your contacts where they want to read you, at a low cost. Sending an SMS relies on using a sender ID associated with your account. When a message is sent, it is handled by a telecom provider who then transmits it to the recipient's phone. Each message is linked to a contact in your database, allowing you to personalize messages and track their delivery.
To activate the SMS channel, please contact your account manager or send a ticket to the Support. We will accompany you through the configuration and help you be all set to start sending SMS. This article presents the different elements that DI will set up for you. These elements are only for example purposes and could be different depending on your needs.
Use Cases
SMS can be used in several contexts to communicate quickly and efficiently with your contacts. Here are some common examples:
Reminders and confirmations
To send an appointment reminder, a registration confirmation or a follow-up after an interaction to reduce no-shows and improve the customer experience.
Transactional notifications
To inform a contact of an event related to their file, such as a purchase confirmation, a change of status or an important update.
Promotions and marketing offers
To distribute a limited-time offer, promotional code, or special announcement to a targeted segment of your audience.
Follow-ups and reminders
To contact contacts again after an action (or lack of action), for example, to remind them of a deadline or encourage a conversion.
Urgent communication
To quickly transmit important information, such as a schedule change, service interruption, or alert.
Individual messages (sent to a single contact), such as a registration confirmation, should be sent via an automated campaign.
Configuration
Different types of phone numbers can be used for SMS sending. Annual fees apply. The available options will be different depending on your country.
When we configure the phone number, we connect a phone number field in your project to indicate which number to use to send an SMS for each contact in the project. Please plan a monthly budget for SMS according to your volume. Billing is calculated based on the number of fragments sent.
| Long Code E.g., 514-123-4567 Canada only | Benefits
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| Short Code* E.g., 53535 | Benefits
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| Toll-free E.g.,: 1-800, 1-877, 1-888 Canada only | Benefits
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We will set up an unsubscribe mechanism which works with the keyword "STOP". The system then sends a confirmation SMS to the contact who made the request. It is possible to customize this mechanism on demand.
You could also have other mechanisms that work with keywords and trigger SMS with different confirmation messages. Depending on the keyword, you could choose a custom message.
Key Words Use Examples CONTACT: To receive legal notices from the sender. HELP: To get the phone number of the customer service. INFO: The contact can answer this message and then can ask you questions by SMS. |
Option 1: Phone Number Key
If the project is only for SMS messages and is not intended for email use in the future, you could select the Phone Number key. You could still have an email field (required or not, depending on the case).
Option 2: Email Key
If you select the Email key, you will need to include each contact's email address during the import process. Therefore, you should consider whether you collect email addresses from your contacts. In both cases, you will need to import your contacts' phone numbers into the project.
Checklist Before Sending SMS
Once the SMS channel setup is completed, you can create your first campaign. Depending on your needs, you can send messages in batches to reach multiple contacts at once, or individually for targeted communication with a single contact.
If the message needs to be sent automatically following an event or action related to the contact, the SMS campaign can be integrated into an automated campaign. For a global approach to your communications, you can also use the orchestration to coordinate sending across different channels and ensure that each contact receives the most relevant messages at the appropriate frequency.