Below you will find some basic tips to get your first broadcast out the door. 

Checklist:

Gaining Consent
Before you send any SMS please ensure the customer has given you permission to send them a text message for the brand and service you are pushing.

Customer Opt-out number
Make sure you have an opt-out number present in the body of the messages for your customers to opt-out of any future communication via SMS. Reach out to your Account Manager who will source and configure your number to the list you create noted below.

Creating your suppression list
Make sure you have created a SUPPRESSION campaign under CAMPAIGNS > ADD NEW CAMPAIGN > TYPE > SUPPRESSION. When your customers reply to opt-out of future messages this is where they will be held.

Sender Name
Be sure to use a sender name your customer will recognise such as your brand name. Alternatively, you may be able to use a VLN (Virtual Long Number) eg 4477xxxxxxxx which your customers can reply to.

Your Message
We recommend you add the following to the body of your message.

1. Personalization - Adding a personal touch like the name of the customer goes a long way. 
2. Tracking link - Tracking your clickers will give you an understanding of how well your offer/message was received. Plus can be a direct point of sale. 
3. Contact phone number - Gives the customer peace of mind knowing they can pick up the phone and talk to someone. 
4. Character limit - A standard SMS message allows 160 characters per message so make sure you use these to their full potential and remove filler words, get right to the point. If you go over the 160 characters the message will still be sent/received as one SMS but you will be charged for 2 messages. For more information speak to your Account Manager.

Example:

Sending time
Scheduling time is just as important as the content of the message. For the above example, the best time to drive pizza sales could be between 5-8 pm Friday - Sunday as this is when most people will be thinking about their evening meal. Sending the same message at 2 am is highly unlikely to covert as much traffic or sales.