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SMS Notifications ​

Set up and manage SMS/text message communications with your customers.

Overview ​

Send timely, concise text messages to keep customers informed and drive engagement.

SMS Provider Setup ​

Supported Providers ​

  • Twilio (recommended)
  • Plivo
  • MessageBird
  • AWS SNS

Configuring Twilio ​

  1. Create Twilio account
  2. Get phone number
  3. Obtain API credentials:
    • Account SID
    • Auth Token
  4. Navigate to Settings > Notifications > SMS
  5. Enter Twilio credentials
  6. Select phone number
  7. Test connection

Phone Number Types ​

Local Numbers:

  • Area code-specific
  • Better for regional businesses
  • Lower cost

Toll-Free Numbers:

  • 1-800, 1-888, etc.
  • Professional appearance
  • Higher throughput

Short Codes:

  • 5-6 digit numbers
  • Highest throughput
  • More expensive
  • Requires approval

SMS Types ​

Transactional SMS ​

System-triggered messages:

Order Updates:

  • Order confirmed
  • Shipped notification
  • Out for delivery
  • Delivered

Account:

  • Verification codes
  • Password reset codes
  • Account changes

Loyalty:

  • Points earned
  • Tier upgrade
  • Reward available

Marketing SMS ​

Promotional messages:

  • Flash sales
  • Product launches
  • Event invitations
  • Exclusive offers

Compliance Note: Requires explicit opt-in.

Alerts & Reminders ​

Time-sensitive notifications:

  • Appointment reminders
  • Product restocks
  • Limited-time offers
  • Points expiring

Message Templates ​

Creating Templates ​

  1. Navigate to Notifications > SMS > Templates
  2. Click Create Template
  3. Configure:
    • Template name
    • Message type (transactional/marketing)
    • Message content
    • Variables
  4. Save template

Template Variables ​

Personalize messages:

  • {{customer.name}} - Customer name
  • {{customer.points}} - Points balance
  • {{order.number}} - Order number
  • {{order.total}} - Order total
  • {{brand.name}} - Your brand name
  • {{link}} - Tracking/verification link

Message Examples ​

Order Confirmation:

Hi {{customer.name}}! Your order #{{order.number}} is confirmed. Track it here: {{link}}

Points Earned:

Congrats! You just earned {{points.earned}} points. Balance: {{points.balance}} pts. {{brand.name}}

Reward Available:

Good news {{customer.name}}! You can now redeem {{reward.name}}. Claim here: {{link}}

Flash Sale:

⚡️ FLASH SALE! 24hrs only: 30% off everything. Shop now: {{link}} Reply STOP to opt out.

Character Limits ​

Standard SMS ​

  • 160 characters per message
  • Messages auto-split if longer
  • Each segment counts separately
  • Costs add up with long messages

Best Practices ​

  • Keep under 160 characters
  • Use abbreviations carefully
  • Include essential info only
  • One clear call-to-action

Unicode Characters ​

  • Emojis reduce limit to 70 characters
  • Use sparingly
  • Test before sending

Opt-In Management ​

Required for marketing messages:

  1. Explicit checkbox
  2. Clear explanation
  3. Easy opt-in process
  4. Confirmation message

Methods:

  • Registration form
  • Checkout process
  • Landing page
  • In-store sign-up
  • Keywords (TEXT JOIN to 12345)

Double Opt-In ​

Verify phone numbers:

  1. Customer provides number
  2. Send verification code
  3. Customer enters code
  4. Phone verified and opted in

Opt-Out Compliance ​

Required:

  • Honor opt-outs immediately
  • Include opt-out instructions in every marketing message
  • "Reply STOP to unsubscribe"
  • Never re-subscribe without permission

Managing Preferences ​

Allow customers to control:

  • Message frequency
  • Message types
  • Specific campaigns
  • Time of day

Sending SMS ​

Manual Sends ​

Send individual or bulk messages:

  1. Navigate to Customers
  2. Select recipients
  3. Choose SMS template
  4. Preview message
  5. Send or schedule

Automated Sends ​

Set up triggers:

Event-Based:

  • Order status changes
  • Points earned
  • Tier advancement
  • Reward unlocked

Time-Based:

  • Birthday messages
  • Anniversary
  • Scheduled campaigns
  • Reminder sequences

Scheduling ​

Schedule messages:

  • Specific date/time
  • Customer's timezone
  • Batch processing
  • Optimal send times

Compliance ​

TCPA (USA) ​

Requirements:

  • Prior express written consent
  • Clear opt-in language
  • Identity of sender
  • Opt-out mechanism
  • Time restrictions (8am-9pm)

GDPR (EU) ​

  • Explicit consent
  • Right to access
  • Right to deletion
  • Data protection

Best Practices ​

  • Only send to opted-in numbers
  • Include business name
  • Provide opt-out in every message
  • Respect time zones
  • Maintain records of consent

SMS Campaigns ​

Creating Campaign ​

  1. Define Goal:

    • Drive traffic
    • Promote sale
    • Event RSVP
    • App download

  2. Choose Audience:

  3. Craft Message:

    • Clear value proposition
    • Urgent/timely
    • Single CTA
    • Include link

  4. Schedule Send:

    • Optimal time
    • Consider time zones
    • Avoid nights/early mornings

  5. Track Results:

    • Delivery rate
    • Click-through rate
    • Conversion rate
    • Opt-out rate

Use URL shorteners:

  • Twilio short links
  • Bitly
  • Custom domain shorteners

Benefits:

  • Save characters
  • Track clicks
  • Professional appearance

UTM Parameters ​

Track campaign performance:

?utm_source=sms&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=flash_sale

Analytics ​

Delivery Metrics ​

Track message delivery:

  • Sent count
  • Delivered count
  • Failed deliveries
  • Delivery rate

Engagement Metrics ​

Measure customer interaction:

  • Click-through rate
  • Conversion rate
  • Response rate
  • Revenue per message

List Health ​

Monitor subscriber quality:

  • Opt-in rate
  • Opt-out rate
  • Growth rate
  • Active subscribers

Cost Management ​

Pricing Models ​

SMS costs vary by:

  • Provider
  • Destination country
  • Message type
  • Volume discounts

Reducing Costs ​

Strategies:

  • Keep messages under 160 characters
  • Target engaged segments
  • Remove inactive numbers
  • Use transactional for timely updates
  • Limit marketing frequency

Budget Controls ​

Set limits:

  • Monthly budget cap
  • Per-campaign limits
  • Auto-stop at threshold
  • Alerts at X% spent

Best Practices ​

Content ​

  • Lead with value
  • Create urgency
  • Personalize when possible
  • Single, clear CTA
  • Include brand name

Timing ​

  • Respect time zones
  • Avoid early morning/late night
  • Test send times
  • Consider customer behavior

Frequency ​

  • Don't over-send
  • Quality over quantity
  • Segment for relevance
  • Monitor opt-out rates

Testing ​

  • Test on your device
  • Verify links
  • Check personalization
  • Test from actual number

Troubleshooting ​

Low Delivery Rates ​

Causes:

  • Invalid numbers
  • Carrier blocking
  • Spam content
  • Unregistered sender

Solutions:

  • Validate phone numbers
  • Register with carriers
  • Avoid spam triggers
  • Monitor sender reputation

High Opt-Out Rates ​

Reduce by:

  • Better segmentation
  • Reduce frequency
  • More relevant content
  • Clear value proposition

Carrier Filtering ​

Avoid:

  • ALL CAPS
  • Excessive punctuation!!!
  • Suspicious links
  • Spam keywords (FREE, WINNER)
  • Too many emojis

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