An Ultimate Guide on How to Send Automated Text Messages in 2024

SMS automation is at the peak of its popularity. Since 2022, the percentage of companies using this solution grew from 45 to 80%. And for a reason.

It’s a powerful tool for boosting customer satisfaction, sales, and team productivity. But without an in-depth strategy, all these benefits will turn into pure chaos, ending up with impersonal customer communication and high churn. 

In this article, you’ll find a detailed guide on how to send automated text messages, with seven examples of messages to start with. 

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What is SMS Automation?

SMS Automation is when a relevant tool sends pre-written text messages to a predefined list of recipients based on particular customer behavior or time you set up in advance. 

The logic is the same as in chatbots for customer service: “If A happens, then send text message B.”  

Here is how it works

Let’s say you have a news subscription form on a website offering visitors to receive updates on holiday promotions. It’s relatively simple and has “Sure” or “No” answer options, a name, and a telephone number field.

When they choose “No,” nothing happens. But a “Sure” answer triggers an automated SMS sent to a number they specify with the following text: “Hi! Thanks for subscribing to weekly updates from [company name].” 

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Why Businesses Use Automated Text Messaging

Among the top reasons is the performance of this marketing channel: 80% Open Rate and 53.5% Click Through Rate. Impressive, heh? 

Here is more: 50% of recipients purchase after receiving marketing SMS. That’s how SMS marketers generate $71 for every dollar spent.

Here is how the magic happens.

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How to Send Automated Text Messages

People usually associate automated SMS with specialized services where you write messages and tell a system when and to whom to send them. Usually, it stores (or has access to) all the info about your contacts: their behavior, preferences, and phone numbers. 

Sounds easy. And it’s really so. 

Here’s how to set up such automation with SMS marketing platforms:

1. Choose an automated text message software

In addition to the ability to send messages automatically based on pre-set triggers, an ideal SMS automation platform should meet the following requirements:

2. Integrate it with your CRM

It is time to provide the SMS platform you choose with information about your customers: what they do on your website, their communication history, interests, contacts, etc. This information is a must for personalizing SMS messages. Usually, businesses store such data in CRM systems. Integrating these two provides a seamless data flow (in both directions because CRM also receives information like SMS sent data, client replies, etc.). 

Ideally, there should be ready-made integrations where you just click a button, and everything works without developers.

3. Implement API integration

If you aim to send SMS based on real-time customer events recorded in your CRM, you need an API. For instance, there are cases of sending SMS in response to an abandoned cart, order payment, or signing up for an SMS newsletter.

API (Application Programming Interface) is a kinda rainbow bridge from The Thor, instantly connecting and transporting information and data between two different places. 

Usually, marketers need assistance from developers for this task. 

4. Create a sign-up form on your website

Just like in email marketing, you should get their consent before sending people SMS messages. For this, businesses create a sign-up or opt-in form. You can use any relevant tool to achieve this goal. 

Here is what it looks like:

Here, under the “Get my 20% off” button, you can see the customer’s consent to receiving automated text messages from a company. But ideally, there should be a checkbox.

5. Write SMS templates

The copy of an SMS message depends on the case, but there are general format requirements.  

Due to the limited number of symbols, your text should be short, clear, and focused on a single CTA. Additionally, it may include the subscriber name and behavior data, such as a purchase or booking a meeting.

6. Define Triggers 

Now, it’s time to tell the SMS platform when to send the SMS message you’ve just created. Each automated SMS requires a trigger. It can be a specific date/time, purchase, sign-up, etc. This is exactly why you’ve struggled with CRM and API integration. 

Here is how it works:

Customers pay for an item and the thank-you page loads. This page visit is an event named “Made a purchase” in CRM. The moment it appears in the customer profile in the CRM, the SMS platform finds the customer’s number and sends him a payment confirmation message.

Thanks to an API integration, you can set any event as a trigger. 

7. Organize your contact list

In some cases, the SMS service requires a defined list of whom to send a message. Let’s say you’re a clothes brand marketer launching a great sale. To provide personalized customer communication, you should link items that interest the subscriber. Thus, contact list segmentation can be based on customers’ behavior, location, gender, age, etc. 

8. Test and send 

When everything is ready, test how the message automation works by sending the SMS to your number. Check how it looks and if the links work properly. 

Finally, the liftoff moment: thousands of subscribers will see your message on their screen. 

Don’t forget to track the open,  deliverability, and response rate to adjust sending sources or IPs if issues arise.

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Top 7 Examples of SMS Messages

Writing short texts can be challenging, even for a copywriter. In a limited number of symbols, you need to sound clear and engaging enough to drive recipients to action.

To help you, we’ve collected the best examples of automatic text messages for every use case. 👇

Welcome message

When to send	SMS examples
This is the first message people receive after subscribing to a company SMS newsletter. Actually, there are two messages:  1. Opt-in when receivers should confirm their desire to join a list. 2. Congratulations on a subscription and sharing some presents, usually, a discount link or promo code.	Example 1: Hi! You enroll in the [company] SMS list. Reply YES to Confirm your opt-in with YES and get 10% OFF on your next order!  Example 2: Thanks for signing up! Enter this CODE at checkout and enjoy the 10% off on your next order.

Abandoned cart

When to send	SMS examples
70% of visitors tend to abandon items in their carts. But Automated SMS can help you return part of this audience (the registered users.) Set a day delay after a trigger and schedule an SMS reminding them about items in a cart. For example, notify them that some products are about to be out of stock and offer a discount or free shipping.	Example 1: Hi [name]! The items in your cart at [company] are about to sell out. Complete your purchase with 5% OFF by entering [code] at checkout [link] Example 2: Hi [name], it’s [company]! There’s some magic in your cart 🪄 Come back to check the present: [link]

Promotional SMS

When to send	SMS examples
This type of SMS is about some sales when companies promote their products, services, or events. Ideally, they personalize an offer based on the subscribers’ preferences.  The must-have element here is a discount or promo code.	Example 1: [Company]: Get 30% off on our bestsellers [link]. Hurry up, the offer is live for 24 hours only.Reply STOP to unsubscribe Example 2: [Company] promo alert: 20% off on all pants by this link [link]. Use XXX code at checkout!  Example 3: [Name], be among the first to see our new collection. Your secret link: [link]

Feedback request

When to send

SMS examples

Usually, customers receive such an SMS within a day of purchasing. The copy of these messages includes a reference to a user action, a CTA  like “pls rate your experience,” and answer options. As for the last, there are a few variants:  ‣ Reply with a number where 1 is poor, and 5 is great. ‣ Request to leave a review on a website. Companies usually promise  subscribers a discount inorder to engage them.

Example 1: Hi [name]! Thanks for your order! How was your shopping experience with us? Please reply between 1 (bad) and 5 (great). Example 2: Hi! It’s [company]. Pls, rate your recent shopping experience with us 🙏 Follow this link. It’s a minute survey.  Example 3: Thanks for your purchase at [company]. We’d appreciate you leaving a review on [link]. After submitting a form, you’ll get a 10% discount code!

Payment/order confirmation

When to send	SMS examples
Even a minute delay can make people nervous when it comes to money. So, ideally, such an SMS should be sent instantly, just after the customer pays for an order.  The confirmation SMS usually has the following elements: ‣ thanks for a purchase at [company], ‣ order number, ‣ payment status, ‣ order tracking link.	Example 1: [name], we received your payment for [order number]. Thanks for your purchase!  Example 2: Hi [name]! Thanks for your order at [company]. Track its status by this [link].

Reminders

When to send	SMS examples
Reminder SMS is very popular among industries with a meeting-based funnel, such as medicine, insurance, and layers. But they can also be subscription deadline reminders, let’s say, for a gym. Among the elements of such a text message can be: ‣ date,  ‣ place,  ‣ rescheduling option, ‣ appointment confirmation request.	Example 1: Reminder: Your subscription at [company] expires on Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:41:26 -0700. To renew it, follow this [link]  Example 2: Hi [name]! Tomorrow at 2 PM, you have an appointment with [person] at [company]. If you want to reschedule, use this [link]

Seasonal greetings

When to send	Message copy
The trigger here is usually a date from a holiday. Companies use this type of SMS to build loyalty and surely boost sales.  The classic structure of a seasonal greeting SMS is as follows:  ‣ a greeting, ‣ offer description, ‣ discount.	Example 1: Happy Birthday [name] 🎉  Best wishes from [company]. Apply this code [code] at checkout and get 30% off for your next order 🎁  Example 2: hey [name]! Merry Christmas from [company]! There’s a special gift waiting for you here [link]. Check it out!

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Wrap Up

That’s all you need to start a successful career in automated text marketing. Be simple, focus on customers’ needs, and personalize. Contacting them at the right time and with the right offer is a proven way to get all the benefits listed at the beginning of this article. 

The theory is over. It’s time to practice! Good luck!

Guest post by Julia Serdiuk 

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