Sending text messages from Infusionsoft is a popular request from Infusionsoft users. While we don’t have text messages built into our software yet, text messaging can be implemented two ways. There are industry guidelines [pdf] which marketers must adhere to in order to maintain strong relationships with their contacts.
IMPORTANT: While sending text messages from Infusionsoft is possible with third-parties, we do not support any non-native integrations via our support team. Sorry, when this becomes a natural part of the App, we’ll support it then.
As with any contact you initiate with your prospects and customers, consent is essential. At Infusionsoft, we have very strict guidelines which dictate that all our marketers require consent from recipients, whether that is phone, fax, e-mail (and now) text messaging.
One Infusionite (slang for “our staff”), Kelsey Bratcher, discovered a relatively easy way to integrate opt-in SMS text messaging into your marketing campaigns with Infusionsoft.
Ingredients to Text Message with Infusionsoft:
- Infusionsoft (or really, any marketing automation solution)
- Bulk SMS provider such as Clickatell
- Cell phone number provided by the contact
- Permission from contact to receive text messages
- E-mail template to be used for sending to the bulk SMS provider on your behalf
- A message that is less than 160 characters long
How to Setup Text Messaging with Infusionsoft
- Login to your Infusionsoft application.
- Create a new e-mail template. Learn about creating e-mail templates…
- Change the type of e-mail to Plain Text.
- Enter the bulk SMS provider’s address in the To: field. (For example, we’ll use Clickatell’s e-mail address.)
- Enter a subject line, as it’s required. However, recipients won’t see the subject line.
- In the body, enter the following bits of information. You can use any Merge Field as desired. We recommend using “Phone3″ as that field is rarely entered and you can have a Web Form populate that field for cell phones.
api_id: Enter your API ID with Clickatell.
user: Enter your Username with Clickatell.
password: Enter your Password with Clickatell.
to: 1~Contact.Phone3~
text: Enter your message to send.
- Save the template and setup some strategic follow-up sequences so you can send text messages to your contacts.
Tip: Set conditions on the follow-up sequences so you send text messages only when it’s essential, otherwise you could end up costing yourself a lot more money.
Here is a screenshot of what your template may look like (courtesy, Kelsey Bratcher):
This is a screenshot of Infusionsoft's e-mail template for SMS text messaging usage with Clickatell.
Another method — although somewhat unreliable — is to send traditional e-mails to your contact’s cellular network. If you know the network your contact is using (such as AT&T, Verizon, etc), then you can set up specific campaigns to e-mail those users. There isn’t a universal standard in sending e-mail to phone numbers, but here is a great list that provides information to help you e-mail phone numbers easily.
A few great ideas for providing useful content in your text messages would be:
- Birthdays or Anniversaries
- Follow up for an email, fax, voice or direct mail marketing campaigns
- New product announcements
- Special offers just for text message users
- Order confirmations, thank you messages
- Webinar or seminar announcements
- Urgent internal announcements for employees
I want to also reiterate the importance of permission — it’s vital — just like e-mail, recipients can report messages they don’t want to their provider. Be aware, wireless carriers (like ISPs) could block Infusionsoft for inappropriate use. We wouldn’t want that, so use this tip responsibly to provide a great value to your contacts and watch your business grow effectively.
We hope you enjoy using this newer medium to connect with your contacts. Share your feedback, questions and thoughts in the comments below.
