SMS campaigns and templates
SMS Campaigns (/sms-campaigns) sends bulk text to contacts with phone numbers. SMS Templates (/templates/sms) stores reusable message bodies. The builder mirrors email: audience selection, Sender Number, template or custom message, schedule (Send Immediately or scheduled date/time/timezone), and confirmation before Send Campaign.
Video
Who can do this
Marketing users with SMS campaign permission.
Before you begin
- SMS provider connected in Communications settings
- Credits for message volume
- Internal opt-in/consent policy documented
- Sender Number assigned to workspace
What you'll accomplish
- SMS campaign created and sent or scheduled
- Delivery metrics visible on campaign row
- Template reusable from
/templates/sms
Step-by-step procedure
SMS Campaigns hub
- Sidebar → Marketing → SMS Campaigns.
- Review Quick Stats: Total Campaigns, Active, Total Recipients, Avg Delivery Rate.
- Select Create Campaign.
Builder highlights
| Field / control | Notes |
|---|---|
| Audience | All Contacts with Phone or Smart List with counts |
| Sender Number | Required outbound number |
| Template | No Template (Custom Message) or saved SMS template |
| Schedule | Send Immediately or date/time with Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, UTC |
| Delivery mode | Standard or Conservative (slower delivery) |
| Confirm | Send Campaign or Schedule Campaign |
After send
Campaign table columns include Status, Send Date, Recipients, Delivered, Failed, Replies, Opt Outs, Actions.
SMS Templates
- Open SMS Templates (
/templates/sms). - Create/edit templates for compliance-approved copy.
- Select them in the campaign builder template picker.
Extended guidance
SMS compliance is process-heavy: maintain an internal suppression list mirrored in Smart Lists labeled Do Not Text. Review Opt Outs column after every send; spikes mean copy or frequency issues. Replies may route to Inbox—train reps to watch SMS threads. Compare Avg Delivery Rate on the hub with carrier dashboards monthly. For multi-region sends, confirm Sender Number matches recipient country expectations.
Practice scenarios
Run a 5-recipient pilot with Send Immediately, confirm Delivered counts, then scale to the full Smart List. Document Opt Outs handling in your privacy policy before the second send.
Sandbox validation
Repeat the procedure in a test workspace or with two internal colleagues before customer-facing launches. Document who approved each step (marketing, legal, ops). Screenshot Verify your work outcomes for audit trails. When something fails, capture the URL, role, timestamp, and exact UI label clicked—Support resolves tickets faster with that context. Re-read See also links after your first successful run; adjacent topics often cover edge cases you have not hit yet.
Team rollout checklist
Assign a single owner for this workflow per workspace. Schedule a 30-minute handoff training with screen share. Add the See also links to your internal Notion or wiki. Re-verify after each major product release (labels move occasionally). Pair junior staff with a senior reviewer for the first live execution. Log lessons learned in your team retro—especially permission surprises and integration timeouts.
Keep learning
Bookmark this page and the Product module map. After major releases, re-walk Step-by-step procedure—UI labels move occasionally. Share feedback with your workspace Admin so Help stays aligned with how your team actually works.
Verify your work
- Test message received on a personal device
- Delivered count increments after processing
- Opt-out handling respected per provider rules
Tips
Confirm TCPA and local SMS consent before any promotional blast—SWS Agent records sends but does not replace legal review.
Use Conservative delivery when sending to large cold lists to reduce carrier throttling.
Troubleshooting
| Sender Number error | Assign number in communications settings | | Send fails immediately | Credits or provider disconnect | | Zero recipients | Smart List lacks mobile numbers | | High Failed rate | Invalid numbers; re-import contacts |