SMS Campaigns are highly effective for time-sensitive announcements such as the start of a big sale, new product launches, or exclusive VIP offers — you can send them to your entire SMS list, or use Custom & Smart Segments to target a specific audience. Follow this step-by-step guide to learn how to create and send an SMS Campaign in Privy. Before we get started… You must be on a plan that includes SMS. You need to have an approved toll-free number. You must have textable contacts.

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Create a new text message

To start a new SMS Campaign:
  • Navigate to Campaigns from your Privy dashboard.
  • Select Send SMS in the top right corner.
  • Name your message and press Continue.

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Write your message

Under Message, start to type out and write your message. A preview of your message will appear on the right.

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Personalize your text

To personalize your message with your contact’s name, your Business Name, or your Business URL, click on the variable icon in the bottom right corner of your message:
Note: If a textable contact does not have a name associated with their profile, a blank space will appear.

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Add a Coupon Code

To insert a coupon code into your message:
  • Click the Coupon icon in the bottom right corner of your message.
  • Attach your desired code from the dropdown beneath Select Coupon Code.

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Add an Image

To send an MMS message (a text message with an image file):
  • Click Add Image or Contact Card above your message content.
  • Select Add Image from the menu.
  • Select an image to upload into your message. A preview will appear on the right.
Note: Your file must be a PNG, JPEG, or GIF. The max size for image files is 600KB.
To replace or remove your message’s image:
  • Select Update Image to replace the current image with a different file.
  • Select the Trash icon to completely remove the image from your message.

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Add a Contact Card

To add a contact card to your message:
  • Click Add Image or Contact Card above your message content.
  • Select Add Contact Card from the menu.
If you’ve never created a Contact Card, you’ll be prompted to set one up in your Text Settings as shown below.

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Target your message

In the Recipients card underneath your message, you can decide which segment you’d like to target your message to. You also have the option to exclude segments as well.

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Send or Schedule your campaign

Once you’re happy with your message, get ready to send or schedule your campaign. By clicking Send, you’ll be sending the message immediately and will be prompted to confirm your decision. By clicking Schedule, you’ll be able to specify the date and time you’d like your message to send in the future. Can I unschedule a text campaign? Yes! Head to Campaigns, locate your scheduled message, and select the 3 dots to its right. Select Unschedule, and your message will revert to a draft status. After your campaign is sent, you can review its performance at any time.

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Text message guidelines

SMS is a tightly regulated channel, which means there are more limitations in place than there are for email marketing. Keep the following guidelines in mind when writing and sending your text messages: