Scheduled Text Messaging: How to Do It

Scheduled text messaging seems like it should be an easy thing.

After all, the concept’s not too hard to understand - You want to be able to schedule a text to go out at a specific date and time.

Sounds simple, right?

Unfortunately it’s not always as straightforward as it should be.

We’ve previously discussed how iPhones in particular don’t really have a way to schedule out texts (as much as many of us love our Apple products).

Many Android phones can now schedule out texts, so that’s good news. But the experience isn’t 100% consistent across all devices.

Plus, the reasons for using scheduled text messaging are often business-related. And in those settings you may not want to send texts from your own personal phone anyway.

So in business situations, you want to use a texting platform. Why?

• A texting platform allows for consistent and easy message scheduling
• A texting platform allows you to refrain from using your personal phone for business
• A texting platform allows you to send texts to large groups of people at once (without needing to include everybody in the same group thread)

So how do you set up scheduled text messaging? And how can scheduling texts ahead of time be useful?

How to Set Up Scheduled Text Messaging

1. Select a Texting Platform

Setting up scheduled text messaging will first require that you choose a texting platform like Mobile Text Alerts.

When selecting a platform, there are at least a few things you’ll need to check:

• Make sure the texting platform actually has scheduled text messaging capabilities
• Make sure the texting platform has a pricing structure that works in your budget
• Make sure the texting platform has an interface that’s easy to work with

Once you find a texting platform that works for you, get a free trial set up so that you can really test drive and get a feel for how everything works.

2. Load in Your Contacts

Once you’ve selected the platform you want to use, it’s time to add in your contacts.

Texting platforms offer several ways to get contacts added in, including…

• Manually adding contacts one by one
• Importing a spreadsheet of contacts
• Having contacts send in a text message, which automatically signs them up
• Having contacts visit an online sign-up form
• Syncing your contact list from other services via integrations
• Using API to create your own integrations (if you’re a developer or have access to developers)

Using one or more of these methods, you can get your contact list populated so that you can start using scheduled text messaging.

3. Schedule the Message

With contacts loaded in, you’re ready to schedule your message.

Each platform may have a slightly different process for this, but with Mobile Text Alerts the flow will look like this:

• Visit the “Send a Message” page.
• Select the recipients for your message - you can select “all” subscribers, particular “groups” of subscribers, or specific individuals.
• Enter the content for your message.
• Click the drop-down arrow to schedule a date and time that you’d like the message to go out.
• Select whether or not you’d like your message to repeat on a regular basis.
• Click “Done.”

You can then review your scheduled message to make any changes you’d like, before it sends out.

Then your message will be sent at the scheduled time.

4. Monitor Results

After your message goes out, you can monitor results from within your texting platform’s reporting.

You’ll be able to see information such as who was included as a recipient for the message, and who actually received it.

If you included trackable links in your text, you’ll also be able to monitor the clicks you receive on those links as well.

So you’ll be able to make more informed analysis and decisions about the success of your text messages.

Why Use Scheduled Text Messaging?

Here are some specific examples to help you see the usefulness of scheduled texts…

Scheduled Text Messaging for Appointment Reminders

Do you know the best way to help reduce no-shows to your appointments?

Texting.

You can schedule your appointment reminder texts to send to clients strategically to help them remember to keep the appointment.

So you could schedule an appointment reminder for 24 hours ahead of time and 2 hours ahead of time, for example.

Using a texting platform to schedule appointment reminders helps you avoid no-shows… without you having to actually be on your phone sending out texts all the time.

Here’s what your texts might look like:

“

Shawn, your appointment with Dr. Pelton is tomorrow at 1:15pm. Please arrive 10 minutes early to fill out paperwork.

“

Hi Alessandra! Your massage appointment is at 10am on Friday. If you need to cancel or reschedule, click here: [link]

Scheduled Text Messaging for Webinars

Webinar hosts have all experienced it - a disappointing attendance number for a webinar.

The average rate for registrants who actually show up is only around 40%, after all.

Scheduled text message reminders help get more attendance - and you can also boost post-webinar engagement with follow-up texts.

You can schedule a workflow similar to the following:

• Your registrant receives a reminder text 1 day before the webinar
• Your registrant receives a reminder text 90 minutes before the webinar
• Your registrant receives a reminder text 5 minutes before the webinar
• Your registrant receives a follow-up text 90 minutes after the webinar

These texts will help make sure people actually show up to your webinars.

(And if you use Zoom or GoToWebinar to host your webinars, you can totally automate the whole process.)

Here’s what your texts might look like:

“

Katie! Time to finish up what’s in front of you because it’s go time in 5 minutes! Join the “Double Your Jewelry Sales” webinar here: [link] Say hi when you join!

“

Hope you were able to hop on today’s webinar! If you missed it, you can check out the reply. And don’t forget that you can get 50% off the Conversion Copywriting training course TODAY ONLY: [link]

Scheduled Text Messaging for Drip Marketing

Drip marketing refers to marketing that “drips” out your messages over a period of time.

The term is typically used in reference to email marketing, but you can send drip campaigns via text messages as well.

With these types of campaigns, you won’t select the specific dates that your messages go out, but you’ll set general periods of time.

For example, if you’re marketing for a restaurant…

• You may send a text message to someone as soon as they subscribe to your text promotions saying…
  • “Thank you for joining Sam’s Kitchen text alerts! Over the next few weeks you’ll receive deals and discounts on our most popular items, so stay tuned.”
• You may send another text 1 week later saying…
  • “Announcement! 1 FREE dessert with any entree purchase if you come in today and show this text!”
• Then you may send a 3rd text 1 week later saying…
  • “Guess what? You’re getting an EXCLUSIVE discount today - half-priced apps all day! Come hungry.”
• And you may send a final text 2 weeks after that saying…
  • “Sad news! Here’s the last of your 'new subscriber' discounts - 1 entree TOTALLY FREE with the purchase of a drink or side today. (But don’t worry, you’ll get new deals coming your way periodically throughout the year!)”

So scheduled text messaging via drip becomes a way to automate your marketing.

That way, you can take advantage of all the benefits of texting without having to micromanage every detail of the campaign.

Other Scheduled Text Messaging Examples…

The possible uses for scheduled text messaging are basically limitless.

For some more general examples, imagine the following scenarios:

• Let’s say you have a plan to send out 4 texts as part of a promotional campaign in the upcoming month. You know what you want to say, and you want to be able to set it all up at once.
  • So you create the whole month’s worth of text messages within your text platform and schedule them out for the times that you want them to send.
  • Then you don’t have to worry about it as the messages send out automatically over the next several weeks.
• Or let’s say it’s late at night and you just had an epiphany that offering a free consultation with your offer will sweeten the deal and get a lot of response - so you want to send out a text to your customers letting them know.
  • You want to set up that text message while it’s fresh on your mind, but you obviously don’t want to send out a text to your customers at midnight.
  • So you schedule the message for the perfect time and then you can rest easy while it goes out automatically.

Below are several other use cases.

Event Reminders

“

Don’t forget our annual convention starts TOMORROW at 9am CST sharp. If you can’t make it in person, tune in to the live stream here: [link]

“

I hope you’re as excited as I am about our workshop on how to grow your direct sales business (Saturday, 7pm). Check your email and texts on Saturday. We’ll be sure to send you the link to join us in the live room!

Live Sale Notices on Facebook

“

You’ll LOVE the new prints! Going live in 5 so you can be among the first to check them out! View here: [link]

“

Hi friends! I’m going LIVE in 10 minutes with can’t-miss new jewelry pieces. Check it out here: [link]

Customer Care Follow-Ups

“

Hi, this is Sam from J. Johnson Supplies. Just letting you know that your protection plan expires soon. If you haven’t made any claims, you’re eligible for a credit to get some FREE stuff! Reply back with the word “free” if you’d like me to take a look at how much of a credit you’ll get.

“

It’s time for your CPAP resupply. Please contact our office to have these items pulled for pickup.

Employee Recognition

“

Happy birthday to Cassidy in accounts receivable!

“

Shout out to Jordan for exceeding sales quota by 200% this month! Keep up the great work!

HR / Payroll Notices

“

Paychecks are ready for pickup in Processing today!

“

Please report to Nancy by EOD for a briefing on some updated HR policies.

Holiday Closures

“

Reminder that offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 2 in observation of New Year’s Day.

“

REMINDER - All branches will be closed 12/31 and 1/1.

Encouraging Notes

“

Take a moment and think about how your business can help others. How many lives can you impact? - Coach Aaron

“

Leadership is the skill of inspiring and mobilizing others to achieve shared aspirations.

Meeting / Training Reminders

“

Join us for our agent training class tomorrow morning at 10am MST in the conference room (or via Zoom). The class this week is “How to Close a Sale with Confidence,” with Jane Harrison. See you then!

“

Good morning! Just a quick reminder about the committee meeting tomorrow (Wednesday, December 14th) at 10 AM at the office.

Deadline Reminders

“

Reminder to off-campus students: Bi-weekly externship logs are due tonight by 11:59PM EST.

“

Reminder! All camp forms must be turned in by 12pm tomorrow. Please submit payment by that time as well. Payment can be submitted via cash/check or online at [link]

New Release Notices

“

It's FRI-YAY!! Time to celebrate! Come shop these amazing new releases!!! [link]

“

NEW dresses available now! Check it out: [link]

Try Out Scheduled Text Messaging

So as you can see, scheduled text messaging has all kinds of uses for virtually every industry.

What about yours? Could you use it for promotions, reminders, follow-ups, or updates?

You betcha!

And the good news is that you can get 50 free messages to try it out for yourself.

Get a free trial today (no credit card required).