Actions – Text (send bulk SMS messages)

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Action: Text

Send SMS texts to multiple workers

This action allows you to send individual text messages to a group of workers all at once. See the Text messaging overview article or watch the Text messaging with Broadstripes video to learn more about using Broadstripes to send (and receive) text messages.

If you don’t see the “Text” option on your drop down menu, it means you haven’t been granted permission to use the feature. Talk to your admin to get set up.

Before you can send a text message

Three things need to happen before you start sending texts in Broadstripes:

  1. You have to have permission to send texts, which an admin can give you.
  2. You need a virtual cell number, which also must be provided by an admin. Broadstripes uses virtual numbers so that:
    • organizers don’t have to give out their real cell numbers
    • if an organizer moves on from a campaign, another team member can continue an ongoing text conversation in their place.
  3. You need to add your own (real) cell number to your Broadstripes user account so that Broadstripes can notify you if someone you text sends a message back.

You can learn how to complete these prerequisites in the Text messaging overview article which also includes a step-by-step video.

Sending a text message to multiple workers at once

You can only send to “Opted in” cell numbers

Broadstripes can only send a text to workers who have been marked “Opted in,” indicating that they’ve agreed to receive messages.

If you’re not sure how to add a new cell phone number or update an existing number indicating it’s been “opted in,” take a look at the Text messaging permissions – Opt in article.

In this example, we’ll send a text message to every opted in worker at Basic Hotel asking them to try to build support in their respective departments. Here’s how:

  1. First, we’ll run a search for people who work at Basic Hotel. (If you need help running a search, check out the Create and save a search article.)
  2. From the Search Results page, we’ll select all the workers. At the time this article was written, you were allowed to send up to 100 messages at once. Check with your admin to find out if that’s changed.
  3. Under Actions, we’ll choose “Text.”
  4. Next, compose a short text message (160-characters or fewer).
  5. Broadstripes makes it easy to personalize the message with dynamic merge fields like “First Name” or “Department.” To use a merge field, just choose it from the drop-down menu and it will be inserted into the body of your text message.
  6. Below the message, you’ll see the virtual phone number you’re sending from. If you have more than one number assigned to you, you can choose which to use from the drop-down menu.
  7. Click Send, and an individual message will go out to each person you’ve selected. Remember, text messages will only be sent to workers with cell phones that are opted in. (Workers in the selection who don’t have an opted in cell will be ignored.)

Sending a text to a single worker

You can also send a text to just one worker. You can use the method above (selecting only their name from the search results), or you can use a shortcut on their contact detail pop-up window:

  1. From the Search Results page, hover over the   looking glass icon next to the worker’s name.
  2. Click the phone icon shortcut at the bottom of the pop-up window.
  3. Compose a short message (160 characters or fewer) and hit Send.

 

More

Now that you’ve learned how to send a text, learn how to receive replies to your texts and see a history of all past texts in these articles: