SMS Basics: Creating and Sending Text Message Templates

Typing the same text message over and over again takes up valuable time you could be putting into other aspects of your business.

Here’s how text message templates can get you your time back, plus keep communications consistent across your business.

1. What Are Text Message Templates?

Templates are the Text Request version of “stock” or “saved” messages.

You can create a template once, save it, and then reuse it as often as you like. These saved messages are useful for anything and everything, including:

Frequently asked questions
Scripted sales or customer service follow-ups
Event details
Requests for online reviews
Scheduling confirmations and reminders

Templates not only help you save time, but they also keep common communications consistent across your entire team.

2. How to Create Text Message Templates

Ask your team for questions customers most frequently ask, or which replies they constantly find themselves typing out.

Once you have your list of desired templates, you need to give them names anyone on your team can easily recognize. This could be something like “Referral” for when you’re explaining how your business’s referral program works, or “Schedule” to share your appointment link.

To have your message fit into one text, keep your template below 160 characters. Your message can be as long as needed, but longer messages send as multiple texts, which count toward your monthly usage.

Once you create your template, using it is as simple as selecting the folder icon whenever you compose a message.

3. Customizing Text Message Templates

Templates can include more than just words.

Depending on your use case, you may want your templates to include attachments with desired infographics or Merge Fields for specific customer details.

Text Request supports GIF, JPG, PDF, and PNG files, if you want to add an attachment to your templates. This is useful for sharing forms required for completing onboarding, or infographics to break down common questions.

Likewise, Merge Fields allow you to personalize templates to different contacts based on the information you have saved to their contact details (like first name, email address, or date of last service).

All of this works to make your templates as engaging as possible, so you not only save time, but also increase revenue when you can capture attention and get customers to take a desired next step.

Want to dive deeper? Check out our text message templates.