How to Create and Enable SMS Automation?

Automation allows you to build a connection with customers and increase sales through custom text messages—triggered by specific events in your customer's journey. These events include new user registrations and abandoned carts. Automations run smoothly in the background, ensuring the work required to administer them is minimal. When used correctly, they’re a great way to keep customers engaged.

In this article, you'll learn how to create and enable text message automation using the Plexins app.

To get started, click the Automation Trigger link in the main menu. Then click “Create new” at the top of the page.

Step1: Choose an Automation Name

Give Your SMS automation a name that will remind you of its purpose; this might be, for example, “Abandoned payment.”

Step 2: Choose the Type of Automation

Choose from the event types listed in the drop-down menu. In this example, we choose “Abandoned payment.”

Step 3: Create Your Message

There are templates associated with every type of automation Plexins offers. Click the “Templates” button to access the comprehensive selection of SMS templates available. We’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to.

Personalize your automation further with shortcodes that fetch customer information automatically. And remember to set up your discount value.

Please Note:

Some mobile carriers require opt-out language in text marketing messages to prevent spam. In order to ensure you remain compliant, the phrase “STOP to opt out” (or unsubscribe link for numbers outside the US ) is automatically included in your message.

Make sure you don't delete this opt-out message by accident before saving your automation. If you do, you can always add it from the checkbox below the text box.

Step 4: Set a Delay

Delay the sending of your message with the toggle switch. Enter the required delay in minutes, hours, or days by entering a value. Please remember that the minimum is five minutes and the maximum is seven days. If you prefer to leave the delay function disabled, the message will be sent out immediately after the triggering event.

We recommend setting a delay of 30 minutes for abandoned carts in order to give the customer time to think. Anything more frequent than this runs the risk of annoying the recipient.

Step 5: Set Intelligent Sending

You can decide whether or not to use Intelligent Sending. However, we recommend using it, as it prevents customers from receiving the same message more than once in a relatively short space of time.

Step 6: Test Your Message

The message preview on the right shows you what your SMS marketing message will look like once your customer has received it. You can test this yourself by clicking the “Send test message” button. Remember to always double-check your links and shortcodes before you send the actual message.

Step 7: Click “Submit”

Once you’ve checked the content, discount code, links, and shortcodes, you can click “Submit” to activate the automation. We hope you’ve found this guide helpful. But if you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team at hello@plexins.com.