Make the most of your SMS campaigns and workflows with these best practices - designed to help you drive stronger results and build more meaningful connections with your audience.
Choose the right Sender ID
By default, messages are sent from the default sender ID in your Sinch Engage account (the default is one of our randomly assigned rotary numbers).
If you're aiming to build long-term relationships and brand recognition, we recommend using a dedicated number. It helps create a consistent experience and allows your customers to save your number in their contacts.
If you don’t need replies, consider using a registered alphanumeric sender ID (up to 11 characters) to display your brand or business name as the sender. This can increase brand trust and visibility.
Personalize messages with data variable records
Make your messages feel more personal by adding data variable records - dynamic placeholders that pull data from your contact fields, like first name, company name, or location.
For example, inserting #firstname# will automatically personalise each message for the recipient. This works whether you're sending to one contact or an entire list.
Note: Make sure your contact data is accurate and stored in the correct fields for the data variable records to work correctly.
Make a strong first impression with an introductory SMS
The first SMS a customer receives sets the tone for your brand. A well-crafted introductory message can impact campaign effectiveness, boost future engagement and reduce opt-out rates.
Consider sending:
A welcome message as part of your customer onboarding journey
A special offer or update that highlights the value of your direct and personalised messages
Launch your first campaign and test it
Before scaling up, test your first SMS campaign with a split test. Divide your list into two groups and try different message styles and tone of voice, offers, or calls to action to see what resonates best.
This helps you learn what your audience responds to and refine your messaging strategy before sending to a larger audience.
Track results with short trackable links
Want to add a link? The Sinch Engage gateway will automatically shorten URLs to 22 characters and click data analytics.
You can view the number of link clicks in the Sinch Engage portal (as well as in your HubSpot contact timeline) - just like you would with an email campaign - to measure engagement and optimize future sends.
Manage opt-outs
Any marketing messages should include clear unsubscribe instructions e.g. Reply STOP to opt out.
When a contact replies with STOP, the Sinch Engage gateway automatically adds them to your opt-out list, and they’ll no longer receive future messages from your account.