How to Set Up an SMS Drip Campaign
Before You Start
You need an active SMS Broadcast app with a configured sending number. If you have not set up SMS sending yet, see How to Choose the Right Sending Number and 10DLC Registration Guide first. Your sending number must be registered and approved for A2P (application-to-person) messaging before you can send automated drip texts at scale.
You also need proper opt-in consent from every contact in your drip. SMS consent rules are strict, and sending texts without permission can result in carrier blocking and legal penalties. See How to Set Up Proper SMS Opt-In and Opt-Out for compliance requirements.
Step-by-Step Setup
In the SMS Broadcast app, create a new contact list dedicated to this drip sequence. Name it something descriptive like "SMS Welcome Drip" or "Appointment Follow-Up." Every contact added to this list will start receiving the drip sequence from message one.
Create each message in your drip series. SMS messages should be concise and action-oriented. Keep each message under 160 characters per segment to minimize costs (longer messages split into multiple segments, each billed separately). Include your business name in each text since contacts may not have your number saved. Always include opt-out language like "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" in at least the first message.
Set the sending order so Message 1 goes first, Message 2 goes second, and so on. The system tracks each contact's position in the sequence. A contact who received Message 3 yesterday will receive Message 4 at the next scheduled send time.
Set which days and hours the drip should send. For SMS, timing matters more than email because texts interrupt people immediately. Best practices: send only during business hours (9am to 8pm in the recipient's time zone), avoid weekends unless your audience expects it, and space messages at least 1-2 days apart. The platform lets you configure specific days of the week and hour windows. See How to Time Your Drip Messages and How to Set Up Drip Schedules for details.
If you have a large list, configure the sending rate to avoid carrier throttling. Most carriers limit how many messages a number can send per second or per minute. The platform handles basic pacing automatically, but for very large lists you may need to spread sends across longer time windows. See How to Manage SMS Sending Volume for capacity guidelines.
Turn on the schedule status to start the drip. Add your own phone number as a test contact to verify that Message 1 arrives promptly with correct content. Wait for the next scheduled send time to confirm Message 2 delivers on schedule. Test the STOP keyword by replying STOP from your test number and verifying the system removes you from the list automatically. See How to Handle STOP Requests for opt-out automation.
How Contacts Enter the SMS Drip
Contacts can be added to your drip list in several ways:
- Text-to-join keyword: Contacts text a keyword to your number and are automatically added to the list
- Web form submission: A signup form on your website captures the phone number and adds it to the list via API or workflow
- CSV import: Upload a file of phone numbers. See How to Import SMS Contacts.
- Chatbot capture: A chatbot collects the phone number and a workflow adds the contact. See Trigger Drips From Chatbot Interactions.
- Manual add: Add individual contacts through the admin panel
Compliance Reminders
Every SMS drip must comply with TCPA regulations and carrier requirements. The key rules: get explicit written consent before texting, honor STOP requests immediately, identify your business in messages, and only send during reasonable hours. Non-compliance can result in fines of $500-$1,500 per unwanted text message. See TCPA Compliance Guide and SMS Marketing Laws for full details.
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