Automation Example: Auto-responding From an SMS Reply

Details

This article will provide steps to set up an auto-responding email based on the response to an SMS message. In our example, we'll send an email if the recipient replies Yes to an SMS.

In order to collect SMS responses from subscribers first see viewing and collecting SMS responses. You will also need to have created and saved the message/s that you'd like to send before creating your automation.

Save time by planning your workflow prior to setting it up - create your messages, ensure your list & fields are ready and you know what timings you'd like to use for each step in the automation.

How-to Guide

1. Select Messages from the sidebar.
2. Create / design the email that you'd like to send when the automation is triggered, then save it.

   You may wish to save your email into a special folder, so that you & any other account users know it's used for an automation.

3. Repeat this process for any other emails that are required. For example, you may wish to send a second (different) email depending on the SMS response that is received back from the recipient - such as one for a YES and one for a NO response.
4. Once you've created your various email messages, we'll start building the automation. Select Automation from the sidebar.
5. Select the Advanced Automation tab.
6. Optional: Create a new folder to save your automation into.
7. Click New Workflow, as shown below.
8. Give your workflow a Name.
9. Click Save.
10. Now we'll start building out the workflow to send the confirmation email is a Yes reply is received. Click New Step.
11. In the first section, set the action to be The following message being sent. Then select your SMS from the relevant folder.
    
12. In the second section, set the trigger as Update Profile.
13. We now want to tell the system what SMS replies to look for and activate the trigger against. To do so, click Add/Edit.
14. In the first (field) dropdown, select the field where your SMS responses are being saved into.
15. Set the second (condition) dropdown to Contains.
16. Now enter the phrase or text to search for, such as the word Yes.
    
17. Optional: If you want the trigger to run against additional text or phrases, click New Field and repeat this process to add additional trigger words or phrases - such as Yeah, or Yep - for example.

    If you are triggering off multiple responses, ensure you change the search to Match ANY field.

18. When done, click OK.
19. In the third section, set the action to perform as Send the Contact the Message, and select the message you'd like to send when the trigger fires.
20. Finally, in the fourth section, configure the timing - such as firing the trigger immediately, or after a delay.
21. Once configured as desired, click Save.

Repeat steps 10 onwards to create any additional steps you may need - such as sending a different email if the SMS response is No, for example.

Ready to activate your workflow?

1. Select Automation from the sidebar.
2. Select the Advanced Automation tab.
3. Finally, click … next to the automation and choose Activate.