Automation Example: Send SMS If Email Bounces or Is Not Opened

Details

If you're sending out an important email but it bounces or isn't opened, you can setup an automated follow-up via SMS. Some example use cases could be:

• Booking confirmation email, with an SMS follow-up if it bounces (or is not opened)
• Appointment reminder email, with an SMS follow-up if it bounces (or is not opened)

What This Example Will Cover

In this automation example, we'll be monitoring an email send for bounces and non-opens, sending an SMS automatically if either of these occur.

SMS Overview

While the email bounce trigger can be setup to fire as soon as a bounce is detected, you'll need to give people some time to open the email (usually a few days) - so make sure you configure the 'did not open email' automation with a several-day delay, like we've done below.

How-to Guide

Before you begin, you'll need to have the initial email setup (the one that you want to monitor for bounces or non-opens). You'll also need to have the SMS messages that you wish to send (when a bounce / non-open is detected) created and saved in the system - you can use a different SMS for each if you like. We have included some example wording for your SMS messages at the end of this guide.

1. Select Automation from the sidebar.
2. Select the Advanced Automation tab.
3. Click New Workflow.
4. Give the workflow a name and click Save.
5. Click New Step.
6. We'll begin by setting up the SMS for bounced emails. In the first section, set the action as The following message being sent and select the folder & message that you'd like to monitor for bounces.
7. In section 2, set the trigger as Permanent Bounces.
8. In section 3, select the action as Send the Contact the Message and then choose the SMS you'd like to send. We've included an example at the end of this article.
9. In section 4, configure the timing as required. In our example, we've set this as 30 minutes later.
   
10. Click Save.
11. Next up, we'll setup the SMS notification if the email is not opened after 2 days. Click New Step.
12. In the first section, set the action as The following message being sent and select the folder & message that you'd like to monitor for non-opens.
13. In section 2, set the trigger as Not Opened.
14. In section 3, select the action as Send the Contact the Message and then choose the SMS you'd like to send. We've included an example at the end of this article.
15. In section 4, configure the timing as required. In our example, we've set this as 2 days later - in order to give the user some time to open and read their emails.
    
16. Click Save. Your automation setup should now look a little like this...
    
17. Click Save on the automation setup screen.
18. Finally, click … next to the automation and choose Activate. Your automation is now ready. 

SMS Message Examples

Need some inspiration for your SMS messages that you might like to send in each of these instances? We've included some sample wording below. Remember to keep them as short as possible, in order to keep your SMS costs down.

Bounced email:

Our email to you at %%email%% bounced, could you please call us on COMPANYPHONE to update your info? Regards COMPANYNAME.

Unopened email:

%%First_name%% we recently sent you an appt. confirmation email but you may have missed it. Pls call COMPANYPHONE for details. Regards COMPANYNAME.