SMS Auto Reply: How Autoresponders Work (And Why Your Organization Needs One)

How Does an SMS Autoresponder Work?

The mechanics are simple. An SMS autoresponder works in two parts:

Keyword Trigger

A keyword is a word or a phrase that someone texts to your phone number in order to start the automatic Reply. For example when a person texts “GIVE” to your number they will receive a confirmation of their gift along with a link. If they were to text “VOLUNTEER” to your number they would receive a welcome message and next steps.

Keywords should be short, easy to remember and difficult to misspell. You can create as many keywords as you want, each keyword can be used to trigger a different automated Reply.

Automatic Response Message

The automatic response message that will be automatically sent to the person that texted you the keyword should be simple to understand and will include: Confirmation of their response, a link to a related resource, set of instructions or any other appropriate information to match their expectations for their keyword. Be concise, provide useful information and remain specific to their initial expectations.

Why Nonprofits and Campaigns Use SMS Auto Reply

SMS autoresponders aren’t limited to retail deals or restaurant promotions; they are also valuable for Nonprofits and political campaigns when it comes to their ability to respond quickly to supporters when the organization is small and/or operates at maximum capacity. Here are some of the ways that organizations find value in using SMS autoresponders:

• Donation confirmations: Once a donor makes a contribution, they immediately receive a text acknowledging their support along with a link to view a receipt for their gift- no waiting, no doubts!
• Volunteer sign-up confirmations: For all new volunteers once they text to sign-up, they automatically receive a welcome message with information about what has been done next.
• Event registration confirmations: Simply send a text with the designated keyword from the event marketing material, and receive the details automatically!
• After hours replies: When someone sends a text at 11:00 pm, they receive an automatic response letting them know the team will get back to them in the morning.
• Keyword opt-in confirmations: For example -“Text GIVE to 55555 for the opportunity to join our donor community”- The autoresponder automatically handles the opt-in confirmation.

Learn more about how nonprofits are using SMS to reach their communities → link to SMS for Nonprofits blog

SMS Auto Reply vs Manual Responses

When dealing with a smaller group of supporters, it’s fairly easy to respond manually (e.g., typically one or two messages per day). However, as the number of supporters continues to increase, you will quickly realize that this method of processing becomes increasingly inefficient when your group is larger. The following provides a good example of this:

What Makes a Good SMS Auto Reply Message?

Creating an effective auto-reply message is straightforward; however, there are many factors which will make the difference between a warm message that no one can relate to and one that seems very impersonal.

• Be Concise – The maximum number of characters for text messages is typically 160; that is more than enough space for you to convey your message. Avoid writing an entire paragraph and get straight to the point.

• Set Clear Expectations – It’s essential to mention whether or not a person will be contacting you back, for example, “Thank you for your inquiry, our team will respond by the end of today.” This is far preferable to nothing at all.

• Providing Next Step – Make sure you provide something that individuals can do next. Refer to a website, notify them of an upcoming date, give simple instructions on what to expect next, etc.; do not leave them in the dark.

• Be Human-Like – Using a robotic response, such as “Your request has been received” seems cold and gives the reader little hope. Whereas a friendly response could read “We will send out your volunteer kit by this Thursday,” which sounds like an actual person. You should always strive to create the latter.

What About Auto Reply on Android or iPhone?

Typical auto-reply solutions offered via Android or Apple will perform reasonably well for use by individuals in driving modes or focus settings but are NOT suitable for Organizations leading to challenges as follows:

• Are every supporter message will be sent an automatic response message

• There are few customization options & you cannot track who has opted out

• Sending messages via a bulk phone like Android and iPhone will limit the ability to manage large volumes of supporter messages 

For Organizations looking to manage/support hundreds or even thousands of supporter relationships, you must use an SMS text platform for businesses versus using text messaging through your phone as if it were a personal cellphone account versus an email marketing service through a Gmail account.

Learn how two-way SMS messaging works at scale → Two Way SMS blog

How to Set Up SMS Auto Reply for Your Organization

To set up an SMS autoresponder on a reliable platform takes less than 10 minutes here’s what you need to do:

1. Sign up and receive your unique 10-digit code number for your organization (this will be the number that your supporters will text).

2. Complete the 10DLC registration process in the United States. Every organization sending SMS messages is required by law to register through this process. A good platform will teach you how to go through this process step by step.

3. Select your keyword(s) – select one or more words that are relevant to the message/action you want people to take (for example, “DONATE”, “JOIN IN”, “VOTE FOR ME”, “HELP ME”, “GET MORE INFO”).

4. Write your auto-response message. Keep it as short as possible (preferably less than 160 characters). Be very clear and warm in tone and include the next action step in your message.

5. Use your SMS autoresponder live and test it. Text your keyword(s) from a personal phone before advertising to your supporters to ensure that the message comes through exactly as you intended.

Frequently Asked Questions