Responding SMS Opt-In/Out with RingCentral Workflow Builder
In today’s digital landscape, leveraging SMS marketing effectively can significantly enhance your outreach strategy. However, navigating the complexities of managing opt-ins and opt-outs requires a streamlined approach. RingCentral Workflow Builder is a powerful tool designed to simplify the process and maximize efficiency.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into the intricacies of managing SMS opt-ins and opt-outs seamlessly with RingCentral Workflow Builder. Whether you’re handling a business, a seasoned marketer, a developer, or just dipping your toes into SMS campaigns, this article will equip you with the knowledge and strategies necessary to navigate this critical aspect of your marketing efforts.
From understanding the importance of compliance to implementing best practices for opt-in management, we’ll cover it all in this article. With step-by-step guides and practical tips, you’ll learn how to manage your opt-in and opt-out text message with RingCentral Workflow Builder, as well as ensure compliance, enhance user experience, and drive results.
What is an SMS Opt-In?
SMS opt-in refers to an offer to a customer or subscriber to join your SMS list. This is a process where customers give their express consent or permission to receive text message alerts, SMS marketing, and reminders from your business.
This opt-in approach ensures that customers have actively chosen to receive messages, promoting higher engagement rates and compliance with carrier requirements and in some cases, legal regulations. SMS opt-in allows businesses to deliver relevant and targeted messages to interested audiences, fostering stronger connections and enhancing communication effectiveness.
One way to get express SMS consent is using SMS keywords, where future recipients can message you directly to opt-in to future communications.
Examples of initial SMS opt-in phrases:
- Text SUBSCRIBE to 555–555–5555 to receive monthly coupons and promotions
- Text JOIN to 555–555–5555 to opt-in to community updates and important notifications
SMS keywords can also be used for customers to opt-back in to your messages after they’ve unsubscribed. For this, you should use the standard keywords recommended by CTIA, which include: join, subscribe, resubscribe.
What is an SMS Opt-Out?
Just like SMS opt-in, you’re probably familiar with this method too. SMS opt-out, also known as SMS unsubscribe, is a process through which customers request to stop receiving text messages from a business.
It allows recipients to withdraw their consent for receiving SMS communications, typically by replying to a message with a specific keyword or following instructions provided in the message. SMS opt-out is essential for maintaining compliance with CTIA and carrier rules, while also ensuring businesses respect recipients’ preferences for communication.
A few example phrases are:
- Reply STOP to unsubscribe
- Reply STOP to opt-out
Please note CTIA also recommends supporting additional opt-out keywords including end, unsubscribe, cancel, and quit. In addition, all requests to opt-out should be honored, regardless of wording (e.g. please stop messaging me) or medium (e.g. phone call, fax, email, snail mail).
You can learn more about opt-in/ out requirements, as well as other SMS rules and requirements in our SMS Policies.
How to automate responses to SMS Opt-In/Opt-Out
Before we get started, it’s important to note that the RingCentral Workflow Builder does not enforce opt-in or opt-out, but instead only allows you to send an automated reply to these requests. It is your responsibility to manage these requests and to stop messaging recipients who have opted out.
To start building your automated responses, log in to RingCentral Workflow Builder, you will be redirected to the main UI of the page.
To get started, click the “New automation” at the top section of the page. It will then show you various pre-built templates and an option to build your own workflow. For this article, we will guide you on how to create and manage the SMS opt-in and opt-out auto-responder workflow.
By choosing the SMS opt-in/opt-out auto reply template, you will be prompted to create and edit the chosen pre-built template. There are four sections that you can edit, starting at “Automation name”, followed by the section where you have to put the phone number(s) for which this automation will respond to incoming SMS.
Editing the next section is important as it contains the message you want your recipients to receive for opt-in auto-reply. Fill out the box with a message to inform the recipients AFTER opting-in to your SMS list — make sure to include the necessary information and an option to opt-out.
That brings us to the next section of the automation template. For opt-out auto-reply, fill out the box with a message to inform the recipients AFTER opting-out to your SMS list. Here you can include an option for the recipients to resubscribe by saying “Reply START to resubscribe” or use different phrases based on your preference.
Hit “Save” after editing the sections of the automation.
After saving it, you will be prompted to choose an option to either close the automation template or click “Enable”.
To further manage your SMS opt-in/opt-out auto-reply template, we suggest closing it first and not enabling the automation yet, as it will not allow you to manage the flow of your automation if enabled.
Upon closing it, it will take you back to the main UI of the RingCentral Workflow Builder. To manage the flow of your SMS opt-in/opt-out auto-reply automation, click the three dots option (refer to Figure 5) and click “Convert to Advanced”.
Read: Set up SMS keyword auto-responders with RingCentral Workflow Builder.
Looking at the figure 6 image, you can see the pre-built opt-in/opt-out auto-reply automation flow that you can manage. You can edit each branch of the automation to your preference and customize the SMS that will be sent out to your recipients.
To edit them, simply click the pen icon of the data structure you want to open. For this example, we will edit the “Send SMS” node.
Upon opening the Send SMS node, you can edit each field from selecting phone numbers to customizing the message text. Make sure to click “Save” after editing.
Note: The Send SMS node is the result of the recipient opting-out of your SMS list. To view and edit the opt-in structure of the automation, simply click the pen icon of the “Opt-in keywords” node.
You can set up multiple conditions and edit each trigger, as well as the message you want your recipients to receive upon opting-in to your SMS list. Make sure to click “Save” after editing.
Going Further
Along with the ability to edit the existing nodes, you can also add additional actions. For example you may add an action to send a HTTP request to your CRM or other tool being used to manage SMS opt-ins/ outs. This would allow you to automatically notify your system via an API, for example, and have the record be updated in your CRM to help prevent team members from messaging recipients who have opted out.
Click here to learn more about SMS policies (including opt-in and opt-out), or get started using the RingCentral Workflow Builder.
