What is StratusTEXTING?

Many companies and organizations use SMS messaging as an effective way to keep their clientele informed. These texts can include promotional information, marketing advertisements, appointment reminders, and so much more. StratusTEXTING helps facilitate this kind of communication.

StratusTEXTING is an advanced business texting solution that allows companies to effortlessly send personalized, compliant texts of different kinds using its user-friendly interface. Different styles of texts can be scheduled or sent out immediately. 

This guide will focus on how basic users can use StratusTEXTING to send reminders, promotions, and updates through text messages to help build strong relationships with customers.

Start a Conversation

As a StratusTEXTING user, you have many ways that you can send an SMS message to your customers and partners using your StratusTEXTING portal. To start texting one of your contacts, you will need to obtain consent from that person being contacted and then start a text conversation.

Step 1: Obtain Consent

In order for your business to be able to send your customers SMS messages, your customers will need to give written consent using a valid opt-in method. This can be done through a form, an online prompt on your website, a texted keyword, etc.. Once a customer has given consent to receive SMS messages for a specific purpose, a company can begin sending this contact messages that they have specifically consented to.

Step 2: Compose a Message

Now that consent has been obtained for contacting a customer/client, you can safely send that party SMS messages in accordance with the type of consent they have given.

To send a new text message to someone…

1. Click the Compose icon.
   
2. Do one of the following:
   • Type and select the phone number of someone new that you are texting.
     
   • Type and select the name of an existing contact.
     
3. In the text input box, type the message you would like to send.
   
   

   Quick Tip: If your StratusTexting account has templates, you can click the Templates icon to select and apply a template.

   Use a Template

   If your StratusTexting account has templates that have been created, you can select a template to help with preparing a message to send to someone.

   Note: If you want to learn more about creating personal and shared templates, check out this guide.

    

   To use a template…

   1. Click the Templates icon.
   
   2. Use the filter to view your Personal templates or your company's Shared templates.
   

   Note: If needed, you can click the Create template button to add another template. 

   

    

   3. Next to the template you want to use, click the USE button.
   
   4. You should see the template inserted in the text input box. When you are ready, click the SEND button to send this message.
   

    

    

    
4. Do the following to add flair to your message:
   • Click the Emoji icon to add an emoji to your message.
     
   • Click the Attach Files icon to select a media file to share from your PC.
     
   • Click the Gifs icon to select and add a gif to your message.
     
5. When you are ready, click the SEND button.
   
   

   ✔ Now you can view the message you sent and reply to any responses.

   

    

Types of Texts to Send

There are many different ways that businesses interact with people using text messaging. Use the module below to explore some special types of texts that are commonly sent out by businesses and organizations. 

Confirmations & Reminders

Sending confirmation and reminder texts is a great way to ensure your clients and customers stay informed and prepared. These texts can remind contacts about upcoming appointments, meetings, and more while including information about how your clientele can cancel and reschedule appointments ahead of time. Doing this can help reduce the number of no-shows your organization experiences. 

With your StratusTEXTING services, you can schedule confirmation and reminder texts with ease. You have the ability to create selectable templates for these reminders that your users can edit to include important information, such as dates, times, the names of important people, and important addresses.

IMPORTANT: It is necessary to receive valid, written consent from your customers/clients for reminder texts. 

This can be done by having the individual give consent by filling out a paper or online form, texting a keyword to your number, etc. This form should note the exact types of texts the person is consenting to. 

 

Step 1: Create Templates (OPTIONAL)

To make sending appointment confirmations and reminders quick and easy for your users, it is recommended to create templates. This can be done using the Template page of the Tools tab.

To create templates for confirmation and reminder texts…

1. Navigate to the Tools tab.

2. Select Templates.

3. Click the CREATE TEMPLATE button.
4. In the Create Template form, input the following:

    •  Title - Type an identifiable name that users can view while selecting a template to use.
    •  Text - Type the reminder/confirmation message that should be sent. 

Quick Tip: You can use the token buttons to add one of the following tokens:
    •  [first name] - Automatically input the name of the contact that has been saved for the phone number you are texting.
    •  [company name] - Automatically input the contact's Company Name that is saved in the contact for this phone number being texted.

 

5. If needed, add attachments, such as a media file, emojis, or gifs, to the template.

6. Select whether this template will be saved as a Personal or Shared template.

Quick Tip: If you are saving this template as a Shared Template, you can select whether this template is selectable for all or specific SMS phone numbers. 

 

7. When you are ready to save, click the CREATE TEMPLATE button.

✔ You should see the new template listed alongside any other created templates.

 

8. If needed, repeat steps 3-7 for additional reminder messages.

Quick Tip: Some companies prefer to create an appointment confirmation text that gets sent immediately when the contact schedules an appointment. 

 

Example Templates

Use the module below to help brainstorm and format your new confirmation and reminder texts.

Confirmation Text Examples

Example 1:

Hi [firstname]. Thank you for scheduling an appointment with Dr. Example. Your appointment is scheduled for [ENTER DATE] at [ENTER TIME]. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please reply to this message or call us at 1 (555) 123-4567.

Example 2:

Example, Inc: This is confirmation that an appointment has been scheduled for [ENTER DATE] at [ENTER TIME]. Reply YES to confirm this appointment or NO to cancel.

Example 3: 

Hi [firstname]. Thank you for scheduling a meeting with our team for [ENTER DATE] at [ENTER TIME]. As a reminder, this meeting will be taking place over Zoom ([ENTER MEETING ID]). If you would like to reschedule or cancel your meeting, please call our office at 1 (555)-123-4567 prior to the meeting time.

 

 

Reminder Text Examples

Example 1: 

Example, Inc: It's almost time for your meeting [ENTER DATE] at [ENTER TIME]! As a reminder, this meeting will be taking place over Zoom ([ENTER MEETING ID]). We can't wait to speak with you soon!

Example 2: 

Hi [firstname], your appointment with Dr. Example is tomorrow, [ENTER DATE] at [ENTER TIME]. Please arrive 15 minutes early with your ID and insurance card. Thank you.

Example 3: 

REMINDER from Example, Inc: Your maintenance appointment with our technician is scheduled for [ENTER DATE] at [ENTER TIME]. Please make sure that someone is on-site to meet with the technician. If you need to reschedule, please reply to this message or call us at 1 (555) 123-4567.

 

 

 

Step 2: Schedule a Reminder/Confirmation Text

To have a confirmation or reminder scheduled to be sent out at a specific date and time, you can use the Scheduler tool. 

To schedule one of these special texts…

1. Click the Scheduled Text icon.
2. Use the menu that appears to select the date and time that the message should be sent.

3. Click Set 

4. In the text input box, do one of the following:
    •  Click the Templates icon and select an appointment reminder template to be used.

    •  Type the message to be sent on this date.

5. Click the SCHEDULE button.

✔ You should see a confirmation message that the text has been scheduled for the date you selected.

Once that date and time arrives, the scheduled text will automatically be sent.

 

 

 

Manage Messages and Conversations

While you are participating in a text conversation, you can use Actions to manage it. To view these functions you can use, click the < Actions button.

You can use the following Actions:

• Mark a conversation as Read or Unread.
   
• Claim or Unclaim a conversation.
   
• Add internal notes to keep your coworkers informed about the conversations you are handling.
   
• Transfer a conversation to another user.
   
• Schedule a text.
• Archive a conversation.
   
  

  View and Restore Archived Conversations

  If you have archived a conversation, you can view the conversation and restore it as needed. To view your archived conversations…

  1. On the list of conversations, click the Filter icon. 
  
  2. Select Archived,
  
  3. Click the Apply button.

  ✔ You should now see a list of the conversations that have been archived.

  

   

   

  While viewing an archived conversation, you can view the conversation's messages, use Actions, and send more messages. 

  If you want to unarchive the conversation so that it can easily be viewed from the unfiltered list of conversations…
  1. Click the < Actions button.
  2. Click the expand button and select Restore. 
  

   

   
• Export a conversation's logs.
  

Tags

While viewing a conversation, you can use the Tags section of the menu on the right to add tags. 

You can add multiple tags to a conversation. These tags can make searching for conversations about different topics easier using the search bar. These tags can also help users glimpsing at the conversation to quickly check what the conversation is about.

To search for conversations using a specific tag, type the tag in the search bar at the top. To make sure your search results include tags, select Tags in the Search Categories section.

Add Notes to a Conversation

While handling a conversation, it can be important to keep notes about what is being discussed with a contact. While viewing a conversation you can add notes using the Notes section of the menu on the right.

If your organization requires you to keep a timeline of any contact made over text, you can add more notes for the different dates that contact took place.

The Advocate AI

If you are needing to brainstorm potential text responses, the Advocate AI of StratusTEXTING can help review and transform the text messages you are looking to send.

To use the Advocate AI as a tool to help you format messages that you intend to send to your contacts…

1. Navigate to the Advocate AI tab.
   
2. When you open the Advocate AI, a message will be generated that explains how the Advocate AI can help brainstorm and format text messages for your contacts.
   
3. In the Text Input box, type the message you are thinking of sending to a contact.
   
4. On the right of the page, use the Relationship Types and Relationship Status sections to fine-tune the tone of the message that should be sent based off of the business relationship you have with this contact.
   
5. In the Communication Goal section, type the purpose of the text and any specific details the text should include.
   
6. If this text will be a reply to a text from a contact, copy the text message that you received and paste it in the Conversation History box.
   
7. When you are ready for Advocate AI to analyze your message and suggest improvements, click the Send icon.
   
   

   ✔ Advocate AI will respond with its suggested, Alternative Message to send and an Explanation about why this message may be more appropriate to send.

   

    
8. If you would like to use the message that Advocate AI has given you, select and copy the message's text.
   
   

   ✔ From here, you can navigate back to the conversation, paste the message into the conversation's text input box, make any needed edits, and click the SEND button.