Some customers may prefer to communicate via SMS, however SMS can limit the amount of information that can be delivered when compared to email. AutoPlayAuto.com allows you to create an Email Response, but instead of sending via email, you can send it as an SMS.
When you have the SMS Gateway and the Send Lead SMS role enabled you will see a button 'New SMS Email' in the grey action menu.
You can also select this option from the 'Communications' section on the Lead by clicking on the 'ADD' button shown below.
This will load a screen that is a mix between the Send Email and Send SMS screens. You can build an email as per normal procedure;
- Load a Standard Response if desired
- Select an Email Template
- Confirm your Listing
- Confirm whether you want to 'Update Progress' or not
- Add a Subject Line and Message - using standard Text if desired
- Add additional images if required
- Record a voiceover to create a 'stitched' together video made from audio and images
- Upload or film a true MP4 video
However you will notice there are a few other fields that are not present when sending a normal email.
- SMS From - This will default to the logged in User, but can be changed as required. The users in this list will be those users you share the Manage Leads role with.
- SMS To - The customers mobile phone number will automatically be populated in the 'SMS To' field. The field is compulsory in order to send the SMS and will need to be entered here if the customer record does not currently have a mobile number associated. You can add more recipients by typing in additional mobile numbers, or clicking on the 'ADD RECIPIENTS' button. Note if the customer has previously opted out directly from their SMS the customer will not be able to be sent an SMS until their customer record is updated. You can read more about SMS Opt Outs HERE.
- SMS Intro Text - You can type in a short message to introduce your SMS Email to the customer, and provide them some instructions about viewing your email. If you have them loaded you can also populate the 'SMS Intro Text' with any pre-set text by clicking on 'STANDARD TEXT'. This will load only Standard Text loaded as the Type = SMS Intro.
Once you have finished building your email you can click 'SAVE' and then 'PREVIEW' it. To send it as an SMS click on the 'SEND' button at the bottom of the screen.
When you send your email as an SMS it will automatically add the message '<Dealer Name> has sent you a link via SMS'. The text you typed in the 'SMS Intro Text' field will make up the body of the SMS and a link will have been automatically added that links to the email you built.
The sent SMS will be treated displayed in the 'Communications' section as an outbound SMS. If the customer replies to the SMS their response will be captured to this list.
However as you have also created an Email Response you will still be able to track how many times the customer has viewed the video in your email via the 'History' option in the grey action menu.