How to create an SMS campaign?

1. Create a contact list for your SMS campaigns
   1. Synchronize the SMS field
   2. Manually import phone numbers
2. Create your first SMS marketing campaign
   
   1. Message creation
   2. Recipient selection
   3. Campaign scheduling

1. Create a contact list for your SMS campaigns

For a list to be used in an SMS campaign, phone numbers must be stored in the SMS field. They must contain only digits, with no spaces or special characters, and include the country code (e.g. +33 for France).

There are two ways to build a valid list in Brevo: automatic synchronization of the SMS field or manual import of phone numbers. We recommend synchronization, as it ensures better data quality and automated management.

a. Synchronize the SMS field

Synchronization can be activated by your account manager. Phone numbers sent to Brevo are automatically validated, reformatted, and cleaned of non-numeric characters. When possible, the country code is added or inferred from available data.

Please note that Brevo uses the phone number as a unique identifier, whereas Arenametrix identifies contacts by their email address. As a result, two contacts cannot share the same phone number in Brevo, even if they have different email addresses. In common cases where a person has both personal and professional email addresses linked to the same number, the second record will be rejected. We recommend discussing this with your account manager to anticipate these situations and adapt your strategy.

b. Manually import phone numbers

You can also import phone numbers directly into Brevo using a .csv or .txt file. Numbers must contain only digits, and you must use one file per country, as only one country code can be selected during import.

If your file does not include an EMAIL field, a placeholder email will automatically be generated for each contact to enable identification in Arenametrix. This email will follow the format phonenumber@mailin-sms.com and can be updated later if you collect the actual email address.

2. Create your first SMS marketing campaign

Here is how to create an SMS campaign in three steps. Go to the Campaigns page (1) in Brevo, select SMS (2), then click Create a campaign (3).

a. Message creation

1/ Enter the campaign name. This name is internal and not visible to recipients.

2/ Customize the sender name (maximum 11 characters).

3/ Write your SMS content (up to 160 characters). Beyond 160 characters, each additional block of 160 characters counts as an extra SMS. For example, a 240-character message will count as 2 SMS.

SMS campaigns sent to the United States require prior sender configuration and validation. Without this step, the campaign cannot be sent.

b. Recipient selection

This step allows you to choose the list(s) of contacts who will receive your SMS campaign.

You can also apply filters to your lists, for example by targeting only active contacts in your database.

c. Campaign scheduling

You can choose to send your campaign immediately or schedule it for a later date and time. Please note that telecom operators do not allow marketing SMS to be sent between 8:00 PM and 8:00 AM, nor on Sundays and public holidays. It is therefore recommended to avoid sending large volumes of SMS late in the evening.