Creating a Complete SMS Opt-in Flow

Direct communication with the people you want to reach is vital to today’s business. Businesses can use the simplicity of texting to communicate their updates, events, new products and services, promotions, and sales. Texts get viewed, responded to, and acted upon quickly, creating a significant impact for businesses. To get started, SMS opt-in is a way for people to give a business written content to contact them by text SMS message. Opt-ins are essential to SMS success and messaging compliance. Equally as important is the SMS opt-out. When people indicate they no longer agree to receive SMS messages from a business, people may reply “STOP” to a business text campaign to be removed from further text communications.

FreshLime helps businesses collect SMS opt-ins and opt-outs in compliance with current regulations and best practices. This is completed by a Customer Success Representative in the merchant’s account using the Email/SMS Flow Manager.

Configuring the Outbound SMS Message & Keyword Trigger

Open INT
Navigate to the Merchant Account
Click Actions in the top navigation bar
Select Email/SMS Flow Manager
Click SMS Flow in the sub-navigation bar
Click New Flow to create a new SMS flow
Name your flow, “SMS Opt-in”
Select Active
Add the text for a compliant SMS Opt-in confirmation message in the Outbound Message field. Max characters = 160 (Message Segment Calculator)
1. To meet compliance for SMS opt-in, these components are required in this message:
  1. The brand/business name; i.e FreshLime:
  2. The message types the person will be receiving; i.e. Welcome to updates and offers!, or Welcome to FreshLime updates and offers! (when using the second example, you can skip step one (I)).
  3. Message and data rates may apply; i.e Msg&DataRatesApply.
  4. Frequency of message delivery, in other words, how often the person can expect to receive said text messages; i.e Msg frequency varies.
  5. How to get help; i.e Reply HELP for help.
  6. How to end or cancel their SMS subscription; i.e STOP to end
  7. A link to the SMS Privacy Policy (see below for setting up the Privacy Policy); i.e. Privacy Policy {{ review_link }}.
2. Example Message: {{ merchant.name }}: Welcome to updates and offers! Msg&DataRatesApply, Msg frequency varies. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. Privacy Policy {{ review_link }}
NOTE: We’ll come back to add a Rating Page for the Privacy Policy.
Next, Click Keywords at the bottom of the SMS Flow Editor
1. Enter a Keyword, or short phrase into this field that describes the action or result, like SUBSCRIBE, GETALERTS, DEALS, NOTIFYME, etc. (TIP: This keyword/CTA should be published with the FreshLime number and/or SmartConnect QR-code wherever people can/should opt-in to SMS messages.
Select Keyword Active
Select Keyword Autosets SMS Optin

Configuring the Messaging Privacy Policy Page

Click Actions in the top navigation bar
Select Email/SMS Flow Manager
Click Page/Email Editor
Create a New Page
1. Alternatively, make a copy of page 6218 Webchat Is Us Messaging Privacy Policy
Select Active
Choose “Rating” for the Template Type
Type “Messaging Privacy Policy” into the Template Name Field
(Optional) Type “This Messaging Program Privacy Policy explains how messaging by [merchant_name] collects and uses information about you in relation to its text message marketing program (the “Messaging Service”)” into the Description field
Click Save
From the Page/Email Editor directory page, locate your new page in the Page Templates list
Click on the Page Template ID to edit
Click Edit Page
Build your page
1. Drag and drop an Image block.
2. Drag and drop a Title block below the image.
3. Drag and drop a Text block below the title.
4. Delete the Unsubscribe block
Add your page content
1. Browse/Upload the merchant logo in the Image block
2. Type “Messaging Privacy Policy” into the Title block
3. Copy and paste the Messaging Privacy Policy body copy into the Text block and format as shown
4. Added branded elements and links where indicated in the Messaging Privacy Policy body copy
  1. Merchant/Brand Name
  2. Brand Website Homepage URL
  3. Brand Support Email Address
  4. Terms link https://www.freshlime.com/about/terms-conditions/
  5. Main Privacy Policy link https://www.freshlime.com/about/privacy-policy/
5. Click Save and Ok
6. Close the Window and Leave page
7. Click Save on the Page Editor to return to the Email/SMS Flow Manager
NOTE: Terms & Privacy Policy links in this document are linked to FreshLime online assets and may be changed to the brand’s online assets. Brands are permitted to post this Messaging Privacy Policy on their website for user reference.
Add your Messaging Privacy Page to your SMS opt-in SMS Flow
1. Click SMS Flow in the blue sub-navigation bar
2. Find your SMS Opt-in flow and Click on the ID number to open the SMS Flow Editor
3. Scroll down the page to Rating Page
4. Click on the carrot and a dropdown list of Pages will appear
5. Select Messaging Privacy Policy
6. Click Save
Test your flow.
1. Text the Keyword/Keyphrase to the main FreshLime Number for the account
2. Do you get the Outbound Message configured?
  1. If Yes, test your Privacy Policy link
  2. If No,
    1. Is Active selected at the top of your SMS Flow Editor?
    2. Is Keyword Active selected in the Keywords section of the SMS Flow Editor?
    3. Is there another SMS Flow or SmartConnect QR-code already configured for the FreshLime number?
    4. Is your Keyword/Keyphrase over 10 words or 127 characters?
3. Does the Privacy Policy link appear in the Outbound Message?
  1. If Yes, test the Privacy Policy link
    1. Does the configured Messaging Privacy Policy page open in a browser window when the link is clicked?
      1. If Yes, you’re SMS opt-in flow is ready to use
  2. If No, review your Outbound Message
    1. Does the {{ review_link }} appear at the end of your message following the words “Privacy Policy”?
      1. If Yes, is the Ratings Page selected the Messaging Privacy Policy?
        If No, review the steps for Configuring the Messaging Privacy Policy Page.
      2. If No, Copy and Paste the {{ review_link }} merge field into your Outbound Message following the words “Privacy Policy.”
4. If your flow test continues to fail, reach out to your supervisor.

Create a SmartConnect QR-code for SMS Opt-in

Locate the SMS Opt-in from the Email/SMS Flow Manager list of SMS flows.
Click the Copy Icon at the end of the Dynamic Link to copy the SMS flow link.
Click Actions in the top navigation bar.
Select QR Code.
Click Create New QR Code.
(Optional) Select a Merchant Location.
Select Custom from the SmartConnect Product dropdown menu.
Type SMS Opt-in Flow into the Title field.
(Optional) Type a Name/Description of where the code is published into the Segment/Campaign field.
Click Create.
Locate your new QR Code in the QR Code list (codes are automatically sorted from oldest to newest).
Click on the Qr Code ID Number to edit the code link.
Paste the SMS Opt-in SMS Flow Dynamic Link into the Link field.
Click Update.
Test your code
1. Do you get the SMS Opt-in Flow Outbound Message when you scan the code?
  1. If Yes, the SMS Opt-in QR-Code is ready to download and publish
  2. If No,
    1. Edit the QR code by clicking on the Qr Code ID Number
    2. Check the link. Is the link structured properly?
      1. Is “SMS:+FreshLime Number” found before the https:// prefix
        If Yes, remove “SMS:+FreshLime Number”.
      2. Does the link have the https:// prefix?
        If No, copy and paste the link again, return to the EMail/SMS Flow Manager and copy the SMS flow link for the SMS Opt-in Flow then follow the steps for editing the QR code (Create a SmartConnect QR-code for SMS Opt-in, Step 12).