Academy
Looking to reach your audience fast and effectively? SMS Campaigns in the Howell Studios Vault Business App allow you to send personalized, automated text messages directly to your contacts’ phones — perfect for time-sensitive promotions, appointment reminders, or service updates. With high open rates and instant delivery, SMS is one of the most powerful marketing tools at your fingertips.
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🚀 How to Launch an SMS Campaign
Step 1: Head to the Campaigns Dashboard
Go to Campaigns > Overview
Click Create Campaign
Name your campaign and hit Create
Step 2: Choose SMS as Your Campaign Step
In your new campaign, click Add Step
Select Add SMS
Step 3: Write Your SMS Message
Keep it clear, short, and actionable
Use personalization tokens like
{contact.firstName}to make your message feel 1-on-1Example:
Hi {contact.firstName}, we’re offering 15% off all services this weekend! Book now at howellstudios.com.
🧠 Pro Tip: Add a clear call-to-action (CTA), such as a link to your website, booking page, or contact form.
Step 4: Set Timing and Filters
Choose when your message will be sent (e.g., immediately or on a future date)
Apply contact filters to narrow your audience by tags, location, interaction history, and more
Step 5: Review & Publish
Double-check your message content and settings
Click Publish to schedule or send your campaign
📸 Your dashboard will look similar to this:
Step 6: (Optional) Add More Campaign Steps
Want to send multiple SMS messages in a sequence?
Click Add Step again to include additional texts
You can space them out over days to create a full drip campaign (e.g., follow-up reminders, promotions, thank-you messages)
🧠 This is ideal for time-based campaigns like limited-time offers or onboarding new clients.
Step 7: Preview Your Campaign
Use the Preview function to see how your message will appear on a mobile device
Check for personalization issues, broken links, or spelling errors
✅ If you’re using a template or automation, make sure all dynamic fields (like {contact.firstName}) are working correctly.
Step 8: Set Targeting Filters
Navigate to the Contacts tab
Use filters to segment your audience based on:
Tags
Source
Activity (e.g., recently opened an email)
Status (e.g., lead vs. customer)
📌 This ensures your SMS only goes to the right people, improving engagement and reducing opt-outs.
Step 9: Schedule or Send
Choose to send immediately or schedule for later
SMS campaigns can be set to go out on specific dates/times — great for aligning with product launches or events
⏰ Timing matters — aim for mid-morning or early afternoon for best results.
Step 10: Monitor Performance
After launch, head to your campaign Analytics tab to review:
Delivery rate
Click-throughs
Unsubscribes
Response rate (if replies are enabled)
📊 Use this data to optimize your future SMS campaigns and build smarter automations.
🔄 Ongoing Optimization Tips:
Test different message lengths and CTAs
Don’t over-message — 1–2 texts per week is often enough
Always have a clear purpose for each text
Need help fine-tuning your next campaign? Contact us at marketing@howellstudios.com
Let’s turn texts into conversions.
