Automations are messages that send themselves. Instead of manually composing and sending every message, you configure a campaign once and the platform delivers messages automatically when the right conditions are met — a customer texts a keyword, a birthday arrives, an appointment is approaching, or a customer joins a group.
The platform handles automations through its campaign types rather than a separate workflow builder. Each campaign type is purpose-built for a specific automation pattern, which means you can set up powerful automated messaging without designing complex flowcharts. Pick the campaign type that matches your use case, configure the trigger and timing, write your messages, and activate it.
Types of Automations Available
Welcome Sequences
Use a Text-to-Join campaign to greet new customers the moment they opt in. When a customer texts a keyword to your number, they automatically receive a welcome message and get added to a group. Add follow-up messages with delays to turn a single welcome into a multi-touch onboarding sequence.
Appointment Reminders
Use an Appointment Reminder campaign to send automated reminders before scheduled appointments. Configure how far in advance the reminder sends and include details like date, time, and location so customers arrive prepared.
Birthday Messages
Use an Annual Birthday campaign to celebrate each customer's birthday with a personalized message. The platform checks birthday fields automatically and sends your message on the schedule you define — on the day, a few days before, or a week ahead.
Date-Based Annual Messages
Use a Custom Annual Message campaign to send automated messages on any recurring date — membership renewals, policy anniversaries, enrollment deadlines, or annual check-ins. Any custom date field on a contact profile can serve as the trigger.
Group-Triggered Messages
Use a customer-to-Group campaign to fire a message whenever a customer is added to a specific group. Whether the customer is added manually, through an import, or via another campaign, the message sends automatically. This is ideal for onboarding sequences, program enrollment confirmations, and tier-based messaging.
Follow-Up Sequences
Most campaign types support follow-up messages — additional messages that send after the initial message on a delay you define. Follow-ups let you build multi-step sequences within a single campaign. For example, a text-to-join campaign can send a welcome message immediately, a tips message after two days, and a resource link after one week.
Automation Triggers
Every automation starts with a trigger — the event that tells the platform to send the message. Here are the trigger types available:
- Keyword opt-in — A customer texts a keyword to your number. Used by text-to-join campaigns. The message sends instantly when the keyword is received.
- Group addition — A customer is added to a group, whether manually, through an import, or via another campaign. Used by customer-to-group campaigns.
- Date field match — A date stored on the customer's profile matches the schedule you configured. Used by birthday and custom annual message campaigns for birthdays, renewal dates, anniversaries, and any custom date field.
- Appointment scheduling — An appointment is created or approaching. Used by appointment reminder campaigns to send notifications ahead of the scheduled time.
Setting Up Your First Automation
Step 1: Pick Your Use Case
Decide what you want to automate. Common starting points include welcoming new opt-ins, reminding customers about upcoming appointments, or sending birthday messages.
Step 2: Create the Campaign
Navigate to Campaigns and click Create Campaign. Select the campaign type that matches your use case — text-to-join for keyword-triggered welcomes, customer-to-group for group-based messages, annual birthday for birthdays, or custom annual message for other recurring dates.
Step 3: Configure the Trigger
Set up the condition that starts the automation. Depending on the campaign type, this means assigning a keyword, linking a customer group, selecting a date field, or connecting an appointment source.
Step 4: Write Your Messages
Compose the initial message your customers will receive. Use personalization tags like {first_name} to make each message feel personal. If you want a multi-step sequence, add follow-up messages with delays between them.
Step 5: Set Timing
Configure when messages should deliver. For date-based automations, choose how far in advance the message sends. For follow-up messages, set the delay between each step — hours, days, or weeks.
Step 6: Activate and Test
Save and activate the campaign. Then test it by triggering the automation yourself — text the keyword, add yourself to the group, or set a test date. Verify that each message arrives with the correct content and timing.
Automation Recipes
New customer Welcome Series
Create a text-to-join campaign with the keyword JOIN and three follow-up messages:
Welcome to the group! We are glad you are here. Reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe.
(Day 2) Here are a few things to know about being a customer: [link to FAQ or resource page]
(Day 7) Have questions? Just reply to this message and our team will get back to you.
Membership Renewal Reminder Sequence
Create a custom annual message campaign tied to each customer's renewal date field. Send three messages:
(30 days before) Hi
{first_name}, your membership renews on March 15. Renew early at https://example.com/renew to lock in your current rate.
(7 days before) Just a reminder — your membership renewal is coming up in one week. Renew now to keep your benefits active: https://example.com/renew
(Day of) Today is your renewal date,
{first_name}. Renew here to stay current: https://example.com/renew
Event RSVP + Day-Of Reminder
Create a text-to-join campaign with the keyword RSVP linked to an event group. Add a follow-up that sends the morning of the event:
Thanks for RSVPing to the Annual Golf Tournament! We will send you a reminder the morning of the event.
(Day of event) Today is the day! The Annual Golf Tournament starts at 8:00 AM at Pine Valley Country Club. See you there.
Data Capture Flow
Create a text-to-join campaign with the keyword CONNECT and follow-up messages that collect information:
Thanks for reaching out! What is your first and last name?
(After reply) Got it. What is the best email address to reach you?
(After reply) You are all set,
{first_name}. We will be in touch soon.
Re-Engagement for Inactive customers
Create a customer-to-group campaign linked to a group called "Re-Engagement." When you move inactive customers into this group (manually or via import), they receive:
Hi
{first_name}, we have not heard from you in a while. Reply YES if you would like to keep getting updates from us, or STOP to opt out.
(Day 3, if no reply) Just checking in — reply YES to stay connected or STOP to unsubscribe. We do not want to send messages you do not want.
Tips & Best Practices
- Start with one automation. Get a single campaign working end to end before adding more. A well-tested welcome sequence is worth more than five half-built automations.
- Keep follow-up sequences short. Two to four messages is the sweet spot for most automated sequences. More than that and engagement drops.
- Use personalization tags in every automated message. Automated does not have to mean impersonal —
{first_name}makes a real difference. - Test every automation yourself before activating it for your full audience. Walk through the entire sequence as a customer would experience it.
- Review automations quarterly. Check that message content is still current, links still work, and timing still makes sense for your audience.
- Mind your credits. Each message in a follow-up sequence uses credits. A 4-message welcome series sent to 500 new customers per month costs 2,000 credits monthly. Factor automated messages into your credit planning.
Common Questions
What happens if a customer opts out mid-sequence?
If a customer replies STOP during a follow-up sequence, they are immediately opted out and all remaining messages in the sequence are cancelled. The platform respects opt-outs at every stage.
How do credits work with automated messages?
Each automated message uses credits the same way a manually sent message does — 1 credit per SMS, 2 credits per MMS, per customer. Follow-up messages each count as a separate send.
Will a customer receive the same automation twice?
For text-to-join campaigns, if a customer texts the keyword again, they will receive the response message again. For date-based campaigns like birthdays, the message sends once per year automatically. For customer-to-group campaigns, the automation fires each time the customer is added to the group.