One of Lead Center's primary functions is serving as a telephone system that agents can use to send text messages over the internet using their computers. In this article, you'll learn how to send outbound texts and respond to inbound texts.
Getting started
Before you start sending text messages you will need to:
- Register your company. All businesses using numbers for outbound text messaging are required to register their business.To register, click the link to fill out the initial registration form.
- Set up stop/unsubscribe keywords. To protect you and your customers from unsolicited text messages, we require the use of a keyword to allow customers to opt-out or opt-in to your text messaging campaigns.
How to send text messages
Sending texts from the interaction panel
The texting interface and phone dialer are both located in the large panel in the interaction of the screen. You can toggle between the two by clicking the icons in the top right.
The interaction panel also houses other elements of Lead Center. When you accept an incoming call, for instance, the interaction panel will display current interaction details instead of the dialer. However, you can access the dialer or texting interface at any time using the icons at the top of the interaction panel.
When you sign in to Lead Center, the telephone dialer is visible in the interaction panel by default.
- To send a text message, click the text message icon at the top of the interaction panel.
- Enter the phone number of the person you want to text in the To: box.
- Type your message in the Message box.
- Choose a tracking number from the dropdown menu. This number will show on the recipients phone as the sender of the text.
- Click the Send Text button.
Sending texts messages from the Reviewed section
You can also send texts from the interaction panel when a lead is selected from the Reviewed section. The Reviewed section is anchored to the bottom of the inbox. You can click on the Active and Reviewed headers to quickly switch sections.
- Select the lead from the Reviewed section.
- Click the text icon in the top right corner of the interaction panel. This will open the texting interface and auto-populate it with the phone number of the lead.
- Type your message in the Message box.
- Choose a tracking number to serve as your outbound caller ID from the dropdown menu.
- Click Send Text.
How to view and accept incoming texts messages
When someone sends a text to one of your tracking numbers and gets routed to Lead Center, the text will appear in the Active section of the inbox. All of the agents who have access to Lead Center will see the incoming text message.
- Click the Respond button under the text in the inbox to start the text conversation.
- The texting interface will appear at the bottom of the interaction panel, underneath caller id and attribution information. Use the box at the bottom to input your message and click Send.
- Like with phone calls, you can click on the name of the lead to populate the interaction panel to view the message and the lead's information before choosing to accept the text. Then you can accept the text using the Respond button in the inbox or the text icon in the top left of the interaction panel.
Sending texts using Quick Actions from the inbox
Quick Actions allows you to quickly send a text message to a lead that is in the Reviewed section in your inbox. The inbox is in the left panel.
- Find the lead you want to text in the Reviewed section and click on the menu icon next to the lead.
- Click the text message icon to auto-populate the texting interface with the lead's phone number.
- Choose a tracking number from the dropdown menu to serve as outbound caller ID.
- Click Send Text.
Closing a text message
Once you have sent a response and you aren't actively texting with the lead, you can end the text conversation.
- Click the Move to Reviewed icon at the top right of the interaction panel.
- This will transfer the text conversation to the Reviewed section.
FAQs
Can international numbers send/receive text messages?
Only local U.S. and Canadian tracking numbers can send and receive text messages.
Can I send a text message to multiple people at once?
No, we don't support sending bulk text messages. However, you can use our Quick Text functionality to create reusable text messages that you can send with a single tap.
Learn more about creating and sending Quick Texts.
Can I forward a text message to another number?
No, we don't support forwarding text messages to different numbers.
Can I send links in a text message?
Yes, you can send a hyperlink in a text message. However, you would need to send the full link.