Automated message text is the wording of the texts your system sends on its own: the instant reply to an enquiry, the appointment reminder, the "are you still looking" nudge. The logic behind an automation gets all the attention, but the words decide whether anyone replies. This article covers how to write automated message text that reads like a person sent it, how to personalise it with custom values on the levelpartner.ai platform, and how to test it before a single contact sees it.
Why the wording matters more than the workflow
A text arrives on the same screen as messages from family and friends. That is its strength and its risk. A message that sounds like a brand gets ignored or reported as spam. A message that sounds like a named person at a company the contact recognises gets read and, often, answered.
Three things make the difference: who it is from, how long it is, and whether it asks one clear question.
The anatomy of a good automated text
- Sender in the first words. "Hi Sam, it's Priya from Hartley Lettings." The contact knows who and why before deciding anything.
- One reason for writing. Not a menu. One point.
- One question or one action. "Does Thursday at 10 work?" beats "Let us know how we can help".
- Under 160 characters where possible. Longer messages split into several segments and cost more.
- Opt-out wording where required. US rules in particular expect a clear way to stop marketing texts; check the rules wherever your contacts live.
Before you start
- A registered sending number for your business and consent recorded for each contact.
- Custom fields populated for the values you want to insert: first name, owner name, appointment time.
- A short list of the automated texts you need, with the trigger for each.
- A colleague's phone for testing, so you see the message as a contact would.
How to set it up
- List each moment that should send a text and write the trigger beside it.
- Draft each message in a plain document first, reading it aloud for tone.
- Open the workflow editor and drag the "Send SMS" action in after the right trigger or condition.
- Name the action so the moment is obvious, such as "Valuation reminder text".
- Paste in your wording and add dynamic fields like {{contact.first_name}}, or pick a saved template.
- Add an attachment URL only if the text truly needs one, such as a map link.
- In the "Test Phone Number" field, check the country flag and enter your colleague's number.
- Click "Send test SMS" and read the message on that phone: names, line breaks and links.
- Save the workflow and run a test with a sample contact before switching it on.
Examples by moment
These are patterns, not scripts to copy word for word. Adjust to your voice.
Instant enquiry reply. "Hi Sam, it's Priya at Hartley. Got your enquiry about selling. Is now a good time for a quick call, or would later today suit better?"
Appointment reminder. "Hi Sam, reminder of your valuation with Priya tomorrow at 10am. Reply C to confirm or R to rearrange."
Quiet lead nudge. "Hi Sam, Priya here. Still thinking about the move, or has it gone on hold? Either answer is fine."
After a meeting. "Thanks for your time today, Sam. I'll send the figures by Friday. Any questions before then, just reply here."
For replies that come back, see setting up an automated text response. For texts that go out on their own, such as booking confirmations and reminders, the workflow automation examples show how each one is triggered.
Take a reminder that reads "Appointment reminder: you have an appointment scheduled with our team." Now imagine a rewrite that names the adviser and the time and asks for a one-letter reply. Suppose that across 200 appointments in a month, confirmations went from 40 to 130. That would be 90 more people saying they are coming, plus a short list of the 70 who have not, to call before the slot is wasted. The numbers are illustrative only.
What it replaces and the time it takes
Good automated texts replace manual reminder calls and the "just checking in" messages staff send from personal phones, which leave no record. Writing and testing a set of six to eight core texts takes half a day. Where those texts sit within longer sequences is covered in the guide to automated marketing. After that, review them each quarter. Once a month is enough to read a sample of replies and adjust any message that confuses people.
The mistake most people make
Writing texts as if they were emails. Greetings, sign-offs, company slogans and several links turn a two-line text into a four-segment wall. Cut until it hurts, then cut one more word.
Sending from a generic company name with no person attached. People reply to people. If you cannot name an owner, name a role: "Priya, your Hartley adviser".
When not to automate a text
Do not automate texts that deliver bad news, respond to complaints or discuss money owed in detail. Do not send marketing texts at times your contacts would consider intrusive; time each send for business hours in your contact's time zone. And never send a text where you lack consent, however good the wording.
Troubleshooting
The name shows as blank or as a placeholder. The field is empty on that contact. Fix the data before sending, or drop the field from the wording.
Links look suspicious. Long tracking links put people off. Use a short, branded link where possible, or remove the link and ask for a reply instead.
Messages split into several parts. Special characters and emoji force a different encoding with a shorter limit. Use plain characters.
Contacts reply STOP to service messages. The message reads like marketing. Make service texts plainly about the appointment or the account.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an automated text be?
One segment, roughly 160 plain characters, whenever you can manage it. Two segments is acceptable for a reminder with an address.
Should automated texts include the company name?
Yes, near the start, alongside a person's name. The contact needs to know who is texting before they decide whether to read on.
Can we use the same wording for contacts in different countries?
Mostly. Adjust spelling and date formats, and follow the opt-out rules for each market. Keep separate templates if the differences add up.
Can AI write our automated texts?
It can draft them. Review every draft for tone and length before it goes into a workflow, because a text cannot be recalled once sent.