Automated SMS messages are only as good as the words inside them, and most firms write those words once, in a hurry, and never look at them again. This article answers how to write and maintain the library of messages your automations send: what each core message should say, how merge fields and fallbacks work, and how to keep dozens of texts sounding like one firm. The workflows themselves live in Automation on the levelpartner.ai platform; this is about what they say.
Treat the messages as a library, not as workflow steps
When texts are written inside individual workflow steps, they drift. One says "Hi", another says "Dear", one is signed by the firm, another by a person who left last year. Nobody sees them side by side, so nobody notices.
The fix is to keep every automated message in one place first, as saved text snippets, and to insert them into workflows from there. Then a change to the sign-off or the booking link is made once and checked once.
The eight messages most firms need
For a service business, the core library is short. An enquiry acknowledgement. A booking confirmation. A reminder the day before. A reminder an hour before. A no-show follow up. A post-meeting thank you with the next step. A document or information request. A review request after the work is done.
Each one has a single purpose. Write them in that order, because the early messages set the tone the later ones must match.
Before you start
- A short voice guide: how you greet people, how you sign off, which words you never use.
- The list of workflows that currently send texts, so you can see what exists.
- Custom values for details that appear in many messages, such as your booking link and office phone number.
- A reviewer who approves every message before it goes into a live workflow.
How to build the message library
Copy the text of every SMS your workflows send into one document and rewrite each against your voice guide, keeping it inside one segment. Replace hard-coded links and phone numbers with custom values. Then save each message as a snippet.
- Go to Conversations.
- Select Snippets.
- Click + New Snippet.
- Select Add Text Snippet.
- Enter a name by purpose, such as Reminder day before, and the message.
- Add Custom Values where personalisation is needed.
- Review the character count and SMS segment information.
- Click Save.
To use a snippet in a workflow, open the Send SMS action, locate Templates and select the message, then use Send test SMS before you save and publish. Read every message on a phone, and record which workflows use which snippet in your library document.
Merge fields and fallbacks
Merge fields insert contact data into a message: a first name, an appointment time, the adviser's name. They make an automated text feel personal. They also fail visibly when the data is missing, producing "Hi , your appointment is confirmed".
Every merge field needs a fallback, a default value used when the field is empty. "Hi there" is better than "Hi ,". For appointment details, check the workflow trigger actually supplies the field; a reminder triggered by a tag rather than a booking will not have the time to insert.
Picture an audit that finds 41 automated SMS actions across 17 workflows, with 29 distinct wordings and four different booking links, two of them broken. Rewritten as a library, that could come down to 11 templates and one booking link held as a custom value. The next time the link changes, one edit would update every workflow instead of 41. The counts are made up to show the scale of the clean-up.
Writing style for automated texts
Write as the person the contact deals with, not as a system. Use their first name and the adviser's first name. Keep sentences short. Put the time, date or action the reader needs first, before any pleasantry.
Avoid phrases that reveal automation and add nothing, such as "This is an automated message". Do not pretend the text was typed by hand either. A neutral, clear message works for both. For texts that are marketing rather than service, the guide to automated text marketing sequences covers tone and spacing.
What it replaces and how long it takes
A message library replaces scattered texts that nobody owns. The first rewrite takes a day for most firms, including testing. After that, a quarterly review of 30 minutes keeps it current. Any new workflow uses existing templates where possible, so the library grows slowly.
The mistake most people make
Writing reminders that do not let the reader act. A reminder that says "Your appointment is tomorrow at 10am" leaves a contact who cannot make it with no easy way to say so, so they simply do not turn up. Add "Reply C to confirm or R to rearrange", and route those replies. Missed meetings drop when changing them is easy. The auto client messages guide shows how to route those replies.
When not to use a template
Do not use a template for a message that should be written fresh: a reply to a complaint, a response to bad news, a note after a long silence on a large deal. Templates suit repeated, predictable moments. Unique moments deserve unique words.
Troubleshooting
A merge field shows as raw code. The field name is misspelt or the custom field does not exist. Re-insert it from the field picker.
Appointment time is missing from reminders. The workflow trigger is not an appointment event. Change the trigger to the calendar booking so the appointment details are available.
Messages split into two segments. Special characters such as curly quotes or symbols switch the encoding and halve the length. Use plain characters. More on this in keeping SMS costs down.
Old wording still goes out. One workflow still holds hard-coded text rather than the snippet. Check each workflow on your list against the library document.
Frequently asked questions
How many automated SMS messages should a firm have?
Most service businesses need between eight and fifteen templates. More than that usually means duplicates with slightly different wording, which is worth merging.
Can automated messages include images?
In the US, MMS can carry an image. In the UK, send a link instead. For automated messages, text is usually enough; images add cost without adding clarity.
Should automated messages say they are automated?
There is no general rule that they must, but they must not mislead. Use a real adviser's name only if that person is genuinely looking after the contact and will see replies.
Who should own the message library?
One person, usually in marketing or operations, who approves every change. Workflow builders can propose new messages, but the owner keeps the voice consistent. See automated SMS triggers for how the workflows that send them are built.