Learn how to send a bulk SMS message to your entire contact list, a smart list, or specific contacts — immediately, scheduled, or in drip batches.
SMS blasts let you reach your entire audience with a single message in seconds. With a 98% open rate and replies coming straight into your Conversations inbox, SMS blasts are one of the most powerful tools for driving immediate engagement and sales — with no ad spend required.
The Send an SMS Blast lesson in the HoopAI Academy
SMS messages have a 98% open rate versus email’s 20%, and most texts are read within 3 minutes of delivery. An SMS blast to your contact list generates engagement — and often direct sales — almost every time you send one, with zero ad spend.
Go to Marketing > SMS, or use Bulk Actions from the Contacts section. Both paths let you send an SMS blast to your list.
The SMS marketing section in the HoopAI Platform
2
Create a new SMS campaign
Click New SMS Campaign or New Bulk Action and give your campaign a descriptive name so you can track it later.
3
Choose your recipients
Select who will receive the message. You can choose:
Your entire contact list
A specific Smart List (filtered segment)
Individually selected contacts
Selecting recipients for your SMS blast
4
Write your message
Compose your SMS. Keep it concise — SMS messages are best under 160 characters per segment to avoid multi-part messages that increase costs.Use custom fields to personalize each message. For example, {{contact.first_name}} inserts the recipient’s first name automatically.Optionally include a trigger link for click tracking or to fire a workflow when the contact clicks your link.
Start with the contact’s name, lead with the value offer, and include a clear call to action with a link. Example: “Hey {{contact.first_name}}, we’re running a special this week only! Claim your offer here: [link]”
5
Choose your send timing
Select one of three delivery options:
Send now: Delivers the message immediately to all recipients
Schedule: Sets a specific date and time for delivery
Drip send: Sends messages in batches over time (e.g., 100 per 15 minutes) to manage sending volume
Choosing send timing — immediate, scheduled, or drip
6
Review and send
Review your message content, recipient count, and send settings carefully. Click Send (or Schedule) to launch your campaign.
7
Track results
After sending, view your campaign statistics:
Delivered: How many messages were successfully delivered
Failed: Messages that could not be delivered
Clicked: How many contacts clicked a link in the message
Replies from contacts appear automatically in your Conversations inbox.
SMS messages have an average open rate of 98%, compared to roughly 20% for email. Most texts are read within 3 minutes of delivery, making SMS ideal for time-sensitive offers and announcements.
Using custom fields in SMS
Personalization dramatically improves response rates. Using {{contact.first_name}} or other custom field values makes each message feel personal even when sent to thousands of contacts.
Drip send for high-volume lists
If sending to a large list, drip sending staggers delivery in batches to stay within carrier rate limits and reduce the risk of messages being flagged. This is especially important for lists over 1,000 contacts.
Trigger links in SMS blasts
Including a trigger link lets you track who clicked and when. You can also use trigger links to automatically enroll contacts who click into a follow-up workflow.
