Reach contacts on their phones with one-off texts or automated SMS sequences — directly from your UniLink CRM, with full delivery tracking and opt-out compliance built in.
Email open rates average around 20–25%. SMS open rates are closer to 98%, and most messages are read within three minutes of delivery. For time-sensitive offers, appointment reminders, flash sales, or high-priority follow-ups, SMS reaches people in a way that email simply cannot. UniLink CRM integrates SMS directly into your contact management workflow so you can text contacts without switching to a separate tool.
This guide covers everything you need to know about SMS in UniLink CRM: connecting your sender, composing messages, using personalisation, setting up sequences, and staying compliant with opt-out regulations.
What SMS in CRM Does
UniLink CRM gives you two SMS options: connect your own Twilio account to use your existing phone number and billing, or use the built-in UniLink SMS sender which operates on a credit model. Either way, SMS sending is controlled from inside the CRM — from individual contact profiles, from campaign-style SMS broadcasts to a segment, or from automation rules that trigger text messages based on contact behaviour.
Messages support personalisation tokens so each text feels individual even when sent to hundreds of contacts. A token like {first_name} is replaced with the contact's actual name at send time, and tokens cover any CRM field including custom fields you have defined. Delivery status tracking shows whether each message was delivered, failed, or is pending, so you know exactly who received your text and who did not.
Opt-out compliance is handled automatically. When a contact replies STOP to any message sent through UniLink, they are added to your SMS opt-out list immediately and will not receive future SMS messages. Opt-outs are visible on the contact's CRM profile, and a contact can re-subscribe by replying START. This behaviour is built in and cannot be disabled, as it is required by telecommunications regulations in most countries.
How to Get Started With SMS in CRM
- Choose your SMS provider — Go to CRM → Settings → SMS. You will see two options: Connect Twilio (bring your own account) or Use UniLink SMS (built-in credits). If you already have a Twilio account and a phone number, choose Twilio for more control and lower per-message cost at volume.
- Connect Twilio (if applicable) — Enter your Twilio Account SID and Auth Token from your Twilio console. Click Verify Connection. Then enter your Twilio phone number (or Messaging Service SID) in the Sender Number field.
- Purchase SMS credits (if using built-in sender) — If you are using UniLink SMS, go to Account → Billing and purchase an SMS credit pack. Credits are consumed per message sent. Pricing varies by destination country.
- Verify a test contact has a phone number — Open a CRM contact and confirm the Phone field is populated in the correct format (international format recommended: +1XXXXXXXXXX for US numbers). SMS will not send to contacts without a valid phone number.
- Send a test SMS — On the contact profile, click the SMS icon in the contact actions bar. Type a short message and click Send. Check your phone to confirm delivery.
- Configure opt-out keywords — In CRM → Settings → SMS, review the default opt-out keywords (STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL). You can add custom keywords, but do not remove the defaults — STOP is required by law in many jurisdictions.
- Add SMS compliance language to your opt-in forms — Update any forms that collect phone numbers to include clear consent language: "By submitting, you agree to receive SMS messages from [Your Brand]. Reply STOP to unsubscribe." This consent is a legal requirement before sending marketing SMS.
How to Use SMS in CRM
- Send a one-off text from a contact profile — Open the contact, click the SMS icon in the action bar, compose your message (max 160 characters per SMS segment), optionally insert a personalisation token, and send. The message and delivery status appear in the contact's activity timeline.
- Send a broadcast SMS to a segment — Go to CRM → SMS Broadcasts, click New Broadcast, select a segment (built from CRM tags), compose the message, and schedule or send immediately. Each contact receives a personalised version with their tokens filled in.
- Use personalisation tokens — In any SMS composer, type { to open the token picker. Available tokens include {first_name}, {last_name}, {email}, and any custom fields you have defined in your CRM. Keep messages short: aim to use tokens only where they add value, not just to pad length.
- Build an SMS automation sequence — In CRM → Automation Rules, create a rule with trigger (e.g., Purchase Completed) and action Send SMS. You can chain multiple rules with delays to create a sequence: immediate confirmation → 24-hour check-in → 7-day follow-up.
- Check delivery status — After sending, go to CRM → SMS → Sent Messages or open the contact's activity timeline. Each message shows Delivered, Failed, or Pending. Failed messages include an error code — typically an invalid number format or a carrier block.
- Handle replies — Incoming replies from contacts appear in CRM → SMS → Inbox. You can respond directly from the inbox view. All replies are also logged to the contact's activity timeline for full conversation history.
- Review opt-out contacts — Go to CRM → SMS → Opt-Outs to see every contact who has replied STOP. Do not attempt to re-send to these contacts. They can re-subscribe themselves by texting START to your number.
Key Settings Explained
| Setting | What it controls | Best practice |
|---|---|---|
| SMS provider (Twilio / Built-in) | Which service sends the messages and how costs are billed | Use Twilio if you send more than a few hundred messages per month — per-message cost is lower and you get a dedicated number |
| Sender number | The phone number contacts see when they receive your SMS | Use a local number in your primary market — international numbers have lower delivery rates and may be filtered by carriers |
| Opt-out keywords | Words a contact can reply to immediately stop receiving SMS | Keep STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, and CANCEL as defaults; add any brand-specific words contacts might use naturally |
| Message character limit warning | Visual indicator when a message exceeds 160 characters (which splits into two SMS segments and doubles the cost) | Write messages under 160 characters; if you need longer messages regularly, consider switching to email for that content |
| Quiet hours | Time window during which automated SMS messages are held and not sent | Set quiet hours to 9 PM – 9 AM local time for your primary market to avoid waking contacts and triggering spam complaints |
How to Get the Most Out of SMS in CRM
SMS works best as a complement to email, not a replacement. Email handles longer-form communication — newsletters, detailed product announcements, onboarding sequences. SMS handles immediacy — flash sale alerts, abandoned cart nudges, appointment reminders, and follow-ups on emails that went unopened after 48 hours. Layering both channels means you reach contacts where they are, regardless of whether they check their inbox regularly.
Personalisation in SMS has a disproportionate impact compared to email. A text that opens with "Hi Sarah, your order just shipped" feels fundamentally different from a generic blast. Because SMS is a personal channel by nature, even small personalisation signals — using the first name, referencing a recent purchase — raise response rates significantly. Use custom CRM fields to go beyond first name when you have the data to support it.
Sequence timing matters more for SMS than for email. A welcome SMS sent within 5 minutes of an opt-in converts far better than one sent 24 hours later. When building automation sequences, set the first SMS action with zero delay or a 1–5 minute delay. Follow-up messages in a sequence can be spaced days apart, but the first contact should be near-immediate to capture peak intent.
Always get explicit written consent before sending marketing SMS. This is not just a best practice — in the US, UK, EU, Canada, and Australia it is a legal requirement. Store the consent record in a custom CRM field (for example "sms-consent-date") so you can document when and how consent was obtained if ever challenged.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| SMS sends but shows Undelivered status | Invalid phone number format or the contact's carrier blocked the message | Verify the phone number is in international format (+country code + number); check Twilio's error log for a specific carrier error code |
| Twilio connection fails on verification | Wrong Account SID or Auth Token entered, or the Twilio account is in trial mode | Copy credentials directly from the Twilio console dashboard; trial accounts can only send to verified numbers — upgrade to a full account for production use |
| Automated SMS sends during night hours | Quiet hours not configured or set to wrong timezone | Go to CRM → Settings → SMS → Quiet Hours and set the correct timezone and time window |
| Contact still receives SMS after replying STOP | The opt-out keyword was customised and STOP was removed from the list | Re-add STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, and CANCEL to the opt-out keyword list immediately; these cannot be removed safely |
Pros
- Near-universal open rates make SMS the most reliable channel for time-sensitive messages
- Built-in opt-out compliance handles STOP replies automatically without any custom setup
- Full conversation history on contact profiles gives complete context for every interaction
- Works inside CRM automation rules, enabling SMS as part of multi-step trigger-based flows
Cons
- Per-message costs add up quickly for large-scale broadcasts — budget carefully before sending to large segments
- 160-character limit per SMS segment forces very concise writing; longer messages cost more
- Strict consent requirements mean you cannot send marketing SMS to contacts who did not explicitly opt in via phone
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use SMS without a Twilio account?
Yes. UniLink has a built-in SMS sender that works on a prepaid credit model. Go to Account → Billing to purchase credits. The built-in sender is convenient for low-volume use, while Twilio is better if you send hundreds or thousands of messages per month.
What happens to a contact who opts out via SMS but I later need to reach them?
You cannot send them SMS marketing messages unless they re-subscribe by texting START to your number. You can still contact them via email or phone call. Their opt-out status is recorded on their CRM profile and will remain until they send START.
Does UniLink support MMS (picture messages)?
MMS support depends on your Twilio account configuration and your sender number's capabilities. Check your Twilio number settings. The built-in UniLink SMS sender currently supports SMS only.
Can I send SMS to contacts in other countries?
Yes, but international SMS requires specific number types for each destination country (local long code, toll-free, or short code). Twilio supports international SMS — check the destination country's requirements in the Twilio documentation before sending.
How do I see how many SMS credits I have remaining?
Go to Account → Billing. Your remaining SMS credit balance is displayed on the billing overview page. You can also set a low-balance alert to be notified when credits drop below a threshold you define.
Key Takeaways
- UniLink CRM supports SMS via Twilio integration or built-in credits — both work from the same CRM interface.
- Personalisation tokens like {first_name} and custom field tokens work in all SMS composers.
- STOP replies automatically opt contacts out — this is required by law and cannot be overridden.
- Quiet hours settings prevent automated messages from sending during night hours in your contacts' timezone.
- SMS integrates with CRM automation rules, enabling triggered text messages as part of multi-step contact flows.
Ready to add SMS to your CRM workflow?
Connect your Twilio account or use UniLink's built-in SMS and start reaching contacts on their phones today.
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