Skip to content
English
More support Sign in
Go to patchretention.com
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Send SMS Action Block

Send a text message to a contact (SMS/MMS).

What's in this article

 

 

Summary

The Send SMS action block sends a text message to the contact. It’s best for short reminders and quick replies.

 

 

When to use

  • Appointment or class reminders
  • Same-day updates (weather closures, schedule changes)
  • Quick follow-ups after a visit or purchase
  • “Reply YES to confirm” style messages (when you have opt-in)
  • Alternative or addition to in app notifications

 

 

Common triggers that feed into this block

  • Contact Created (new lead/import) → send a quick welcome + next step
  • Check-In Finished (visit) → thank-you + upsell (classes, seasons, memberships)
  • Order Finished (purchase) → receipt/next steps + review request
  • Contact Updated (field/tag change) → react to a specific change (e.g., “Interested in seasons” = true)
  • Calendar Event (class/lesson booked) → reminders + no-show prevention
  • Membership Start/End → onboarding or win-back

 

 

How to set it up

  1. Pick the SMS/MMS from number.
  2. Type your message (keep it short; under 160 characters when possible).
    1. To send an MMS message click the image icon at the bottom left of the text editor. Rates are 3x of SMS.
  3. Use Insert to add First Name, SmartLink, or SmartOffer.
  4. Send a Test before approving.

 

 

Best practices

  • Only text contacts who have opted in to SMS.
  • Use Delay / timeframes so texts don’t land too early/late.
  • Use Throttle so you don’t send too many texts in a short window.
  • If you ask for a reply, keep options simple (YES/NO, 1/2).
  • Use SMS for urgency; keep longer details in email.

 

 

Examples

  • Review Requests: "Thanks for coming in today! Could you leave us a quick review? It helps a ton: "
  • Programs reminder: “Hi {First Name} — your court is booked for tomorrow at 6pm. Need to reschedule? ”
  • Business follow-up: “Thanks for coming today! Want a deal for next time? Reply DEAL.”
  • Rainy day special: ☔ Need an indoor plan for the kids? Come by today. Show this message at checkout for .

 

 

Tracking and troubleshooting

  • Use Stats to see sends and delivery results.
  • Use Task Log to see why a message failed for a contact.
  • Export not delivered numbers to clean your list.

 

 

Tabs in this block

Editor

This is where you configure the block. After you change settings, save the block so the automation uses the updated configuration.

Stats

Stats populate after the block runs for at least one contact. Use this tab to review outcomes over a date range (example: Last 30 Days). Available metrics depend on your account setup.

Task Log

The Task Log is the best place to troubleshoot a specific run. Each row is one task (usually one contact) that passed through this block.

  • Time: when the task ran
  • Run Duration: how long it took
  • Contact: click the person icon to open the contact profile
  • View Payload: click VIEW PAYLOAD to see all data passed through the automation for that task
  • Task ID: helpful for internal debugging and support

Warnings & Errors

  • Errors must be fixed before the automation can be enabled.
  • Warnings do not always block enabling, but they usually mean something is missing or risky.
  • If you see an error or warning banner, fix it in the Editor, then re-open the block to confirm it is cleared.