Send automated SMS messages using workflows

You can reach out to opted in contacts with marketing or transactional information by sending SMS messages via workflows. You can also set up a workflow to subscribe a contact to SMS messages when they take an action to opt in.

Before you get started

Before you begin working with this feature, make sure to fully understand what steps should be taken ahead of time, as well as the limitations of the feature and potential considerations of using it. 

Understand requirements

• Contacts must be set as marketing contacts to receive automated SMS messages.
• Phone numbers must be formatted correctly, including the use of a country code, to receive automated SMS messages. Learn more about using workflows to format phone numbers.

Understand limitations and considerations

• Workflows that send SMS messages will send the messages to the number in the contact's Mobile Phone Number property. If this property is empty, the messages will be sent to the number in the Phone Number property instead. 

Create an automated SMS message

1. In your HubSpot account, click More, then navigate to Marketing > SMS. If More doesn't appear in your account, navigate to Marketing > SMS directly.
2. In the top right, click Create message.
3. In the right panel, enter a name for the message in the SMS name field. 
4. Enter values for any required properties, then click Create message. 
5. In the message editor, edit and configure the SMS message.
6. If you are enrolled in the beta for multi-object personalization tokens in SMS, you can add personalization tokens for any object type as long as they match the type of workflow where the message will be sent. For example, use deal-based tokens if using the message in a deal-based workflow. 
7. Click the Sending tab. 
8. In the Sending method section on the left, click the How will you send the message? dropdown menu and select As part of a workflow. 
9. By default, quiet hours are turned on for all SMS messages, including those sent in workflows. Learn more about SMS quiet hours. 
10. In the top right, click Review and publish.
11. In the right panel, review your SMS message details, then click Publish message.

Add an SMS message to a workflow

Once you've published your marketing email, you can create a workflow to send SMS messages. 

1. In your HubSpot account, click More, then navigate to Automation > Workflows. If More doesn't appear in your account, navigate to Automation > Workflows directly.
2. Click the name of an existing workflow, or create a new workflow.
3. In the workflow editor, set enrollment criteria.
4. Click the add plus icon to add a workflow action.
5. In the left panel, click to expand the Communications section and select Send SMS message. 
6. Click the Contact dropdown menu and select Enrolled contact to send an SMS message to the contact enrolled in the workflow. To send messages to related contacts, click the Contact dropdown menu, then select More data. Learn more about using data variables in workflows.
7. Click the Choose a published SMS message dropdown menu and select an SMS message that's been published for automation. 
8. At the top of the left panel, click Save. 
9. Set up and turn on your workflow. 

Use a workflow to set a contact's SMS subscription status

You can use the workflows tool to set a contact's SMS subscription status and provide legal basis for communicating with the contact. This option is only available for workflows that enroll contacts. Learn more about managing consent to contact subscribers with SMS. 

1. In your HubSpot account, click More, then navigate to Automation > Workflows. If More doesn't appear in your account, navigate to Automation > Workflows directly.
2. Click the name of an existing workflow, or create a new workflow.
3. In the workflow editor, set enrollment criteria.
4. Click the add plus icon to add a workflow action.
5. In the left panel, click to expand the CRM section and select Manage communication subscriptions. 
6. Click the Contact dropdown menu and select Enrolled contact to manage subscriptions for the contact enrolled in the workflow. To send messages to related contacts, click the Contact dropdown menu, then select More data. Learn more about using data variables in workflows.
7. Click the Messaging Channel dropdown menu and select SMS.
8. Click the Subscription status dropdown menu and select Subscribe.
9. Click the Communications subscription type dropdown menu and select the type of SMS communication the contact has agreed to receive.
10. Click the Legal basis for communicating with contact dropdown menu and select a legal basis option. Learn more about legal basis.
11. In the Explanation for communication consent field, enter a description of how you obtained the contact's consent to communicate with them. This should support the legal basis option you've selected. 
12. At the top of the left panel, click Save. 
13. Set up and turn on your workflow.