New to SMS Marketing? VontooText is designed to be easy to use, but more powerful than any SMS marketing platform around.
Below is an overview of the VontooText account features.
Adding Contacts
There are three ways to manually add contacts to your VontooText account. Uploading a list of contacts (CVS file), pasting a list of contacts, and adding them one by one. You may also add contacts via Keywords and through our Signup Widget.
Add Individual Contacts
Upload or Paste Contacts
Creating Groups
Groups are a powerful feature that allows you to divide your contacts into lists. Each contact can belong to as many groups as you choose and you can create as many groups as you like. When you send a message you can select multiple groups.
Sending Text Messages
When you send a message you have several options.
- First, select the Group(s) you would like to send your message to.
- Next, type your message. Our character counter will let you know how many characters you have left.
- You have the option to personalize your messages and upload an image that we will provide a link to in your message.
- You may also send your message immediately or schedule it to go out in the future.
Your Inbox
Text messaging is two-way. When you send a message your contacts may respond for up to three hours. When someone texts in to your Keyword the message will be delivered to your Inbox as well. Unread messages appear in bold.
Keywords
Keywords have many uses. The primary use allows your customers or group members to join your list by texting your Keyword to our short code (313131 in the US and 393939 in Canada). Keywords can also be used to power SMS coupons, polling, and contests. If you have a Keyword you can also send messages to your groups from your own phone, using our Send-From-Phone feature.
Create Your Keyword Opt-in Reply
Once you have established your keyword you’ll want to set up an auto-reply that is sent each time a recipient texts in to your keyword. You may also enable a double opt-in for added permission.
Signup Widgets for Your Website and Email Blasts
If you have a website or send email blasts (through your own email service provider) you can create a customized widget to allow people to join your texting lists by entering their phone number. If you send emails to your contacts you can add a link to the widget that we host for you.
Choosing a Plan or Buying Credits
VontooText offers you two ways to pay. By default, your account is set to Pay&Go. You can buy credits when you need them and rent Keywords on a monthly basis. Credits that you purchase are called Anytime Credits and they never expire.
Bulk Credits: Discounts are available if you buy messages in bulk.
Please contact a VontooText Account Representative for bulk pricing.
Most of our clients choose to upgrade to one of our monthly plans. Monthly plans include Plan Credits and free Keywords. Each of our plans offers a different number of Plan Credits and free Keywords. There are no contracts to sign and you can cancel your monthly plan at anytime. If you are on a plan, you can also buy Anytime Credits at a discounted price.
Please note: Plan Credits do not roll over.
Advanced Features
Message Forwarding
Message forwarding is a great feature if you can’t get to a computer. We can forward all of your incoming messages to any email address for free. If you’d like us to forward your incoming messages to a mobile phone number we can do that we well.
Send-From-Phone
Our Send-From-Phone feature allows you to text groups of contacts from your own phone. Send-From-Phone requires a Keyword, which you will connect to a group or multiple groups. You can authorize up to three phone numbers to send messages using a given Keyword-Groups connection.
Sending messages from your phone is simple. From an authorized mobile phone number text our short code like this:
“Keyword Your Message To Your Group” (i.e. Keyword Hello team, practice will be cancelled tonight due to the weather.)
Whenever we receive a message like this from an authorized phone number we will automatically send that message to the selected Group or Groups.
API / SMS Gateway
If you have an existing website or application you can easily connect to VontooText using our API. In addition to sending and receiving message you can perform many account features including renting and configuring Keywords, and purchasing credits.
Please visit our VontooText Help Guide for in-depth help information or browse Frequently Asked Questions.
