# How to Set Up SMS Marketing in Retainful
### 1. Navigate to SMS settings
To get started:
* Go to your Retainful Dashboard.
* Navigate to Settings → SMS.
* Click on the ‘Get Started’ button.
This will initiate the setup process for enabling SMS in your account.
### 2. Enter Your Business Information
You'll be prompted to provide accurate and verifiable business details, such as:
* Business Name
* Business Address
* Contact Information
* Website URL
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⚠️ I**mportant:** Ensure all information is original and matches your legal business credentials. Any discrepancies may delay the approval process.
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### 3. Upload Proof of Customer Consent
To comply with SMS marketing regulations, we require proof that your customers have opted in to receive promotional text messages.
* A clear screenshot of your signup form or checkout page showing a visible checkbox or consent message where customers agree to receive SMS.
* A Privacy Policy on your website that explicitly states how the customer’s phone number will be used, specifically that it may be used for marketing via SMS.
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Example: “We collect your phone number for the purpose of sending you marketing messages related to our products and services.” Please rephrase this based on your store’s tone and offerings
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* You can upload images or documents in common formats (PNG, JPG, PDF).
### 4. Submit and Await Approval
After reviewing all details:
* Click Submit to send your application for review.
* Our compliance team will manually verify your request.
* You will receive a notification once the application is approved or if any changes are needed.
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⏳ **Approval Time:** It usually takes 2-3 business days, depending on the accuracy of the submitted information
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### 5. Quiet hours and Daily sending limit
Once your SMS setup is approved, your SMS dashboard will display:
1. **Phone Number** - The registered phone number will be displayed here.
To ensure compliance with SMS marketing regulations and provide a high-quality customer experience, Retainful supports two essential features: **daily sending limits** and **quiet hours**
1. **Quiet Hours**
* *Quiet hours* prevent marketing messages from being sent during inappropriate times in a recipient's local timezone.
* Messages sent outside this window will automatically be **queued and delivered later**.
* For example:
* In the US, SMS messages must typically be sent between **8 am and 9 pm local time**, with stricter state-level rules in places like Florida or Washington.
* By default, Retainful sends SMS only from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM based on the recipient's time zone.
2. **Daily Sending limit**
* The daily sending limit allows you to restrict the **maximum number of SMS messages** sent to each customer per day.
* By default, this is set to **3 SMS per day**, but you can adjust this limit based on your marketing needs.
* This helps prevent subscriber fatigue and maintains better engagement rates.
3. **Timezone Awareness**
* Both features work based on the **recipient's timezone**, so there's no need to manually adjust settings if your audience is global.
* Messages are delivered according to the local time of each recipient, ensuring compliance across markets.
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💡 **TIP:** We recommend sending no more than **3 SMS per day** to avoid overwhelming your customers and to comply with best practices.
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### 7. Add SMS to Automation Workflows
To include SMS messages within your automations:
1. Go to the Automation section in your Retainful dashboard.
2. Open or create a workflow (e.g., Abandoned Cart, Welcome Series, Order Follow-up).
3. Click on the ‘+’ (Add Block) icon in the workflow editor.
4. Select the ‘SMS’ block from the options.
5. Enter your message content in the SMS block editor.
### Additional Features:
1. Insert Dynamic Coupon Codes: Send personalized, time-limited coupon codes to boost conversions.
2. Customize Opt-out Instructions: Add a note like “Reply STOP to unsubscribe” to comply with opt-out regulations.
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⚠️ **SMS Message Guidelines**
* Each SMS message is limited to 160 characters.
* Messages exceeding 160 characters will be split into multiple SMS and charged accordingly (though they will appear as one continuous message to the recipient).
* Only customers in the US and Canada can currently receive SMS messages through Retainful.
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### Need Help?
If you need assistance at any step of the process:
* Reach out to our support team via chat or email.
* Or [book a support call](https://zcal.co/retainful/onboarding) with one of our product specialists.
We’re here to help you get the most out of your SMS marketing strategy!
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