Enhancing Customer Engagements by Sending SMS from Journey Builder
Customer journeys are the heart of any successful marketing campaign, building trust and driving engagement. Salesforce Marketing Cloud seamlessly integrates with these engagements, creating a powerful synergy that enhances customer interactions.
Journey Builder, a key feature within Salesforce Marketing Cloud, enables users to create and manage intricate, multi-step customer journeys with ease. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface allows for the seamless design of automated interactions across multiple channels, ensuring that every customer receives tailored, relevant, timely messaging.
Our previous blog talked about OTP generation for SMS and email authentication using Journey Builder in SFMC. We have added another key feature that provides users the flexibility to use a third-party tool like Twilio to send SMs as part of their customer journey. This solution too leverages Marketing Cloud’s Journey Builder, enabling you to communicate with precision and impact.
The procedure of creating the solution can be divided into four broad steps:
- Creating a New Journey
- Adding Custom Activity to Journey Canvas
- Configuring the Activity
- Configuring Phone Number Attribute in Data Extension
Step 1 - Create a New Journey
To kickstart your campaign with precision, begin by logging into Marketing Cloud. Then, navigate to Journey Builder, select “Create a New Journey,” and opt for a “Multistep Journey” to craft sophisticated, multi-faceted workflows that drive results.
Step 2 - Adding Custom Activity to Journey Canvas
Choose the Entry Source that fits your needs, then drag the custom activity you’ve created onto the journey canvas. For a visual guide, refer to the image below.
Figure 1 – Dragging the Custom Activity on the Journey Canvas
Step 3 – Configuring the Activity
Once you’ve placed the activity on the canvas, it’s time to configure it. Simply click on the activity to open the configuration options and enter the necessary details. For guidance, see the image provided below.
Figure 2 – Configuration Setting to be Entered
In the “Create Message Body” section, enter the content of your SMS. In the “Messaging Service SID” field, enter the MSID from your Twilio account. For “Account SID,” provide the SID obtained from your Twilio account. Lastly, in the “Auth Token” field, enter the authorization token provided by Twilio.
Figure 3 – Information Entered in the Respective Fields
After adding the required details, click on the “Done” button at the bottom right of the screen.
Step 4 - Setting the Phone Number Attribute
To ensure seamless SMS delivery, setting the “PhoneNo” attribute in your Data Extension is essential. In this case, using a data extension as your entry source, make sure to populate the “PhoneNo” field with the numbers you want to reach. For a clear example, see the two attached images. We have split the same image into two parts for better visibility. Users can see them as a combined image on the screen.
Figure 4: Part 1: Entering Phone number Attributes
Figure 4 – Part 2: Entering Phone number Attributes
Once the journey is activated, the audience will automatically receive an SMS as they pass through the custom activity. The SMS content will match the message body configured during the setup of the custom activity, ensuring consistency in communication.
Taking Customer Journey to the next level
Optimizing Salesforce Marketing Cloud for SMS delivery through Journey Builder is a game-changer for marketers looking to elevate customer engagement. By creating a journey, adding and configuring a custom SMS activity, and setting up the phone number attribute in the data extension, you can efficiently deliver personalized SMS messages that resonate with your audience. With Journey Builder, you have the tools to craft seamless, impactful customer journeys that drive meaningful interactions and strengthen brand loyalty.
For over a decade, V2Force has been a trusted Salesforce partner, consistently delivering exceptional results across a wide range of industries. With deep expertise in successful implementations, configurations, and integrations of Salesforce Clouds, we empower businesses to reach new heights. Our specialized knowledge in Marketing Cloud, combined with the innovation of our certified professionals, ensures that our clients stand out from the competition. The ability to send SMS through Salesforce Journey Builder is another innovative solution, enabling seamless customer engagement at every touchpoint.
Seize this unique opportunity to engage with your customers on a deeper level. Partner with us today!