Scenario​

This scenario creates the following use case for SMS messaging.

  • Contacts can subscribe to Mapp Engage by sending an inbound SMS to a short code.

  • Contacts can send inbound SMS messages to Mapp Engage to take part in programs or deals.
    Incoming SMS messages that contain certain words (like coupon or vote) trigger the corresponding event-based automation in Mapp Engage.

  • Contacts can unsubscribe from the SMS messaging program at any time.
    To unsubscribe, a contact sends an SMS to Mapp Engage that contains a word such as quit, unsubscribe or cancel.

If you import mobile numbers into Mapp Engage with a file, you can use a simpler scenario.

Prerequisites​

SMS messaging is an extra feature of Mapp Engage. Before you can send SMS messages, you must obtain the necessary mobile codes and keywords.

For this scenario, you need one shared short code and two keywords.

For more information, see ​SMS Code Types​.

Procedure

A) Create SMS Groups​

  1. Create two new groups. For more information, see ​Create a New Group​.
  2. Create the group settings for the SMS Subscribe group as follows:

    Mapp Engage Group Name

    Outbound Mobile ID

    Inbound Mobile ID

    SMS Reply Handling

    SMS Subscribe

    Enter the shared short code number.

    The inbound mobile ID is one of the keywords you registered with SAP. Use the subscribe keyword.

    ​Treat as Mobile Subscribe Request​

  3. Create the group settings for the SMS Campaigns group as follows:

    Mapp Engage Group Name

    Outbound Mobile ID

    Inbound Mobile ID

    SMS Reply Handling

    SMS Campaigns

    Enter the shared short code number.

    The inbound mobile ID is one of the keywords you registered with SAP. Use the keyword for ongoing SMS programs.

    ​Initiate Event-based Automation​

B) Create an Automation that Transfers New SMS Subscribers​

This event-based automation moves all new SMS subscribers to the SMS Campaigns group.

  1. Create a new event-based automation. You can create the automation on a whiteboard or manually. Enter a name and description for the automation.
  2. Create the settings for the event and job as follows:

    Event

    Job

    Event:​ ​Subscribed to Group (C)​

    Group: Select the SMS Subscribes group.

    Leave the other fields empty.

    Job:​ ​Add and Remove Member (C)​

    Contact:​ Select the Use Event Parameter​ check box.

    Source Group Name​: Select the SMS Subscribes group.

    Target Group Name​: Select the SMS Campaigns group.

    Add Contacts:​ Without Notification.

    Delay: No delay.

  3. Click the Time Frame​ button.
    ⇒ The Define Time Frame​ window opens.
  4. To define the time frame, select a Start Date and an End Date​.
  5. Click Save & Activate to immediately activate the automation.
    ⇒ The automation is saved and activated.

C) Create SMS Campaigns​

You can use event-based automations to react to incoming SMS messages from your contacts. The event initiated by inbound SMS message is always Message Reply Received (C). You can set up many different automations that fire depending on the words in the body of the SMS. This allows you to set up different campaigns and programs that all run in the same SMS group.

The inbound SMS message must contain both the SAP-registered keyword and the word that initiates the automation. For example, the shared short code is 12345 and the keyword is PIZZA. To get a coupon for free breadsticks, a contact texts PIZZA breadsticks to 12345.

This event only fires if Mapp Engage recognizes the mobile number that sends the incoming SMS. Incoming SMS messages from unregistered mobile numbers are ignored.

  1. Create a new event-based automation. You can create the automation on a whiteboard or manually. Enter a name and description for the automation.
  2. Create the settings for the event and job as follows:

    Event

    Job

    From the Event drop-down list, select the following option: ​Message Reply Received (C)​

    From the Job drop-down list, select the job.

    The job is the task automatically carried out by the system whenever the event takes place.

    The following jobs make sense here:

    Group: Select the SMS Campaigns group.

    Body: From the drop-down list, select Contains. In the input field, enter the word that initiates the automation. For example: coupon, vote, etc.

    You can also select the Regex (matches)option and use a Regex in the input field.

    Select the Case Insensitive check box.

    Contact:​ Select the Use Event Parameter​ check box.

    The other settings depend on the job.

  3. Click the Time Frame​ button.
    ⇒ The Define Time Frame window opens.
  4. Define the time frame by selecting a Start Date and an End Date​. Within this time frame, every time the event takes place, the job is executed.
  5. Click Save & Activate to immediately activate the automation.
    ⇒ The automation is saved and activated.

Repeat steps 1-5 for every automation you want to set up.

D) Unsubscribe Contacts from the SMS Campaigns Group​

This automation unsubscribes contacts from the SMS campaign group when they send an SMS to Mapp Engage that contains a word such as quit, unsubscribe or cancel. The unsubscribe is recorded in the statistics. This is the following automation job: ​Unsubscribe Member From One Group (C)​.

As an alternative, you can move the contacts to a different group, or add them to a group blacklist or a system blacklist. In that case, use one of the following jobs.

  1. Create a new event-based automation. You can create the automation on a whiteboard or manually. Enter a name and description for the automation.
  2. Create the settings for the event and job as follows:

    Event

    Job

    ​Message Reply Received (C)​

    ​Unsubscribe Member From One Group (C)​

    Group: Select the SMS Campaigns group.

    Body: From the drop-down list, select the ​Contains​ option. In the input field, enter the word that initiates SMS unsubscribe.

    Or, select the Regex (Matches)option. In the input field, enter a Regex. See below.

    Select the ​Case Insensitive​ check box.

    Contact: Select the Use Event Parameter check box.

    Group: Select the Use Event Parameter​ check box.

    ​Send Confirmation: Select whether to send a confirmation SMS. This is the system message SysMsgUnsubscribeFromGroup. You must make sure this message is not suppressed for SMS. See ​System Messages via SMS​.

    You can use Regex to enter a combination of words.

    From the drop-down, select ​Matches [Regex]​.

    In the third field, enter the Regex.

    Example: .*\b(quit|end|cancel|unsubscribe|remove)\b.*

    \b finds a match at the beginning or end of a word

    ​.*​ indicates that additional text or no text can appear before or after.

    ​|​ represents an "or" and indicates that only one of the patterns must appear in the email

    If a contact sends an inbound SMS to a shared short code with the word STOP, SAP blacklists the mobile number. It is not possible to remove a contact from the SAP blacklist from within the Mapp Engage system. This applies only to shared short codes and not to dedicated short codes or long numbers.

  3. Click the Time Frame​ button.
    ⇒ The Define Time Frame window opens.
  4. Define the time frame by selecting a Start Date and an End Date. Within this time frame, every time the event takes place, the job is executed.
  5. Click Save & Activate​ to immediately activate the automation.
    ⇒ The automation is saved and activated.

Example

A company named BRAND opens a new store. At the store, the company hangs a banner that reads, "Text the word UPDATES to 67890 to get special deals and updates about our products."

Contacts subscribe to the Mapp Engage group SMS Subscribe. An automation immediately moves new subscribers into a different group, SMS Campaigns.

The SMS Campaigns group carries out the ongoing SMS campaigns. The SMS Campaigns group also manages SMS unsubscribes.

Tab.: SMS Messaging Groups

Mapp Engage Group Name

Shared Short Code + Keyword

Outbound Mobile ID

Inbound Mobile ID

SMS Reply Handling

Purpose

SMS Subscribe

67890 UPDATES

67890

UPDATES

​Treat as Mobile Subscribe Request​

The purpose of this group is to add subscribers to the SMS program. All inbound SMS messages to this group are immediately subscribed to the group.

An event-based automation automatically moves new subscribers to the SMS Ongoing Programs group.

SMS Campaigns

67890 BRAND

67890

BRAND

​Initiate Event-based Automation​

This is the main SMS group for ongoing sendouts and interactions with SMS subscribers. Subscribers can interact with this group by sending inbound SMS messages to 67890. The inbound SMS must start with the word BRAND so that Mapp Engage can route the inbound SMS to the group.

An inbound SMS that contains certain words fires an event-based automation. This enables two-way communication with SMS subscribers.

This group also manages unsubscribes. For example, contacts can text BRAND QUIT to 12345 to unsubscribe. You can use a Regex to allow for multiple unsubscribe words.