Creating Personalized Text Messages With Custom Fields

How do I create personalized text messages?

Personalized text messages use merge tags to automatically insert contact-specific information like first names, last names, notes, or custom data fields into each recipient's message. This feature helps you create more engaging communications by addressing each person individually while sending to your entire list at once.

Text-Em-All allows you to add personalized fields when you create broadcasts using either existing contact information or custom fields from uploaded files. You can include fallback text to ensure messages remain professional even when specific data is missing for some contacts.

Before you begin

Personalization works with information stored in your existing contacts, including first name, last name, and notes fields. For additional custom fields beyond these standard options, you must upload a file through the Create Broadcast screen with your custom data columns included.

How do I add personalization in Create Broadcast?

Add personalized merge tags to any text broadcast to automatically customize each message with recipient-specific information. The system validates your personalization before sending and helps you resolve any missing data issues.

1. Navigate to your Create Broadcast page
2. On step 1, select your message type as Text or Text & Voice
3. On step 3, type your text message. To add personalization, click the orange personalization icon below the text field
4. Choose from First Name, Last Name, or Notes. Click Insert to add your selection
   1. Add fallback text for contacts missing data in the chosen field. For example, type "friend" in the First Name field so "Hello {{First Name}}" becomes "Hello friend" when no first name exists
5. Click Apply Personalization to validate your message. You must complete this step before proceeding
6. The system displays how many valid records you have and offers a message preview
   1. If missing data or character count conflicts exist, click view/edit issues to resolve problems
   2. You'll see "Exceed Max Character Length" or "Missing Personalization Field" issues. Use the pencil icon to edit contact records or the circle icon to exclude contacts from the broadcast
   3. Click Close when finished resolving issues
7. Click Continue to proceed to step 4 of Create Broadcast

How do I add custom fields for personalization?

Custom fields beyond the standard first name, last name, and notes require uploading a file with additional data columns. These custom fields become available as personalization options during broadcast creation, allowing you to include information like appointment times, account numbers, or other specific details.

1. Navigate to the Create Broadcast page
2. On step 1, select your message type as Text or Text & Voice
3. On step 2, select Upload a File
4. Upload your file in the dialog, then click Modify once uploaded
   1. Note each column's name. Columns beyond first name, last name, and notes become available as custom personalization fields
5. Click Next, then Import when everything looks correct
6. On step 3, when adding personalization, you'll see Custom Fields options matching your uploaded columns. Follow the personalization steps above to insert these fields