Mass Messages are one of the most effective tools in Clientbook for driving store traffic and sales. This article covers best practices for writing messages, targeting your audience, and avoiding common mistakes.
Before You Send
Review Your Audience
- Your audience starts at 0 recipients - you must add filters to build it
- Always check the recipient count before sending
- Use Exclude Tags to remove clients who shouldn't receive the message (recent buyers, clients in active conversations, etc.)
- When in doubt, start narrow. A relevant message to 200 people beats a generic one to 2,000.
Proofread Your Message
- Check spelling and grammar
- Send a test by creating a tag with just yourself and one or two team members, then sending to that tag
- Make sure personalization placeholders display correctly in the live preview
- Verify that any attached images look good on mobile
Verify the Schedule
- Confirm the correct date, time, and time zone
- Messages can only be scheduled between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM to maintain TCPA compliance
- The scheduled time is when sending starts - large audiences take time to fully deliver
- If a batch is queued outside the 9-7 window, it will send the next business day
Confirm the Cost
- The send confirmation dialog shows the recipient count and potential overage cost
- You must type the recipient number to confirm - use this moment to double-check everything
Writing Effective Messages
Keep It Short and Personal
The best mass messages read like a text from someone you know - not a marketing email. Use the client's name, keep it conversational, and get to the point.
Good:
Hey [Client Name], it's [Associate Name] at [Store Name]. We just got some incredible new pieces in for spring - I set a few aside that I think you'd love. Want to come take a look this week?
Too long / too corporate:
Dear valued customer, we are pleased to announce the arrival of our new spring collection featuring an exquisite selection of fine jewelry...
Lead With Value
Tell them what's in it for them. A promotion, an exclusive preview, a personal recommendation - give them a reason to come in.
One Message, One Purpose
Don't try to announce a sale, promote an event, and ask for a review in the same message. Pick one thing and do it well.
Use Images When It Helps
Attach an image of new inventory, event flyers, or featured products. Keep images under 600KB for reliable delivery.
Mind the Character Count
- Under 600 characters for best results
- Maximum is 1,500 characters, but shorter messages get better engagement
- If using emojis, stay under 670 characters - some carriers won't deliver longer messages with emojis
Timing Your Messages
Best Days and Times
- Tuesday through Thursday tend to perform best for retail messaging
- Mid-morning (10-11 AM) catches people during their day without being too early
- Avoid Friday afternoons and weekends unless it's time-sensitive (e.g., "Tomorrow is the last day!")
Seasonal Timing
- Send holiday campaign messages 1-2 weeks before the event - early enough to drive appointments, late enough to feel urgent
- For events, send an initial invite 2-3 weeks out and a reminder 2-3 days before
- Don't wait until the last minute - clients need time to plan a visit
Don't Over-Message
A good rule of thumb: no more than 2-3 mass messages per month to the same audience. More than that and you'll see opt-outs climb.
Managing Scheduled Messages
Cancelling a Message
You can cancel a mass message at two points
- Before it starts sending (scheduled)
- While it's actively sending (in-progress).
- Go to the Mass Messages list
- Find the message you want to stop (status SCHEDULED or currently sending)
- Click the delete icon (trash can) on the right side of the row
- Confirm the cancellation in the dialog
What happens after you cancel depends on when you cancel:
| Timing | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Scheduled (not started) | The send never happens. No messages go out. Status changes to CANCELED. |
| In-progress (mid-send) | Any messages that have already been sent stay sent - you can't pull those back. Any messages that haven't gone out yet are cancelled and will not be delivered. Status changes to CANCELED with the partial send count preserved. |
Because large audiences send in batches over several minutes, cancelling mid-send is useful when you catch a typo or wrong audience after the send has started - you stop the damage going forward even if the first batches are already out.
Monitoring Delivery
After a message starts sending:
- The Sent column shows how many messages have been delivered so far
- Status changes to Completed once all messages are sent
- Check the Mass Message Report for detailed delivery and sales data
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | How to Prevent It |
|---|---|
| Sending to the wrong audience | Always check the recipient count. Use Exclude Tags. Review the confirmation dialog carefully. |
| Forgetting to schedule | If you click Schedule to Send without setting a time, the message defaults to sending right away. Always set a specific time. |
| Sending the same message twice | Check the Mass Messages list for recent sends before creating a new one. Use campaign-specific tags to track who's been contacted. |
| Message too long | Watch the character counter. Keep under 600 characters. |
| Not tracking results | Always check the Mass Message Report after a campaign to see what worked and what didn't. |
After You Send
- Monitor responses - Clients will reply to your store's messaging inbox. Be ready to respond personally.
- Check the Mass Message Report - See delivery rates, engagement, and attributed sales within the 14-day attribution window.
- Tag your audience - If you didn't already, apply a campaign tag so you can exclude these clients from the next send or follow up later.