Sending SMS Messages via Twilio Integration

SMS (text messages) are a powerful communication channel for direct customer contact. They have a 98% open rate within 3 minutes of receipt.

When to Use SMS?

• Urgent messages: "Your viewing is confirmed for today at 3pm"
• Short updates: "New property available in your search area"
• Reminders: "Meeting tomorrow at 10am at our office"
• Quick follow-ups: "Thanks for the viewing, any questions?"
• Two-way conversations: Customer can text back

Benefits of SMS

• High open rate: Much higher than email (~98% vs ~25%)
• Fast response: Usually within minutes
• Direct reach: No spam filters
• Mobile-first: Ideal for on-the-go
• Personal: Feels more direct than email

SMS Limitations

• 160 characters: Limited length (or pay for multiple messages)
• No rich content: Text only, no images/videos
• Cost per message: niet free like email
• Permission required: Customer must opt-in for marketing SMS

Step 1: Create Twilio Account

1. Go to twilio.com/try-twilio
2. Create a free trial account
3. Verify your email and phone number
4. You get $15 trial credit

Step 2: Get Phone Number

1. Log in to Twilio Console
2. Go to Phone Numbers > Buy a Number
3. Choose country (Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, etc.)
4. Select a number with SMS capabilities
5. Click Buy (cost: ~€1/month)

Step 3: Find API Credentials

1. In Twilio Console, go to Account > API keys & tokens
2. Copy:
   • Account SID: Unique account identifier
   • Auth Token: Secret authentication token
3. Store these safely (don't share!)

Step 4: Connect to Tesoro

1. Log in to Tesoro CRM
2. Go to Settings > Integrations > SMS (Twilio)
3. Click + Connect Twilio
4. Fill in:
   • Account SID: From Twilio Console
   • Auth Token: From Twilio Console
   • Phone Number: Your purchased Twilio number
5. Click Test Connection
6. If test successful: Save

Step 5: Test SMS

1. Send test SMS to your own number
2. Check if message arrives
3. Check sender ID (Twilio number)
4. Integration is ready!

Send Individual SMS

1. Open a contact in Tesoro
2. Click Send SMS button
3. SMS compose window opens
4. Fill in:
   • To: Contact phone number (auto-filled)
   • Message: SMS text (max 160 characters)
   • Character counter shows how many left
5. Click Send

Use SMS Templates

For faster SMS:

1. In compose window, click Templates
2. Select SMS template
3. Template text is filled with variables
4. Adjust if needed
5. Send

SMS Variables

Personalize SMS with:

• {{firstName}} → Contact first name
• {{lastName}} → Last name
• {{propertyAddress}} → Property address (short)
• {{agentName}} → Your name
• {{companyName}} → Company name

Example SMS

Hi {{firstName}}, your viewing for {{propertyAddress}} is confirmed for tomorrow at 3pm. See you then! - {{agentName}}

Long Messages

If message > 160 characters:

• Tesoro automatically splits into multiple messages
• You pay per 160 character segment
• Recipient gets 1 merged message
• Watch costs for long messages!

Send Bulk SMS

1. Go to Contacts
2. Use filters to select segment
3. Select multiple contacts (checkbox)
4. Click Bulk Actions > Send SMS
5. Choose SMS template or write new
6. Review preview with variables
7. Click Send to All ({{count}} recipients)

SMS Costs (Twilio Pricing)

Prices vary by country:

• Netherlands: €0.05 per SMS
• Belgium: €0.06 per SMS
• Spain: €0.04 per SMS
• International: €0.08-0.15 per SMS

Long messages:

• 161-320 characters = 2x SMS = 2x cost
• 321-480 characters = 3x SMS = 3x cost

Estimate Costs

Tesoro shows cost estimate before sending:

• 100 contacts x €0.05 = €5.00
• 50 contacts x 2 SMS (long) = €5.00
• Deducted from Twilio credit

Top Up SMS Credit

1. Log in to Twilio Console
2. Go to Billing
3. Click Add Funds
4. Choose amount (€20, €50, €100)
5. Pay with credit card

Set SMS Limit

Prevent unexpected costs:

1. In Tesoro: Settings > SMS > Spending Limit
2. Set max amount per day/week/month
3. At limit you get alert
4. SMS are paused until you raise limit