SMS Blast

SMS Blast sends one text to a lot of customers at once. The page describes it as "send mass SMS to customers in seconds", and it's for the things that are worth telling a whole neighbourhood: a weather cancellation, a seasonal offer, a route coming through next week.

1. It's a paid add-on

On an account without it, the page shows a single Unlock SMS Blast button. That's the upgrade path, and it's how you enable the feature.

Everything else in this article describes what it does once enabled. This documentation account doesn't have it, so there are no screenshots of a blast being sent.

2. Targeting an area from the Map

The interesting half of the feature lives on the Map, in a control called Select Area For SMS Blast. Draw a boundary and everyone inside it becomes the recipient list.

That's genuinely useful for route-based work. If you're going to be in one subdivision on Thursday, you can text exactly that subdivision rather than your whole customer list.

Using it without annoying people

Mass texting has a much lower tolerance than email.

• Have something worth saying. "We'll be in your area Thursday, want us to stop by" is useful. "Happy Friday from the team" is not.
• Rarely. A few times a year for most businesses.
• Segment by geography or service, which is what the map selection is for. A blast to everyone is almost always the wrong blast.
• Honour opt-outs immediately. Do Not Contact exists on the Customers page for exactly this.
• Know your local rules. Mass commercial SMS is regulated in most places, and consent requirements are not optional.

Tips and gotchas

• Locked until you upgrade. That single button is the whole page otherwise.
• The map area selector is the good part. Use geography, not your whole list.
• Sends from your Flyra number, so replies land in your Inbox. Be ready for them.
• One blast can undo a lot of goodwill. The bar for sending should be high.

Next up: Team and operations