How do I send a broadcast?

Just like WhatsApp broadcast lists, the broadcast feature in getSoapy allows you to send the same message to several or all of your customers. It's perfect for letting your customers know about new services, important updates to your business, or letting them know you have some last-minute availability.

To create and send a new broadcast:

1. Go to Tools > Manage > Broadcasts or search for Broadcasts.

2. Click the menu icon in the top-right corner and select + Add broadcast.

3. In the Add Broadcast form:

• enter a Title. This is for your reference and is what you'll see on your broadcasts page
• select a Purpose. Make sure you select the correct option so that your broadcast can reach the right customers
• select how you want the broadcast to be sent under Send using. Promotional broadcasts can go by email or to the customer portal, but not by SMS

4. Click Add.

5. You'll be directed to a new page. Select the Customers tab.

6. If you want to send this broadcast to all your customers, click Update. To only send the broadcast to certain customers, use the Pick customers search bar to filter them by their details or jobs, then click Update. The customer list will be updated to include all the customers that match your selected criteria. Archived customers and customers with no active jobs won't receive the broadcast, and promotional broadcasts also skip customers who have opted out.

7. Next, select the Template tab to compose your message. See our tips below on editing email, SMS and customer portal messages. When you're done, scroll down and click Save to apply your changes.

8. Now that you've composed your message and selected which customers you want to send it to, select the Details tab.

9. Confirm the details on this page are correct. You can still edit the customers and message template if you need to. When you're ready, click Send.

Manage broadcasts

To update, copy, or manage a broadcast:

1. Go to Tools > Manage > Broadcasts or search for Broadcasts.

2. Select a broadcast from the broadcasts page

3. Click on the menu icon in the top-right corner to access the following options:

• Update broadcast (only available if the broadcast has not been sent) to edit the broadcast title, purpose, sending method
• Copy broadcast to copy the customer search conditions, message template, and all other settings to a new broadcast which can be edited and sent
• Archive broadcast

To find an archived broadcast, click the menu icon on the broadcasts page and select Archived broadcasts. Open the broadcast and select Restore broadcast from its menu to move it back to your active broadcasts.

Editing email message templates

Some say the email subject line is the most important sentence of the entire email. You can edit yours here and use the merge tag menu or advanced merge tag menu to insert other dynamic, personalised data.

Now for the body of the email. You can edit the text and use the text editor to:

• insert other merge tags (see What are merge tags?)
• insert advanced merge tags (see What are advanced merge tags?)
• insert images
• make text bold
• make text italic
• insert emojis
• insert hyperlinks
• change the text format (headings or paragraph) using the style drop-down menu
• change the font size using the drop-down menu
• insert or edit a table
• change text alignment
• insert bullet points or a numbered list
• adjust the text indent (increase or decrease)

Editing SMS message templates

You can edit the text using the text editor and use the merge tag menu or advanced merge tag menu to insert other dynamic, personalised text.

Editing customer portal messages

A customer portal message is added to each customer's messages, just as if you'd written it on their customer page. They'll see it in their customer portal and can reply to it there, and it shows in the messages on their customer record too.

It's plain text. Use the merge tag menu or advanced merge tag menu to personalise it. You don't need to add a portal link, because the customer is already in the portal when they read it.