Messages Overview
Your Messages (found under Text Messages > Messages) is your main text messaging tool allowing you to have one-on-one text message conversations with your donors/contacts. Think of the Messages section as your text message inbox where you can both send and receive text messages.
How to Use Your Messages Inbox
Viewing & Responding to Existing Conversations
When viewing your Messages, you will see all conversations with your contacts/donors on the left side of the page. By selecting a conversation, you will then see the full conversation that you or your team members have had with the contact.
Starting a New Conversation
To start a new conversation with a contact, select the + New Message button in the upper-righthand corner.
A new text message window will then open allowing you to send the contact a text message. On the left side, select the contact(s) you'd like to send a text message to (or even a list of contacts), draft your message, then send the message.
There is also a toggle that adds your organization's name at the top of the text message body (not recommended to use if also adding the [organization_name] merge tag), and a toggle to show the recipient how they can unsubscribe from receiving text messages.
Additionally, you can use a template, add attachments, and use both emojis and merge tags in the message, all of which will be covered in sections below.
On the right side you will see a preview of the message that the contact will receive once the message is sent.
To send a contact text message, the contact's SMS Consent must be enabled/ON. If the contact has not provided consent to receive text messages or has opted out of text messaging, you will be unable to send them text messages through Harness.
Using Emojis
Emojis can also be added to your text messages to add a personal touch. To add emojis to a new text message conversation, use the smiley face icon in the bottom-righthand corner of the text box. From there, simply select the emoji that you would like to add to the message.
When responding to existing text messages, the emoji option appears on the right side of the "Type a message..." text box.
Using Merge Tags
Merge tags are a great way to personalize your text message by addressing the donor directly without typing their name. Merge tags are always in the [tag_name] format where the name of the merge tab is surrounded by square brackets. Available merge tags for new text messages are:
[first_name]: Uses the donor's first name[last_name]: Uses the donor's last name[organization_name]: Uses your organization's name
To add merge tags to a new text message, select the business card icon in the bottom-righthand corner of the text box. From there, simply select the merge tag that you would like to add to the message.
Merge tags are only available when starting a new text conversation, and are unavailable when responding to existing conversations.
Adding Attachments
You also have a variety of attachment options that you can add to each of your text messages. Only one attachment can be added to a message. Attachment options include:
Ask for a Donation: Adds a link to your default giving form
Attach an Impact Post: Allows you to feature one of your Impact Posts
Design in Canva: Create a new graphic in Canva and attach the image (Not recommended. We instead suggest that you create the design in your own Canva account first, download the image from Canva, then use the Attach a photo option.)
Attach a Photo: Select a file from your computer to add as an attachment (see our photo dimension guidelines for supported file types and sizes)
Add a Video: Select a video file from your computer or provide a link to a video hosted online (such as on YouTube)
Choose a GIF: Select an available GIF through Giphy
Link to a Campaign: Share a link to one of your fundraising Campaigns in Harness
When creating a new text message, attachments can be added by selecting the black + button or the + Add Attachments link.
When responding to an existing text message, use the black + button to the right of the "Type a message..." text box.
Using a Message Template
If you have already created a text message and saved it as a template, you may also use that pre-made template instead of typing a new message. To select an existing text message template, select the "Start with a template" link above the text box.
If you're responding to an existing conversation, select the template icon to the left of the Send button.
A pop-up window will then open, and from there you will be able to select the template that you would like to use. Once you've selected a template, click the Use Template button to apply the template to your new text message.
FAQs
Q: Can I schedule text messages to be sent at specific times?
A: Not at this time. We recommend you create a template of the message you'd like to send and set a calendar reminder for yourself to manually send this message at the time you prefer.
Q: Is there a character limit for text messages?
A: Our text messaging platform supports text messages up to 1,600 characters, but it is recommended to keep text messages to 320 characters or fewer to avoid the text message being flagged as spam.
Best practice is to keep message short and concise as text messages over 160 characters may be flagged as spam by Harness' text messaging provider and/or mobile phone carriers, which can prevent the recipient from receiving the message.
Q: Why is the phone number connected to our text messages different from our organization's phone? How do I change it?
A: When you joined Harness, we purchased a phone number for you to be able to interact with your donors via text message (send & receive texts) through our platform. While these numbers cannot be changed, you can certainly edit your Auto Messages' content to include information like: "You can respond to this text or call us at [org number]."
NOTE: These phone numbers can only be used for TEXT correspondence. If a donor attempts to call that number they will receive a message saying "your call cannot be completed as dialed."
Q: How can a donor stop receiving text messages/turn texts OFF?
A: Donors can quickly & easily reply to any of your messages with the word "STOP" to be automatically, immediately unsubscribed from all texts.
Donors can also log into their personal donor dashboard through any of your fundraising pages, then from the Profile tab turn texts off.
If a donor has responded to any of your texts, their message will appear here, and admins can select the 'Turn Messages OFF' button in the upper-right corner of the conversation.
Q: How can I turn texting ON for a donor?
A: Contacts should be encouraged to opt into text messaging on their own while making a donation of through their personal donor dashboard.
If you have received consent from a contact, then you may enable text messaging on their behalf using the View as Donor tool.
In keeping with donor opt-in & privacy/communications permissions, we strongly encourage you to ensure you have received clearly expressed consent from the contact prior to opting them into text messaging.
Q: Why didn't my donor receive my text message?
A: If the donor provided a phone number and consented to receive text messages (SMS Consent marked ON in your Saved Contacts), any messages not received are most likely due to:
The photo/GIF/video attachment size being larger than 5 MB
The phone carrier flagging/blocking media messages (photo/GIF/video attachments) as spam.
Refer to our photo dimension guidelines for supported file types and sizes.
Q: Can my donors text me pictures/GIF attachments?
A: At this time, donors can text you text message content only (no attachments, images, GIFs).
Q: When sending a mass text message, do I need to break up the recipient list into batches or can I send to all recipients at the same time?
A: You can send to all recipients at the same time and they'll go through nearly instantaneously! Our text messaging provider sends on average around 180 text messages per second, so we'll have those messages sent to all recipients quickly.
Q: I'm new to Harness—why aren’t my text messages going through?
A: We partner with a text messaging service that requires several steps to comply with government regulations, donor privacy, and more. As part of your onboarding steps, we save you the hassle & take care of these for you working directly with the provider. Once the provider approves (which from what we've seen can average anywhere from a few days to a few weeks), we'll let you know & you'll be able to send text messages right away!