In Sarbacane Campaigns, importing contacts is the first step in creating an SMS campaign. You can use an existing list, a file, copy and paste, or enter contacts manually. To send messages to several countries, each number must include its country code (+33, +34, +32…). Allow five steps and a few minutes.
A Sarbacane Campaigns license.
Mobile numbers: landline numbers cannot receive SMS messages.
For a campaign targeting several countries: each number in your list must already include its country code (for example, +33 for France, +34 for Spain, +32 for Belgium).
For importing from a file: an .xlsx, .txt, or .csv file. The .csv format with a semicolon separator is best supported.
Note: the number of credits used per SMS varies depending on the destination country. An SMS sent abroad may cost more credits than one sent in France.
In Sarbacane Campaigns, click Create a campaign, then choose SMS campaign.
At the contact import step, choose your method:
Import a contact list : a list already created in Sarbacane Contacts.
Import a file : an .xlsx, .txt, or .csv file.
Enter manually : for a few recipients, entered one at a time.
Copy / paste : numbers separated by a comma, semicolon, or tab.
Import behavioral targeting : contacts who opened or clicked one of your previous campaigns.
Import Salesforce contacts : only if the Salesforce connector is enabled on your account.
Import your contacts using the chosen method. The Contact analysis window opens.
Important : contact analysis applies a single country code to all numbers: that of the country from which you create the campaign (+33 from France, for example). If your list contains numbers from several countries, do not run the analysis: any country codes already present will be replaced.
Choose according to your recipients:
All in the same country : run the analysis and check the suggested country code.
In several countries : at the bottom of the Contact analysis window, click the cross to close it without running the analysis.
Click Next to proceed to writing the message.
Note : duplicates, unreachable numbers and unsubscribed contacts are automatically excluded from the send. You do not need to remove them yourself.
Your contacts are attached to the campaign with the correct country code, and the message-writing step opens.
Spaces are not a problem: Sarbacane removes them automatically. For France, “06 12 34 56 78” and “0612345678” are therefore accepted.
Best practice: enter your numbers in international format (+33 6 12 34 56 78). If there is no country code, Sarbacane adds the code for the country from which you create the campaign, which is not suitable for recipients abroad.
In Excel, make sure the column containing the numbers is formatted as General or Text: another format may change the phone numbers during import.
Contact analysis may have applied the same country code to all the numbers. Reimport your list with each country’s calling code, then close the Contact analysis window without starting the analysis.
Make sure each number is separated from the next by a comma, semicolon, or tab.
Check the following in order:
The number is a mobile number (landlines do not receive SMS messages).
The number has the correct country code.
The contact is not a duplicate, an undeliverable address, or unsubscribed: these contacts are automatically excluded from the send.
The SMS has not been classified as spam by the phone. Like emails, SMS messages can end up in spam: ask the recipient to check this folder.
For other checks, see Why didn't my SMS arrive?.
