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 to multiple countries, each phone number must include its country code (+33, +34, +32…). Allow for five steps and a few minutes.
A Sarbacane Campaigns license.
Mobile numbers : landline numbers cannot receive SMS messages.
For a campaign targeting multiple 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: a .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 an SMS 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 method you chose. The Contact analysis window opens.
Important : contact analysis applies a single country code to all numbers—the code for the country from which you are creating the campaign (+33 from France, for example). If your list contains numbers from multiple countries, do not run the analysis: any existing country codes will be replaced.
Choose based on your recipients:
All in the same country : run the analysis and check the suggested country code.
In multiple countries : at the bottom of the Contact analysis window, click the cross to close it without running the analysis.
Click Next to move on to writing your message.
Note : duplicates, undeliverable numbers and unsubscribed contacts are automatically excluded from the send. You don't need to remove them yourself.
Your contacts are linked to the campaign with the correct country code, and the message composition step opens.
Spaces are not a problem: Sarbacane removes them automatically. For France, both « 06 12 34 56 78 » and « 0612345678 » are 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 phone numbers when they are imported.
Contact analysis may have applied the same country code to all numbers. Reimport your list with each country's code, then close the Contact analysis window without running 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 number or unsubscribed: these contacts are automatically excluded from the send.
The SMS wasn't sorted into the phone's junk (spam) folder. Like emails, SMS messages can end up in spam: ask the recipient to check this folder.
