Questions about SMS Marketing?

Information about the SMS Partner SMS marketing platform

1. What is SMS Partner?

   The SMS Partner platform is a website operated by NDA Media. The website “www.smspartner.fr” allows you to set up, send, and track your SMS marketing campaigns.

   On the SMS Partner platform, numerous features are at your disposal: you can write your campaign, send it to your selected contacts, and then analyze the results using the statistical data provided free of charge.

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2. Why use this platform?

   SMS Partner is a tool designed for professionals that offers many advantages:

   – Create your campaigns in under 2 minutes and send them to all or part of your contacts;
   – Personalize your SMS messages (at no extra cost) by including, for example, the first or last name of your recipient, or a short URL linking to a web page;
   – Schedule your campaigns: if you don’t want to send your campaign immediately, you can set the date and time for its delivery;
   – Benefit from guaranteed message delivery. SMS Partner guarantees the delivery of your SMS (Premium SMS service).

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3. How can I try the service?

   If you would like to try the platform, you can sign up for SMS Partner and receive 20 free SMS messages for your first sends, with no commitment. To do so, contact us at the following email address: contact@smspartner.fr

   
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4. Is my data and that of my clients/contacts secure?

   The platform guarantees complete confidentiality of your data. The contact databases you import are only visible on your secure customer account; they remain your property and are entirely confidential. Under no circumstances will your contacts be used by SMS Partner or any third party.

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5. How many characters are available for an SMS?

– Number of characters available for the message: 160 characters (without the SMS stop)

– Number of characters available for the header title: 11 characters (no special characters)

– Number of characters available for the redirect URL: 20 characters (if short URL)

– Number of characters available for the opt-out notice: 17 characters

Therefore, a marketing SMS with a short URL and including the STOP can contain: 123 characters. To help you write your messages, feel free to use our character counter to verify the sending cost of your message.

6. How are special characters handled?

List of replaced characters:

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Database Management

1. What number formats are accepted by the platform?

   Imported numbers are analyzed and processed; they can be written in various formats. They may contain a space ” “, a period “.”, a comma “,”, or a hyphen “-“.

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2. How do I add international numbers?

   International numbers can be added to the platform. However, they require the inclusion of the international prefix, for example: +33. (See the list of prefixes)

   
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3. What are the benefits of performing a number verification?

   Performing a number verification allows you to remove unassigned numbers and also to:
   – Improve the statistics of your SMS campaigns by identifying undelivered messages;
   – Reduce sending costs for your SMS campaigns by removing unassigned numbers;
   We recommend performing a number validation whenever you have outdated data or when you notice poor statistics in your SMS sends.

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Phone Number Validity Verification

1. 1. What is mobile number verification (HLR verification) used for?

      Mobile number verification (also called HLR verification) is a process designed to validate numbers with mobile operators.
      Once the validation is complete, you can identify which numbers in your contact database are no longer assigned.

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   2. How do I verify a number?

      Two solutions are available on SMS Partner for verifying numbers. You can perform the verification directly from the online platform using a file, or integrate our HLR API to automate the verification process.

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   3. Are there any technical limits?

      Via the API, verification is limited to 360 requests per minute, which means a maximum of 21,600 mobile number verifications per hour.

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   4. How long does SMS Partner keep my contacts?

      SMS Partner automatically deletes unused contact databases once you exceed 18 months of inactivity on that database.

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Sender Information

1. Can the campaign sender be customized?

   Yes, it is possible to freely customize the sender for each campaign sent on SMS Partner. Customization is available both on the SMS API and on the SMS platform. To learn more about customizing the sender name, feel free to read the article: how to customize the sender of a campaign.

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2. What are the rules for customizing your sender name?

   The number of characters for the sender name must be between 3 and 11 inclusive. It must not contain any spaces or special characters.

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3. Specific case of the Free Mobile operator

   The Free Mobile operator has recently imposed requirements regarding sender name customization for SMS campaigns sent to its customers’ numbers. Learn more about the specifics of Free Mobile.

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Short URL Information

1. How do I create a short URL?

   On the “Create a short URL” page, you can create a short URL for free with a short link (example: cllr.fr/xxxx).

   Please note: the URL to be shortened must be entered with HTTP/HTTPS.

   The short link remains active for the entire duration of your SMS Partner account, so you can use it across multiple campaigns.

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2. What are the benefits of a short URL?

   Including a link in an SMS (also known as Rich SMS) offers many advantages. Here are the benefits of using a short link:

   – Shortening the URL saves characters.
   – Creating a short URL simplifies tracking of clicks received on the link.
   – Including a short URL allows you to identify which numbers have clicked on the link.

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   • Payment reminder with a link to the associated invoice
   • Product/service promotion with a link to the product page on the website
   • Click tracking with tagged URLs
   • Dedicated commercial offer with a link to the associated offer
   • Track which numbers have clicked (see the tutorial)
   • …
     

     What is multiple URL integration?

     It is possible to include a unique short URL for each message recipient. If you wish to send an SMS campaign with a unique link for each recipient (number), our tool allows you to create a unique short URL for each URL in the Excel file when importing your contact database.

     Managing multiple URLs

     Sending an SMS message with a unique, personalized internet link to each of your recipients significantly improves the user experience. Furthermore, this feature allows you to offer each recipient personalized content tailored to their profile.

     How to set up a unique URL?

     Setting up a unique short URL for each of your recipients is very straightforward. To do this, you need to follow these steps:

     1° Creating your database: when creating your “xls” database, add a column with a URL corresponding to each row number.

     2° Creating your campaign: when creating your campaign, you will find a “Generate short URLs” button in the recipients section. Click it and a selection of short URLs associated with each number will be automatically generated.

     3° Create your message: all you need to do is write your message and add the variable “#short_url_partnr#” to include the generated variable.

     What can multiple URL creation be used for in a campaign?

     This new feature was developed in response to numerous requests from our clients. Here are some examples of rich SMS campaigns with unique links:

     • Payment reminder with a link to the associated invoice
     • Product/service promotion with a link to the related page on the website
     • Click tracking with tagged URLs
     • Dedicated commercial offer with a link to the associated offer
     • Analyze which numbers have clicked (see the tutorial)
     • …
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3. Can I track which numbers have clicked on the URL?

   It is possible to integrate tracking to get specific monitoring and retrieve all the phone numbers that have clicked on the link.

   See the tutorial: How to track numbers that have clicked on an SMS link?

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Information on legislation when sending an SMS (SMS Stop…)

1. What rules must I follow when sending a Marketing SMS?

   When sending marketing messages, several elements are mandatory:

   • Including the SMS stop
   • Compliance with permitted sending hours and days (sending prohibited on public holidays and Sundays)
   • Opt-in validation

   To learn more, feel free to consult our white paper.

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2. What rules must I follow when sending an informational SMS?

   When sending informational messages, there are no mandatory elements.

   Please note: an informational message has no commercial purpose — it is purely informational.

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3. When can I send an SMS?

   SMS messages must be sent within specific time slots:
   – Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
   – Saturday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM

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4. How do I integrate the SMS stop?

   Integrating the SMS Stop is free of charge, and opt-out requests from your recipients are automatically recorded.
   Once an SMS Stop is received, it is no longer possible to send messages to that number.

   Important: stop integration
   – Campaigns sent from the platform include automatic SMS stop integration
   – Campaigns sent via the API require manual SMS Stop integration

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5. How do I remove the SMS stop?

   If you are sending informational messages, you can request to remove the SMS stop. Contact us to find out more.

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6. How does SMS Partner handle “STOP” SMS messages?

   Any recipient who has replied “STOP” to a received SMS message will automatically be blocked by our service, in compliance with the law. The recipient will be notified of this block by receiving an SMS message sent by the platform.

   The list of blocked numbers can be accessed from the SMS STOP tab in your account. These numbers are retained for the entire lifetime of your SMS Partner account.

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Purchasing and payment for an SMS pack

1. How do I purchase SMS credits?

Once you have registered on SMS Partner, you top up your account with the amount you wish.
The SMS messages you send will be deducted from your credits as you send them.

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2. How is SMS billing handled?

Each SMS is deducted from your account; billing varies depending on the countries to which the SMS messages are sent.
To find out SMS rates by country: see international rates

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3. What are the different types of SMS sent from SMS Partner?

On the SMS Partner platform, two types of SMS are available.

– Premium SMS is an optimal service offering the following features: immediate or scheduled sending, content personalization, STOP reply/number blacklisting, delivery receipt, international sending, sender customization, guaranteed delivery, long SMS (more than 160 characters).
– Low Cost SMS provides a quality service at a competitive price: immediate or scheduled sending, content personalization, STOP reply/number blacklisting, send receipt.

Please note: Low Cost SMS cannot be sent in the evening, on Sundays, or on public holidays. To learn more about Low Cost SMS.

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4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Low Cost SMS?

Low Cost SMS is the preferred option for marketing campaigns that do not require immediate SMS delivery.

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5. What payment methods are accepted on the platform?

The payment methods available on the platform are:
– Credit card
– PayPal
– Bank transfer / cheque

In the first two cases, the SMS pack is credited immediately.
However, in the case of a bank transfer/cheque, we will require receipt of payment before releasing your credits.

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6. Are there any additional fees?

No, there are no additional costs. The only fees to expect are the SMS credits.

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7. Is an invoice issued?

Every purchase made on SMS Partner generates an invoice. Invoices can be found in your billing area, where they can be downloaded.

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8. How do I set up an alert for my SMS credit balance?

By default, SMS Partner’s interface includes a feature to alert you when you fall below your credit threshold. You can also disable this feature or configure it with the thresholds of your choice.

To get started, log in to your account and go to the “settings” page: my.smspartner.fr/dashboard/alert/edit

On this page, you can choose to activate alert notifications via:
– Email
– SMS

You can also set the alert thresholds you wish to receive. You are limited to 5 alerts per account.

How do I unsubscribe from SMS alerts?

Similarly, log in to your account and go to the “settings” page: my.smspartner.fr/dashboard/alert/edit

On this page, check the box “I do not wish to receive alerts”. After unsubscribing, you will no longer receive email/SMS alerts. Alerts can be reactivated at any time.

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Specific API features

1. What are the specific features of the SMS Partner API?

   – Batch SMS sending
   – Management of multiple accounts through a multi-account solution

   All of these solutions are available — request the documentation from our team now to integrate it into your solution free of charge. To learn about the features of the SMS Partner API, feel free to consult our online documentation at docpartner.dev

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2. What is the “Batch SMS Sending” feature?

   The batch sending feature allows you to send up to 500 SMS messages in a single request.

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3. What is the “multi-account” feature?

   The multi-account feature allows you to manage multiple SMS Partner accounts from a single “master” account. From this account, you can credit SMS to associated sub-accounts and send messages.

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4. How do I create sub-accounts?

   To create a sub-account, two options are available:
   – Create one directly from the “multi-account” interface on the platform.
   – Send our team a list of accounts to be created (in the case of a large number of accounts).

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5. How do I add a line break in an SMS message via the API?

To add a line break in an SMS message sent via our API, you need to include the following characters:

• • • n

These characters indicate the end of the line.

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Number Database Rental

1. How do I rent a number database?

   To rent a number database, simply select the criteria you want on our “database rental” page. Once this request is submitted, we will send you a quote with the number of contacts matching your criteria.

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1. Is a report generated?

   After each send, a report is generated. This report provides you with the following information:

   • Number of SMS delivered;
   • Number of SMS sent;
   • Number of clicks (if applicable).

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Support

1. Need help?

   You can contact our team by phone at 01 85 09 27 93 (standard rate call). We are available Monday to Friday from 9am to 12pm and from 1:30pm to 6:00pm, or by email at contact@smspartner.fr — our support team is available 7 days a week.
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2. Where can I find documentation?

   To help you with sending your campaigns, we offer:

   1. SMS API Documentation (View the documentation)
   2. Video tutorials (View our YouTube channel)
   3. Schedule a phone appointment

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3. Questions about GDPR?

   Our platform is committed to protecting your data by implementing a GDPR privacy policy available online.

   As part of this commitment, we confirm that you benefit from the following rights:

   • Right of access: the ability to access and obtain a copy of all your personal data;
   • Right of rectification: the ability to modify or correct information about yourself;
   • Right to erasure: the ability to delete information about yourself, subject to any exceptions that may prevent such deletion;
   • Right to object: the ability to object to the processing of information about yourself, subject to any exceptions that may prevent such deletion;
   • Right to restriction of processing: the ability to limit the processing of your information while awaiting one or more answers to questions regarding the processing carried out on your data;
   • Right to data portability: the ability to retrieve for yourself or transfer to another data controller the data that has been provided on the basis of consent or in the context of the performance of a contract, in an interoperable format.

   Furthermore, our platform is engaged in a voluntary certification approach through the acquisition of the Privacy Protection Pact label launched by DMA France.

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