SMS Marketing Tools in Odoo 18

Retail store launching flash sale creates customer reach disaster: 5000 email subscribers but 60 percent never open emails requiring alternative communication channel, manual SMS sending through personal phone texting 200 VIP customers individually consuming 6 hours typing same flash sale message creating consistency errors and typos, no delivery tracking causing uncertainty whether 200 messages sent successfully or bounced to invalid numbers, missed scheduling sending flash sale SMS 2 PM instead of planned 9 AM when customers commuting to work reducing response 70 percent from poor timing, no click tracking preventing measurement which offer link 30OFF versus FLASH40 generates more conversions leaving optimization guesswork, and no mailing list segmentation sending same generic message to all 5000 contacts ignoring VIP customers want exclusive offers while bargain hunters want discounts—generating low engagement wasted messaging budget poor conversion and missed revenue from disorganized SMS marketing without automated campaign management audience segmentation and performance analytics.

Odoo 18 SMS Marketing enables targeted mobile campaigns through mailing list management organizing contacts by customer segments, bulk SMS sending reaching thousands simultaneously, campaign scheduling optimizing send times for maximum engagement, link tracking measuring click-through rates for campaign effectiveness, A/B testing comparing message variations to optimize content, delivery status monitoring tracking sent delivered bounced messages, character counter preventing unexpected multi-part SMS costs, blacklist management respecting opt-out requests for compliance, CRM integration sending SMS from customer records, and pivot reporting analyzing campaign performance by sent date mailing list and status—increasing SMS engagement 45 percent through targeted segmentation reducing campaign execution time 90 percent via bulk sending improving conversion 35 percent through A/B optimization and ensuring GDPR compliance through automated blacklist management achieving cost-effective high-impact mobile marketing through systematic SMS campaign orchestration.

Accessing SMS Marketing Module

1. Go to Apps
2. Search for SMS Marketing
3. Click Install (if not installed)
4. Module appears in main menu

SMS Marketing Dashboard

Campaign overview with key metrics:

Dashboard Columns:

View Types:

Creating SMS Campaign

Campaign Setup:

1. Go to SMS Marketing → SMS Marketing
2. Click New
3. Enter Title: Black Friday Coupon
4. Select Recipients:
   • Individual Contact: Single recipient
   • Mailing List: Group of contacts
5. If Mailing List selected choose list (e.g., VIP Customers)

SMS Content Tab:

A/B Testing Configuration:

Settings Tab:

Sending SMS Campaigns

Send Options:

Optimal Send Times:

Mailing List Management

Creating Mailing List:

1. Go to SMS Marketing → Mailing Lists → Mailing Lists
2. Click New
3. Enter Name: VIP Customers
4. Optional settings:
   • Public List: Enable if subscription form needed
   • Blacklist: Auto-exclude opt-out contacts
5. Click Save

Adding Contacts to List:

Segmentation Examples:

Campaign Reporting

Accessing Reports:

1. Go to SMS Marketing → Reporting
2. Switch to Pivot View for detailed analysis
3. Configure rows and columns

Key Metrics Measured:

Performance Analysis Example:

Filtering and Grouping

Analyze campaigns by various dimensions:

Filter Options:

• Sent Date: Last 7 days, This month, Custom range
• A/B Tests: Only A/B test campaigns
• A/B Tests to Review: Tests awaiting winner selection
• Archived: View completed campaigns
• Custom Filters: Create complex criteria

Group By Options:

• Status: Draft, In Queue, Sending, Sent
• Sent By: Responsible user
• Mailing List: Target audience segment
• Sent Period: Day, Week, Month, Quarter

Blacklist Management

Compliance with opt-out requests:

Accessing Blacklist:

1. Go to SMS Marketing → Configuration → Blacklisted Phone Numbers
2. View all opt-out phone numbers
3. Manually add numbers if requested

Automatic Blacklisting:

When customer replies with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE system automatically adds number to blacklist. Future campaigns skip blacklisted numbers preventing unwanted messages and ensuring compliance.

Link Tracking

Measure campaign effectiveness through click tracking:

Configuration:

1. Go to SMS Marketing → Configuration → Link Tracker
2. View all tracked links from campaigns
3. See click statistics per link

Link Shortening:

Long URLs consume SMS characters increasing costs. Odoo automatically shortens links saving characters. Example: www.yourstore.com/products/black-friday-sale-2024 becomes short.link/bf24 saving 45 characters.

Best Practices

Keep Messages Under 160 Characters to Minimize Cost: 161-character SMS equals 2 SMS units doubling cost. One extra character costs 2X. Craft concise messages using abbreviations: percent not percent, dollars not dollars, today not this evening. 160-character discipline reduces SMS costs 40 percent through single-unit messages.

Segment by Customer Behavior Not Just Demographics: Generic Dear Customer message to all 5000 equals low relevance. VIP customers receiving same bargain message as price-sensitive shoppers dilutes both. Segment by purchase history: VIPs get exclusive early access, bargain hunters get deep discounts, inactive get win-back offers. Behavior-based segmentation increases conversion 3X through relevance.

A/B Test Send Times Not Just Message Content: Testing only message wording ignores timing impact. Same message 9 AM versus 9 PM generates 50 percent engagement difference. Test send time variations: Morning commute, Lunch break, Evening relaxation. Optimal timing increases response 45 percent beyond message optimization alone.

Conclusion

Odoo 18 SMS Marketing enables targeted mobile campaigns through mailing list segmentation bulk sending campaign scheduling link tracking A/B testing delivery monitoring and blacklist management. Increase engagement 45 percent through targeted segmentation reduce execution time 90 percent via bulk automation improve conversion 35 percent through A/B optimization ensure GDPR compliance through opt-out respect achieving cost-effective high-impact mobile marketing through systematic SMS campaign orchestration integrated with CRM for personalized customer communication driving immediate action through direct mobile reach.