SMS outreach template
Get a fast reply from a prospect via text by being human, brief, and respecting consent.
- SMS
- Multi-channel
Hi {{first_name}}, it's {{your_name}} from {{company_name}}. We help {{role}} teams {{short_outcome}}. Open to a quick call this week? Reply STOP to opt out.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Follow-up text (if no reply after a day or two):
Hi {{first_name}}, circling back — happy to send a 2-min overview instead of a call if that's easier. Just let me know. Reply STOP to opt out.Replace the {{merge_tags}}with the recipient’s details before sending. In Autocloz, these fields fill in automatically from each lead’s record.
When to use it
Use SMS only with prospects who have opted in or where you have a legitimate prior relationship and legal basis. It's for fast, light touches, not pitches.
Why it works
The structural reasons this message earns replies.
Identifying yourself and your company immediately builds trust in a channel where unknown numbers get ignored.
A single, simple ask fits the texting medium — anything longer feels intrusive on a personal channel.
Including an opt-out keeps you compliant and signals respect, which protects your sender reputation.
How to personalize it
A template only works once it sounds like it was written for one person. Do these before you send.
Always include an opt-out ("Reply STOP") and honor it instantly — TCPA and similar rules require it and trust depends on it.
Send only within the recipient's local business hours; a text at the wrong time reads as a violation, not outreach.
Keep it to one or two sentences — SMS that runs long or arrives as multiple segments feels like spam.
Variations worth testing
Post-form follow-up
For someone who filled in a form and gave their number. The context line removes the question 'who is this?'
Hi {{first_name}}, {{your_name}} from {{company_name}} here. You asked about {{topic}} on our site earlier; is now a good time for a 5-minute call? Reply STOP to opt out.Meeting reminder
A lower-risk use of SMS: confirming something already booked, which recipients generally welcome.
Hi {{first_name}}, a reminder of our call tomorrow at {{meeting_time}}. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule. Reply STOP to opt out.What the follow-up sequence looks like
- Day 0, Email: Email with context
- Day 1, SMS: This text, business hours
- Day 2, Call: Call if they replied yes
- Day 4, SMS: One follow-up text only
Text works best as the second touch after an email or a form, not as the first contact from a stranger. Two texts is a sensible ceiling for a prospecting sequence. Our comparison of SMS vs email for sales outreach covers when each channel suits the buyer.
Deliverability and compliance notes
In the US, marketing texts sent with automated systems generally require the recipient's prior express written consent under the TCPA, and business texting over local numbers also needs A2P 10DLC registration with the carriers. Calling-hour rules limit contact to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the recipient's local time.
In India, commercial SMS must use a registered sender header and a pre-approved content template under TRAI's DLT registration rules, or carriers block the message. Everywhere, include STOP instructions and honour them at once.
General information, not legal advice. Check the rules that apply where your recipients are.
How to run it in Autocloz
Add an sms step with this body (or a saved SMS template) and the channel account it should send from. At dispatch time a compliance gate checks the do-not-contact list, the account's quiet hours and its daily limits, and holds the send with a stated reason rather than letting it go out at the wrong moment.
When someone replies STOP, their number goes on the workspace's do-not-contact list for every channel, including email and calls, and the consent record is updated with the reply as evidence. The SMS features page covers providers and sender setup.
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View templateFrequently asked
Is it legal to send cold SMS for sales?
It depends on jurisdiction and consent. In the US, the TCPA generally requires prior express consent for marketing texts. Always confirm you have a legal basis and include a working opt-out before sending.
How long should a sales text be?
One or two short sentences. SMS is a personal channel; a long or multi-part text feels invasive. Identify yourself, state one clear ask, and include the opt-out.
What time should I send sales texts?
Within the recipient's local business hours only. Texts outside reasonable hours feel like a violation of personal space and, in regulated markets, may breach quiet-hours rules.
Send templates like this at scale — start free
Personalize with merge tags, sequence across email, calling, LinkedIn, SMS and WhatsApp, and track every reply — on a free-forever CRM for 5 users, unlimited on paid.