Set up SMS conference call reminders

Have you ever missed a meeting? 

Maybe it was a quick phone catch-up or an in-person coffee, or worse still, a critical client call. Sometimes life gets in the way, and events happen that are out of our control.

Other times, we simply forget. That’s right–the number one reason a person no-shows a scheduled appointment is that it slipped their mind.

With the shift to remote work and virtual events, there’s been an explosion in the number of conference calls and online meetings. 

Zoom revealed that it surpassed 300 million daily meeting participants in April, up from 10 million in December. Far from reducing the number of daily interactions, remote work has led to a new phenomenon: Zoom fatigue.

With calendars chock-a-block and people fatigued from their meetings, the risk of forgetting scheduled conference calls is on the rise. That’s where SMS reminders can help.

Why use SMS for your conference call reminders?

It’s a poorly kept secret that most people pack their schedules with so many things that they can’t possibly get them all done. It leads to a state of perpetual catch-up–and it makes it especially easy to miss things that aren’t top of mind.

That’s why email nearly every conference call application sends reminders by email. The problem is that these emails are often immediately clicked shut as if they were annoying internet pop-ups. 

It’s no surprise then SMS reminders are considered one of the most effective methods to remind people of appointments or reservations.

90% of text messages are read within three minutes, making SMS an excellent channel for delivering time-sensitive alerts.  

How to set up SMS conference call reminders

Hopefully, by now you see the risk associated with relying solely on email invitations and automated calendar reminders. So here are a couple of different ways you can set up SMS conference call reminders with SimpleTexting.

1. Trigger SMS reminders from calendar events

Let’s say you’re a busy PA who manages multiple business partners’ schedules through Gmail or Microsoft Outlook. The easiest way to set up SMS call reminders is by connecting SimpleTexting and the calendars through Zapier.

Here’s how to do it with Google, but the same process applies to Microsoft Outlook.

You can also use the same process to connect SimpleTexting directly to:

• Zoom
• GoToMeeting
• Calendly
• WebEx
• Dialpad 
• And more!

2. Send a message to a list of contacts

Another option is to create a list of contacts and then send a text message in the lead-up to a meeting. You can import a list of contacts or add phone numbers manually.

Once you create your list, it’s a matter of scheduling a campaign. The good news is that it takes less than 90 seconds. (You can send a blast from our web-based platform or mobile app.)

💡 SimpleTexting Tip: Want to schedule a meeting reminder to send regularly on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis? Check out our recurring campaigns feature!

3. Use SimpleTexting’s SMS API

Firstly, if you’re not sure what an API is we recommend reading this beginner’s guide.

The gist is that you could connect a platform like Zoom and SimpleTexting to send attendees an automated SMS. If you’re already familiar with the world of API integrations, you can check our documentation here.

The wrap on SMS conference call reminders

Inviting participants and hoping they show up is a risky strategy. Instead, ensure that you’re never left waiting for someone to show who has completely forgotten.

If you want to test out sending your first conference call reminder, you can sign up for a free 14-day trial to see how easy it is with SimpleTexting.