How do I send Chatty Bulk Messages?
Chatty can send bulk messages as emails, as text messages, or both at the same time. Using Chatty Bulk Messaging allows you to create newsletters that include your office logo as well as other images. Chatty Bulk Messaging does not tie up your computer while sending to large numbers of recipients.
Chatty Bulk Messaging automatically takes care of "Unsubscribe" requests, so you don't have to.
1. Generate the list of recipients from OD Link as a PatientList file
Use the Run Recalls to set up and run regular recalls. See the "How do I send recalls?" instructions.
To generate a different list of patients, for example for a Sale newsletter or Happy Birthday note: in the Patient window, select the list view.
When you have the list you want, select "Export List as Excel"
Click OK. The file "PatientList.xlsx" is now on your computer's desktop.
2. Log in to the Chatty web page and switch to the Bulk Messaging page
Select "Bulk Messaging" in the upper right corner of the Chatty web page.
3. Enter your message content
If you want to send email messages, create the content for them by entering a Subject, Image file or image URL, Header, the Body of the email, and a Footer. You can upload your own image file or you can use one from Chatty's free gallery.
To use a gallery image, (1) follow the "gallery of free images" link, then (2) copy the full URL of the image you like and (3) paste it into the URL entry.
The reply-to email address will be the one you provide to Chatty for bulk-sending.
Chatty will automatically add your logo to the bottom of the email.
Add a Salutation (like "Dear" or "Hey") if you want the body of the email and text message to start with it, like "Dear Wilma," or "Hey Fred,". Leave the Salutation blank if you don't want the email/text to start like that.
4. Create and review your message
Click "Create Email" to create a web page version of the email.
Note: you must create the email this way before it can be sent.
The Salutation does not appear on the web page, but everything else is representative of the email that will be sent to your recipients. You can edit and re-create the newsletter as many times as you wish. Make sure you have clicked "Create Email" after you make your final changes, so your most recent version is the one that gets sent.
After clicking Create Email, you should see a new tab with a preview of what will be sent. If you do not get that, Chrome Pop-Up Blocking is on. Turn it off for the Chatty website.
5. Enter the content of the text message
If you want to send text messages, enter the body of the text message. If you added a Salutation (see above) it will be used in text messages, too. Only the Salutation and Text message are sent as texts; neither images nor any other part of the email message are sent as text messages.
Important: You do need to include your office name and phone number in the Bulk Messages "text message" field.
6. Select your PatientList.xlsx file for upload
Click "Choose File" for the PatientList.xlsx file. Select the PatientList.xlsx file on your desktop.
7. Type in additional recipients
If you have other recipient phone numbers or email addresses, add them in the "Additional Recipient" field.
Additional recipients do not get a Salutation.
If both email addresses and cell numbers are typed into Additional recipients, all will be sent to unless "Only cell phones" or "Only email" option is chosen. If an "only" option is chosen, the other kind will not be sent.
8. Select the send methods
Select the radio button beside your desired sending method.
"All" will send the message to both email addresses (email content) and cell phones (text message) for every patient in your PatientList.xlsx file.
"Prefer cell phones" will send the text message to each patient's cell phone, unless there is not a cell number for a patient. Chatty will send the email to patients without cell phones.
"Prefer email" will send the email to email addresses, unless there is not an email address for a patient. Chatty will send the text message to patients without email addresses.
"Only cell phones" will send the text message to each patient's cell phone. If a patient does not have a cell number then nothing will be sent to that patient.
"Only email" will send the email to each patient's email address. If a patient does not have an email address then nothing will be sent to that patient.
9. Click "Send Message"
The messages will be sent by the web service, in the background. You can return to using OD Link as usual.
You can send to up to 10,000 PatientList.xlsx recipients at a time, or up to 1,000 entries in the "Additional Recipients" field.
Chatty will email you counts of the emails and text messages that get sent.
10. Automatic unsubscribe management
Chatty appends an "unsubscribe" link to the end of each email, and the line "-Text UNSUB to unsubscribe-" to every text message. If a user clicks the link in the email Chatty will not send future bulk messages to that email address. If a user texts UNSUB immediately after receiving the message, Chatty will not send bulk messages to that phone number. However, unsubscribing will not impede Chatty from sending other communications, for example from within OD Link or from the regular conversation web page.
Pricing
Chatty Bulk Messaging can be tried out for free to a couple of people.
To sign up for all of the Bulk Messaging features the cost is $25 per month. When you send bulk messages, text messages are counted toward your total like regular Chatty text messages. If you send email, each email sent counts as a text message.