I Had No Idea How to Send Bulk SMS Until I Found GoHighLevel — Here’s the Step-by-Step I Wish I Had

I’d always thought SMS automation was some “developer-only” thing. Furthermore, I pictured APIs, and code snippets confusing development methods. But this platform allows you to build powerful, money-making SMS campaigns in just a few clicks.

Why SMS?

If email is a whisper in a hurricane, SMS is a bullhorn. Open rates hover around 95%, often within 3 minutes. If you’re not using SMS, you’re leaving money on the table. And the best part? GoHighLevel makes it dead simple, no development team is required.

What You’ll Need

• A GoHighLevel account (obviously)
• Your Twilio account is connected (for sending SMS).
• One offer or message you’d like to send (freebie, appointment reminder, follow-up, etc.)

Step 1: Set Up Your Workflow

1. Go to “Automation” → Click “Create Workflow.”
2. Use a blank workflow or a template (like “Appointment Reminder”).

Starting with a blank workflow gives you full control and is easier than it looks.

Step 2: Add Your Trigger

This tells GoHighLevel when to send the SMS.

Examples:

• Form submitted (lead magnet download)
• Appointment booked
• Tag added (like “new-lead” or “warm-lead”)

Go to “Add Trigger” → Select the trigger that matches your flow → Save

Step 3: Craft Your SMS Message

Now for the fun part.

1. Click the + icon → Choose “Send SMS.”
2. Type your message.

Example message:

Hey {{contact.first_name}}, thanks for booking! We’re excited to help you crush it. Need anything before our call? Just reply here!

Rules of thumb:

• Keep it short (160 characters if possible).
• Personalize with dynamic fields ({{contact.first_name}})
• Always make it feel like a real person sent it.

Step 4: Add Delays or Follow-Ups

Want to follow up if they don’t reply?

1. Add a “wait” step (e.g., 1 day).
2. Then send a second SMS, like

Just checking in — do you have any questions before we chat tomorrow?

You can also add conditional logic (like “If user replies = stop campaign”) to avoid over-texting.

Step 5: Test Before You Blast

Always run your SMS through a test contact.

• Create a dummy contact with your phone number.
• Trigger the workflow manually.
• Make sure everything reads and lands the way you want.

It’s better to send one weird text to yourself than 500 awkward ones to clients.

Avoid These Common Newbie Mistakes

1. Using spammy language (e.g., “FREE!!!” or “BUY” NOW”) — Twilio hates it.
2. Not including opt-out instructions (can get you banned)
3. Sending texts at weird hours (no one wants a ping at 2 AM)
4. Not segmenting your list — treat hot leads differently from cold ones.

Real-Life Campaign Ideas You Can Steal Today

Lead Magnet Follow-Up:

Hey {{contact.first_name}}, got your free checklist — ready to take the next step? Book a call here [link].

Appointment Reminder:

Hey! Just a heads-up: Your call with [Your Business Name] is tomorrow at 2 PM. Excited to chat!

Abandoned Funnel Nudge:

Still thinking about joining? Here’s a 10% off code that expires in 2 hours: [link]

SMS Is Not Just a Feature— It’s a Cheat Code

The truth is that SMS is the most underused marketing weapon in GoHighLevel. It’s quick to build, insanely high-converting, and makes you look 10x more professional than endless email spam. Best part? You can build entire SMS workflows without a single line of code — just logic, empathy, and a few clicks.