Creating and Sending Urgent Alerts

This guide will show you how to create and send an Urgent Alert. The Urgent Alert feature allows you to send alert-type messages to your contacts. The alert can be sent using several different channels: SMS, Voice (using text-to-voice), and Social Media. 

When sending an Urgent Alert, the opt-in status of your contacts is ignored, and all selected contacts will receive the Urgent Alert. Make sure you are aware of this before sending.

1. Click Urgent Alert in the left sidebar.

   

Create Alert

1. Click New Alert to open the New Alert window.

   

2. Enter the name of your alert in the Name textbox.
3. Select one or more of the channels to send your alert through. You will enter a message for each channel on the following pages.

   

4. Click Next.

   

SMS Message

1. Enter your SMS message in the Sms Message textbox.
2. Click Next.

   

Voice Message

1. Enter your voice message in the Voice Message textbox. A text-to-voice program will turn your message into a voice recording.
2. Click Next.

   

Social Message

1. Enter your social message in the Social Message textbox.
2. Click Next to go to the Social Credentials page.

   

3. Fill out the credentials. For help finding the required information, see the social media platform’s documentation.
4. Click Next.

   

Review

When sending an Urgent Alert, the opt-in status of your contacts is ignored, and all selected contacts will receive the Urgent Alert. Make sure you are aware of this before sending.

1. Select the Message type from the dropdown to review each alert message.

   

2. (Optional) Send Alert – If checked, the alert will be tested by sending the message to the specified contact once the alert is created.
   • Note: It is strongly recommended that you test all alerts before sending them to your contacts.
   • Select the contact group to send the alert to. Note: Urgent Alerts ignore opt-in status and are sent to all selected contacts.
     • All Contacts – Every contact in your account, regardless of opt-in status.
     • Contact List – All contacts from a specific contact list, regardless of opt-in status. Select the list from the dropdown.
     • Contacts – Any phone number you enter in the textbox below. To enter multiple phone numbers, type a comma after the number.
3. Click Submit.

   

4. After creating the alert, a success message will appear in the upper right corner.

Send Alert

When sending an Urgent Alert, the opt-in status of your contacts is ignored, and all selected contacts will receive the Urgent Alert. Make sure you are aware of this before sending.

1. Click Send for the alert you wish to send.

   

2. Review the message that will be sent.
3. Select the contacts to send the alert to. Note: Urgent Alerts ignore opt-in status and are sent to all selected contacts.
   • All Contacts – Every contact in your account, regardless of opt-in status.

     

   • Contact List – All contacts from a specific contact list, regardless of opt-in status. Select the list from the dropdown.

     

   • Contacts – Any phone number you enter in the textbox below. To enter multiple phone numbers, type a comma after the number.

     

4. Click Submit.

   

5. After sending the alert, a success message will appear in the upper right corner.

   

Edit Alert

1. Click the Name of the alert you wish to edit.

   

2. The steps for editing an alert are the same as creating a new one.
3. Follow the instructions in the Create Alert section.