Texting Guide for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs move quickly and juggle sales, hiring, product, and finance. Short texts help you book meetings, confirm deliveries, and close loops without chasing email. TextUs gives you a single workflow that keeps every message organized and logged.

How TextUs Fits Entrepreneur Workflows

TextUs Campaigns can reach investors, prospects, vendors, and early hires with one focused ask. You can attach PDFs or images, such as a one-pager, product snapshot, pricing sheet, or interview brief, so people can act inside the thread.

Keywords like DEMO, INVEST, APPLY, or HELP can enroll replies in Sequences that send links and reminders automatically.

Replies appear in the Shared Inbox where founders, sellers, and ops can collaborate. Integrations can log conversations, clicks, and outcomes to your CRM or hiring tool. You can check deliveries, replies, and clicks, then export CSVs for an investor update or weekly ops review.

What to Set Up First

Connect your CRM or spreadsheet so lead status, owner, and pipeline fields sync both ways. Register 10DLC numbers and keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE process automatically.

Define segments such as Warm Investors, Active Trials, Priority Prospects, Vendors This Week, and Candidates In Process. Create templates for demo invites, pricing requests, investor materials, vendor logistics, and interview coordination.

Assign Shared Inbox coverage by time zone so hot replies get fast answers.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment such as “Active Trials - Last 7 Days.” This can make sure your message reaches people likely to act.
2. Write your message: Keep it short and specific. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, quick check on your [Product] trial. Want a 10-minute walkthrough to hit your first result today? Reply DEMO and I’ll send a link.”
3. Attach media: Add a one-pager, price snapshot, or setup card when helpful. Attachments can reduce questions and speed decisions.
4. Set up an A/B test: Create a second version that changes the opener or call to action. Keep the variant with the higher reply rate.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send during local business hours. For launches, schedule a reminder the day before and the morning of release.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as DEMO, INVEST, APPLY, or INFO and reference it in your message. TextUs can recognize and route replies automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the link or resource. Step 2: Follow up after 24 to 48 hours if there is no action.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, watch replies in the Shared Inbox, and assign owners immediately.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Thanks, {{first_name}}. Here is the scheduling link: [short URL]. Want a one-page overview too?”
• Step 2 (reminder): “Checking in on [Product]. Want the quick-start card or a 10-minute walkthrough? I can text either.”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by relationship and intent so each text drives one action. Useful lists include High-Intent Prospects, Trials Not Activated, Past Buyers, Warm Investors, Applicants For [Role], and Vendors Delivering This Week. Exclude closed, inactive, or recently messaged contacts to protect deliverability.

Personalize with first name and one context field such as product, role, or event. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, great to meet at [Event]. Want a short demo that maps to your [Use Case]? Reply DEMO.” Use fallbacks so messages never look broken.

Refresh segments daily for sales and hiring, and weekly for investor and vendor programs. Clean data can lift reply rate and shorten cycle time.

Template Library for Entrepreneur Scenarios

Keep a compact set that covers your repeatable moments. One ask per message and one clear action.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, ready for a quick demo of [Product]? Reply DEMO and I will send times.”
• “Pricing snapshot for [Plan] is ready. Want the PDF? Reply PRICE.”
• “Great meeting you at [Event]. Want a one-pager and a 10-minute overview? Reply INFO.”
• “Interview for [Role] tomorrow at [Time]. Need the brief or link? Reply HELP.”
• “Delivery arrives at [Time]. Dock C is open. Reply READY when staged.”
• “Investor update available. Want the highlights deck? Reply INVEST.”

Review the template performance monthly with compliance. Keep files under 1 MB and retire low performers.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, clicks, and keyword activity from TextUs weekly. Join that data with CRM or spreadsheet outcomes such as meetings booked, trials activated, deals won, interviews completed, and invoices paid. Keep campaign name, segment, keyword, and send time consistent so reporting stays clean.

Track reply-to-meeting, click-to-activation, and time to close by segment. Compare A and B variants to learn which opener and timing perform best. Share a one-page summary with delivery rate, reply rate, meetings booked, actions completed, and top-performing template.

Launch, Fundraising, and Vendor Coordination

Treat launches like mini-campaigns. Invite with a short message and keyword, follow with the feature card, then send a same-day reminder. Ask one question that earns a reply, such as “Want early access?”

For fundraising, segment warm investors separately from new intros. Send a concise check-in that offers a deck or a five-minute update. Route INVEST to a Sequence that shares the deck and a scheduler, then nudges politely after 48 hours.

For vendors, send a 30-minute heads-up with dock number, contact, and required steps. Ask the dock lead to reply READY so staging is confirmed. Close with a DONE request to log completion.

Hiring and Candidate Experience

Use TextUs to move candidates quickly. After application, text a short screen invite with SCHEDULE. Before interviews, send a reminder, location or link, and a brief prep card.

If someone misses a slot, reply with a friendly reschedule option. A two-step Sequence can handle the next times and a follow-up if they do not respond. Keep everything brief so candidates can act on mobile.

Use tags like Apply, Schedule, Prep, and Offer to keep threads organized. Add short notes before handing off to a hiring partner.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies can appear in the Shared Inbox, so founders, sales, ops, and hiring share context. The first responder assigns the thread to themselves so ownership is clear. Templates provide consistent language, while a short personal line keeps the tone friendly.

Use tags like Demo, Pricing, Investor, Hiring, and Vendor to organize threads. Add notes when forwarding to a teammate so context travels. Keep notifications on during business hours to capture interest while it is warm.

Compliance and Deliverability for Entrepreneurs

Use registered 10DLC numbers for all outreach. Keep opt-out handling on so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE process automatically. Include a short line in the first message that says “Reply STOP to opt out.”

Avoid multiple links, heavy punctuation, or all caps. Send during local working hours and keep frequency tight, usually one message and one reminder per motion. Keep attachments relevant and lightweight so they load quickly on mobile.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Entrepreneurs

Can I attach a pitch deck, price sheet, or quick-start card?

Yes. TextUs allows PDFs, images, or GIFs in both campaigns and one-to-one conversations. Many founders send a one-pager or price snapshot so people can decide quickly.

Can I automate demo scheduling or investor follow-ups?

Yes. You can link keywords like DEMO or INVEST to Sequences that send a calendar link and a timed reminder. This removes manual chasing and keeps momentum.

Can I track which texts drive meetings and activations?

Yes. You can review deliveries, replies, and clicks in TextUs and export CSVs. Join those with CRM fields like meetings created, trials activated, and deals won for attribution.

How does the Shared Inbox help a small team?

It centralizes replies so founders and teammates can see the same thread, assign owners, and leave notes. This prevents duplicate messages and missed opportunities.

What cadence works best for early-stage outreach?

Start with one text and one reminder within 24 to 48 hours. Adjust based on reply rate and stage, and pause quickly when a contact acts or opts out.