Sending mass texts with a link..

[hotponyshoes]

So I need to issue a statement to all of my clients.
I have mobile numbers for all of them so it's easy enough to set up a group text from my phone.

I have got a single page pdf document that I would like to send to them all.

How do I do this?

Is there a simple way to upload the pdf to a website or something so I could put a link to it in a text message with a line underneath saying if you can't access it send me an email address?
Or do I just screen shot it and see if I can send it as a photo via group mms?

 

[WorkshopChris]

A free Dropbox account would give you a link everyone could access you then just need to send the link via group text.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

A free Dropbox account would give you a link everyone could access you then just need to send the link via group text.

Or just add an extra page to the website (assuming you have one.)

 

[hotponyshoes]

No, I don't actually have a website.
Woud a dropbox link be easy enough to access? Ie. just click it and it will open the pdf on a smartphone, they wont need to register with dropbox or anything?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Just testing on my phone can send mass texts with a PDF. Might be the easiest option.

 

[the snooper]

You could simply create a page if you have FB and add the file so people can visit the page or send it email

 

[WorkshopChris]

Just to test.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9x19w1ed3...ing_at_home_and_away_from_others__1_.pdf?dl=0
On my machine that opens directly in chrome or pdf reader to read.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Just testing on my phone can send mass texts with a PDF. Might be the easiest option.

How do you do that?
The only option I can find for sending a pdf is using WhatsApp but only about 1/4 of my clients are using that.

You could simply create a page if you have FB and add the file so people can visit the page or send it email

No Facebook either!
I have always been fairly proud of the fact that I have managed to start and run 3 business from scratch with only word-of-mouth advertising. Unfortunately my contingency plans for a situation such as this did not taking into account for a need.to contact them all at once and provide frequent updates!

 

[hotponyshoes]

Just to test.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9x19w1ed3...ing_at_home_and_away_from_others__1_.pdf?dl=0
On my machine that opens directly in chrome or pdf reader to read.

Yes, that seems to work fine on my smartphone.
There is a pop-up first asking if you want to install the dropbox app but that's easy enough to close.
I have a dropbox account so I will try it now..

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I'm on a pixel so stock Android .

To the left of add number click the +icon to add more.
Attach file

Choose pdf required.

 

[skotl]

Uhhhh... I could be wrong, and have been before, but....

I suspect sending a PDF in a text counts as data so if you were to send a large colourful document to hundreds, or thousands, of customers you might run up a pretty sizeable bill.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I have uploaded the pdf doc to whatsapp. If.i text the link to myself or the missus then clicking on the link asks both of us if we want to open it with drive pdf viewer or internet explorer. Internet works fine but choosing drive just takes us both back to the test saying the file is not supported.

Clicking on

Just to test.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9x19w1ed3...ing_at_home_and_away_from_others__1_.pdf?dl=0
On my machine that opens directly in chrome or pdf reader to read.

from here does just open it directly but presume that's because I am already doing it via internet explorer.

View attachment 218381 View attachment 218382 View attachment 218383
I'm on a pixel so stock Android .

To the left of add number click the +icon to add more.
Attach file

Choose pdf required.

I'm using the stock samsung message app, have option to add photo from gallery, new photo, take a voice memo, etc but not a file or pdf

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I have uploaded the pdf doc to whatsapp. If.i text the link to myself or the missus then clicking on the link asks both of us if we want to open it with drive pdf viewer or internet explorer. Internet works fine but choosing drive just takes us both back to the test saying the file is not supported.

Clicking on
from here does just open it directly but presume that's because I am already doing it via internet explorer.



I'm using the stock samsung message app, have option to add photo from gallery, new photo, take a voice memo, etc but not a file or pdf
View attachment 218399

No option for files. That's a bit crap
I send invoices to difficult customers via textm
Usually text first and when they respond slap them with the PDF can't ignore it then

 

[eSCHEn]

@hotponyshoes - do you want the file hosting? It will have one of my URLs but otherwise be as freely accessible as you want it to be.

If you want to get a domain name then you can point it at my nameservers and it'll serve up using said name. No need to do it if you don't want a domain name though.

 

[hotponyshoes]

@hotponyshoes - do you want the file hosting? It will have one of my URLs but otherwise be as freely accessible as you want it to be.

If you want to get a domain name then you can point it at my nameservers and it'll serve up using said name. No need to do it if you don't want a domain name though.

Thanks for the offer much appreciated!
At the moment i am hoping i can send out one text with a link for a simple one page pdf. As it stands 1/4 of my customers have shown no concern at all, 1/2 of them should be fine once the get the info about what's going on and the other 1/4 are the type that will be on the phone 3 times a day every day any way.

My hopes at the moment (like the rest of you) is that this will be a temporary short term issue but my gut feeling and experience over the last few days is making me think this will be going on for a while.
I am still dealing with shutting stuff down but once that's sorted I will be looking into the next steps and efficient communication will be one of the first things I look at.

I may well take you up on that offer of hosting something, maybe a single page that I can edit as appropriate and people can check whenever they feel like for updates.
Another option is I collect all the email addresses over the next few days and then they can get a direct notification of any changes.

The other half has suggested setting up a facebook page which would be the simplest thing to post updates on but I dont really want to be getting requests from all over the place or people putting comments up on the procedures I am choosing to use at the moment.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I'm fully expecting to be here like this to July and beyond

 

[eSCHEn]

Thanks for the offer much appreciated!
At the moment i am hoping i can send out one text with a link for a simple one page pdf. As it stands 1/4 of my customers have shown no concern at all, 1/2 of them should be fine once the get the info about what's going on and the other 1/4 are the type that will be on the phone 3 times a day every day any way.

My hopes at the moment (like the rest of you) is that this will be a temporary short term issue but my gut feeling and experience over the last few days is making me think this will be going on for a while.
I am still dealing with shutting stuff down but once that's sorted I will be looking into the next steps and efficient communication will be one of the first things I look at.

I may well take you up on that offer of hosting something, maybe a single page that I can edit as appropriate and people can check whenever they feel like for updates.
Another option is I collect all the email addresses over the next few days and then they can get a direct notification of any changes.

The other half has suggested setting up a facebook page which would be the simplest thing to post updates on but I dont really want to be getting requests from all over the place or people putting comments up on the procedures I am choosing to use at the moment.

No problems, just let me know.

It's not desperately more work to throw up a WordPress site with a theme of your choosing should you go the domain name route. Happy to host you for however long you need until you're sorted / move to your own hosting. I have a few sites on the hosting already so you'd fit in fine.

Edit - just to clarify. I'm not suggesting I'll do any web design sort of stuff (been there and thankfully am not any more) but to 'install' WordPress and a theme then hand over the admin account to you is not much work.