How to send bulk SMS for small business in Australia
TL;DR: In SMSFlow you send bulk SMS by choosing contacts, groups, pasted numbers or a CSV, writing a message (or picking a template with placeholders), checking the credit total, then sending now or scheduling for later. Australian businesses need a verified account before the first send.
Send bulk SMS in five steps
- Finish signup and verification. Create your account with a valid ABN, Australian mobile and business email where possible. Complete 2FA, verify email, and verify your ABN in Account settings. New accounts get 50 free credits. You cannot send until verification is done.
- Open Send SMS and choose recipients. Select saved contacts, one or more groups, paste or type Australian mobile numbers, or import recipients from CSV. You can mix these options in one send.
- Write the message or pick a template. Type or paste your text, add emojis if you want, or choose a saved template. Use placeholders such as
{first_name},{last_name}and{stop_message}so each recipient gets a personalised line and a clear opt-out path. - Check the credit counter. SMSFlow bills in credits, not always one credit per message. Longer messages can use more than one credit. Confirm the per-message and total credit estimate before you continue. See pricing for how credits work.
- Send now or schedule. Send immediately, or set a later date and timezone. Review scheduled items in the scheduled messages report if you need to cancel (you can remove a scheduled send; you cannot edit it).
More detail below if you need setup context, compliance notes or related guides.
Before you send: account and list basics
SMSFlow is built for Australian businesses. Expect ABN validation, an Australian mobile on the account, email verification and 2FA. Gmail-style addresses can trigger extra checks. Duplicate mobiles that already belong to another account are blocked at signup.
Contacts are not a full CRM. You can store first name, last name, phone, email, postcode, category, two reporting dimensions, groups, source, external id and notes. Import from CSV creates new contacts or updates existing ones matched on phone number. There is no delete-via-import and no custom fields beyond what the platform lists.
Groups make repeat bulk sends faster. Build them under Maintenance, then select them on the Send SMS screen. For a dedicated walkthrough, see create contact groups for bulk SMS.
Message, Sender ID and replies
Templates live under Maintenance so you do not retype the same promo or reminder. Placeholders keep wording consistent across a list. Include stop language (or {stop_message}) so people can opt out cleanly; manage keywords and the default opt-out message in Account General, and review unsubscribes in the unsubscribes report.
If you use a Sender ID (a name shown instead of a number), recipients cannot reply. Request Sender IDs from Account settings when branding matters more than two-way chat. For branded outbound detail, see request a Sender ID. When you need replies, send from a number that allows inbound traffic and read threads in Inbox. You view replies in Inbox; you reply via Send SMS, not from Inbox itself.
Scheduling uses a chosen timezone. Upcoming sends appear in the scheduled messages report so you can cancel if plans change. Full schedule steps: schedule bulk SMS.
After you send: credits, dashboard and reports
Credits are purchased and tracked under Account Billing. Invoices are viewable and downloadable there; they are not emailed automatically. The dashboard shows sent, delivered, failed, queued, received, opt-outs and related metrics for a date range you choose. Sent reports support status filters and optional message content, with column sorting. There is no export from Sent reports and layouts are not customisable.
If nothing leaves the queue, work through verification, remaining credits and number format first. Practical checks: bulk SMS not sending.
Campaigns (beta) can organise marketing sends to groups alongside standard Send SMS. Treat that feature as beta while you plan larger promotions.
FAQ
Who can send bulk SMS with SMSFlow?
Australian businesses with a valid ABN, Australian mobile and completed verification (email, ABN, 2FA and any extra checks). Sending without those steps is not available.
Do I need one credit per SMS?
Not always. Billing is per credit; some messages use more than one credit. The send screen shows the estimate before you confirm. Details are on pricing.
Can people reply to my bulk SMS?
They can reply when you send from a number that accepts inbound messages. If you use a Sender ID, recipients cannot reply. View inbound messages in Inbox and reply using Send SMS.
Can I edit a scheduled bulk SMS?
No. You can review and cancel (remove) scheduled messages. Prepare the final copy before you schedule.
Can I import a customer list from CSV?
Yes. Import creates or updates contacts matched on phone number. You can also paste numbers or select contacts and groups at send time. Import does not delete contacts or add custom fields.
Is there a mobile or desktop app?
No. SMSFlow is web-only, plus API keys and webhooks under Account Developers if you automate sends.
How SMSFlow fits small-business bulk SMS
SMSFlow is a simple Australian SMS platform and API: send to Australian numbers, manage contacts and groups, use templates and placeholders, schedule sends, watch the dashboard and reports, and handle opt-outs. You get 50 free credits on signup and pay as you go on credits rather than locked enterprise packaging. It is not a full CRM, white-label reseller suite or custom-workflow builder.
Conclusion
Pick your list, personalise with a clear message and opt-out, confirm credits, then send or schedule. That is enough for most small-business reminders, updates and promotions on Australian numbers.