Eloqua SMS Module: 3 Ways to Get Set up for Success

June 19, 2023 Stan

Laying the Groundwork for a Successful SMS Implementation

The Oracle Eloqua SMS module gives Eloqua true multi-channel capabilities allowing text messages to be sent to contacts directly from a campaign canvas. The module is full service, meaning Oracle manages all interactions with global carriers to send and receive SMS messages making it a powerful addition to the platform, but there is a good amount of set-up work involved to get the module up and running. This post describes the scope and timing of prep work required to get the module functioning in your instance of Eloqua.

Perhaps the biggest thing to account for when getting started with the Eloqua SMS module is the amount of time Oracle requires to get the service up and running. Fourteen weeks is typical, though it can run longer if unexpected issues arise. Oracle uses a majority of that time getting service agreements in place with various global and domestic carriers and there is little that can be done to accelerate the process. Instead, this is time you can often use to prep your database and begin gathering SMS consent to be ready using the service as soon as installation is complete.

3 Pieces of a Eloqua SMS Module Pie

Phone Number Fields and Formats

Often the first step in preparing your instance for the Eloqua SMS module is getting all mobile phone numbers formatted correctly and aligning your data practices with the new requirements. SMS messages can only be sent to your contacts’ Mobile Phone number or their Business Phone number. Oracle will also create a new contact field in your instance named SMS Preferred Number that can be part of the process.

A common arrangement is to use the new SMS Preferred Number field as the unformatted “intake” field where all forms, integrations and list upload post numbers to. It can receive numbers in a variety of formats as they are provided by visitors to your forms or by systems integrated with Eloqua. From there those values can be normalized to match SMS number formatting requirements.

It’s also common to enable the validation option for the Mobile Phone field at this point. This can be done by navigating to Settings > Fields and Views and opening the Mobile Phone field. There you’ll find a checkbox for “Contact field contains valid phone number” that when checked will only allow values to be saved in that field that align with one of the following supported formats:

+###########
+#(###)#######
+#(###) ###-####
#-##########
#-###-###-####
1 (###) ### – ####

Cleansing and Normalization

While you can use any of the six formats, typically one is chosen as your accepted standard. Often you may want to use field merges to show your audiences the Mobile Phone value you have on record. Choosing a format that is easily readable can be important. Choosing a single format to align to from the list also makes it easier to normalize non-conforming values.

To begin, examine all forms, integration and internal practices that record data into the Mobile Phone field and switch those to record data into the SMS Preferred Number field. Next, set up a simple program with an update rule that copies all Mobile Phone field values into your SMS Preferred Number field and blanks out the Moblie Phone field. Once this is done the SMS Preferred Number field should be the only one that data from outside of Eloqua gets written into, it should contain all values that were previously in your Mobile Phone field and Mobile Phone should be completely blank.

Next, create a campaign for normalization that uses the Contact Washing Machine. Configure that step using ReGex Replace to take only the numerals in that field, and add in spaces, hyphens and other special characters to match your chosen format, and then write that value into the Mobile Phone field.

As an example, this string applied to the “Regular expression to find” field:

(?:\+)?(?:1)?(?:\s)?(?:$)?(\d{3})(?:$)?(?:-)?(?:\/)?(?:\s)?(\d{3})(?:\-)?(\d{4})

Along with this string in the “Regular expression replace” field:

+1($1) $2-$3

Would result in a number formatted like this:

1 (###) ### – ####

This campaign can be run initially on all contacts in your database for a one-time batch conversion to your chosen SMS number format and then set to run continuously to normalize new numbers that enter your database in the SMS Preferred Number field.

Consent

As always, check with your legal department first for the best guidance on how consent needs to be applied to SMS. In general, all laws and regulations governing marketing emails apply equally to marketing text messages. This includes CANSPAM, CASL and GDPR along with most other global and regional regulations and there are some universal steps you can take to prepare to capture and manage SMS consent.

Start by examining the fields you use to capture and manage consent. It is often a good idea to create a parallel set of fields that are dedicated to SMS. If, for example, you have a field for Email Consent Status with values like Opted In, Opted Out, Pending and Implied, you may want a second field named SMS Consent Status that is used to track contacts’ SMS consent. Similarly if you have an Email Consent Date field that you use to show when the current status was applied, a second field for SMS may come in handy.

Next, do an audit of all email sign-up pages and preference centers. Add an SSM sign-up option to your email sign-up forms that records the phone number provided to the SMS Preferred Number field, sets the submitter’s SMS Opt In status and applies a date stamp to the SMS Consent Date field. These options can also be placed on preference management pages.

Finally, consider launching an email campaign to gather opt-ins ahead of your Eloqua SMS module launch. This can be an opportunity to get mobile phone numbers for contacts that haven’t provided one yet, to confirm that the Mobile Phone number you have on record is still correct, gather sign-ups and generate some buzz around the new service.

If you’re considering purchasing the Oracle Eloqua SMS Module and want to talk through some of the key decisions you’ll need to make, give us a call. Or if you’ve already decided to take the plunge and need a hand getting everything in place let us know. We can help get the phone numbers in your database prepped, set the foundations for a consent management plan and guide you through the configurations needed for a successful SMS launch.

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