Use SMS in your campaign to reach leads with a short, high-visibility touchpoint alongside LinkedIn, email, and call steps. SMS is available to all users as long as your team has purchased an SMS-capable lemlist phone number from a supported country and has enough credits available for sending.
Learning objective
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know how to add an SMS step to a campaign, configure the sender and message, understand SMS credit usage and limits, and set up a phone number if SMS isn’t available yet.
Why this matters
SMS can help you add a fast, personal touch to your outreach sequence. It works especially well for short follow-ups, reminders, and nudges when you want to complement your email, LinkedIn, or call steps with another channel.
Compared with WhatsApp, SMS is generally less restrictive, since Meta can ban WhatsApp sending activity quite quickly. That said, SMS can feel less dynamic to recipients.
Before you start
You should already know how to create and edit a campaign in lemlist.
You need an active campaign sequence.
You need a purchased SMS-capable lemlist phone number assigned in your workspace to send SMS.
SMS is available when your team has purchased a lemlist phone number from 🇫🇷 France, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States, or 🇳🇱 Netherlands.
Each SMS sent through campaigns or Inbox deducts 6 credits from the sender’s credit balance.
SMS sending is blocked if the user does not have enough credits.
Your SMS message must stay under 320 characters.
Phase 1: Add the SMS step to your sequence
Open your campaign sequence, click the + button where you want to insert a new step, stay on the Steps tab, and select SMS. This adds SMS as an automatic step in your campaign, so you can place it exactly where it makes the most sense in the prospect journey.
Phase 2: Configure the SMS step
After adding the step, select the SMS block in your sequence. On the right-side panel, choose the Sender for SMS, then write your message in the message field.
This is where you define which number sends the SMS and what your prospect will receive. Keep the message concise, personalized, and action-oriented. SMS content is not restricted to pre-approved templates in lemlist, but it must remain shorter than 320 characters. The composer also shows the SMS length, and the SMS credit cost is visible directly from the composer before sending.
Tip: If you see an error like Error on sender(s) in your sequence, it usually means your campaign does not yet have a valid phone number available for that step. Set up or assign a number first, then return to the campaign.
SMS best practices
Keep it brief and easy to scan.
Use personalization where relevant.
Focus on one clear goal, such as confirming interest or prompting a reply.
Avoid overly long messages, since SMS has a 320-character limit.
Make sure you have enough credits before launching SMS outreach.
Phase 3: Add or assign a phone number for SMS
From the main app, click your profile in the bottom-left corner and open Settings.
In Settings, go to Call settings and click Add a number. This is where you manage the numbers available for calling and SMS in your workspace.
Choose whether you want to connect your own phone number or buy a phone number. To send SMS through lemlist, select Buy phone numbers.
In the buying flow, select the country and number type, then choose an available number for your team. SMS-capable lemlist phone numbers are available from 🇫🇷 France, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States, and 🇳🇱 Netherlands.
Be aware that US mobile carriers apply strict regulations for SMS to reduce spam and preserve reply rates, so US numbers must be registered before they can be used there. You can prepare by reviewing Twilio’s A2P 10DLC Campaign Approval Requirements.
Phase 4: Finish your campaign setup
Return to your campaign and reopen the SMS step. Select the newly available sender, review your message, and continue building the rest of your sequence.
You can combine SMS with LinkedIn steps, wait steps, chat messages, and call tasks to create a more complete multichannel flow.
Pricing and limits
Each SMS sent through campaigns or Inbox deducts 6 credits from the user’s credit balance.
This credit-based billing comes in addition to the $15/month phone number fee.
The number of credits required is visible from the SMS composer in campaigns and Inbox.
Credits used for SMS appear in your credits history.
SMS sending is blocked automatically if the user does not have enough credits.
Team admins can change the daily sending limit of your number in the sender settings section.
We recommend sending around 10 SMS/day and setting a maximum of 30 SMS/day.
Practical example
Here’s a simple way to use SMS in a multichannel campaign:
Step 1: Visit profile on LinkedIn
Step 2: Send LinkedIn invitation
Step 3: Wait for acceptance
Step 4: Send a LinkedIn message
Step 5: Wait 1 day
Step 6: Send an SMS with a short follow-up
Step 7: Create a call task if there’s no reply
Example SMS:
Hi {{firstName}}{{companyName}}
FAQ
Is there any restriction on SMS content, like pre-approved templates?
No. lemlist doesn’t restrict the content of your SMS message, and you do not need to use pre-approved templates. The main limit is that your message must stay under 320 characters.
Can I see who opened my SMS?
No. lemlist does not track SMS opens or views. You’ll only be able to see whether the message was delivered and whether the lead answered in lemlist.
Can I use my personal number to send SMS through lemlist?
To send SMS through lemlist, your team needs a purchased SMS-capable lemlist phone number. Supported countries for SMS-capable numbers are 🇫🇷 France, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States, and 🇳🇱 Netherlands.
How does SMS sync with iMessage, Google Messages, or RCS for international chats?
SMS sent through lemlist do not sync with iMessage, Google Messages, or RCS. This may be considered in the future, but it is not supported today.
Is SMS outreach in lemlist GDPR compliant?
As with other channels in lemlist, you can unsubscribe leads who do not want to be contacted anymore.
When is SMS available in lemlist?
SMS is available when your team has purchased an SMS-capable lemlist phone number from 🇫🇷 France, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States, or 🇳🇱 Netherlands, and the sending user has enough credits available.
Troubleshooting
Issue: I can see the SMS step, but I can’t use it
Root cause: No valid SMS-capable phone number is configured or assigned.
Fix:
Go to Settings → Call settings.
Add or buy a phone number.
Assign the number to the correct user if needed.
Return to the campaign and select that sender in the SMS step.
Issue: My sequence shows “Error on sender(s)”
Root cause: The campaign step is linked to a sender that is missing, invalid, or not available for SMS.
Fix:
Open the SMS step.
Check the Sender for SMS field.
Select another valid sender or configure a new number in Call settings.
Issue: I can’t complete number purchase in a specific country
Root cause: Regulatory verification may be required or previously submitted documents may need to be updated.
Fix:
In the number purchase window, review the verification notice.
Click Verify my account if prompted.
Resubmit valid documents and try again once verification is complete.
Issue: My SMS message is too long
Root cause: SMS steps have a character limit.
Fix:
Shorten the message.
Remove unnecessary wording.
Keep one clear CTA instead of multiple asks.
Make sure the final text stays under 320 characters.
Issue: I can’t send SMS
Root cause: You do not have enough credits available for SMS sending.
Fix:
Check the credit cost shown in the SMS composer.
Review your available credit balance.
Top up credits if needed before trying again.
Check your credits history to review previous SMS usage.
Related workflow tips
SMS works best when it supports your broader multichannel strategy, not when it replaces it. Use it as a timely follow-up after a LinkedIn touchpoint, message reply, or call attempt to create a more natural sequence.