{"slug":"messenger-basics","title":"Messenger Basics","description":"This article covers the basics of using Marketspread Messenger.","section":"market","sections":["market"],"tags":["messenger","email","sms","text"],"aliases":[],"author":"Farmspread Support","updated":"2019-07-10","published_datetime":"2019-07-10T06:00:00.000Z","promoted":true,"related":[],"links":[],"images":{},"video":null,"source_commit":null,"body_format":"markdown","nav":{"section":"market","group":"Reach your community","previous":{"slug":"add-widgets-to-your-website","title":"Add Widgets to Your Website"},"next":{"slug":"enabling-messenger-premium-plans","title":"Enabling Messenger Premium Plans"}},"related_articles":[],"body":"Messenger is Marketspread's built-in communication tool for sending bulk email and SMS text messages to your contacts. Whether you need to notify vendors about an upcoming market day, remind customers of a special event, or schedule a campaign weeks in advance, Messenger handles it all from one place.\n\nThis guide covers the essentials: navigating the interface, managing contacts, composing messages, using tags for targeted messaging, and scheduling campaigns.\n\n## Getting Started\n\nTo open Messenger, click the **Messenger** link in the left-hand navigation menu of your dashboard. Messenger opens in a new browser tab.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/01-screenshot-marketspreadcom-20210311-16-31-36.png)\n\nTo confirm which account you are using, look for the account icon in the top-right corner. The initials shown represent the currently active account.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/02-messenger-company-id.png)\n\n## The Messenger Interface\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/03-messenger-main3.png)\n\n### Email and SMS Toggle\n\nMessenger supports both **Email** and **SMS Text** messaging in a single interface. Use the **message type toggle** near the top of the screen to switch between them. The highlighted option indicates the currently selected type.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/04-messenger-message-type-selector.png)\n\nThe selected message type controls what you see throughout Messenger. When **Email** is selected, your folders show only email conversations. When **SMS** is selected, your folders show only text message conversations.\n\n### Message Folders\n\nJust like a standard email client, Messenger organizes your messages into folders:\n\n- **Inbox** -- All incoming messages arrive here by default\n- **Starred** -- Messages you have marked with a star for quick access\n- **Sent** -- All messages you have sent\n- **Archive** -- Messages you have archived to keep your inbox clean\n- **Trash** -- Deleted messages awaiting permanent removal\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/05-folders-example.png)\n\n### Campaigns\n\nBelow the standard folders, the **Campaigns** section provides two views:\n\n- **Future** -- Scheduled messages that have not been sent yet\n- **Past** -- Previously sent campaign messages\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/06-campaigns2.png)\n\n### Contacts\n\nYour contacts are listed under **Contacts** in the **Distribution** section at the bottom of the left sidebar.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/07-contacts-list.png)\n\n## Managing Contacts\n\n### Creating a Contact\n\n1. Click the **Contacts** link in the left sidebar.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/08-contacts.png)\n\n1. Click the **+ Add Contact** button.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/09-add-contact.png)\n\n1. Fill in the contact form. You can enter multiple email addresses and phone numbers for a single contact.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/10-add-contact-full.png)\n\n1. Click the **Save** button in the top right.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/11-save-contact.png)\n\nYour new contact now appears in the contacts list. The list shows the contact's available channels (Email, SMS), assigned tags, and edit/delete options.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/12-new-contact-display.png)\n\n### Subscription Status\n\nAll contacts used for marketing or advertisement messages must be marked as **Subscribed**. Messenger enforces this to comply with messaging regulations.\n\n- Contacts created through the embedded **SMS Signup Widget** or a direct signup (such as a QR code flyer) are automatically subscribed.\n- Contacts created manually must have their subscription status toggled on -- but only if you have the contact's express permission to send them marketing material.\n\nToggle the **Subscribed** status in the contact form:\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/13-subscribed.png)\n\n!!! important \"Subscription Compliance\"\n    Only mark a contact as subscribed if they have given you explicit permission to receive marketing messages. Transactional messages (order confirmations, event updates based on an existing relationship) can be sent to unsubscribed contacts.\n   \n\n\n### Adding Tags to Contacts\n\nTags help you organize contacts into groups for targeted messaging. By default, new contacts (that are not vendor contacts automatically created by the system) receive a **customer** tag.\n\nTo add a custom tag, type the tag name in the **Tags** field and press **Enter**. You can add as many tags as you need. Custom tags are especially useful for creating refined distribution lists, such as \"VIP\" or \"sponsors.\"\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/14-add-tag.png)\n\n!!! tip \"Automatic Vendor Tags\"\n    Vendors who sign up for your market are automatically synced to Messenger as contacts. The system creates hierarchical tags based on market name, season, vendor type, category, and application status -- so you can target messages precisely without manual setup.\n   \n\n\n## Sending an Email\n\n1. Make sure **Email** is selected in the message type toggle.\n2. Click the **(+) Compose** button in the top left.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/15-compose-button.png)\n\n1. The compose window opens:\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/16-messenger-1.png)\n\n### Advertisement vs. Transactional\n\nBefore composing your message, select the correct message type using the **Advertisement** / **Transactional** toggle.\n\n**Transactional** messages are sent based on an existing business relationship or a reasonable expectation that the recipient will receive the message. Examples include event reminders for registered vendors or order confirmations. Messenger allows sending transactional messages to unsubscribed contacts -- use this option carefully and only for genuinely transactional content.\n\n**Advertisement** messages promote products, services, or events and are generally unsolicited. These can only be sent to subscribed contacts. Messenger will block advertisement messages to unsubscribed contacts.\n\n### Adding Recipients\n\nIn the **To** field, start typing the name of a **contact** or **tag**. Messenger provides autocomplete suggestions. Click a suggestion to add it.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/17-to-field.png)\n\nAfter adding a recipient, a number appears to the right showing the total count of individual recipients. A single tag can represent many contacts, so this indicator helps you understand the actual reach of your message.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/18-to-count-longer.png)\n\nClick the count indicator to see the full list of recipients:\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/19-destinations.png)\n\n### Using Tags as Destinations\n\nTags let you quickly target large groups. When you click in the **To** field, you see a list of available tags. Tags ending with **+** are final destinations you can select immediately. Tags ending with **->** have additional levels you can drill into.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/20-tag-1.png)\n\n#### Example: Targeting Vendors by Status\n\n1. Select your market name (e.g., **hollins-farmers-market ->**).\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/21-tag-2.png)\n\n1. Choose a season (e.g., **summer-season-2020 ->**). You can also select **all +** to include every contact in the market.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/22-tag-3.png)\n\n1. Drill down further by **by-type**, **by-category**, or **by-status**.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/23-tag-4.png)\n\n1. Select a final tag such as **applied +** to complete your selection.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/24-tag-5.png)\n\nSince tag paths can be long, they are shortened by default in the compose field. Hover over a tag to see its full path.\n\n### Composing and Sending\n\nWrite your subject line and message body, then click the **Send** icon (blue arrow) at the top or bottom right.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/25-message.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/26-send-button.png)\n\nCheck the **Sent** folder to confirm your message was delivered.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/27-sent-email.png)\n\nHere is how the email appears to the recipient:\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/28-gmail-view-3.png)\n\n## Sending an SMS Text Message\n\n1. Select **SMS** in the message type toggle.\n2. Click the **(+) Compose** button.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/29-compose-sms.png)\n\n1. Add recipients by typing a contact name or tag in the **To** field.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/30-compose-sms-contact.png)\n\n1. Click the recipient count indicator to verify your audience.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/31-sms-contact-count.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/32-sms-count-detail.png)\n\n1. Write your message. The character counter at the bottom right tracks usage against the 160-character SMS limit.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/33-sms-char-count.png)\n\n1. Click the **Send** icon at the top right.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/34-send-sms-detail.png)\n\nCheck the **Sent** folder to view your message. Clicking on it opens an interactive SMS console that mirrors a mobile messaging experience.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/35-sent-sms-2.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/36-sms-inbox-detail-2.png)\n\nHere is the text as it appears on the recipient's phone:\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/37-cell-screenshot.png)\n\n## Scheduling a Campaign\n\nCampaigns let you schedule email and SMS messages to be sent at a specific future date and time.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/38-screenshot-messengermarketspreadcom-20190711-09-.png)\n\n### Creating a Campaign\n\n1. Click **Future** under **Campaigns** in the left sidebar.\n2. Click the **+ Create Campaign** button.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/39-future-campaign-overview.png)\n\nA campaign has five sections: **Name**, **Destinations**, **Email**, **SMS**, and **Schedule**.\n\n1. **Name** your campaign for easy tracking (e.g., \"July 4th Reminder\").\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/40-camp-title.png)\n\n1. Set your **Destinations** by adding contacts and tags.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/41-add-dest.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/42-dest-detail-camp.png)\n\n1. Create your message content. A campaign can include an **Email**, an **SMS**, or both.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/43-email-sms-choose-camp.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/44-sms-message-camp.png)\n\n1. Set the schedule by clicking **+ Add Schedule** and choosing the date and time.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/45-add-sched-camp.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/46-screenshot-messengermarketspreadcom-20200413-11-.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/47-send-on-sched-camp.png)\n\n1. Click the **Save** button in the top right.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/48-save-camp.png)\n\n### Monitoring Campaigns\n\nView upcoming scheduled campaigns under **Future** and previously sent campaigns under **Past**.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/49-future-camps.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/50-past-camps.png)\n\n## Composing from Contacts or Tags\n\nIn addition to the compose window, you can start a message directly from the **Contacts** or **Tags** list. Select one or more contacts or tags and use the compose action to pre-populate recipients.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/51-compose-via-contacts-2.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/messenger-basics/52-compose-via-tags.png)\n\n## Quick Messaging from the Vendor List\n\nIf you manage a market, you can send messages directly from the **Vendors** list in your market dashboard. Select one or more vendors, then use the **Email Vendors** or **SMS Vendors** action from the dropdown menu. This opens Messenger with those vendors pre-populated as recipients, saving you the step of manually searching for contacts.\n\n## SMS Signup Widget and Flyers\n\nMessenger includes tools to help your customers subscribe to text notifications:\n\n- **SMS Signup Widget** -- An embeddable pop-up widget you can add to your website. Visitors text a short code to your assigned SMS number and are automatically subscribed. The widget embed code is available on your Messenger plan settings page.\n- **Printable Flyer** -- A branded, print-ready flyer with a QR code and instructions for texting your SMS number. Customers scan the QR code or text \"INFO\" to your number to subscribe. Click the **Flyer** button on the Messenger settings page to generate and print it.\n\n## Messenger Plans\n\nMessenger offers several plan tiers to fit your needs. All plans include 1,000 free emails per month.\n\n\n| Plan    | Emails | SMS Messages | Monthly Cost |\n| ------- | ------ | ------------ | ------------ |\n| Free    | 1,000  | 0            | $0           |\n| Starter | 3,000  | 1,500        | $30          |\n| Plus    | 6,000  | 4,000        | $60          |\n| Premium | 10,000 | 7,000        | $105         |\n\n\n!!! note \"SMS Requires a Paid Plan\"\n    SMS messaging is not available on the Free plan. Upgrade to Starter or above to get an assigned SMS number and send text messages.\n   \n\n\nTo view or change your plan, go to your dashboard **Settings** and select **Messenger**. From there you can see your current usage, modify your plan, and update your payment method.\n\n## Automatic Contact Sync\n\nOne of Messenger's most powerful features is automatic contact synchronization. You do not need to manually add your vendors, association members, or customers -- the system keeps Messenger in sync with your account data.\n\n- **Vendors** who sign up for your market are automatically added as Messenger contacts with tags for their market, season, vendor type, category, and application status.\n- **Association members** are synced with tags for their member type and custom tags.\n- **Store customers** and **venue customers** are synced as contacts when they place orders or make bookings.\n- **Managers** on your account are synced as contacts with a \"manager\" tag.\n\nThese auto-synced contacts and their tags update whenever the underlying data changes, so your distribution lists stay current without any extra work.\n\n## Tips for Effective Messaging\n\n- **Use tags to segment your audience.** Instead of messaging everyone, target specific groups like vendors in a particular season, vendors with a specific application status, or customers from a certain source.\n- **Schedule campaigns ahead of time.** Use the campaign feature to prepare weekly market reminders, seasonal announcements, or holiday promotions in advance.\n- **Respect subscription rules.** Only send advertisement messages to subscribed contacts. Use transactional messages for order-related or event-related communications where there is an existing relationship.\n- **Check recipient counts before sending.** Click the count indicator in the To field to verify exactly who will receive your message.\n- **Print flyers for in-person events.** Use the built-in flyer generator to create QR-code-enabled handouts that help customers subscribe to your SMS notifications on the spot."}