Learn how to automate SMS and email reminders using Pabbly Connect, Airtable, and Gmail for webinars and events with this step-by-step guide. Master proven automation processes with practical implementation examples and strategic recommendations you can apply immediately in your workflow.

Watch Step By Step Video Tutorial Below

1. Setting Up Pabbly Connect for Automation

To start automating SMS and email reminders, we will use Pabbly Connect. First, navigate to the Pabbly Connect homepage by typing the URL in your browser. You will find options to sign in or sign up for free. If you are a new user, click on the ‘Sign Up for Free’ button to create an account. This will provide you with 100 free tasks each month.

Once logged in, you will be directed to the dashboard where you can see all your workflows. To create a new workflow, click on the ‘Create Workflow’ option. A dialog box will appear asking for a workflow name. Enter ‘Schedule and Send Automated Emails and SMS from Airtable Records’ and select a folder to save this workflow.

2. Defining Triggers and Actions for SMS and Email

In this section, we will define triggers and actions essential for our automation. The trigger is the event that starts the workflow, while actions are the tasks performed once the trigger occurs. For our case, we will set the trigger to be the scheduling of the workflow. using Pabbly Connect

  • Select ‘Schedule’ as the trigger application.
  • Choose ‘Schedule Workflow Trigger’ as the event.
  • Set the date and time for the workflow to trigger.

This setup allows us to automate sending reminders to participants based on the scheduled date and time. After configuring the trigger, the next step is to select the action application as Airtable to fetch participant details.

3. Integrating Airtable for Participant Details

To integrate Airtable, we need to set it as the action application. The goal is to retrieve participant details from Airtable to send SMS and emails. Start by selecting ‘Airtable’ as the action application and then choose ‘Get All Records’ as the action event. using Pabbly Connect

Next, connect your Airtable account by clicking on ‘Add New Connection.’ Grant access to your Airtable base containing the participant records. After successful connection, select the base named ‘Webinar Participants’. Ensure to turn off the ‘Simple Response’ option to receive multiple records.

Once you have set this up, click on ‘Save and Send Test Request’ to confirm that all participant details are being retrieved correctly. You should see a successful response with participant data in an array format, which will be used in subsequent steps.

4. Sending Emails and SMS Reminders

Now that we have the participant details, it’s time to send the reminders via email and SMS. For sending emails, select ‘Gmail’ as the action application and choose ‘Send Mail V1’ as the action event. Connect your Gmail account and fill in the required fields. using Pabbly Connect

  • Map the recipient’s email address from the Airtable response.
  • Enter a subject line like ‘Friendly Reminder: Webinar on Java Prerequisites’.
  • Compose the email body with personalized content.

After sending the email, we will set up SMS reminders using Twilio. Select Twilio as the action application and choose ‘Send SMS Message’ as the action event. Connect your Twilio account by entering your Account SID and Auth Token. Fill in the sender number and map the recipient’s phone number from the Airtable response.

5. Finalizing and Testing the Workflow

With all steps configured, it’s time to finalize and test the workflow. Ensure that all connections between Airtable, Gmail, and Twilio are successful. Run a test to check if emails and SMS are being sent correctly to the participant’s details retrieved from Airtable.

Once you confirm that the workflow works as intended, you can schedule it to run automatically. The automation will send out reminders to all participants without any manual intervention, making it efficient and effective.

Remember, this automation can also be adapted for other use cases, such as sending product updates or notifications. With Pabbly Connect, you can streamline various tasks without needing coding skills.

Conclusion

This guide summarizes the key points and helps you understand the essential features and benefits of using this tool.

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In conclusion, this tutorial demonstrates how to automate SMS and email reminders using Pabbly Connect, Airtable, and Gmail. By following these steps, you can efficiently manage participant communications for webinars and other events.