For Studio Owners Using Walla
1. When do automations send, once created? Can I choose the time the campaign sends?
Answer: Our system batches and sends every 2 hours (up to DND hours). That means if you finalize/create your automation at 5:54 PM in your local time zone, it will run at the 6:00 PM batch window.
You cannot pick an exact minute (e.g., 5:37 PM), but you can choose to complete it before the next 2-hour window so the send happens soon.
If you wind up creating it just after a window has started, you’ll wait up to the next 2-hour slot.
2. What are DND hours and how are they applied?
Answer: DND = “Do Not Disturb” hours. These are blackout windows during which no bulk text messages will be sent to recipients. For Walla, the DND hours run from 7:00 PM to 8:00 AM in the studio’s local time zone.
That means no messages will go out during that time period, even if your batch window opens. If a campaign is ready at 6:15 PM, it would not send at 7 due to DND it will be held until after 8:00 AM.
DND opens at 8am, so we send at 8am/10am/12pm/2pm/4pm/6pm in your local time zone.
3. I have a rather large audience — will there be any delays in sending these campaigns?
Answer: Potentially — when the audience list is very large, you may experience longer upstream queueing and potential delays in actually delivering to all contacts. To avoid risk:
For large lists, we recommend creating the campaign well before the final batch window prior to DND begins. That gives the provider time to process all the SMS messages ahead of the blackout period.
As a best-practice tip: If you have a large audience, consider narrowing the list slightly — e.g., segmenting by most engaged customers, recent visits, or specific offers — rather than doing one giant blanket send.
Studies show that personalized or segmented SMS campaigns perform better than broad blast campaigns. Bloomreach+2Voxie+2
For example: one article notes that “bulk SMS … doesn’t necessarily have mass appeal” and suggests that targeted campaigns generate higher engagement. Attentive+1
Another piece states: “personalized SMS campaigns can significantly boost revenue and efficiency” when compared with generic mass texts. Voxie
So for Holiday season volume, better to send a well-timed, curated list than to risk a delayed or less efficient giant send.
4. Can I pick a specific send time (e.g., at 9:05 AM or at 12:30 PM) for a campaign?
Answer: Not exactly. Because we use 2-hour batching windows, you can aim to be ready just before a window (e.g., 9:59 AM) so your campaign goes at the 10:00 AM batch. But you cannot set an arbitrary minute. Plan to align with those windows. Also remember the DND window (7 PM-8 AM) when planning.
5. What happens if someone’s number is on a DND / Do Not Disturb registry or has opted-out?
Answer: We honour all opt-outs and any regulatory restrictions. If a recipient has unsubscribed from marketing texts, or if their number falls under a legally enforced DND registry (per regional telecom rules), our system will exclude that contact from the send. Make sure your subscriber list is clean and up-to-date ahead of Holiday campaigns to avoid wasted cost or messaging to invalid numbers.
6. Are there best-practices for Holiday (e.g., Black Friday / Cyber Monday) bulk texts I should follow?
Answer: Yes — especially given the higher volume and competitive inbox that comes with the holidays:
Segment your audience: target most engaged, recent visitors, high-LTV customers, or by offer interest rather than sending to your entire list. (As noted above, targeted tends to outperform true mass blasts.)
Ensure message relevance & brevity: The top SMS marketing guides emphasise high open-rates (SMS can have open rates nearing 98 %) and fast engagement. Textdrip+1
Pre-plan time-windows: Know your batching windows and DND hours so you’re not caught sending too late or where messages get queued.
Use urgency correctly: “Ends midnight”, “first 50 customers”, “while supplies last” — Holiday campaigns often perform better with clear time-bound calls-to-action.
Avoid over-messaging: Because people are receiving more messages in this period, too many texts may lead to opt-outs.
Clean your list: Remove inactive or unsubscribed numbers so you focus on engaged contacts.
Track & measure: After your campaign, review delivery rates, click/open rates (where trackable), and conversions to optimize for future waves (e.g., follow-ups, last-minute flash offers).
7. What does “batching every 2 hours” really mean for my send schedule?
Answer: Simply: The system processes campaigns at fixed windows every two hours (e.g., 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, … up to the last one before 7:00 PM if in DND zone). So if you submit your automation (and everything is configured and approved) at 2:45 PM, it'll go at the 4:00 PM batch window. If it's submitted at 4:05 PM, it'll go at the 6:00 PM window (provided that’s still before the 7:00 PM DND start). If it’s after 7:00 PM, it will go at or after 8:00 AM the next day. So timing your setup matters.
8. How large is “large” for audience size, i.e., when should I expect possible delays?
Answer: While “large” depends on many factors (carrier capacity, geographic spread, your list cleanliness, etc.), as a rule of thumb: if you’re sending to the majority of your list or sending thousands of messages, you should assume possible delays and buffer accordingly. If you’re unsure, run a test segment ahead of your main send to check delivery timing.
9. If I narrow my list (segment) ahead of the send, what kind of segments are effective for studios?
Answer: For studio-owners, some smart segments might include:
Recent visitors (last 30 / 60 days)
High-value customers (those who have spent above a threshold)
Lapsed clients (haven’t booked in last 90 days)
Offer-interested customers (those who've clicked via previous texts or emails)
Localised offers (members within a specific ZIP code or neighbourhood)
The idea: use the audience data you already have to refine who you message so you drive higher conversion rather than high volume for volume’s sake.
10. What if I submit a campaign and we hit a technical issue (e.g., message fail or delay)?
Answer: If you suspect there is an issue (e.g., unusually low delivery rate, bounce rate, or recipient complaints), contact Walla support immediately — provide the campaign details, audience size, and send window. We’ll help troubleshoot with our team. For Holiday sends especially, plan a buffer window ahead of peak deadline so you have time to troubleshoot.
Summary & Best Tip
When planning your Holiday bulk-text campaign in Walla: plan early, segment smart, time with awareness of batching and DND, and prioritise relevance over sheer volume. Doing so increases your chance of reaching the right people, at the right time, with the right message.