How Message Scheduling Works in Telerivet

Messaging in Telerivet is built around three core questions: who you want to reach, what message you want to send, and when the message should go out.
This article focuses on the when.

Telerivet provides several flexible scheduling options across Send Message, Message Broadcasts, Relative Campaigns, and Birthday or Anniversary Campaigns. Each option serves a different communication need.

Understanding Messaging in Telerivet: Messages, Broadcasts, and Campaigns

Below is a clear overview of the four scheduling models available today.

1. Immediate Send

Available in:

• Send Message
• Message Broadcast

Immediate send delivers your message right away to your selected contacts or groups.
Use this when you need to communicate quickly or when timing does not depend on a specific date.

Best for:

• Alerts
• Quick updates
• Last-minute changes
• Internal staff messages

2. Scheduled Date and Time

Available in:

• Send Message
• Message Broadcast

Scheduled sends allow you to pick a specific date, time, and time zone.

You can:

• Set a send date in the future
• Choose the exact time
• Preview your message before sending
• Use personalization and short links as needed 

This is the simplest form of planned sending. Best for:

• Announcements
• Promotions
• Event reminders
• Newsletter-style SMS

3. Relative Scheduling (Before / On / After a Date)

Available in:

• Relative Campaigns
• Send Message → Relative tab
• Birthday / Anniversary Campaigns 

Relative scheduling allows you to send messages based on a date stored for each contact.

This is what powers automated reminders and drip sequences.

You can schedule messages:

• Before the date (for eg. 1 day before an appointment)
• On the date (for eg. on signup_date)
• After the date (for eg. 3 days after registration)

In Relative Campaigns, you can add multiple steps and build full journeys.
In Send Message, relative scheduling creates a one-time event for each contact. Best for:

• Appointment reminders
• Post-visit follow-up
• Drip sequences
• Onboarding flows
• Renewal reminders

4. Recurring Annual Scheduling (Birthday / Anniversary Campaigns)

Available in:

• Birthday / Anniversary Campaign

Birthday / Anniversary Campaigns automate annual messages based on a contact’s stored date field, such as birthday, join date, or membership anniversary.

You can:

• Select any custom date field
• Send before, on, or after the anniversary
• Choose whether to send on the next occurrence or on every occurrence
• Create multi-step annual campaigns if needed

The key difference from regular relative scheduling is that these messages repeat automatically every year.

Best for:

• Birthday greetings
• Renewal notices
• Customer anniversaries
• Loyalty milestones

How to Choose the Right Scheduling Model