Quick answer
A good bulk SMS template in Kenya is under 160 standard characters, names the recipient, states one fact or action with a date, gives a Paybill or WhatsApp number where needed, and signs off with your organisation's name. Promotional templates must also include a simple opt-out, such as "Opt out: WhatsApp STOP to 07XX XXX XXX". Below are 31 examples by sector.
Key takeaways
- Keep each template under 160 standard characters, leaving 15 to 25 characters spare for names and amounts.
- Put the action first: what is due, when, and how to pay or respond.
- Every promotional SMS needs an opt-out line; reminders and notices do not need one but should respect anyone who asks to stop.
- Avoid emoji and curly quotes, which switch an SMS to Unicode and cut it to 70 characters per part.
- Add a WhatsApp number whenever you expect replies, because people cannot reply to a sender ID.
Writing the same reminder from scratch every term wastes time, and rushed messages tend to run long, miss the Paybill number or forget the opt-out. A small library of tested templates fixes all three.
Below are 31 bulk SMS templates written for Kenyan organisations: schools, clinics and pharmacies, shops, SACCOs, landlords and churches. Each one is under 160 characters before you fill in the details, so it normally costs a single SMS. After the templates, a short step-by-step section shows how to adapt and send them safely.
What makes a good bulk SMS template?
A good template does one job in one SMS. It tells the reader who it is from, what they need to know and what to do next, in plain words. Words in square brackets, such as [Name] and [Amount], are the details you fill in from your contact list.
The examples use made-up names (GREENHILL SCH, MERCY CLINIC, TAMU FASHIONS, UMOJA SACCO, BAHARI HOMES, ST MARKS CHURCH) and placeholder numbers such as Paybill 123456 and [your number]. Replace them with your own. The sign-off at the end is optional: your sender ID already shows your name, but a sign-off helps when a message is forwarded.
School SMS templates
Schools mostly send transactional messages to parents: fees, dates, meetings and emergencies. For more on fee reminders specifically, see how to send school fee reminders and our page on bulk SMS for schools.
- Dear [Name], Term 3 fee balance for [Student] is KES [Amount]. Pay via Paybill 123456, acc: admission no., by 30 Sept. GREENHILL SCH
- Dear parent, school closes on Fri 25 Oct at 12 noon. Kindly arrange transport. Principal, GREENHILL SCH
- Dear parent, Form 2 parents' meeting is on Sat 9 Nov at 10am in the school hall. Your attendance is important. GREENHILL SCH
- Dear [Name], [Student]'s end of term report is ready. Collect it from the school office on closing day. GREENHILL SCH
- URGENT: Due to heavy rain, school is closed today. Students should stay home. Updates will follow by SMS. GREENHILL SCH
- Dear [Name], [Student] has been admitted to Form 1. Reporting day is Mon 6 Jan. For the fee structure, WhatsApp [your number].
Clinic and pharmacy SMS templates
Health information is sensitive personal data under the Data Protection Act, so these templates never name a test, condition or medicine. Template 11 is promotional and carries an opt-out. Our guide on sending appointment reminders covers timing and no-shows.
- Dear [Name], reminder: your appointment is tomorrow at 10:30am. To reschedule, WhatsApp or call [your number]. MERCY CLINIC
- Dear [Name], your results are ready. Kindly visit the clinic or call [your number]. MERCY CLINIC
- Dear [Name], your child's next immunisation visit is due on 14 Nov. Please bring the clinic card. MERCY CLINIC
- Dear [Name], your next refill is due this week. WhatsApp [your number] to have it ready for collection. MERCY PHARMACY
- Free blood pressure and sugar screening this Sat, 8am-1pm at Mercy Clinic, Ngong Rd. All welcome. Opt out: WhatsApp STOP to [your number]
Retail and online shop SMS templates
Shops send both kinds of SMS, so they usually need two sender IDs on Safaricom: one for offers and one for order updates. Templates 12, 13 and 17 are promotional and must only go to customers who opted in. See bulk SMS for shops for more ideas.
- Hi [Name], 20% off all shoes this weekend at Tamu Fashions, Moi Ave. Show this SMS at the till. Opt out: WhatsApp STOP to [your number]
- New arrivals: kitenge dresses now in store at Tamu Fashions. Order on WhatsApp [your number]. To opt out, WhatsApp STOP.
- Hi [Name], order #[Order] is confirmed. We deliver tomorrow 9am-1pm. Questions? WhatsApp [your number]. TAMU ORDERS
- Hi [Name], your order is out for delivery and will arrive today. Rider: 0711000000. TAMU ORDERS
- Payment of KES [Amount] received for order #[Order]. Thank you for shopping with Tamu Fashions.
- We miss you, [Name]! Enjoy 10% off your next order with code KARIBU10 until 30 Nov. Opt out: WhatsApp STOP to [your number]
SACCO and microfinance SMS templates
Members should learn that a genuine message always comes from your registered name and never asks for a PIN. These are all transactional. Our article on WhatsApp and SMS for SACCOs goes further.
- Dear [Name], your loan instalment of KES [Amount] is due on 5 Nov. Pay via Paybill 123456, acc: member no. UMOJA SACCO
- Dear [Name], we have received KES [Amount] to your savings. Thank you. We will never ask for your PIN. UMOJA SACCO
- Notice: Umoja SACCO AGM is on Sat 14 Dec at 9am, County Hall, Nyeri. All members are requested to attend. UMOJA SACCO
- Beware of fraudsters. Umoja SACCO staff will never ask for your PIN or for money sent to a personal number. Call [your number] if in doubt.
- Dear [Name], your loan application ref [Ref] has been approved. Funds will reach your account within 24 hours. UMOJA SACCO
Landlord and property manager SMS templates
Tenants need rent reminders, receipts and building notices, all transactional. Tag tenants by building so notices only reach the people affected. More tips are on bulk SMS for landlords.
- Dear [Name], rent for [House] is due on 5 Nov. Pay via Paybill 123456, acc: house no. Thank you. BAHARI HOMES
- Dear [Name], we have received your rent of KES [Amount] for November. Thank you. BAHARI HOMES
- Notice: water will be off on Tue 9am-3pm for tank cleaning at Bahari Court. Please store water. BAHARI HOMES
- Notice: the lift at Bahari Court Block B is under repair until Thu. Report other issues on WhatsApp [your number]. BAHARI HOMES
Church SMS templates
Send these to members who agreed to receive church updates when they filled in a membership or visitor card. Kiswahili uses the standard alphabet, so it fits 160 characters just like English.
- Dear [Name], join us this Sunday for Family Service at 10am. Theme: Walking in Faith. God bless you. ST MARKS CHURCH
- Harambee update: we have raised 1.2M of our 2M target for the new sanctuary. Give via Paybill 222333. Asante sana! ST MARKS
- Thank you, [Name], for your gift of KES [Amount] to the building fund. May God bless you abundantly. ST MARKS CHURCH
- Mpendwa [Name], ibada ya shukrani ni Jumapili hii saa 3 asubuhi. Karibu pamoja na familia yako. ST MARKS CHURCH
- Youth fellowship meets this Friday at 5pm in the church hall. All youth welcome. ST MARKS CHURCH
Before you start
You need four things before sending any of these templates:
- A registered sender ID so messages arrive under your name. Transactional and promotional messages need separate sender IDs on Safaricom. See sender ID registration.
- A contact list in a spreadsheet with names, phone numbers and any details you will fill in, such as balances or house numbers, saved as CSV.
- Consent records for anyone who will receive promotions.
- Prepaid credit. With chat.or.ke each SMS part costs KES 0.55, with no monthly fee.
Step 1: Pick the right template type
Decide whether your message is transactional or promotional before you edit it. A reminder about the reader's own fees, loan or appointment is transactional. Anything that advertises an offer, event or product is promotional, even to loyal customers. If you are unsure, read transactional vs promotional SMS and treat borderline messages as promotional.
Step 2: Personalise with your contact data
Replace each square-bracket field with a column from your contact list. In chat.or.ke you import the CSV, then insert variables such as the first name or balance, so every recipient sees their own details. Check one or two rows by eye: a missing balance that prints as a blank looks careless.
Step 3: Check the length and characters
Keep the final message, with the longest name on your list, under 160 characters. Messages from 161 to 306 characters cost two SMS. Type the message directly rather than pasting from Word or WhatsApp, because curly quotes, long dashes and emoji switch the SMS to Unicode, which fits only 70 characters per part. The free SMS character counter shows the count and parts.
Step 4: Add the opt-out and a reply route
Every promotional SMS needs a free, simple way to stop. People cannot reply to a sender ID, so give another route, such as "Opt out: WhatsApp STOP to [your number]". In chat.or.ke, contacts who send STOP to your WhatsApp or SMS line are marked as opted out and skipped in every future campaign. For reminders, add a WhatsApp number so people can ask questions.
Step 5: Test, schedule and check delivery
Send the message to yourself and one colleague first, on different networks if you can. Then send to your list, or schedule it for a sensible daytime hour: mornings and early evenings work well for reminders. Afterwards, read the delivery report and fix or remove numbers that failed. The full process is in how to send bulk SMS in Kenya.
Published 20 October 2026 Updated 20 October 2026 Plain-text version
