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đź§© Chatavise Lesson: Using the Message Variable Menu in the Mobile App

In this lesson, we’ll cover:

  • Where you can access the Message Variable Menu
  • How the menu is structured
  • How to personalize your messages with variables
  • Best practices to ensure they work properly

Let’s dive in!


📍 Accessing the Message Variable Menu

The location of the Message Variable Menu button depends on where you are in the app. Below are the four primary areas where it’s available:

1. One-on-One Texting

  • Open a chat thread
  • Tap the plus (+) icon to the right of the Send button
  • Tap Use Message Variables

2. Templates

  • Go to Menu > Marketing > Templates
  • Select an existing template
  • Tap the plus (+) icon to open the Message Variable Menu

3. Campaigns

  • Navigate to Menu > Marketing > Campaigns
  • Tap the plus (+) icon
  • Select recipients (e.g., yourself for testing)
  • Tap Create Message
  • Tap Variables

4. Workflows

  • Go to Menu > Automation > Workflows
  • Choose an existing workflow
  • Tap Actions > Add Step
  • Select Chatavise > Send a Text
  • Tap the plus (+) icon, then Use Message Variables

📌 No matter where you’re composing a message, the Message Variable Menu is always just a tap away.


đź§­ Exploring the Message Variable Menu (In Campaigns)

Let’s explore how the menu is organized using a Campaign as an example.

  1. Go to Campaigns
  2. Tap + > Select Contacts > Create Message
  3. Tap Variables

đź—‚ Categories & Variables

At the top of the menu, you’ll see Categories. These help you organize and access variables relevant to your message.

Common categories include:

  • Business Card
  • Contacts (e.g., First Name, Last Name)
  • Feedback
  • Links (custom or trackable URLs)
  • Locations
  • Meeting
  • Order
  • Referral
  • Survey
  • Tracking
  • Users

đź§  Only categories with available variables will appear.
For example, if you haven’t created a Survey or Business Card, those categories won’t display.


✍️ Creating a Personalized Message with Variables

Let’s walk through building a custom message using variables.

  1. Start typing:
    Hi (no space after)
  2. Tap Variables
    • Change category to Contact
    • Select First Name
    Output: Hi #firstName
  3. Add:
    Here is the link to RSVP
  4. Tap Variables
    • Switch to the Links category
    • Find and select your Eventbrite link
    Final Message Example: nginxCopyEditHi #firstName, here is the link to RSVP: #link-xxxxxxxxxxxx
  5. Add:
    Make sure we’re connected on social media:
  6. Tap Variables
    • Choose the Business Card category
    • Insert your business card link

đź§  Personalization Tip: Message variables adapt to each recipient and even generate unique, trackable links to measure engagement.


🚨 Critical Tip: Do Not Edit Message Variable Structures

Message variables have a specific format, like:

arduinoCopyEdit#bio-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Do NOT:

  • Delete the #
  • Edit the string of characters
  • Reword it in any way

If you break the format, the variable won’t work—it will send as plain text instead of dynamic content.


âś… Summary

Now you know:

  • Where to find the Message Variable Menu in the mobile app
  • How to use categories to access the right variables
  • How to personalize messages with smart links and contact data
  • How to avoid errors when using variables

✨ Variables are a small feature with big power—perfect for boosting response rates, improving segmentation, and making every message feel personal.


See you in the next lesson!

In this lesson, we’re going to cover how to access the message variable menu and how the menu is set up in the mobile app.

The button to access the message variable menu varies depending on where in the mobile app you are trying to access it. For example, in one-on-one texting, we can access it by clicking on the button to the right of “Send.” Here, we’ll see “Use Message Variables.” When we click on it, we’re presented with the message variable menu.

When working with templates, we can scroll down to the Marketing section, click on Templates, and let’s work with an existing template to save time. When we click on this button right here, we can access the message variable menu.

We can also access the message variable menu when we’re working with campaigns. In the Marketing section, click on Campaigns. Hit the plus sign, and let’s quickly get to the screen where we can craft a campaign text message. Here, if we click on Variables, we can access the message variable menu.

And the last place on the mobile app where we can access this menu: if we scroll down to Automations and click on Workflows, let’s work with an existing workflow to save time. I’m going to click on this one here. Actions → Add a Step One → choose Chatavise → scroll down to Send a Text. So in this screen here, where we would be crafting the text message for this workflow, if we hit this plus sign and click on Use Message Variables, we’ll be able to access it there as well.

No matter where you’re at in the mobile app, if you need to write a message, you can access the message variable menu.


Exploring the Message Variable Menu in Campaigns

Let’s use message variables in Campaigns to see how the message variable menu is set up.

  1. Scroll down to Marketing and click on Campaigns.
  2. Hit the plus sign → Select Contacts (for this example, I’m just going to choose myself) → hit Create Message.
  3. Click on Variables.

Now we’ve accessed the message variable menu.

  • At the top, you’ll see Categories.
  • The Variables for that category are shown beneath it.
  • Press on the dropdown for categories to see other options available.

You’ll typically see categories like:

  • Business Card
  • Contacts
  • Feedback
  • Links
  • Locations
  • Meeting
  • Order
  • Referral
  • Survey
  • Tracking
  • Users

Note: You won’t see every category if there are no active variables for that category in your account.

  • For example: if you haven’t created a Survey, you won’t see the Survey category.
  • If you haven’t created a Business Card, that category won’t appear either. (Business Cards in Chatavise are free, so make sure you create one!)

Creating a Personalized Message with Variables

Let’s start crafting a campaign text:

  1. Type: Hi
  2. (No space afterward) → Click on Variables → change category to Contact → select First Name.

Now your message looks like this:

#firstName

Here is the link to RSVP
  1. (No space) → Click on Variables → under Links, search “event” → select your Eventbrite link.

Now your message is simple but highly personalized:

  • #firstName – will automatically insert the recipient’s first name (if available).
  • The link variable will generate a unique trackable link for each recipient. This enables you to gather analytics on how many people clicked it.

You can keep adding:

“Make sure we’re connected on social media by clicking this link.”

  • Insert your Business Card variable link here using the Business category.

Critical Tip When Using Variables

Do not modify the structure of a message variable.
For example, don’t change:

#bio-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If you break that structure (e.g., delete the hash or edit the middle), it won’t function—it will just send out that literal string of characters.


That’s it! Now you know:

  • Where you can access the message variable menu in the app
  • How to personalize messages using variables
  • Best practices to avoid breaking variables

With that, I’ll see you in the next lesson!