Before you can send a message, you need to add at least one recipient to your address book. This guide walks you through the process.
What You'll Need
To add a recipient, you'll need:
- Their full name as you'd like it to appear
- Either a valid email address or phone number (at least one is required)
- A personal note to help them identify you
While only one contact method is required, we recommend providing both an email address and phone number. This ensures we have multiple ways to reach your recipient, increasing the likelihood your message is successfully delivered.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Navigate to your Address Book from the dashboard
- Click the Add Address button
- Fill in the recipient's details
- Choose whether to send an immediate notification (optional)
- Save the contact
Sending a Notification
When adding a recipient, you have the option to send them a notification immediately. This lets them know that someone has stored a message for them that may be delivered in the future.
Why Send a Notification?
- Whitelisting - Your recipient can add One Final Message to their contacts or safe sender list, ensuring future messages don't end up in spam
- Awareness - They'll know to expect a message from you someday, so it won't come as a complete surprise
- Verification - Confirms their contact details are correct and they can receive messages from us
What the Notification Says
The notification is simple and respectful. It lets them know someone has a message stored for them without revealing who you are or what the message contains. Your identity remains private until delivery.
Once a notification is sent, it cannot be unsent. Only enable this option if you're comfortable with your recipient knowing a message exists.
Writing a Personal Note
The personal note is what your recipient will see when they first receive your message. Make it personal and identifiable so they know it's genuinely from you.
Good personal notes include details only you and your recipient would know:
- "It's Dad - remember our fishing trips at Lake Tahoe every July?"
- "From your college roommate Jamie - 312 Elm St, sophomore year"
- "Your sister Sarah - the one who always burned the Thanksgiving rolls"
A well-written personal note helps ensure your recipient opens and reads your message. Need inspiration? See our sample personal notes for more ideas.
Managing Your Recipients
You can edit or remove recipients at any time from your address book. However, if you remove a recipient who has a scheduled message, that message will need to be reassigned or deleted.