When you’re trying to connect with clients, partners, or even old colleagues, time gets eaten up faster than you think. One thing that used to slow me down was typing out the same basic info over and over. If that sounds familiar, there’s a simple fix that saves a ton of time: text replacement on your phone.
Most smartphones—iPhone or Android—let you set up custom shortcuts that drop in full messages or chunks of info with just a few letters.
Here’s a real-world example. Let’s say I’m at an event and meet someone I want to follow up with. I say, let me send you a text with my contact info. Then, I send a text to their phone number that looks like “For Jane Smith” and then my short code, like “introMike”. The phone instantly converts “introMike” to:
“This is Mike Martino with Accent on Demand, creators of Midday Memories. https://accentondemand.com https://middaymemories.com (727) 219-1219, mike@accentinspired.com. If it’s not too inconvenient, please just click on this link below and pick a time on my calendar to chat. You can schedule a call, or a meeting this way. Thanks! https://AccentOnDemand.com/mikestpete”
Instead of burning three minutes retyping all that, you spend about three seconds. Did you notice is also includes a suggestion of next steps? It’s a small adjustment that pays off every day. This is usually more effective then them receiving my vcard and having my information mixed in and lost in their other 800 contacts on their phone.
How to Set Up Text Replacement on Your Mobile Phone
For iPhone:
- Go to Settings: Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
- Select General: Scroll down and tap on General.
- Keyboard: Tap on Keyboard.
- Text Replacement: Scroll to find and tap on Text Replacement.
- Add New Shortcut: Tap the + in the top right corner to create a new shortcut.
- Enter Phrase and Shortcut:
- In the Phrase field, enter the full message or information you want to send (e.g., your intro message with your contact details).
- In the Shortcut field, create a short, easy-to-remember code like “introMike” or anything else that’s convenient for you.
- Save: Tap Save in the top right corner, and you’re done!
Now, whenever you type “introMike” in any text field, it will automatically replace it with your full message.
For Android:
- Open Settings: Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
- Language & Input: Scroll down and select Language & Input (or System, then Languages & Input).
- Virtual Keyboard: Tap on Virtual Keyboard, then select Gboard (or your preferred keyboard).
- Text Correction: Tap on Text Correction.
- Personal Dictionary: Select Personal Dictionary (usually located under the “Advanced” section).
- Add New Shortcut: Tap the + icon in the top-right corner to add a new entry.
- Enter Phrase and Shortcut:
- In the Phrase field, type out the full message you want to send (e.g., your introduction with your contact information).
- In the Shortcut field, create a short, easy-to-remember code (like “introMike”).
- Save: Tap Done or Save and you’re good to go!
Now, when you type your shortcut (e.g., “introMike”), it will automatically expand into your full message with all your details.
