Spam regulations don't exist to penalise marketers. Instead, it helps make the experience better for your business and your recipients.
Plus, spam compliance isn't a difficult task to achieve. If you follow a few simple rules, you'll start sending SMS campaigns that your customers will love.
1. Get permission
You can get opt-ins by:
Filling in a form
- Ticking a box on a website
- Asking over the phone
- Asking face-to-face
- Getting them to text to a number
- Having existing business relationships
Subscribers must be aware that they will receive commercial SMS messages from you when they opt-in.
If you already have a strong relationship with your recipients, then consent may be "implied". For example, if they purchased from you recently, or if they're an existing club member or service subscriber.
2. Identify yourself
By law, you must always identify yourself by your business name within the text message, since it will come from a number that your customers will likely not recognise.
You may also wish to qualify the recipient as to why they are receiving your message since they won't remember when or how they subscribe to your list. If you remind them, you reduce the risk of damaging your brand reputation.
3. Provide a simple opt-out
Most common opt-out methods:
- Reply to the text message with STOP
- Text STOP to a virtual number
- Call the number in the message
We recommend the first method since it's the simplest. Otherwise, you'll spend extra money on customers that don't want to hear from you.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Why do I need an opt-out if they're my customers?
A. Your customers change over time, and they may lose interest in your products and services. Opt-outs keep your lists clean—it lowers costs and improves your return on investment. Plus, it improves your customer experience.
Q. Can my business name be the Caller ID?
A. Yes but the opt-outs become more difficult as they now need to text STOP to a virtual number or call.
Recipients will read text messages from an unknown number, so you don't need to use your business name as your Caller ID. Just make sure to identify yourself immediately.
Example:
"Burst Coffee—One-year anniversary celebration! Get a cup of free coffee on 1/6/2019. Show this to the barista to claim. Opt out reply STOP."
Q. Do you buy or sell lists?
A. No, we don't. It's an extremely bad practice. We encourage you to grow your own. If you need help, let us know.
Further Reading
5 best-practice tips to create an SMS campaign
Tips for composing well received SMS marketing text messages