- Replying to someone who texted or called you is different from sending promotions; promotions need their written permission.
- Business texting goes out from a number registered with the carriers: A2P 10DLC for regular numbers, or toll-free verification.
- Send marketing texts only between 8 am and 9 pm in the customer's time zone; some states, such as Florida, are stricter.
- STOP must stop everything, right away.
On this page: Two kinds of messages · Getting permission the right way · Register your number · Hours and opt-outs · How Valeria One does it
Two kinds of messages
Service messages answer something the person started: a reply to their question, a reminder for an appointment they booked, a receipt. Marketing messages promote: offers, “we miss you”, seasonal campaigns.
The rules for marketing are much stricter, so it helps to label every message as one or the other before it goes out.
Getting permission the right way
Ask with a checkbox that isn't ticked in advance, say what they'll receive and how often, and keep a record of when and how they agreed.
Keep two separate permissions: one to reply to their request, and one to send promotions. Agreeing to be contacted about a quote is not agreeing to receive offers.
Register your number
US carriers expect business texts to come from a registered number. With Twilio this is A2P 10DLC registration for local numbers, or toll-free verification. Unregistered traffic gets filtered or blocked.
Hours and opt-outs
Send promotions at reasonable local hours, between 8 am and 9 pm at the latest, and check your state's rules, since some are stricter. Make STOP work instantly and permanently, and don't keep texting someone who asked you to stop.
This is general information, not legal advice. If texting is a big part of your business, talk to a lawyer about your exact situation.
How Valeria One does it
Every message is either service or marketing. Each customer's marketing permission is stored with where it came from. Marketing to someone without permission is blocked, US marketing doesn't go out between 9 pm and 8 am local time, and STOP (and words like UNSUBSCRIBE) is honored right away. Texts go from your own Twilio number, registered in your own Twilio account.