Text Message Marketing Laws
Since the dawn of the Information Age, marketers relentlessly try to win the hearts and minds of consumers through telephone technology. With the advent of the telephone, suddenly marketers ability to reach consumers personally became reality. Marketers reaching consumers from anywhere, even across the entire world, to sell them a product.
In the beginning, marketers, overzealous with their new-found ability to reach their consumers in a new way, employed less-than-savory methods to get their product “out there.” Even though there were no phone or text marketing laws, consumers became wary of telemarketers tactics. With this wariness came public outcry, and justifiably so. Reckless marketers took it too far and consumers needed protection. So, the TCPA came about.
What is the TCPA?
The TCPA, or Telephone Consumer Protection Act, protects consumers from marketers ill-intentions. Unregulated, harassing telemarketing calls caused the need for the TCPA. These federal laws regulate how automated systems make phone calls and send text messages. The penalty for violation of these phone or text marketing laws may exceed $1000 per call or text. Therefore, honoring your target audiences’ right to privacy gained importance.
TCPA Specifics
Further interpretation of the law led to the right of consumers to revoke, in any reasonable way, their consent to receive calls and text messages. Hence the Do Not Call Registry as well as the well-known “text STOP at any time to stop receiving messages.” Additionally, automated messages allowed only between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
The point of following TCPA
When you include someone in a mass text message for business purposes, getting their consent is necessary. No need to worry, though. TextSanity completely complies with these laws.
Legal ways to send mass text messages
Since TextSanity complies with TCPA, it’s perfect to send mass text messages to your consumers. A detailed explanation of how to use TextSanity follows. It shows you how to engage and communicate with consumers. That way you’ll get a good idea how to use it for your specific mass text messaging needs.
Sending mass text messages using the broadcasts page
The broadcasts page, a unique brainchild of TextSanity, allows you to send mass SMS messages to groups of contacts, under a specific tag. Mass text messages sent using the broadcast console don’t resemble group chats. Rather each contact messaged receives the message individually. Even better, when the contact replies to the mass text, it only replies to you, instead of the entire group messages.
A great way for organizations to communicate effectively with their stakeholders is through scheduling mass text messages. To schedule a mass text message simply choose any future date and time, within the parameters of the TCPA. With this tool, text message marketers ability to plan messages in advance amplifies.
Scheduling mass text messages using the broadcasts calendar
When you schedule mass text messages to your consumers using the broadcasts page, the calendar automatically populates with the information you enter. This broadcasts calendar details the specifics of your messages. If you decide you need to change the details of your scheduled mass text messages, simply navigate to the broadcasts page. There you may change the who, when, and what of the mass text messages.
How to set up and send mass text messages
Using keyword campaigns to send mass text messages
Another option for marketers to engage consumers: a keyword campaign. Designed to engage potential customers, campaigns, opt-in consumers to receive your mass text messages. When they text the keyword to your TextSanity phone number, your pre-set message flow asks them to opt-in for future messages. This allows you to include them in future mass text messages.
The benefit of opted-in consumers
Consumers who choose to opt-in become “opted-in contacts” in your contact database. Having many opted-in customers casts a wide net when sending mass text messages, and allows for you to follow text marketing laws.
The keyword campaign opt-in message, customizable three different ways, allows you to gather the information you need based on your marketing needs. If you simply want a customers phone number, ask consumers to reply with “YES” in the opt-in message; a consumer’s name and phone number, ask them to reply with their “NAME”; a consumer’s email and phone number, ask them to reply with their “EMAIL”.
The information is then added to your contact database. Remember, you may continue to collect as much information as your marketing needs call for.
How to set up keyword campaigns
The first step to set up a keyword campaign regards selecting a word. Consumers text this word when they want to engage with your campaign. For example, “Text ROCCOS1 to 505-465-8101” to receive Rocco’s Pizza deals.” The keyword: “ROCCOS1”.
The number comes with your TextSanity account. And, of course, putting up advertising around your business so consumers know to text the keyword is also necessary. Also, a texted keyword triggers an automated message flow you’ve previously set-up in TextSanity’s campaign page. The message flow depends on you. Make it as short or long as you like. Your contact database collects consumer responses available in a downloadable spreadsheet.
Using webforms to add consumers to your contact database
Keyword campaigns aren’t the only way to build a text message audience to send mass text messages to. TextSanity also helps you to opt-in consumers through webforms. Easily design and place webforms anywhere online, even on social media. Activate your webform to make it live. (Deactivate when you need to make changes.)
Organizing your responses to mass text messages with the contact database
Once you’ve started building your mass text message audience, you need a place to store and organize consumers information. Your contact database, designed to pull in consumers information from webforms and keyword campaigns, filters and searches based on tags. Choose one or many tags based on your marketing needs.
Using inbox to respond to mass text message individual replies
TextSanity’s inbox, the hub for individual consumer conversations, receives individual replies to mass text messages. Here you reply back to individual consumers in real time with the option to send text messages with links and attachments.
Start using TextSanity
As a marketer, you want to make sure you follow the law as you send mass text messages to consumers. The most convenient, legal way for you: TextSanity. Once you’ve used TextSanity to market to consumers, you won’t want to go back.
Carrie Duford is the editor in chief for TextSanity. As a meat-eating outdoor enthusiast who loves to volunteer in her community, she loves finding time to go on daily runs and hikes. Find her on LinkedIn.
