Text messages must abide by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). TCPA text messages are subject to the TCPA and generally require prior express written consent before businesses send marketing SMS messages to clients, customers, or members of your business or company. TCPA applies to text messages and was initially enacted in 1991 to regulate telemarketing calls. TCPA governs SMS messages, particularly messages sent for marketing purposes.
If you are considering implementing SMS text messages for your business, you must follow the TCPA guidelines. Businesses that fail to comply with the guidelines may be subject to penalties ranging from $500 to $1,500 per violation. If you use SMS messages to reach clients or customers, be sure to follow the TCPA requirements.
TCPA Requirements
TCPA requirements apply to text messages only. To abide by TCPA requirements, your business must provide clear disclosures and obtain prior express written consent from those who will receive the texts. In addition to this, you must complete all the record-keeping requirements. A clear opt-out mechanism must be provided as well.
When sending messages, certain rules should be followed. For instance, do not send the text in the middle of the night. Opting for when to send an SMS message is strategic and requires patience. Sending messages at the wrong time can lead to fewer messages being opened. Additionally, do not send unwanted messages that are considered spam. You want your messages to be read, not immediately sent to a spam folder.
SMS Text Messages
According to the National Library of Medicine, text messaging is a powerful communication tool, especially for public health purposes. SMS messages can be customized to meet the individual’s needs. When healthcare is involved, businesses must also follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to ensure medical information is not shared with an individual by mistake.
SMS text messages can include the following:
- Promoting personalized journeys
- Engaging customers with tasks
- Harnessing AI-powered messaging
- Mass texting
- Providing follow-up texts
- Managing conversations
- Sending messages across more channels
- Designing surveys to learn the thoughts of customers
- Using integration options and powerful enterprise tools
- Coordinating messages to send out on specific days at appropriate times
All of the above are ways to use SMS text messaging and marketing to reach customers more easily, learn more about a customer’s interests, and provide customers with news about upcoming product deals and discounts.
SMS Text Messaging Is Beneficial
SMS text messaging can be beneficial in numerous ways. Not only can you receive more engagement from customers and clients, but you can also discover new clientele through word-of-mouth. If your SMS marketing campaign is successful, you will find individuals signing up for texts in-store or from receiving a promotional email about SMS texts.
SMS text messaging is beneficial to marketing, such as providing customers with:
- Updated information regarding product availability, store hours, or inclement weather
- Links to discount codes and coupons of the day or week
- Reminders regarding special openings, closings, appointments, or holiday hours
- Alerts revealing new arrivals, expiring offers, or upcoming events
As you can see, SMS messaging can bring about much positive interaction between your business and customers.
Consider SMS Marketing
Consider Trumpia for all of your SMS marketing needs. Referred to as the leading SMS marketing software on the market and named number one by Forbes, we offer a fully automated suite that lets you handle complex tasks with automated workflows, making SMS text marketing easier.
Consider Trumpia’s automated messaging service a cost-effective way for your business or nonprofit to reach customers and build an audience over time. Our SMS messages have a 98% read rate, which can boost sales, promote events, offer customer surveys, or provide critical alerts. Contact us today to learn more.
