SMS Consent: Why It Matters And How To Get It Right? 2024

Think about the last time you received an unrequested text message. That immediate annoyance of seeing a promotional offer you never asked for—how did it make you feel? 😒 It’s frustrating, right?

Now, imagine if that frustration was directed at your brand.  😪 SMS marketing can be incredibly powerful for your business only if done right.  Without the receiver’s proper consent, it can quickly become a problem. 

So, how do you ensure that your messages are welcomed rather than resented? 

Read the blog to explore SMS consent, why it is important, its types, the ways to obtain it, and the best practices for SMS consent.

What is SMS Consent?

SMS consent is the permission given by an individual to receive sms messages from a business or organization. It is usually obtained when a person opts in to receive messages such as promotional offers, notifications, or updates. It’s a crucial part of SMS marketing and virtual communication practices.

For example: Suppose you have signed up for a novel site for reading books. After entering the dashboard, a message pops up saying, “Sign up for our exclusive offers via SMS! Text READ to 459 to receive weekly discounts and free books from Novellover. By texting READ, you agree to receive automated promotional messages. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”

Why is SMS Consent Important?

SMS consent is important because you won’t want to pay for a message that is of no value to the recipient.

Below are the listed reasons to better understand the importance of SMS consent. 

1. Legal Compliance 

You should not send promotional messages without the consent of a customer. SMS regulators will charge you a heavy fine if they find you sending an SMS without obtaining permission from the customers. 

The fine charge depends on the number of customers affected and you also might lose the capability to send messages. However, if you obtain proper text message consent from the recipient, you can avoid these legal issues and continue your SMS campaigns safely.

2. Customer Trust

Every business’s main goal is obtaining customer trust, and SMS consent is the best way to do so. When you obtain consent from the customer, they will view your business as professional and trustworthy. 

A sense of trust will bloom in them, and they will rely on your business to fulfill their requirements. 

3. Enhanced Marketing Effectiveness

SMS marketing helps companies keep their customers informed about their products or services and using text message consent will help in SMS marketing compliance effectiveness. 

Customers who have express consent will engage more with your messages, which will lead to higher response rates and increased revenue sales.

4. Reduce Spam Complaints

When you obtain your customer’s consent, they will only receive the business texts they have subscribed to. 

This will help reduce spam complaints, and your customers will receive your promotional messages without having to deal with unwanted texts. 

You will not be misjudged as a spammer, and your customers will be satisfied with your service. 

5. Improve Customer Experience

SMS consent is important to improve the customer service experience. When customers express written consent or simply express consent, you will get data on their preferences. 

This insight will help you provide a personalized experience to your consumers. Along with them getting satisfied with your service, your business sales will boost. 

6. Risk Mitigation

According to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in the U.S. and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, businesses must obtain explicit consent before sending promotional messages. 

If you violate SMS compliance, you will have to pay a huge sum of penalty money and risk a damage brand reputation. It will leave a negative impression on your customers, and your business will decline. Hence, it is wise to obtain customer consent before sending business text messages. 

Types of SMS Consent

There are various types of SMS consent, and they are:

1. Express Consent

Express consent is a type of text message consent in which when a user actively gives permission to receive SMS messages. This consent is obtained when customers reply to a text message, provide written consent through forms, or opt-in through a website.

SMS consent example, a customer sends a text with the keyword “JOIN” to 1495 to receive sales updates.

2. Implied Consent

Implied consent SMS is another type of SMS consent. In this type of consent, a user’s actions or behavior suggest that they agree to something, even if they haven’t clearly said so. 

For example, when customers purchase a laptop, they provide their phone numbers to the store, and the store has a clear policy stating that the customer may receive SMS notifications about their purchase. 

3. Opt-in Consent

When a user explicitly agrees to receive SMS messages by signing up or subscribing, it is known as opt-in consent. It can be done through a website, app, or in-person interaction. This type of consent process clearly explains what kind of messages the user will receive and how often.

For example, when a customer subscribes to a newsletter and checks a box that says, “I agree to receive SMS updates,” they are clearly consenting to receive text messages from the company.

4. Double Opt-in SMS Consent 

Double opt-in SMS consent is a stronger form of text message consent. In this consent, the user must confirm their subscription or opt-in request twice. 

For example, after a customer texts a keyword to opt in, they will receive a confirmation message asking them to reply with “YES” to finalize their subscription. This helps verify genuine customers.

5. Opt-out Consent 

Opt-out consent occurs when customers are automatically included in a service or communication list but have the option to decline or unsubscribe.

For example, a customer who signs up for a movie site will be directly added to the site’s email list. The customer will receive marketing emails unless the “unsubscribe” link is clicked to opt-out.

5. Transactional Consent

Transactional consent is the consent given by a customer to receive SMS messages that are directly related to a transaction or service they are using. 

For example, when a customer orders a t-shirt online, an SMS confirming the purchase along with the order details and delivery time will be sent to the customer’s Phone Number. 

How to Obtain SMS Consent?

SMS consent can be obtained using various methods. Such methods are: 

Clear and Concise SMS Consent Forms

One method of obtaining text message consent consent is to use clear and concise consent forms. The consent forms must clearly tell the customers what type of content (e.g., promotional, updates, alerts) they will receive in the near future. 

Additionally, customers will be more encouraged to express written consent when they know how often and who has sent them the marketing messages.  

Double Opt-in SMS Process

Another method to obtain SMS consent is the double opt-in process. Here, the customers will receive a confirmation message or a verification link to consent to the business texts or marketing messages.

This method will ensure that the customers are genuinely interested in your products and services.

SMS Opt-in Campaigns

Another effective way to get text message consent is through SMS opt-in campaigns. In these campaigns, customers can easily opt-in by texting a specific keyword to a short code or phone number.

This SMS opt-in example works well for gaining consent for promotions, updates, newsletters, and other marketing communications. 

Terms and Conditions

Before using a product or service, customers must agree to the business’s terms and conditions. You can obtain customer consent by including information about marketing messaging in your terms and conditions.

This will ensure that customers are aware of what they are agreeing to when they provide their phone numbers.

Privacy Policy

To ensure you have proper SMS consent, it’s essential to update your privacy policy. This policy should clearly outline how customer data will be used, stored, and shared.

It should also inform customers about how they can manage their preferences or opt-out of receiving messages.

Mobile App Permissions

Mobile app permissions also help obtain customer consent. If you have mobile applications, you must clearly explain the app permissions and consent requests. This will help you meet customers’ expectations.

Best Practices for SMS Consent

Taking advantage of text messaging benefits effectively requires following a few best practices for business text messaging when gaining consent from the receiver. These best practices include:

• Transparency: When you provide text message consent forms, you must clearly explain what customers are opting in for and the type of messages they will receive. Your information should also mention how to opt out of those text messages. 

• Frequency: When customers sign up for your services you should inform them how often they will receive messages. You must not send them a large number of messages whenever you like and disturb them. 

• Value: Your marketing messages, such as exclusive discounts, useful tips, or important updates, must provide value to your customers. To make these business text messages more relevant and engaging, you can send them based on the customer’s interests and past interactions.

• Time of day: You should send messages at appropriate times, considering the recipient’s local time zone. This will prevent you from disturbing them at odd hours and ensure they do not get irritated with your service. You can experiment to find out at what time customers are more likely to be engaged and send messages at that time.

• Privacy: Your service must securely store customer information and customers should believe that their data is only used after they have given their consent. To protect customer privacy and maintain SMS compliance,  you can use international data protection laws such as  GDPR.

• Industry Standards: Your service should follow regulations like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in the U.S. or similar laws regulated in your region to ensure your SMS campaigns are law-abiding. If you follow industry standards, then your marketing strategies will remain effective. 

Conclusion

SMS marketing is a tool that helps businesses connect with customers on a more personal level. However, the success of every SMS campaign relies on obtaining proper consent. 

SMS consent is not just a legal requirement but an important factor in building trust and maintaining positive relationships with your customers. By using SMS consent best practices, like sending messages at the right time, keeping it transparent, and maintaining privacy, you can ensure that your messages are not only SMS-compliant but also welcomed by your customers.

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