Customer Information - SMS Campaign Registration Checklist
Introduction
Introducing the CallTower 10DLC Brand and Campaign Guide! This concise yet comprehensive resource is packed with examples to help you navigate the crucial process of filling out key elements for a successful campaign approval during vetting. It also covers the mandatory TCR attributes introduced in 2022. Whether you're new to 10DLC or looking to enhance your existing campaigns, this guide is your go-to reference for ensuring compliance and maximizing approval chances.
- For CT Text Campaign Registration FAQs, check out this article: CallTower Infomation CT Text - Campaign Registration FAQs
Brand Details
Please pay particular attention to the following
- Legal Company Name and DBA or Brand Name:
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- Ensure that the DBA (Doing Business As) matches the brand represented by your Website/Online Presence. Any significant mismatch may lead to rejection during vetting.
- Tax number / ID / EIN:
- Business Type (Privately Held, Publicly Traded, Nonprofit, Government):
- Street Address:
- City:
- State:
- ZIP:
- Email and Phone:
- These should be the contact details of the person responsible for managing messaging. While they may or may not match what's on your website, it's best if they align with your social media presence. For larger companies, regional or national brands, the email domain should belong to the brand itself, not public email solutions like Gmail or Yahoo. Exceptions can be made for smaller businesses. If a third party handles messaging support for your brand, please inform us in advance.
- Website/Online Presence:
- Your website should be functional and not land on a domain parking site (e.g., GoDaddy, Wix, etc.). Additionally, placeholder or "coming soon" websites will also be rejected. You can also showcase your online presence through platforms like Facebook or Instagram.
- Social Media Pages:
- If using Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media platform, ensure that your brand is clearly identified. Ideally, the email address and phone number in the Brand details should also match. A more established social media presence increases the chances of approval compared to recently launched pages.
- LinkedIn Page:
- While a LinkedIn page can be used, it should be a company listing, not an individual profile (unless it's a Sole Proprietor). Cross-reference the phone and email information, and make sure the 'About' section provides enough information for thorough vetting. Note that using personal LinkedIn pages instead of a business presence will likely result in rejection.
- Yelp:
- Including a link to your business page on Yelp is possible but can be problematic. Ensure that the link is viewable in all regions and consider including an appropriate SMS Disclosure and Privacy Policy for your business.
- Profile Sites:
- These sites are commonly used by professionals such as physicians, medical practitioners, trucking companies, and occasionally legal professionals. If using text messaging with these sites, make sure you provide a compliant SMS Disclosure and Privacy Policy link or statement for your business.
Campaign and Content Attributes
Following these guidelines will greatly increase the chances of your campaign being approved during vetting.
Subscriber Opt-in, Opt-out, and Help will typically be “YES” for most use cases, with some exceptions such as 2FA
IMPORTANT NOTEThe message examples to be provided are what the consumer receives AFTER they reply to a 10DLC text message with STOP, HELP or START (if supported by the messaging campaign). Also note that:
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Opt-in keywords and messages are optional in TCR; however, are now mandatory for all campaigns.
Example Opt-In Messages
- [Brand Name] Thank you for opting in for our texting notifications. Message frequency may vary. Message and Data Rates may apply. To end messaging from us, you may always Reply with STOP or HELP for more information.
- [Brand Name] Thank you for signing up for our weekly text updates (one text per week). Message and Data Rates may apply. To end messaging, you may always Reply with STOP or HELP for more information.
- [Brand Name] Thank you for subscribing to receive text messages from [Brand Name]. We will send no more than 6 messages per month. Message and Data Rates may Apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for additional info.
You can be as specific as you like. Here’s an example “welcome message” for an auto repair service:
- Welcome to [Brand Name]. You will now receive repair progress updates via text. Message frequency may vary depending on your repair status. You may text back to reach your service advisor. Reply HELP for help. Reply STOP to stop text messages. A reminder that Message and Data Rates may Apply.
Opt-out keyword and message is required.
For keywords, STOP must always be supported and is the default. You may include other keywords such as END, EXIT, UNSUBSCRIBE that the consumer can send and should be honored if you wish.
You must show the message recipients will receive if they had requested to opt out via STOP or some other keyword. The minimum is 20 characters.
Example opt-out messages
Thank you! [Brand Name] will no longer send you notifications.
You are unsubscribed to texts from [Brand Neme]. No more messages will be sent.
[Brand Name] You have successfully unsubscribed, and you will no longer receive surveys from us.
[Brand Name] You are no longer subscribed to our updates and will receive no more messages. You may reply START to restart them at any time.
You have been successfully unsubscribed from [Brand Name]. No more messages will be sent. If you accidentally unsubscribed, Reply START to opt-in to messaging.
[Brand Name] We are sorry to see you go. You will not receive any more text messages from us. You can; however, send START to this number if you want to re-subscribe.
HELP keyword and message is required.
For keywords, HELP must always be supported and is the default. You may include other keywords if you want.
You must show the message recipients will receive if they reply with the HELP (or any other designed) keyword. The minimum is 20 characters.
Example HELP messages
This SMS texting system is for the employees of [BRAND Name]. Text START to join, STOP to leave. You may also contact us at XXX.YYY.ZZZZ for additional assistance.
[BRAND Name]. Text START to join. Text STOP to leave. Or you may contact us at XXX-YYY-ZZZZ for further assistance.
[BRAND Name] You can get more assistance from our website at: https://brandname.com or XXXZZZ-YYYY. Text STOP to stop receiving messages from us. You can also text START to restart getting messages from us again.
Direct Lending or Loan Arrangement
If your brand is involved in originating loans or arranging financing, including third-party financing, loans, or mortgages, it is important to select "YES" for the Direct Lending or Loan Arrangement attribute. This applies to various businesses, such as auto sellers, who provide or arrange financing, as well as banks, savings & loans, credit unions, and vehicle dealerships.
Even if financing is not the primary focus of your business, but you do arrange some sort of financing, it is recommended to check "YES" for this attribute. Additionally, if your website indicates that you may provide or arrange financing, regardless of your business type, it is necessary to select "YES" for this attribute. This includes businesses like window companies, HVAC dealers, home builders, home remodelers, and appliance companies that offer financing options to consumers.
IMPORTANT NOTEIf you leave this set to “NO,” and your business can arrange or provide any kind of loans, financing, mortgages, then due to TCR limitations, you may have to create a brand new messaging campaign, if your campaign is rejected. If you can provide any type of financing, loans (personal or business), or can arrange such, go ahead and check this attribute as YES. |
Embedded Link / Embedded Phone Number
If any of the messages that you will send will include a link (such as your website) or your phone number (or both), select “YES” for these.
We recommend always checking YES for both to cover you if you decide at a later date to include an embedded URL or phone number in the text of the message -- regardless of whether it is shown in your sample messages.
For embedded links, public URL shorteners are not typically approved (bit.ly, tiny.url). If a brand has its OWN URL shortener, we will review it and decide whether it is acceptable on a case-by-case basis.
Campaign Definition + Call-to-Action or Message Flow
Here are two items to fill in. First is the actual Campaign Definition and the second is the Call-to-Action / Message Flow. Both are very important to enable your campaign to be approved and both have a minimum number of characters.
Campaign Definition
The Campaign Definition should be used to describe what SMS/MMS messaging will be used for. While it can include a short description of the brand, the majority of the text should describe the use case and how you will be using SMS/MMS.
There is a MINIMUM of 40 characters for the Campaign Definition, so no short notes such as “customer service.”
Here are some examples:
This campaign will be used to request feedback via SMS messaging for experience with the delivery process.
Customer support and answering consumer concerns about products and services.
Text messaging will be used for customer care and marketing promotions.
This campaign will be used to inform people about new job openings and/or training opportunities.
Campaign will contact customers to update them on policy support and their payments.
The business will send out SMS notifications regarding ordering, shipping, and delivery updates.
Sending out appointment reminders and updates regarding hours and availability.
We will be sending out 2FA codes for login and password reset. Additionally, users will also receive codes after they have signed up with their phone number to validate the phone and activate their account.
Note that each one of these describes how the SMS (and/or MMS) campaign will be used. It is important that the campaign definition actually match the sample messages and that the sample messages are as accurate as possible.
You may optionally provide a one or two-sentence outline of what the business does in addition to how messaging is used.
Call-to-action or Message Flow
The Call-to-Action / Message Flow is sometimes a bit confusing. Its purpose is to describe how recipients of text messages via this campaign consent to receive these messages. In other words, how is opt-in consent obtained.
This should match the type of opt-ins that are on the website / online presence.
This is simply a description of how opt-in or consent is obtained. Just as there are virtually countless SMS/MMS use cases, there are many different ways that consent for messaging can be obtained, including through a website, a user-initiated text (called a Mobile-Originated or MO message) to the brand, verbally, telephone calls and many others.
This field also has a 40-character MINIMUM, so please provide a useful description of how consent is obtained. The key point here is to be accurate and descriptive.
Here are some examples of Call-to-Action / Message Flow for a number of opt-in variations:
Opt-in Via Website
There are various ways to provide consent via a website. Here are some examples illustrating a number of options. In all cases, there should also be an accompanying SMS Disclosure on the website.
When the user signs up for an account, the user must first enter their phone number. A 2FA message is sent to validate that phone number. After that, they are asked if they wish to receive account notification messages sent to the provided (and validated) phone number. The user will see all text messaging disclosures here.
The user fills out a form on the website where they can consent to receive notification messages. There is also a box they can check to receive product updates and/or marketing messages. The messaging disclosure is displayed to users by this form.
Use fills in their phone number on a webform and consents to receive updates for any new opportunities.
Under the “Contact Us” website option, there is a form to fill out to get more information. The user’s phone number is requested. Additionally, there is a checkbox that the user may check to receive information via SMS message, with a full SMS disclosure provided.
When a consumer uses our online form to make an appointment, they are asked if they would like SMS appointment reminders sent to their phone. If they check the box, YES, then appointment reminders will be sent.
Opt-in Via Email
In our weekly marketing emails, we include a button that asks consumers if they would like to receive targeted information about upcoming sales via SMS. If they consent, then no more than twice weekly messages are sent. A full SMS disclosure is provided next to the email button.
In our account validation email, we offer the consumer a button to opt-in for SMS messages. If the consumer consents, messages will be sent for shipping and product updates.
Opt-in Via Verbal Consent (including Voice Calls)
For VERBAL, you need to outline a script that the brand will provide. See these examples where the brand provides a verbal disclosure:
While on the phone with the user, the agent asks the customer to confirm if they wish to receive additional information via SMS. If the user agrees, the information is sent. We do remind them that messaging and data charges may apply and that they can opt-out at any time by replying STOP and that HELP provides them more information.
When a consumer requests directions via a phone call, we ask if it is okay to send them an SMS message with directions to our shop. Additionally, when consumers call us for an appointment, we ask if they would like to receive appointment reminders via SMS. During these calls, consumers are reminded that message and data rates apply, that they can always opt-out later by replying STOP. We’ll also note that they will only receive appointment reminder messages when they make an appointment and that no other messages will be received.
While the client is at our location, we ask them if they would like to further discuss through text messaging, also reminding them that they can always opt-out of further messaging if they wish by simply replying STOP. We’ll also note remind them that these text messages are subject to message and data rates and that the number of messages will vary, based on our conversations. Finally, we note that we won’t sell or convey their private mobile data to any third parties and that they can always refer to the Privacy Policy on the website. If they reply that they would, we enter their phone number, and they will receive an opt-in confirmation message that will contain all of the appropriate disclosures.”
IMPORTANT CAVEAT:If your Call-to-Action is Verbal, then anytime you procure or ask for a phone number on your website (via a form like is often used for Contact Us, Connect, Contact, etc.) AND you make that phone number mandatory, then you MUST provide:
This caveat also applies to the next Call-to-Action where consumers may initiate messaging to the brand, outlined below: |
During a phone conversation, we ask the caller if we can continue with more details written in SMS messages. We’ll remind them that they can opt-out of future messages at any time by replying STOP and we’ll honor that request. We also remind them that these messages are subject to message and data rates and that the number of messages will vary, based on our conversations. Finally, we note that we won’t sell or convey their private mobile data to any third parties and that they can always refer to the Privacy Policy on the website. The initial Opt-In message will have the disclosures and from that point on the messages will be conversational.”
When a consumer is checking out of our practice, we ask if we can send follow-up appointment reminders via SMS. If they consent, we remind them that they can always optout and that messaging and data rates will apply. Once we get their phone number, the will receive a welcome message noting that subsequent appointment reminders will be sent. 11 October 2023 Consumers provide their consent to the agent at the end of the call, agreeing to receive a customer satisfaction survey via SMS. We tell them that they may always opt-out via replying STOP and that only x number of messages will be sent. We also remind them that message and data rates always apply to text messaging.
Consumers will Opt-In to receive messaging when talking with our Project Managers who canvas local neighborhoods. When speaking with the Project Managers, they agree to receive messages verbally and on our contact form. After a user provides us with the initial consent, we then send them a double Opt-In message to ensure they wish to receive SMS messages from us.
Opt-in Via Consumer-Initiated message to the brand
This is where consumers opt-in by initiating an SMS (what we call a user-initiated or mobile originated message) to the campaign phone number. Here are some examples of calls-to-action:
The customer can reach out to us via SMS (the phone number to text is on the website). We’ll send back a welcome message which notes that they will now receive updates via SMS. The welcome (or opt-in message) will have all SMS disclosures.
Employees may opt-into messaging by texting the keyword START to a posted number on a bulletin board. The bulletin board post also contains additional information about the SMS notifications they will be receiving. There is also a welcome message after they send the START keyword, which contains the full set of SMS disclosures.
Other opt-in examples
We provide a button on our social media site that opens up a form that the consumer may access to fill in their phone number and approve the receipt of SMS messages. There is a full SMS disclaimer underneath the button.
From our messaging app, users opt in by texting our opt-in number and agreeing to receiving text messages by sending OPT-IN, optionally our users can text a phone number once the user sends an OPT-IN
With all Call-to-Action Cases described above, the more specific and explicit, the better. It’s best to provide too much information vs. too little.
Message Samples
The final section for the 10DLC registration outlines message samples that will be sent by the campaign. These should be specific to the campaign and not some generic set of messages unrelated to the campaign. Since the majority of these are A2P or B2C messages, please make sure there is an opt-out clause at the end of the message such as:
- Reply STOP to stop messaging
- STOP2End - Reply with STOP any time to unsubscribe
- Reply STOP to cancel
It would be wise to include the brand name in sample messages. Consumers will receive SMS messages from a phone number that they may not recognize. We recommend that you include the brand name; otherwise, you will probably experience a greater than necessary amount of reported spam messages or STOP messages if unrecognized.
If you have multiple messages in your campaign, please provide an accurate sample of these messages. Here are a few examples of good sample messages:
[Brand Name]: Featured Offers – please view our latest offers at https://…. Reply STOP to stop all further messaging.
[Brand Name]: Your validation code is 123456. It will expire in 15 minutes. Reply STOP to end all messaging from us.
Your [Brand Name] minimum payment is due in 5 days. Reply STOP to end.
This is [Brand Name]. Your order number ABC12345 will ship tomorrow via FedEx. Your tracking number is xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Reply STOP to opt-out of notifications.
This is [Brand Name]. We would like to let you know that your appointment for MM/YY/ZZZZ at HH:MM is confirmed. Reply STOP to opt-out.
[Brand Name] Your password has been successfully changed. Reply STOP to Cancel messaging.
Hi this is [First Name] from [Brand Name]. We need more information in regard to your insurance claim. Please contact our office at xxx-yyy-zzzz.. Reply with CLAIMS to opt into future notifications. Carrier Rates may apply. Reply with STOP any time to unsubscribe.
If you provide conversational messaging (e.g. via a UCaaS use-case), you can provide examples of the messaging between the brand representatives and consumers.
Note: It is also good practice to have the first message response from the campaign to a consumer reaching out be similar to the following (with an opt-out clause):
[Brand Name] Customer Service. Thank you for reaching out to us. One of our representatives will be with you shortly. You may opt-out of further messaging by replying STOP.
Hi this Bill. What can I help you with today?
Yes, we have that in stock. Can I forward you a link to that product page?
With some use-cases, we don’t need to see the opt-out clause as these are almost always conversational – meaning a person is typing the message. That said, we still MUST have consent from the other party that the conversation is with – typically clients, vendors, suppliers, etc. and that needs to be adequately described in the Call-to-Action/Message Flow.
SMS Disclosure
SMS Disclosures should be complete enough to enable the person viewing them to realize that they are consenting to receive messaging from the business – even if the messaging use-case is UCAAS.
The SMS disclosure should always have the following elements:
- Message and data rates may apply disclosure
- Reply STOP [as well as other keywords] to opt out of future messaging. Reply HELP for more information
- Message frequency
- Privacy Policy Link (and Terms & Conditions if any)
Here are some examples of SMS (or Messaging or Text Messaging) disclosures that you can use on your website:
By clicking "Submit", you agree to [YOUR BRAND NAME’s] Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You consent to receive phone calls and SMS messages from [YOUR BRAND NAME] to provide updates on your order and/or for marketing purposes. Message frequency depends on your activity. You may opt-out by texting "STOP". Message and data rates may apply.
By providing a telephone number and submitting the form you are consenting to be contacted by SMS text message (our message frequency may vary). Message & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt-out of further messaging. Reply HELP for more information. See our Privacy Policy.
Disclaimer: By providing my contact information to [YOUR BRAND NAME], I acknowledge and give my explicit consent to be contacted via SMS and receive emails for various purposes, which may include marketing and promotional content. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary. Reply STOP to opt-out. Refer to our Privacy Policy for more information.
It is also an option to provide a checkbox with a short consent so that users can explicitly opt-in to receive messages from your brand:
By checking this box, I consent to receive SMS messages. I understand that Message and data rates may apply and that I may reply STOP to opt-out of future messaging; reply HELP for additional messaging help. Message frequency may vary depending on interaction between you and our agents.
I consent to receiving text messages. Message and Data Rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt-out of future messaging or reply HELP for additional messaging help. Messaging frequency may be up to 5 messages per month.
Here’s a comprehensive SMS Disclosure:
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to receive recurring informational SMS, MMS or Email messages from [YOUR BRAND NAME]. My click is my electronic signature, and I authorize you to send me text messages on my mobile phone or landline. I understand that consenting to receive SMS messages is not a condition of purchase or service. This is a standard rate subscription service available on most carriers, Msg & Data Rates May Apply. You can also request additional information by texting HELP or sending an email to xxxx@BRAND.COM. Service will continue until customer cancels. Messaging frequency will vary. Subscription may be canceled by texting STOP, END, QUIT, CANCEL or UNSUBSCRIBE. Further disclosure at Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
If you provide a Privacy Policy and/or Terms of Service/Usage/Conditions, etc. and you refer to them in your SMS Disclosure, then you should provide a link.
Privacy Policies
For all 10DLC messaging campaigns (excluding Sole Proprietor use cases), Privacy Policies are now mandatory.
To comply, you can provide a comprehensive privacy statement that clearly states that Personally Identifiable Information (PII) will not be shared, sold, or disclosed to third parties for marketing purposes.
The Privacy Policy should explicitly state that end user's personal information will not be shared or sold to third parties for marketing purposes. For example, you can use the following statement (or include an SMS carve-out in your Privacy Policy):
"No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. The above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent, as this information will not be shared with any third parties."
We will thoroughly review your Privacy Policy to ensure that PII is not inappropriately shared, in accordance with the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices.
If your business does not have a website but relies on a social media presence (such as Facebook or Instagram), you can create a post that includes both the full SMS disclosure and a link to your Privacy Policy or the text of a short Privacy Policy. This post can be made "sticky" or “pinned” so that it always appears at the top of your social media presence. Alternatively, you can include the Privacy Policy link in the "About" section of your Facebook page.
Your Privacy Policy can be provided in the form of a linked Google document or written directly in the social media post.
Number Pooling
If your campaign is for a brand that requires provisioning of over 49 telephone numbers (TNs), such as a large insurance agency or sales company, it is important to select "Yes" for Number Pooling. This will indicate to mobile phone network providers that your campaign is a number pool.
Compliance Checklist
As we noted, all campaigns are subject to review and vetting from our team. We ensure campaigns will meet minimum requirements to be successfully registered, regardless of the size of the business. Your checklist should include:
- Brand Name / DBA: consistent with the online presence and campaign description
- Brand Details: Support email address and phone number
- Brand Online Presence (website or social media):– we review the business’s online details to make sure that it does not contain any disallowed content
- Opt-out, Opt-In, Help messages: must be strictly complaint
- Necessary Loan Attributes
- Age Gated Requirements
- Campaign Description
- Campaign Call-to-Action and Message Flow
- Message Samples
- Number Pooling (if required for the campaign)
- Compliant Privacy Policy (except for Sole Proprietor use-case)
Additionally, check your compliance by referring to this checklist. We believe that if you can apply all the guidelines outlined in this document, you will have 10DLC campaigns that will be vetted successfully the first time.