Business Texting Best Practices: Towner’s Guide to Compliance and ROI

3. Advanced Best Practices for Effective Campaigns

Think you’ve got the basics covered? Good—now let’s talk about the strategies that separate the pros from the rest. At Towner, we’ve seen too many businesses treat SMS as a “set it and forget it” channel—big mistake. Here’s how to turn compliance and engagement into your secret weapons:

Use local, toll-free, or short codes that are registered and vetted—trust is everything.

Your sender number is your handshake with customers. Use a local long code to build familiarity—people trust local numbers more than random digits. For high-volume or marketing-heavy campaigns, short codes (think 5-6 digits) are king—they’re easier to remember and come with built-in carrier vetting. Toll-free numbers are a solid option too—great for support lines and nationwide campaigns. But whatever you choose, make sure it’s properly registered with your carrier (CTIA) and audited to prevent spam filters from sidelining your efforts.

Set clear expectations up front—no surprises, no confusion.

We’ve all been there: you sign up for something and suddenly your phone’s blowing up at 2 a.m. Not a good look. During your opt-in flow, tell subscribers what they’re getting: is this daily promos, weekly appointment reminders, urgent notifications? Be explicit about frequency, message types, and—yes—mention that standard message and data rates may apply. Transparency builds trust.

Automate suppression so no one slips through the cracks.

Nothing tanks a campaign’s credibility faster than ignoring opt-outs. One angry recipient—and you could face a lawsuit. Use a reliable SMS platform (or Towner’s recommended vendors) that automatically scrubs contacts who text “STOP,” “QUIT,” or any variation. Advanced tools even recognize slang opt-outs like “leave me alone.” Automation is the difference between confident compliance and a compliance nightmare.

Train your team—because your compliance is only as strong as your weakest link.

A single mistyped text can land you in legal hot water. Hold annual compliance workshops and regular refreshers. Teach your team the dos and don’ts, from opt-in best practices to tone of voice and timing. And don’t just train your marketing team—anyone sending texts (sales, support, billing) should be in the know.

Audit often—a quick review today beats a big fine tomorrow.

Compliance isn’t a one-and-done deal. Schedules shift, regulations tighten, your audience evolves. Regular audits (quarterly at minimum) of your opt-in processes, message content, suppression lists, and timing protocols keep your campaigns clean and trustworthy. It’s the business texting equivalent of a pre-flight checklist: do it before you hit send.

Why It Matters

The reality? Customers are overwhelmed with messages—and regulators aren’t messing around. These advanced best practices don’t just keep you legal; they build the kind of trust and reliability that makes your messages stand out in a crowded inbox. At Towner, we call it compliance with confidence—and it’s how you turn business texting from a risk into a revenue driver.