How to Get Started with Texting
To get started with texting, add a text-enabled toll-free number to your BellesLink account. Once you’ve added the number, BellesLink will submit a business texting registration on your behalf.
Registration is a carrier compliance requirement for all businesses who use texting. You can learn more about this requirement by reading A Guide to Registering Your Business for Texting.
Getting Approval
After your registration is submitted, it will take 5-10 days for it to be reviewed and for your number to receive a pending approval. Once a pending approval is received, your number is text-enabled and can send and receive text messages. Final approval will take 3-4 weeks. You’ll be notified by email and you can track your registration status in Setup > Text Messages.
Opt-ins are Required
Remember, your contacts must opt-in before you can send text messages to them. Ask your contacts to text OPTIN or SUBSCRIBE to your number. Once you have their opt-in, you can text your contact.
Adding a Text-Enabled Toll-Free Number
Let’s walk through each of the steps to adding and using a text-enabled toll-free number to your account.
Step One: Add a New Number
On the main menu, go to Setup, then Numbers. Use the the Add a Number button.
Use the green Add button to add a Text-Enable Toll-Free number.
Enabling a Existing Toll Free Number
If you already have a toll-free number in your account that you would like to register for texting, you can do that. On the main menu go to Setup, then Text Messages. Pick your existing toll-free number from the list and use the Request button.
Step Two: Setup Your Number
Setup your toll-free number by choosing how calls to this number will be handled. We recommend you choose the option “Calls will go to voicemail.”
Add a custom voicemail greeting, and number greeting if you plan to answer calls to this number. You can record a custom greeting using the record button. You can also enter text and have it converted to speech if you don’t want to record your own voice.
Check out our tutorial Setting Up a New Toll-Free Number for Texting. Also look at our tutorial Custom Recorded Message Examples for Toll-Free Number Setup.
Once your custom messages are setup, use the green Add Toll-Free button to add the number to your account. A custom voicemail greeting and number greeting are required. You cannot add a text-enabled toll-free number with out them.
Once you have added the toll-free number, finalize the setup by giving your number an internal name and reviewing the advanced settings.
Step Three: Business Texting Registration Requested
By adding a text-enable toll-free number and completing the setup or by requesting an existing toll-free number to be text-enabled, you are consenting to be registered for business texting. On the main menu go to Setup, then Text Messaging to see the status of your registration request.
Step Four: Business Texting Registration Submitted
BellesLink will submit your requested registration for business texting to our service provider within 1-2 business days. The status in your account will update to show your request has been submitted. On the main menu go to Setup, then Text Messaging to see your status.
BellesLink will use the information in your customer account for your business text registration.
- Business name
- Business type: S-Corp, C-Corp, LLC, or sole proprietor.
- Contact person
- Business address
- Business email
- Business phone number
- Your toll-free texting number
Step Five: Pending Approval
In 5-10 business days, BellesLink will receive pending approval for your business texting registration. We will notify you by email and you’ll see your pending approval status in your account.
Your Ready to Text
While your approval is pending, your number is text-enabled and ready to send or receive text messages. Your contacts must opt-in before you can send text messages to them. Ask your contacts to text OPTIN, SUBSCRIBE, or one of your opt-in keywords, to your number. Once you have their opt-in, you may text your contact.
Step Six: Final Approval
In 3-4 weeks you’ll receive final approval of your business texting registration. We will notify you by email and you’ll see your approval status in your account.
Your business now has a verified text-enabled toll-free number. An opt-in from your contact is required before you can send text messages to them.
The text messages you send will have the best possible delivery rate as long as they comply with industry best practices and content standards. Content that is explicitly prohibited falls into the following categories: SHAFT (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, or tobacco), gambling, sweepstakes, and contests.
