While we all know that texting while driving is very dangerous, texting your consumers without consent may now be just as precarious.

The Telephone Communications Protection Act (TPCA) has recently been updated with new rules regulating the way your dealership can utilize text marketing and messaging.

New Guidelines:

• You must get unambiguous written consent before sending telemarketing calls or text messages via automatic telephone dialing systems (ATDS). (October 16, 2013)
• Established business relationships with consumers no longer relieve you of that written consent requirement. (October 16, 2013)
• Messages (phone calls and texts) must include the ability to immediately opt out. (January, 14, 2013)

Make sure your dealership has methods in place to ensure guidelines are being followed.

Know Who and What You Text

1. Text Message Blasting:

• While text message blasting can be extremely effective marketing method, chances are you do not have consent from that entire list of mobile numbers you have accumulated over the years. If you use a third party service make sure you check with them to see if they are using approved methods and contact your attorney if you feel you have past or present issues to deal with.

2. Texting With Customers:

• Many dealerships allow their sales team (employees) to text on behalf of their dealership using their personal numbers. While this may seem convenient and personal, it is now a large problem area. Chances are your employees have not gotten written consent from the customer or even remember how they got their number in the first place.

1. Create a process for getting a customer’s written consent to text.
   • Add texting consent to your lead capture process, including a record of written permission with each customers information
   • Also make sure customers know that “data and message rates may apply”
2. Offer clear ways to opt out:
   • Marketing messages should always include a way to opt out, however if messaging back and forth with a customer ( setting appointments, negotiating ect) send it in the first confirmation message.
3. Create a process for those people who do choose to opt out:
   • Texting someone after they have choose to not receive your messages can be a big no no.
   • Gather information from customers to determine why they opted out, then adapt your strategy to make sure you retain as many subscribers/customers as possible.

While all these rules and regulations may seem annoying, DON’T let this deter your marketing spirit.

Text messages / push notifications  have a 97% read-rate and 90% of which occur within the first minute according to RoyalText.com.

And with people checking their smartphones over 150 times a day this is a resource your dealership cannot pass up!

Assure your customers that your dealership will only be texting them with relevant helpful information and specials, that they will receive benefit from.

Play your text messaging hand carefully, don’t text your customers 3 times a day. Tactfully deploy your strategies and offer messages that provide your customers with beneficial outcomes that make them want to come back to your dealership.

Also make sure you check out AutoMotion’s exclusive Location Targeting feature which allows you to message your customers through push notifications, which are NOT limited by the latest TCPA regulations.

Josh Knutson

Resources:

TPCA Guide

http://waterfallmobile.com/blog/2013/08/28/how-the-october-16-tcpa-...

http://www.automotivedigitalmarketing.com/profiles/blogs/dealers-be...