Collect permission before sending promotional text messages from Thryv Business Center™. Sending offers and announcements to customers who want to receive them helps your business stay connected while respecting customer communication preferences.

SMS Campaigns are available in select Thryv Business Center accounts. If SMS Campaigns are not available in your account, contact Thryv Support to discuss your options.

This article covers collecting marketing consent through a keyword, an individual client record, or a CSV import. The article also explains SMS confirmation and how customers unsubscribe. Transactional SMS messages, such as appointment reminders and invoice notifications, use a separate consent preference.

Why Marketing Consent and SMS Confirmation Matter

Marketing consent records the customer’s permission to receive promotional messages. Thryv Business Center also uses an SMS confirmation process before sending marketing text messages. Recording consent or importing a consent value does not bypass the confirmation process.

Only record a customer as opted in when the customer has already provided permission for the relevant communication. For product requirements and general compliance information, review email and SMS communication requirements.

How Clients Opt In Using a Keyword

1. Claim Your Business’s Keyword

Click Settings, then click Campaigns. Enter your chosen keyword and click Claim.

A keyword identifies your business when a customer requests marketing texts through the shared shortcode 85100. If the keyword is unavailable, try another keyword until the availability indicator shows Available.

Choose carefully: you can claim a keyword only once, and the claimed keyword cannot be changed later.

The screenshot shows the keyword-claiming area in Campaigns settings. Enter a proposed keyword in the keyword field and review the availability indicator. Use Claim to reserve an available keyword for your business.

2. Invite Customers to Text Your Keyword

Ask customers to text your claimed keyword to 85100 and follow the confirmation instructions.

Share the keyword and shortcode on your website, social media, email communications, or signs at your business. Clearly explain that the customer is requesting promotional text messages from your business.

The example sign demonstrates promoting a business keyword with the shortcode 85100. Replace the example keyword with your business’s claimed keyword. Customers use the keyword to identify the business whose marketing texts they want to receive.

You can configure an optional opt-in incentive in Campaigns settings. An incentive can encourage participation, but the customer must still complete the SMS opt-in process.

How to Invite an Individual Client to Confirm SMS Marketing Consent

1. Open the Client Record

Click Clients and select the customer you want to invite.

The Clients tab may use a different name if your account has customized its customer terminology. Check that the customer’s mobile number is entered in the Phone field.

2. Record the Customer’s Marketing Permission

Click the edit icon beside Communication Details. Select I’d like to receive promotions and special offers, then click Save.

Select the marketing preference only when you have already obtained the customer’s permission. Recording permission enables the marketing opt-in workflow; staff must not select the preference simply because a phone number is available.

The screenshot shows the client record’s Communication Details area and the I’d like to receive promotions and special offers preference. Use the edit control to update the preference after obtaining permission, then save the change. Marketing permission and confirmed SMS subscription are separate stages.

3. Have the Customer Complete SMS Confirmation

Thryv Business Center sends the customer a standardized confirmation text. The confirmation message cannot be customized.

The customer must reply YES to complete the marketing SMS opt-in process. After confirmation, the client record shows YES in the SMS campaigns opt-in field.

The screenshot shows a marketing SMS confirmation message from 85100. The message identifies the sending business and asks the customer to reply YES to receive automated recurring marketing messages. The message also explains that consent is not required for purchase and that message and data rates may apply. No YES reply is shown, so the screenshot demonstrates the confirmation request—not a completed subscription.

How to Import Recorded Marketing Consent for Multiple Clients

A CSV import lets staff bring recorded customer consent into Business Center without updating each record individually. Use the import to record permission already obtained, rather than to obtain permission from customers.

1. Prepare the CSV File

Include the customer information and the recorded marketing-consent value in your CSV file. Your column names do not have to match the Business Center field names because you map columns during import.

Use TRUE only for customers who have provided the permission represented by the consent field. Keep separate consent preferences separate when the permissions collected differ.

2. Open the Import Workflow

Click Clients, select More actions, then select Import. Upload the CSV file.

The Clients tab may have a different name depending on your account’s customer terminology.

3. Map the Consent Column

Map the CSV column containing recorded marketing consent to the corresponding Business Center consent field.

The consent field identified for the import contains the following wording:

I consent to receiving SMS messages and/or electronic marketing messages from the business listed above on this site. You can withdraw your consent at any time. You can contact us at the address and/or telephone number provided on this website.

Review the customer-data mappings and consent mapping before completing the import. The CSV column name can differ from the destination field’s wording.

4. Complete Marketing SMS Confirmation

The existing marketing SMS confirmation process still applies to imported consent. Customers must complete the confirmation-text process before receiving marketing SMS campaigns.

Importing a TRUE marketing-consent value does not bypass SMS confirmation and should not be treated as confirmation of the customer’s separate transactional SMS preference.

How Clients Unsubscribe From Text Messages

A customer can reply STOP in the SMS conversation to stop messages from the sending number.

For the shared SMS number used by Business Center, STOP blocks both marketing and transactional texts from that number. The block also affects texts from other businesses using the same sending number.

An SMS STOP request does not change the customer’s email marketing preference. Email subscriptions must be managed separately.

Limitations and Frequently Asked Questions

Is Marketing SMS Consent the Same as Transactional SMS Consent?

No. Marketing SMS consent covers promotional texts, such as offers and announcements. Transactional SMS consent covers service-related texts, such as appointment reminders and invoice notifications.

The transactional consent option must be presented to customers, but customers do not have to select the option to make a booking. For more information, review transactional SMS consent requirements.

Does Importing Consent Automatically Subscribe a Customer to Marketing Texts?

No. Marketing SMS still requires the customer to complete the confirmation-text process. A recorded or imported consent value does not replace SMS confirmation.

Can I Customize the Confirmation Text?

No. The marketing SMS confirmation text is standardized and cannot be changed.

Can I Change My Claimed Keyword?

No. Choose your keyword carefully before claiming the keyword. A claimed keyword cannot be changed later.

Does STOP Block Only My Business’s Messages?

For a shared sending number, STOP blocks all texts from that number, including marketing and transactional messages from other businesses using the number.

Does STOP Also Unsubscribe the Customer From Marketing Emails?

No. Replying STOP changes SMS delivery from the sending number. The customer’s email marketing preference remains unchanged.

Can Customers Book Without Agreeing to Transactional SMS?

Yes. Customers can leave transactional SMS consent unchecked and still make a booking. Presenting the consent option is required; agreeing to receive transactional texts is optional.

Where Can I Get Help?

Contact Thryv Support if you need help with keyword setup, SMS confirmation, or importing recorded consent. For an overview of the related settings, review My Business Settings.