Getting Your Account Frozen Can Cost You, Big Time
I’ve had my SMS platform frozen because of carriers flagging our messages due to inappropriate or “spammy” language.
This cost us tens of thousands of dollars as our Launch Control platform was frozen for months and at the time it was our primary source of leads in a business that was closing 4 deals per month.
Here’s how to avoid this happening to you:
- Use compliant language– Keep it conversational and avoid “spammy” language such as “cash for your home” “we buy land” “urgent”, etc
- Even words like “sell” and “buy” are being flagged now. It’s better to say “are you ready to move on from your property?” than “Do you want to sell your house?”
- If you’re working with a platform such as Launch control, REI Reply, Smarter Contact, etc- They will provide you with a list of words to avoid and even scripts to use that are compliant
- Rotate your messages– have multiple versions of your initial message to sellers. Revise your messages regularly. Keep them from getting stale or flagged as repetitive.
- Rotate phone #s– Swap out phone numbers periodically. Warm up the new numbers- start slowly and ramp up the volume
- 10 DLC registration– if you’re using a reputable and established SMS provider, they will require this and help you get it set up.
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Use Proper Opt-Out Language– Include “Reply STOP to opt-out” in at least some of your messages.
- Keep up with carrier guideline changes- Again, your SMS provider will help if you have one. Otherwise, use Google and Chat GBT to keep up.
Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket
One of the biggest lessons I learned from having our account frozen was that if I’m relying on one platform for leads, I’m very vulnerable.
SMS is fragile. If the FCC decides to crack down on spam texts or to change guidelines and they impose regulations on the cell carriers, it will affect those of us who are texting for leads.
Here are a few suggestions to protect yourself and Keep Leads Flowing
- Have more than one SMS account. If one gets flagged, the other(s) might be ok, and you’re still rolling. when we got our Launch Control account frozen, we opened and account with Smarter Contact, and we were able to resume SMS marketing.
- Don’t believe your SMS provider when they say it will be a few days. The truth is, they don’t know how long it will be before your account gets back online, it’s up to the carriers. When LC told us a few days, we listened. Then it became a couple of weeks, and then before we knew it we were a month in and still no result. It took over 2 months for us to get our account functional again. Don’t believe them. don’t wait to pivot.
- Diversify– add direct mail, PPC, PPL, FB ads, cold calling. Have other ways to generate leads so that you are not caught with your pants down.
What to do if your account is Frozen (God forbid)
- Do whatever your provider asks. Get them the info they need, make edits or changes as they request. They are asking for these things to get you back up and running, so act quickly.
- Ramp up your other lead generation channels
- Open another SMS account if you don’t already have one
- Review all of your old leads and follow up- if you are having slower lead flow do to an account being frozen, it’s an opportunity to see which leads you’ve already generated that may be able to be turned into deals.
At the end of the day, SMS marketing is a powerful tool, but it’s also fragile. By staying compliant, diversifying your lead generation, and being prepared for disruptions, you can keep your business running smoothly—even if the unexpected happens.