Texting customers as a tree company: the rules in plain English

A homeowner has a tree on the roof. They call three companies. The one that answers, or texts back in seconds, usually gets the estimate. That is why owners look at missed-call text-back. But a text is not the same as a phone call. It goes through carriers, it is covered by laws like the TCPA, and it can be blocked if you do it wrong.

The good news: the safe way is also the simple way. Text people who reached out to you. Be clear about who you are. Let them stop. Register your number. Keep records. The rest of this guide explains each step.

Consent: who you may text

Consent means the person agreed to get texts from you. In general terms, there are two groups of people.

People who contacted you

These are missed callers, people who texted your business number, people who filled in a quote form, and customers you have already served. They started the conversation. A short, helpful reply to their request is the normal and expected use of texting. If a homeowner calls at 9 a.m., you miss it, and you text "Sorry we missed you, want to book an estimate?" that is a reply to their own action.

Consent is not unlimited. A reply about their tree request is one thing. Adding them to a monthly promotion list is another. For marketing-style messages, the person should have agreed to get them. A line on your quote form such as "Yes, you may text me about my request and offers. Reply STOP to opt out" is a common way to ask. Ask a lawyer to review the exact wording you use.

Cold lists

A cold list is a spreadsheet of people who never contacted you: bought lists, scraped phone numbers, a neighbor list from a mailing company. Do not text these people. They did not ask, you probably lack permission, and carriers watch for this kind of traffic. Fines and blocked numbers are real risks. A door hanger, a letter or your own good reviews are safer ways to reach new homeowners.

If you want a quick self-check, our text compliance checker walks through the main habits in this guide. It is a checklist, not a legal opinion.

Opt-out and STOP

Every person must be able to stop your texts. The standard word is STOP. Carriers and the major messaging programs treat STOP as a clear request to end messages. Other words, such as "unsubscribe," "cancel," "end" or "quit," are often treated as a request to stop too, so plan to honor them.

• Honor it right away. After STOP, no more texts from that business line. That includes follow-ups, review reminders and promotions.
• One confirmation is fine. A short message such as "You are unsubscribed and will get no more texts" is normal. Nothing else after it.
• Remember it. Mark the number as opted out in your system so it cannot be texted again by mistake, by a new employee or by an automatic follow-up.
• Do not argue. Do not text "are you sure?" or call to ask why. Respect the choice.
• Also support HELP. A reply of HELP should return your business name and a way to contact you.

If a person later texts you again on their own, such as asking for a new estimate, that is a fresh contact. Ask a lawyer how to handle this in your own system, but do not send promotions to someone who said STOP.

A2P 10DLC registration

This is the part that surprises most owners. A2P 10DLC stands for "application-to-person, 10-digit long code." In plain words: it is the system US carriers use for business texting from a regular local phone number. "A2P" means the messages go from an application (your texting software) to a person. "10DLC" means a normal 10-digit local number, not a short code.

Why does it exist? Because spam texts were a big problem. Carriers wanted a way to tell real businesses from spammers. So they ask businesses to register: who you are, what you send, and how people agree to get it.

Why carriers filter unregistered traffic

If your texting number is not registered, carriers cannot tell you from a spammer. The result is often that messages are slowed down, blocked or sent to a spam folder, sometimes without any clear error. You think the text went out. The homeowner never sees it. For a tree company relying on a fast reply to win a job, that is costly. Registered traffic is trusted more and tends to be delivered more reliably, but registration does not guarantee delivery. Rules and fees are set by carriers and providers, so check current details with your texting provider.

Registration also depends on the kind of business. Many small companies register in a "low volume" or similar category, and the requirements can differ by provider. Ask your provider which one fits you.

What you need to register

Details vary by provider, but the usual information is simple. Have these ready.

• Business details. Your legal business name, business type, address, website, and a tax ID if you have one. The name should match your official records. A mismatch is a common reason registrations are rejected.
• A real website or page. Reviewers like to see that you are a real business. Your site should show your name and what you do, and should link to a privacy policy and a texting policy.
• Use case. A short description of why you text. For a tree company, this is often customer care and appointment messages: replies to missed calls, estimate scheduling, job updates and review requests.
• Sample messages. A few real examples of what you send. They should match what you actually send later. Include your business name and a STOP line where it fits.
• Opt-in description. Explain how people agree to get texts. For example: "A homeowner calls or texts our number, or fills in the quote form on our website, which says they may be texted about their request."
• Opt-out and help info. Say that people can reply STOP and HELP, and what happens when they do.

A public texting policy page helps a lot because reviewers can read it. You can see how ours is written on the Lirevon text messaging policy. It is plain and short, and a good model for your own, though yours should describe your own company.

Approval can take some time, so register before you need the number. If it is rejected, fix the reason given and try again. The usual causes are a name mismatch, vague sample messages, or an opt-in description that does not match what you do.

Quiet hours

Do not text people in the middle of the night. Rules limit the hours for marketing calls and texts. In general terms, the federal telemarketing rules generally point to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the recipient's local time. Some states set shorter windows, and a few add rules for weekends or holidays. Because the rules differ, the safest habit is to pick a narrower window and stick to it.

• Use the customer's time zone, not yours. If you cover more than one zone, set your system by area code or ZIP code.
• Pick a sensible window. Many owners choose roughly mid-morning to early evening for anything promotional.
• Think about the type of message. A reply to a customer who just texted you at 8:30 p.m. is different from a promotion you scheduled. The scheduled promotion should respect quiet hours. Ask a lawyer how the rules apply to your messages.
• Storm season is not an exception. After a big storm you may be busy, but the same limits apply.

If your crew is out late and a homeowner texts at night, a tool that replies right away to service questions can still help. Our guide on missed calls explains how to handle the after-hours gap.

What to put in every message

A good business text is short and honest. A person who sees it should know at a glance who it is from and what it is about.

1. Your business name. "Hi, this is Smith Tree Care" (use your own name). Not just "Hi."
2. Why you are texting. "Sorry we missed your call about a tree."
3. One clear next step. A question, a booking link, or an offer to call back.
4. A way to stop. "Reply STOP to opt out." You may not need it in every back-and-forth reply once the person is chatting with you, but the first message and any marketing-style message should include it. Ask a lawyer what fits your case.
5. Plain links. Use your own website link. Avoid shortened links from public shorteners, which carriers often distrust.
6. No tricks. No fake urgency, no false claims, no pretending to be a person you are not.

Example of a clean missed-call text: "Hi, this is [Your Company]. Sorry we missed your call. Want a free estimate? Reply here or book at [your link]. Reply STOP to opt out." You can draft your own with the text-back script tool.

Do not write in all caps, use many exclamation marks, or use words that sound like scams. Do not send the same long message to hundreds of people at once. Spam filters notice.

Review requests and promotions to past customers

These two are not the same thing, and carriers and lawyers may treat them differently.

Review requests

After a finished job, a text asking for a Google review is a common practice for tree companies. Keep it simple: thank them, name the job, add the direct review link, and add a STOP line. Send one request and at most one gentle reminder. Do not offer money, gifts or discounts in exchange for a positive review, and do not ask only happy customers while skipping unhappy ones. Google has its own rules on this. Our reviews guide goes deeper, and the review request builder helps with the wording.

Promotions to past customers

A "fall pruning special" is a promotion. It sells something. In general terms, promotional texts need clearer permission than service messages. The customer should have agreed to get offers from you, not only to get a job update.

• Only text past customers who agreed to offers, and keep proof of that.
• Include your name and a STOP line in every promotion.
• Respect quiet hours.
• Keep it rare. A few well-timed messages a year beat weekly noise, and fewer people will opt out.
• Do not make claims you cannot back up.

If you are not sure that a past customer agreed, treat them as not agreed. Plan seasonal reminders with the promo calendar so you send only a few, on purpose.

Record keeping

If a carrier, a customer or a regulator ever asks "how did you get this number?", you want a quick, clear answer. Records are your protection. Keep these:

• Proof of consent. The date and how the person agreed: a call log entry, their inbound text, or the form submission with its wording and timestamp.
• The form or script wording that was live at the time, with dates when you change it.
• The opt-out list, kept as long as practical, and checked before every send.
• Message history. A log of what you sent, to which number, and when.
• Registration paperwork. A copy of what you submitted for A2P 10DLC and the approval notice.
• Your policies. Dated copies of your privacy and texting policies.

Store these in one place, in your inbox software or a secure folder, not scattered across phones. Ask a lawyer how long you should keep each item. Do not share customer phone numbers with outside parties for marketing.

What we never do

Lirevon builds texting systems for tree companies, and we hold ourselves to simple rules. We write them here so you can hold us to them too.

• We never cold text. No texts to people who did not contact the business first. No bought lists. No scraped numbers.
• We never ignore STOP. An opt-out stops all texts from that business line.
• We never hide who is texting. Messages go out in the business's own name.
• We never promise results from texting. We cannot promise how many jobs a text will win, and we do not invent numbers.
• We never give legal advice. We explain the basics and point you to a lawyer for your own case.

The full details of our own program are on the text messaging policy page. To see how a compliant missed-call text flow works, read about missed-call text-back, or look at pricing and our services. For a free look at how many calls your business misses, try the free audit.

A short checklist to finish

1. Text only people who contacted you or agreed to hear from you.
2. Name your business and add a STOP line to first and promotional messages.
3. Honor STOP at once, everywhere.
4. Register your number for A2P 10DLC before you send at volume.
5. Send within sensible hours in the customer's time zone.
6. Keep proof of consent, the opt-out list and message logs.
7. Ask a lawyer about anything you are unsure of.