What Texts Can a Small Business Send Customers?

The short answer

Write a short list of approved texts for customer service and appointments, like confirmations, reminders, “on my way,” and job complete. Get the customer’s okay to text before you start, keep these texts free of sales pitches, and stop when someone replies STOP. Marketing texts follow stricter rules (see 18.4 Text Message Marketing Rules).

What this tells Google and AI

Texts don’t change your Google Business Profile (GBP) directly. They shape the customer’s experience, which shows up in reviews. A clear reminder and an “on my way” text cut no-shows and frustration, and a well-timed text is often how you ask for a review (see 14.6.1 Review Request Timing). Google names reviews as part of prominence, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools read reviews when they describe a business.

What this means

The outline line says to define approved customer-service and appointment messages. “Approved” means you decide the wording ahead of time so every text sounds like your business and stays on the right side of the rules.

Customer service texts are about something the customer already asked for: their appointment, their job, their order, their invoice. Marketing texts try to sell something new, like a sale or a seasonal offer. Federal rules from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) treat these differently. Automated marketing texts to a cell phone need the person’s prior express written consent. Service texts still need consent, but the rules are lighter. The exact rules on consent and opt-outs have changed several times in 2024 to 2026, so confirm the current rules with an attorney or your texting provider.

Made-up example: Hilltop Dental Cleaning asks new patients on the intake form, “May we text you about your appointments?” Patients who check yes get a confirmation, a reminder the day before, and a thank-you after. None of the texts mention whitening specials. That would be marketing.

Why it matters

• Reminders reduce no-shows. A missed appointment is lost time you can’t sell again.
• Mixing in sales changes the rules. A reminder that adds “and 20% off whitening!” can be treated as marketing.
• Ignoring STOP is a fast way to get complaints. It can also break federal rules.
• Texts written on the fly cause mistakes. Wrong times, wrong addresses, and an unprofessional tone.

Who this applies to

Any business that texts customers from a business number, app, or scheduling tool. If you only text a few customers from your own phone when they text you first, you still need to honor STOP and keep a record (see 12.5.4 Text Number Ownership and Records).

How to do it

1. List the texts you need. Common ones: appointment confirmation, reminder, reschedule, “on my way,” job complete, invoice or payment link, and a thank-you with a review link.
2. Write each one. Include your business name, keep it under about 160 characters when you can, and give one clear action. Example: “Hilltop Dental Cleaning: Reminder of your cleaning tomorrow at 10 a.m. Reply C to confirm or call us to reschedule. Reply STOP to opt out.”
3. Keep sales out. No offers, discounts, or upsells in service texts.
4. Ask for consent first. Add a checkbox or line on your intake form or booking page that says you’ll text about appointments and service. Record the answer (see 12.6 Communication Consent Records).
5. Honor STOP right away. Set your texting tool to stop texts when a customer replies STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL, or UNSUBSCRIBE. The FCC lists those words as clear opt-out requests.
6. Send at reasonable times. Federal rules limit telemarketing calls to 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the customer’s time zone. Using the same window for service texts is a sensible habit.
7. Register if your provider asks. Many business texting services require you to register your business and the kinds of texts you send before messages are delivered. Ask your provider what they need.
8. Test every template before turning it on (see 18.10 Testing Automation).

What proof to keep

• The list of approved text templates, with the date each was approved
• The consent wording on your intake form or booking page
• Each customer’s consent and opt-out records
• Your texting tool’s settings for STOP handling and send times

Common mistakes

• “Just one more thing” marketing in a reminder. It turns a service text into a marketing text.
• Texting before getting consent. A phone number on a form isn’t always permission to text.
• Personal phones for business texts. The records leave when the person does.
• Replying to STOP with a sales pitch. One short confirmation that they’ve opted out is the most to send.
• Templates nobody tested. A blank name field turns into “Hi {first_name}.”

When to get help from a pro

An attorney who handles consumer communications law can review your consent wording and templates. Your texting provider can explain registration. Questions to ask:

• Do my templates count as service messages, or could any be treated as marketing?
• Does my consent wording cover the texts I plan to send?
• What are the current FCC rules for opt-outs, and does my state add any?

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short note. For example, which customer service texts you’ve seen make the biggest difference for clients, or how you time the review request text.]

How I did this for SiteSmarty

• [Date I did this:]
• [What I actually did, step by step: the SiteSmarty text templates, consent wording, and STOP settings]
• [What it cost and how long it took:]
• [What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
• [Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: the template list and the opt-out setting]
• [Result so far:]

Questions people ask

Can my business text customers about appointments? Yes, with their consent. Keep the texts about the appointment and let them opt out.

What is the difference between a service text and a marketing text? A service text is about something the customer already asked for. A marketing text tries to sell something new and needs written consent when sent with automated tools.

What should a reminder text say? Your business name, the date and time, one action like “Reply C to confirm,” and how to opt out.

What do I do when someone replies STOP? Stop texting them. You may send one short message confirming the opt-out, with no marketing.

Audit check

• Question: Does the business use a written list of approved service texts, sent only with consent and stopped when customers opt out?
• Pass looks like: Approved templates with no marketing, consent recorded, STOP handled automatically, texts sent at reasonable hours, templates tested.
• Fail looks like: Ad hoc texts from personal phones, offers in reminders, no consent records, STOP replies ignored.
• Evidence to collect: Template list, consent wording, a sample of consent and opt-out records, and texting tool settings.

Where this fits

Do this first: 12.3.1 Main Business Phone Number

Do this next: 12.5.4 Text Number Ownership and Records

Related pages: 12.6 Communication Consent Records, 18.4 Text Message Marketing Rules, 18.10 Testing Automation, 17.3 Appointment Reminders, 14.6.1 Review Request Timing, 16.1 Lead Intake

Sources

• Federal Register, "Strengthening the Ability of Consumers To Stop Robocalls" (FCC rules on revoking consent) (checked October 17, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 47 CFR 64.1200, Delivery restrictions (checked October 17, 2026)
• Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google" (checked October 17, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.