SMS Consent Guidelines
FollowPaid is a B2B SaaS platform used by small service businesses (plumbers, electricians, contractors, landscapers) to send automated SMS invoice reminders and Google review requests to their customers. This page describes how FollowPaid users are required to collect consent from their end customers before sending any SMS messages.
Who Operates FollowPaid
The business behind FollowPaid is registered under the legal name JAMES A PENNA (EIN 42-2150811), which is the name on the A2P 10DLC brand registration. FollowPaid is the trade name that same business operates under, and it is what appears on this website, in the app, on the opt-in page, and inside every text message. They are the same business, not two separate companies, and no third party is involved in sending messages.
Consent Is Voluntary
No customer is ever required to provide a phone number or to agree to text messages in order to receive service, view an invoice, or pay an invoice. SMS is an optional convenience offered in addition to email, which remains the default and always works on its own.
- The opt-in page is reached from an optional link in an email the customer already receives. Ignoring it has no consequence.
- The consent checkbox is unchecked by default and the submit button stays disabled until the customer ticks it themselves.
- The page carries a “No thanks, email only” option, and declining changes nothing about the customer's service, invoice, or payment.
- The disclosure agreed to at the point of consent states that consent is not a condition of purchase, of receiving service, or of paying an invoice.
- Nothing in the invoicing, payment, or service workflow is gated behind SMS consent.
Screenshots: Opt-In Flow
The images below document the exact opt-in language and the in-app consent requirement described on this page.
Example: the text message exchange a customer sees
Illustrative example using the exact registered message copy. FollowPaid's A2P 10DLC campaign is pending carrier approval, so live message delivery cannot yet be captured; this mockup shows the identical text that is sent once approved.
In-app consent requirement (FollowPaid Settings page)
Every business owner must acknowledge this requirement before SMS features activate on their account.
Live Opt-In Page
Customers enroll themselves through a public web form. The form is reachable without a login and can be reviewed directly here:
Each service business has its own opt-in page at followpaid.com/optin/[business-id]. The link above is a live example. The form collects the customer's own mobile number, requires an unchecked consent checkbox to be ticked, and displays the full consent disclosure at the point of consent.
How Opt-In Works: Web Form Plus SMS Confirmation
No automated reminder or review message is ever sent to a phone number until the recipient has both submitted the opt-in form and confirmed by text. Consent is collected in two independent steps:
- The customer receives an invoice reminder by email from the service business. That email includes an optional link: “Prefer text reminders? Sign up here.”
- The customer opens the opt-in page, enters their own mobile number, and ticks an unchecked consent checkbox. The exact disclosure text, the timestamp, and the submitting IP address are recorded in the FollowPaid database as consent evidence.
- FollowPaid then sends a single confirmation text containing no invoice or billing content. The customer replies YES, and that reply is recorded with a timestamp and the inbound message ID.
- Only after both steps do automated invoice reminders and review requests begin for that phone number. If either step is not completed, no further SMS is sent to that number, ever. Opt-in is voluntary and is not required to receive the service being performed or to pay an invoice.
Exact Opt-In Invitation Message
This is the one-time invitation sent when a customer's phone number is first added:
“[Business Name] uses FollowPaid to send invoice reminders and review requests by text. Reply YES to receive texts. Msg&data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help.”
After the customer replies YES, they receive this confirmation:
“You're opted in to invoice reminders and review requests from [Business Name] via FollowPaid. Msg&data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help.”
In-App Consent Acknowledgment
In addition to the double opt-in above, every FollowPaid user (business owner) must check the following acknowledgment in their Settings before SMS features are enabled:
“I confirm that I obtain consent from my customers before sending SMS messages, using language that meets the requirements above.”
This acknowledgment is recorded with a timestamp in the FollowPaid database when the business owner confirms it in their account settings.
Opt-Out
All SMS messages sent via FollowPaid include opt-out instructions. Customers can reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe and will receive no further messages. Reply HELP for assistance. A customer who has opted out can opt back in at any time by replying START or YES.
Message Types and Frequency
- Invoice payment reminders (1 to 3 per invoice, based on the configured schedule)
- Google review requests (1 per completed invoice, sent after payment)
- Review follow-up (1 optional follow-up if no review was left after 3 days)
Privacy and Data
Customer phone numbers are stored securely and used only to send the messages described above on behalf of the service business. Phone numbers are never sold or shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
See our full Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.