Honoring opt-outs across text, phone and email
What to do when someone says stop on one channel, how to record it everywhere, and how to prevent contacting them by mistake.
·2 min read
A person who tells your salesperson to stop calling may not realize you also have their number in a text campaign. Good practice is to record the request centrally and apply it where it makes sense.
Here is how to build that habit.
One place for the truth
Mark the contact record with a do-not-contact status and note which channels and when. Every campaign and dialer list should exclude flagged contacts automatically.
Interpret requests sensibly
If someone asks you to stop contacting them without specifying a channel, treat it broadly. If they only opt out of texts, you may still have a basis to call about an existing relationship, but when in doubt, ask or stay silent.
- ✓Record who, when, how and what was said.
- ✓Apply the request to all relevant lists.
- ✓Do not re-add the contact through a later import.
Train your team
Make sure every rep knows how to flag a contact and why it matters. A short written policy and a quick onboarding example prevent most mistakes.
Putting it into practice
Audit your process periodically by following one test contact through every system. Mark them do-not-contact in one place and verify that they disappear from text campaigns, dialer queues and email lists. Fix any gap you find, whether that is a sync delay, a separate spreadsheet or an old import. Pay special attention after migrations, new integrations and vendor changes, because those are the moments when suppression data tends to get lost. Keep a simple incident procedure for the day someone is contacted by mistake: apologize, confirm the suppression, and find the cause. Honoring requests consistently is the best protection you have, and it is also simply respectful.
Key takeaways
- →Record opt-outs centrally with details.
- →Apply requests across relevant lists.
- →Prevent re-adding through imports.
- →Train every rep on the process.
Put this into practice with Text2Sale
Import leads, create follow-up campaigns, organize replies, and connect texting, calling, and appointments in one workspace.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I keep opt-out records?
Keep them as long as you might otherwise contact the person. They are protection for both sides.
What if a contact re-subscribes?
Record the new, documented consent and keep the history of the earlier opt-out.