Text messaging, explained simply.

TextVolt is the company that actually delivers your text messages. It's a third-party provider that plugs into Flow Fusion, so you send and receive texts right inside your CRM. TextVolt is included in every SMS plan. You don't sign up for it separately or pay it separately.

Starter, Growth, and Scale include texting. Core is CRM only and does not include SMS. Each SMS plan comes with a monthly message allowance, one texting number, and setup support. See the plans.

Not directly. TextVolt is for text messages only. However, call forwarding is included: if someone calls the number you've been texting them from, the call rings straight through to your business or personal phone line. So you won't miss a call, you just can't dial out from the texting number itself.

People who have opted in. That means they clearly agreed to get text messages from your business. Examples: they checked a box on your form that says they agree to receive texts, they texted you first, or they gave you their number and said it was okay to text them. If you can't point to how someone said yes, treat it as a no.

A real opt-in is clear, specific, and something you can prove later. Good examples: a signed form, a website checkbox that mentions text messages, or a text from them saying "yes" after you asked. Not good enough: a business card, a number you found online, a list you bought, or "they're a customer so they probably don't mind." Keep a record of when and how each person opted in.

No. Those people never agreed to hear from you. Texting them can get your number blocked by the carriers, get your messages flagged as spam, and expose your business to fines. It also tends to work badly anyway, because nobody likes surprise texts from strangers.

Say who you are, say why you're texting, and tell them how to stop. A simple version: "Hi Alex, this is Jordan from Northline. Thanks for signing up! Reply STOP anytime to opt out." That first message sets the tone and shows the carriers you're texting people who know you.

You stop texting them. Immediately. Flow Fusion marks the contact as opted out so they don't get pulled into future campaigns. Don't try to text them again to "confirm" or to win them back. If they change their mind later, they can opt back in themselves.

Stick to normal waking hours in the recipient's time zone. A common rule of thumb is between 8 AM and 9 PM. Some states have their own rules that are stricter, so if you text across the country, aim for the middle of the day to be safe.

That's up to you. There's no daily cap from Flow Fusion. The limit is your monthly credit allowance (5,000, 25,000, or 50,000 depending on your plan) and the rule that everyone you text has opted in. You can spread your monthly volume across the days however fits your business.

Small batches, spaced out. We recommend somewhere between 2 messages every 2 to 3 minutes and 10 messages every 5 minutes. That's roughly 40 to 120 messages per hour. Sending a big burst all at once looks like spam to the carriers and can hurt your deliverability for everyone on your list.

Phone carriers watch how numbers behave. A number that suddenly fires off 500 identical texts in one minute looks like a spam robot. A number that sends a steady, human-paced stream of messages to people who actually reply looks like a real business. Small batches keep your number in the second group, which means more of your texts actually land in the inbox.

Deliverability is the percentage of your texts that actually reach the phone you sent them to. Carriers can silently filter messages they think are spam, and you won't always know. Texting only opted-in contacts, sending in small batches, and keeping your messages honest and useful are the three biggest things that keep your deliverability high.

Yes. Every message counts, whether you send it or receive it. A quick back-and-forth of three texts each way uses six credits. Plan for that when you estimate how much volume you need.

One. Every SMS plan includes exactly one TextVolt number. All of your outgoing texts come from it, and all replies come back to it. If you need another number, additional numbers are $5 each per month.

Only if you add another number to your account. By default, you send and receive from your single included number. Most businesses find one number is plenty, and it's actually better for deliverability, because your contacts learn to recognize it.

The call forwards to whatever phone you choose, like your business line or your cell. The caller sees your texting number, you answer on your regular phone. You set the forwarding number up during onboarding, and you can change it later.

Your SMS plan comes with a new TextVolt number. If you want to explore using a number you already own, reach out to support during setup and we'll walk you through what's possible.

Your plan gives you a set number of credits each month: 5,000 on Starter, 25,000 on Growth, 50,000 on Scale. One credit is one text message, sent or received. When a new billing month starts, your credits reset to your plan's full amount.

No. Credits do not roll over. If you have 25,000 credits and only use 10,000 this month, the other 15,000 are gone when the new month starts. You get a fresh 25,000, not 40,000. Use what you pay for.

No. Credits are non-refundable. When you pay for a plan, you're paying for the full monthly allowance whether you use all of it, some of it, or none of it. If you're consistently using far fewer credits than your plan includes, moving to a smaller plan next month is the way to save money.

Your texting pauses until your next billing cycle refills your credits. Your CRM keeps working; only sending and receiving texts stops. If you're running out regularly, the next plan up is probably the right fit.

No. TextVolt is included in your Starter, Growth, or Scale subscription. The plan price covers the CRM, your monthly credits, your texting number, and TextVolt's service. The only optional add-on is extra numbers at $5 each per month.

No. We give you the tools, the guidelines on this page, and support when you have questions. But we can't see your opt-in records, we don't approve your messages before they go out, and we don't control your sending. Staying compliant with texting laws (like the TCPA in the United States) and carrier rules is your responsibility as the business doing the texting.

A2P 10DLC is the carriers' registration system for businesses that text from regular 10-digit phone numbers. It's how carriers know your number belongs to a real business, and registered numbers get better deliverability. Registration is part of getting set up. If you choose Done For You onboarding, we handle the registration for you.

A few things, and none of them are good. Carriers can filter or block your messages. TextVolt can suspend your number. And the people you texted without permission can file complaints or lawsuits, which in the United States can mean fines per message. The rules aren't hard to follow: text people who said yes, honor STOP, send at a human pace.

Every SMS plan includes setup support. You can also join office hours Monday through Friday, 12:00 to 1:00 PM EST, or reach us anytime through live chat inside Flow Fusion. Ask before you send if you're unsure. That's what we're here for.