Are Your Text Messages Disappearing? Here’s My SMS Delivery Guide.

You’ve crafted the perfect text message. It’s a friendly appointment reminder, a valuable promotional offer, or a crucial follow up with a new lead. You hit send, confident you are connecting with your customer. But what if that message never arrives? For many local businesses, this is not a hypothetical question. It is a real, frustrating, and costly problem. Your SMS messages are disappearing into a black hole, and you have no idea why.

My name is Jamie M.G. Flatley, and I am a systems consultant at JMGF Consulting. I have seen this scenario play out countless times. Business owners invest in powerful SMS marketing tools, only to find their messages are not getting delivered. They are left scratching their heads, wondering what went wrong. The truth is, the world of business SMS has become incredibly complex. Mobile carriers have put strict systems in place to combat spam, and if you do not play by their rules, your messages will pay the price. I am here to help you diagnose and solve these SMS delivery issues, based on my hands on experience helping businesses just like yours.

The Telltale Signs of an SMS Delivery Problem

How do you know if your text messages are not being delivered? It is not always as obvious as you might think. Here are some of the key warning signs to look out for:

• Increased No Show Rates: If you use SMS for appointment reminders and you notice a sudden spike in no shows, it is a good indication that your messages are not getting through.

• Low Engagement on SMS Campaigns: Are you sending out promotional offers via SMS but getting little to no response? It might not be your offer that is the problem. It could be your delivery.

• Customer Complaints: The most direct sign of a problem is when customers tell you they are not receiving your messages. If you hear this once, it is a fluke. If you hear it multiple times, it is a pattern.

• High Failure Rates in Your SMS Software: Most SMS marketing platforms provide delivery reports. If you are seeing a high number of failed or undelivered messages, it is time to investigate.

If any of these signs sound familiar, do not ignore them. They are symptoms of a deeper problem that needs to be addressed.

Why Your SMS Messages Are Getting Blocked

So, why are your messages getting blocked? It almost always comes down to one thing: compliance. The mobile carriers have implemented a system called A2P 10DLC (Application to Person 10 Digit Long Code) to regulate business text messaging. To send messages legally and reliably, you need to register your business and your messaging campaigns with The Campaign Registry. If you have not done this, or if you have done it incorrectly, your messages will be flagged as suspicious and blocked by the carriers.

Here are some of the specific reasons why your messages might be getting blocked:

• Unregistered 10DLC Number: This is the most common reason for message blocking. If you are sending business texts from a standard 10 digit number that has not been registered for A2P use, the carriers will block it.

• Non-Compliant Message Content: The carriers have strict rules about what you can and cannot say in your messages. Certain keywords, phrases, or link shorteners can trigger their spam filters.

• Lack of Customer Consent: You must have explicit, documented consent from your customers before you send them any marketing messages. If you are sending unsolicited texts, you are violating the rules and your messages will be blocked.

• Poor Sender Reputation: Just like with email, your phone number has a sender reputation. If your messages are frequently marked as spam, your reputation will suffer, and your deliverability will plummet.

How to Diagnose Your SMS Delivery Problem

Diagnosing an SMS delivery problem can be tricky, but it is not impossible. Here is a step by step process you can follow:

1. Check Your Delivery Reports: The first step is to dive into the delivery reports in your SMS software. Look for patterns in the failed messages. Are they all going to a specific carrier? Are they all from a specific campaign?

2. Review Your Message Content: Take a close look at the content of the messages that are failing. Are you using any language that could be considered spammy? Are you using a shared link shortener? Try sending a simple, plain text message to see if it goes through.

3. Verify Your A2P Registration Status: If you have registered for A2P 10DLC, double check your registration status. Make sure your brand and campaigns are fully approved. If you have not registered, that is almost certainly the source of your problem.

4. Test with Different Numbers and Carriers: If possible, try sending messages from a different phone number to see if the problem persists. You can also try sending messages to numbers on different mobile carriers to see if the issue is carrier specific.

Solutions for Common SMS Delivery Scenarios

Once you have diagnosed the problem, you can start to implement a solution. Here are some solutions for common SMS delivery scenarios:

• If you are not A2P registered: The solution is simple. You need to register your business and your messaging campaigns as soon as possible. This is the only way to ensure long term, reliable SMS delivery.

• If your message content is the problem: Revise your message content to be more compliant. Avoid using spammy language, and use a dedicated link shortener if possible.

• If you have a sender reputation issue: This is a tougher problem to solve. You will need to work on improving your sender reputation by sending high quality, compliant messages over time.

• If the problem is carrier specific: You may need to work with your SMS provider to troubleshoot the issue with the specific carrier.

When to Call in a Professional

If you have tried all of the above and you are still having trouble, it might be time to call in a professional. An SMS compliance expert can help you diagnose the problem, navigate the complexities of A2P registration, and get your messages delivered reliably. At JMGF Consulting, I offer a comprehensive SMS delivery audit where I will analyze your entire SMS marketing setup and provide you with a detailed report and a clear action plan.

Prevention is the Best Medicine

The best way to deal with SMS delivery issues is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Here are a few key prevention strategies:

• Get A2P Registered from Day One: Do not wait until you have a problem to get compliant. Make A2P registration a priority before you send your first message.

• Prioritize Compliant Opt-In Practices: Make sure you have a clear and compliant way of obtaining customer consent. This is the foundation of a healthy SMS marketing program.

• Regularly Monitor Your Delivery Reports: Do not just set and forget your SMS campaigns. Regularly monitor your delivery reports to catch any potential issues early.

Let’s Solve Your SMS Delivery Issues for Good

SMS marketing is too powerful a tool to be sidelined by delivery issues. If you are tired of your messages disappearing into the void, I am here to help. Contact me today to learn more about my SMS delivery audit and A2P compliance services. Let’s work together to ensure your messages are reaching your customers, every single time.