How to Set Up a Twilio Account for SMS Marketing

Overview: What You’ll Need

• Basic business info 

• Your EIN or SSN (if sole proprietor)

• A business phone number (for sending SMS)

• Website with clear opt-in checkboxes for marketing

• Time for Twilio to verify your campaign (~24–72 hours)

Step-by-Step Setup Instructions

1. Sign Up for a Twilio Account

1. Visit https://www.twilio.com/try-twilio.

2. Sign up using your work email.

3. Verify your email and phone number.

4. Log in to the Twilio Console.

2. Upgrade to a Paid Account

1. In the console, click Upgrade Account to remove the trial balance limit and enable live message sending.

2. Enter billing information (credit card or PayPal).

3. Complete the upgrade to access production-level SMS features.

3. Provide Business Information

1. In the Console, go to Trust Hub.

2. Start the Sole Proprietor A2P Registration process.

3. Enter:

   • Business name

   • Your legal name

   • Your U.S. business address

   • Last 4 digits of your SSN

   • Your mobile number

4. Register a Phone Number

1. Go to Phone Numbers > Manage > Buy a Number.

2. Select a local U.S. number that supports SMS and MMS.

3. This will be the number you send SMS messages from.

5. Create a Brand in Twilio

1. Go to Trust Hub > A2P Messaging Registration.

2. Under Brands, create a new brand as a Sole Proprietor.

3. This brand represents your venue as a business in the U.S. A2P ecosystem.

4. Use your website or Facebook page for verification.

6. Ensure Your Website Has Proper Marketing Opt-Ins

Twilio will reject your campaign if your opt-in process is not clearly visible on your site. Make sure your sign-up form includes:

• A checkbox: “I would like to receive offers and news”

• A checkbox: “I accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy”

• Links to your Privacy Policy and Terms must be visible and functional.

7. Create a Campaign in Twilio

1. Return to the Trust Hub > A2P Messaging Registration.

2. Under Campaigns, create a new campaign and link it to your registered Brand.

3. Choose your use case (e.g., “Marketing” or “Promotional Offers”).

4. Add the message samples, like: “Don’t miss out! Get advance ticket alerts for shows at The Vogue. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”

5. Submit the campaign for review.

8. Connect Twilio to Opendate

1. In Opendate, go to:

   Promoter > Settings > SMS > Twilio Account Settings

2. Enter the following from your Twilio Console:

   • Account SID

   • Auth Token

3. Click Test and Save.

   

4. Once the connection is successful and your campaign is verified by Twilio, Opendate will show your status as “Ready” and you can now begin sending SMS messages to your subscribed fans.