Unlocking Your Vault...
This is the part of GHL setup that scares the most photographers off. It is not actually hard, you just need someone to walk you through it without the tech-bro language.
Pick your situation so you only see what you need.
I am brand new to GHL or I just have not gotten around to buying my number yet.
Jump To Step 1 (Buy Number) → ✦ Situation B ✦My number is bought, but I cannot send texts because I am not registered. Skip me to A2P.
Jump To A2P Walkthrough →You have two real options. Here is what each one means and which one is right for a luxury boudoir studio.
A real area code for your city. Looks like a friend texting, not a corporation.
An 800/888/877 number. Looks like a corporation. Costs more, feels colder.
Get a LOCAL number with your studio's area code. It feels personal, costs less, and clients actually reply. Toll-free is for huge call centers... not boudoir studios.
In your GHL dashboard, go to Settings → Phone Numbers. This is where every number on your account lives.
You will see a button at the top right that says + Add Number or Buy Number. Click it.
You will see options for Local, Toll-Free, and sometimes Mobile. Pick Local.
Type your city's area code in the search bar. GHL will show you a list of available numbers in that area code. Pick one that looks easy to remember.
Confirm the purchase. The cost (~$1.50/month) gets added to your card on file. The number is yours and assigned to your account immediately.
Right after buying, you can use your number for OUTBOUND calls. But to start texting clients, you need to complete A2P registration... which is the next part.
A2P is the registration that lets you legally text clients from a business number. Without it, your texts get blocked. With it, everything just works.
A2P approval can take 1 to 3 weeks. You also have to submit a link to a webpage on your site that shows your terms, privacy policy, and texting opt-in language. If your boudoir site has nudity, semi-nudity, or implied nudity ANYWHERE on the page you submit, A2P will reject you instantly. Submit a CLEAN page with no client images... your terms page, privacy page, or contact page works perfectly. Start this on day ONE of your GHL setup.
You need your EIN (or SSN if sole proprietor), your business legal name, your studio address, your website URL, and your business phone number. Have these in front of you before you start.
A2P will look at the URL you give them. They will REJECT you if they see nudity, semi-nudity, lingerie close-ups, or anything they consider "adult content." Even artistic boudoir images can get flagged.
The page MUST include language about how clients opt in to texts AND how they opt out. Put a small section near the bottom that says something like... "By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive text messages about your inquiry, booking, and session updates. Reply STOP at any time to opt out. Message and data rates may apply."
Go to Settings → Phone Numbers → Trust Center. Click Start Registration. You will fill out a Brand registration first (your business info), then a Campaign registration (how you will use texts).
Use your EXACT legal business name as it appears on your EIN documents. Do not abbreviate. Do not use your DBA. Use the address that matches your EIN. Mismatches are the #1 reason for rejection.
This is where you describe HOW you will use texts. Pick Mixed or Customer Care as the type. In the description, write something simple like... "We send appointment confirmations, session reminders, and follow-up messages to clients who have inquired about photography services with our studio."
They want examples of REAL texts you would send. Use these safe examples... "Hi {{contact.first_name}}! Thanks so much for reaching out. Here is the link to grab a quick consult call: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out." Always include opt-out language in your samples.
Approval takes anywhere from 1 day to 3 weeks. You will see "Pending Review" status while you wait. Do NOT keep resubmitting... it slows things down.
Common rejection reasons are: business name mismatch, sample texts missing opt-out language, submitted URL has questionable content, or registered website does not match the business name. Fix the specific issue, do NOT change everything at once, then resubmit.
The single biggest mistake I see... photographers wait until they NEED their texts working to start A2P. Then they panic for two weeks while it processes. Start your A2P registration the same day you create your GHL account. By the time everything else is built, your texting is approved and ready.
If you have submitted A2P twice and gotten rejected twice, do not submit a third time alone. Let me look at exactly what you submitted, fix the issue, and walk you through resubmitting with confidence.
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