Marketing consent vs appointment messages
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Not every message needs marketing consent. The system draws the line the same way privacy law does, and applies it automatically.
Appointment messages (no marketing opt-in needed)
Messages that are part of running the patient's own care and bookings do not need a marketing opt-in, and can send without marketing consent:
- Booking confirmations, the appointment moved notice (when you have switched it on), and the 24-hour reminder. The optional 48-hour reminder is off until you switch it on.
- Aftercare advice and the post-treatment check-in.
- Cancellation notices, no-show follow-ups and booking recovery.
- Waitlist slot offers (they asked to be told).
These messages still respect your automation and channel switches and the patient's separate Automated messages preferences. They need usable contact details, and texts need enough SMS credits.
Marketing messages (opt-in only)
Messages that promote the clinic only go to patients who have opted in:
- Birthday greetings and offers.
- Review requests.
- The rebook nudge and treatment rebooking recalls.
The two consent flags
Each patient's record has separate Marketing emails and Marketing SMS tick boxes, editable on the patient's page. Email consent gates the marketing emails. For birthday and treatment recall texts, both marketing email and SMS consent are required. A patient can receive marketing emails while declining marketing texts. Photo marketing consent is a third, separate thing again.
Opting out is automatic
Patients do not have to ring you to opt out. Texting STOP unticks their Marketing SMS box; the unsubscribe link in marketing emails opens a page that unticks both marketing boxes in one click; and an email address that hard-bounces or reports a message as spam has Marketing emails unticked automatically. Your consent flags therefore stay honest without housekeeping, which is exactly what a data protection inspection wants to see.
Texts sent under your clinic name cannot receive replies. They include a contact number for help and stopping texts, and your clinic must action those requests.
Opting back in is never automatic. No text message switches consent on, so a patient who changes their mind ticks the box on your booking form or asks you to tick it on their record.