What “yes” means in writing

A Northfield buyer who typed their mobile on the inventory form after a checkbox that said “Text me about this CR-V and Saturday hours — reply STOP to opt out” has given a specific yes. A spreadsheet Dana exported from a three-year-old “we met at the fair” clipboard has not. A number copied from a review, a service RO, or a friend’s phone is not yes. Email is the same test: they asked for the appointment confirmation, or they checked a box that said what you will send. “We have their number in the DMS” is not a reason to start a blast. This course teaches the principle: you can point to the moment they agreed, the words they saw, and how they can leave. If any of those three is missing, you do not send.

(1) Form checkbox + timestamp + the sentence they saw → yes for that topic. (2) They booked a test drive and asked for a reminder text → yes for that appointment. (3) They called the lot and left a voicemail → not SMS consent. (4) They bought a car in 2019 → not permission to text a 2026 sale. (5) A vendor file of “intenders in 21701” → never yes. Write the proof in a column: source, words shown, date, topic. If the column is empty, the row is a do-not-send. Verification here means you check the column before anyone hits send — not that you trust last month’s intern.

TCPA-style consent is a literacy frame: prior express agreement for marketing texts, clear identification, and an easy out. Laws and carrier rules change. Your counsel and your vendor’s current docs win over this lesson. We cite the FCC TCPA page so you know the public conversation exists. We will not walk 10DLC registration, brand IDs, campaign IDs, Dialpad inboxes, or Twilio console screens. If a classmate pastes an account SID into homework, the assignment fails. Fictional Northfield numbers look like (555) 010-0140 — never a live rooftop line.

A usable checkbox is specific: “Text me about this vehicle and Saturday hours at Northfield Motors Frederick. Msg frequency varies. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for hours.” That names who, what, and the out. A bad checkbox is “I agree to terms” with a 12-page PDF. Email can say “Send me the appointment confirmation and a reminder the morning of.” That is not a monthly newsletter yes. If Dana later wants a monthly, she builds a new checkbox. Write both sentences in the policy pack so an intern cannot “just reuse the list.”