TCPA stands for the Telephone Consumer Protection Act — a federal law that governs how businesses can contact consumers by phone and text. For franchise lead texting, it means you need documented consent from a lead before sending them automated text messages.
The good news for franchise development teams is that consent is typically captured at the point of inquiry. When a candidate submits a franchise interest form, that form should include clear language indicating they consent to be contacted — including by text — in response to their inquiry. If your form has that language and it's logged, you're operating with documented consent.
Where franchise brands run into TCPA risk is with purchased lead lists, re-engagement campaigns to old contacts, or texting people who never submitted a direct inquiry to your brand. For inbound leads — people who filled out your form — compliant text outreach is straightforward when handled correctly by a platform that documents consent at the lead level.
How FranFunnel handles TCPA compliance for franchise lead texting