How To Text From a Different Number: Your Ultimate Guide

There are plenty of reasons why you might want to learn how to text from a different number, particularly for businesses using SMS for communication.

The ability to send texts from a specific number can help elevate your company’s reputation, ensure business and personal communications remain separate, and even boost SMS compliance. Plus, it’s a great way to enhance data security and hide your mobile number from potential scammers.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to text from a different number, but some methods do offer more benefits than others. Here, we’ll guide you through the various ways you can use the same phone to text people from different numbers and share our best practice tips.

Why Would You Want to Text from a Different Number?

First, you might be wondering why you should learn how to text someone from another number. The reality is people use different numbers for texting for various reasons. Some people just want to hide their identity from the people they communicate with for peace of mind.

For businesses, however, there are a few key reasons why it might make sense to text from a different number, particularly when you’re using SMS for customer service and marketing purposes.

Improved Business Image

As a business, you might use SMS to communicate with suppliers, customers, and team members alike. Using a dedicated business number for all of these interactions gives you a more professional image, and delivers a more consistent experience to your contacts.

Plus, it ensures all of the people you communicate with can easily identify which number they need to text back, for 2-way text messaging conversations.

Deliverability and Marketing

If you’re using text messaging for small business marketing purposes or large scale promotions, knowing how to text from another number is valuable. While you can technically use any number to send texts, 10DLC, which stands for 10 Digit Long Code, is the standard for mass texting customers.

It helps to reduce the risk of your messages being flagged as spam by carriers, which means you’re more likely to benefit from higher deliverability rates.

Data Protection

Nowadays, so much personal information is connected to mobile phone numbers that having a separate number can be a very wise move. Telemarketing and mass texting solutions are legitimate avenues for sales, but some companies use them inappropriately.

Having different business and personal numbers means that your business data is not tied to your personal profile in any way and is more secure.

Separating Business and Personal Communication

Aside from reducing your exposure to risks, separating your business and personal communications has other benefits. If you use the same number for every text, it can be difficult to differentiate between business and personal texts.

Aside from causing frustration, this can cause issues with compliance, particularly for healthcare or finance SMS strategies, as it means you could accidentally respond to the wrong message with sensitive information.

Aligning Teams

Learning how to text from a different number can boost team productivity and performance too. When everyone on your team has access to the same number and unified inbox, you can more easily spread the workload of managing sales and support across your organization.

Using one number can empower teams to track the impact of your SMS campaigns, and manage multichannel conversations with ease.

How to Text from a Different Number: 5 Simple Methods

For businesses, the best strategy for controlling the number you use when texting consumers and other contacts is to use an app to text from a different number. We’ll explore how you can do this easily with a solution like Clerk Chat shortly. But first, here are some additional methods you can consider, depending on your specific needs.

1. Explore Services Offered by Your Carrier

Some carriers enable texting from a different number with the use of secondary or virtual numbers. Exactly how these services work, and how much they’ll cost to access will often vary, however.

The best way to get started is to visit the dedicated support or help section of your carrier’s website. For instance, you can visit the Verizon or AT&T customer support pages and search for terms like “secondary number” or “text from another number.”

If you can’t find any information on the support page, consider reaching out to the carrier directly (via email, live chat, or phone call). Make sure you ask about any associated costs to expect when setting up a secondary number.

2. Purchase a Secondary SIM

Purchasing a second SIM card is probably the most common way to text from a different number. It ensures you can rapidly swap between SIMs for business and personal texts. You could even consider using two different phones – although this is rarely the most convenient option.

Again, you’ll need to speak to your carrier about your options for purchasing different SIMs. Keep in mind that you will need to pay for your carrier’s services on both SIMs, so it’s important to be aware of the charges you’ll incur for monthly texts and calls.

Some solutions do allow you to purchase physical or eSIMs for free, but you’ll need to pay every time you want to top up your account. It’s best to test out your strategy, and consider how frequently you’re going to be using text to communicate before exploring this route.

3. Get a Virtual Number

Dedicated texting platforms like Clerk Chat offer access to various types of numbers for texting purposes, such as VoIP & non-VoIP numbers and virtual numbers. However there are also various other online services you can use to enable texting from a different number.

For instance, Google offers Zoom Voice, which also enables texting from a virtual number, and connects straight to your Google Workspace account. Zoom Voice offers a similar solution to enable texting from Zoom accounts.

Keep in mind, there are fees connected with these plans, and you may need to purchase subscriptions to additional platforms too, like Google or Zoom Workplaces. On the plus side, you should be able to choose from a wide range of numbers (including local numbers) that support calling, SMS, call forwarding, and even the option to block unwanted callers.

4. Use a VoIP Service

Using a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service is similar to using a virtual number. You can purchase a subscription from a VoIP provider, choose your own area code for your number, and enable VoIP text messaging with ease.

You can even use a VoIP texting provider if you want to learn how to text from a different number within the communication apps you already use.

For instance, Clerk Chat offers a MS Teams SMS integration option which allows you to connect a carrier to Microsoft Teams to enable calling and texting within the platform. This could be ideal if you want to unify your communication strategies and upgrade the performance of existing apps.

Just remember that VoIP services aren’t generally just for SMS texting, and not all VoIP providers support texting or give you access to a wide range of valuable features. Make sure you assess your options carefully before making your choice.

5. Send Texts Via Email

This method doesn’t really allow you to text through a different number in the same way as the other methods mentioned above. However it does allow you to protect the privacy of your phone number when you’re sending a text.

Every phone number is connected to a gateway email address you can use to message that number via email. All you need to do is find the @ address connected to the carrier that your contact is using, and add their phone number into the mix.

For instance, if you were texting a customer using a Verizon number you’d write [phonenumber]@VText.com into your email “to” section, replacing [phonenumber] with the number of the person you want to reach.

The only challenging thing here is that you’ll need to know not just the phone number of every person you want to message, but which carrier they’re with too.

Using Apps to Text from a Different Number

Using an app to text from a different number is by far the easiest solution for most people, especially since many platforms let you send text messages from your computer rather than being tied to your phone. There are two main approaches to texting from alternative numbers. First, you can use online apps like “burner number” apps to access a temporary phone number you can use to send messages.

These apps usually come with a fee, and they do have limitations when it comes to mass texting, but they can be a good option for one-off texts.

If you’re going to be sending multiple texts from a secondary number regularly (such as for marketing and customer service purposes), you’ll want a dedicated SMS platform. This is a comprehensive solution that gives you access to not just multiple numbers for texting, but advanced features too.

For instance, Clerk Chat simplifies porting phone numbers into an online platform where you can create and implement comprehensive automated texting campaigns, track reports and analytics, and even use AI to streamline customer service.

Plus, Clerk Chat comes with various texting templates companies can use to deliver a consistent brand experience, and adhere to various compliance standards.

How to Text from Another Number with Clerk Chat

There are dozens of SMS platforms and texting apps that allow you to text users from a range of numbers, but Clerk Chat is the most powerful option for business users. Not only can you choose from a range of numbers to use, but you’ll have access to advanced features, reporting tools, and a user-friendly dashboard for creating campaigns and managing reports.

Clerk Chat even integrates with all of the software solutions companies already use, such as Microsoft Teams, Shopify, Salesforce, and HubSpot.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to text from a different number with Clerk Chat.

Step 1: Access the Clerk Chat App

First, visit the Clerk Chat website and choose your plan. There are various options to choose from, all of which allow you to bring your own number into the system. You can even use Clerk Chat to text from a landline number or toll-free number.

Once you have an account, open the app and import all of your contacts. You can do this manually by uploading a CSV file, or leveraging one of Clerk Chat’s various integrations. Being able to import contacts from a wide range of sources effortlessly can make the whole process much smoother, specifically for companies with a large number of contacts.

Step 2: Choose Your Recipients and Compose a Message

Next, choose the people you want to send your message to. When you select a recipient in Clerk Chat, you’ll see all their contact details and previous conversation histories. You can choose to send messages to individuals or multiple recipients at once.

Clerk Chat also allows users to group people together in a “cohort” they can use to segment future text messaging strategies. Once you have all of your recipients selected, you can compose your message, either manually or by using Clerk Chat’s AI assistant.

Remember, when creating your message:

• Use relevant templates, such as Clerk Chat’s SMS templates for ecommerce
• Draw on context from previous interactions
• Keep your messages clear and concise
• Include opt-out information if necessary
• Introduce your business if this is your first message

Step 3: Send Your Message

Once you’ve composed your message, you can send a text from a different number with Clerk Chat in two ways. You can either send the text immediately, and it will appear instantly in your phone number’s inbox or you can schedule the text to send at a later date. You’ll even be able to modify or delete the message before it’s sent.

Sending the message is only the start of the SMS lead generation conversation. Text messaging can be used for support, sales, or marketing. You can build entire campaigns with Clerk Chat, sharing discount codes or announcing new product launches.

You can even leverage your SMS strategy to deliver unique customer experiences to your audiences, and deliver real time support with potential issues.

Texting from a Different Number: Legal and Ethical Considerations

While learning how to text from a different number can be beneficial for businesses, it’s important to remember there are ethical and legal considerations to keep in mind.

Individuals and companies should never use a different number to spoof the number they’re calling from or try to trick someone into responding to you if they’ve already opted-out of receiving your messages. This can be seen as a form of harassment, and put your company at risk of various compliance issues and legal repercussions.

To avoid fines, and damage to your brand reputation, make sure you’re following the best practices that will keep you compliant with things like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and other texting mandates. Remember to:

• Get consent to send messages: The best way to receive warm SMS leads is to have an opt-in form on your website where people can leave their information. This provides the necessary proof that they have provided their number and have given you consent to contact them again in the future via SMS for small businesses.
• Adhere to standard guidelines: Make sure you introduce your business, and let your customers know why you’re contacting them. Additionally, ensure your customers always have a way to Opt-out of receiving your messages. This will help you to adhere to regulations like the CAN-SPAM act.
• Be aware of specific industry requirements: Read up on the industry regulations that govern how you can send text messages to customers from any number. For instance, if you’re using healthcare SMS templates to send messages to patients, ensure those messages don’t include sensitive information.

Texting from Another Number: Etiquette Tips

Aside from following ethical and legal best practices, there are a few other etiquette tips worth following when you text from a different number. Following these tips will help to ensure you preserve strong relationships with your contacts and protect your brand’s reputation:

• Introduce yourself: Always introduce yourself in the first message you send from a new number. Share your name and your company’s name, as well as a basic message explaining why you’re getting in touch.
• Think about the recipient: Every message you send can add or detract from your brand’s reputation. Think about how you can make a good impression, by personalizing messages for each contact, and adjusting the language you use for different recipients.
• Be clear and concise: Don’t let your messages confuse your audience, and get rid of any unnecessary fluff. Proofread your messages before you hit send to eliminate any mistakes.
• Use your brand tone: When you’re communicating through SMS, you still need your brand’s unique tone of voice to shine through. Using SMS templates can help to ensure you maintain a consistent tone in all of your messages.
• Respond promptly: Keep a close eye on your unified inbox or message center to ensure you can respond quickly when a customer or contact texts back. Tools like Clerk Chat make it easy to monitor conversations at speed across channels, for excellent two-way conversations.

FAQs

Can you text someone from a different number?

It is possible to text someone from a different number. You can use a secondary SIM card, services offered by your carrier, an online app, or even an SMS platform. Clerk Chat offers the most convenient way for businesses to text users from any number, without compromising security standards, compliance, or advanced features.

Can you disguise your phone number in a text message?

Technically, you can hide your phone number in a text message by turning Caller ID off in your phone’s settings. However, not everything you send on your phone when Caller ID is switched off is guaranteed to be anonymous. You may need to consider using a separate number if you want to keep a specific number protected.

How do I make my number appear different when texting?

• Use an SMS platform
• Ask your carrier if they offer a secondary number option
• Use a secondary SIM card or eSIM
• Get a virtual phone number
• Use a Voice over Internet Protocol Service
• Experiment with email texting

Use the Best App to Text from a Different Number

Learning how to text from a different number can be very beneficial for businesses. It helps you separate your business and personal communications, strengthens your brand’s reputation, protects privacy, and improves your compliance standards.

However, you need the right solution to get the best results. Clerk Chat offers companies a convenient, user-friendly way to text contacts from any number. Our platform simplifies the process of drawing contact details from a range of different environments, and helps you to keep track of all of your messages in one convenient place.

Plus, it enables access to tools for analytics, message automation, and even AI support. You can even use Clerk Chat within the apps you already use, like Microsoft Teams.

Contact Clerk Chat today to learn more, or request a free demo to discover the benefits of our SMS platform for yourself.