Text messages from Tidings
When a family uses Tidings & Company to arrange a funeral, one family member can ask us to send the announcement of the services by text message to relatives and friends. This page shows how that works, how a person comes to receive a message, and how to stop them.
Who sends the messages, and to whom
The family member who is organizing the funeral writes the announcement on the Announcement step of her Tidings account. She can send it from her own phone, as an ordinary text. For relatives and friends she would rather not text herself, she can ask Tidings to send it from our number, (781) 926-1235. She types their names and numbers herself and confirms that they are her family and friends who would expect to hear from her about the funeral. We never buy, rent or gather numbers, and no one receives a message except at that family member’s request.
Every message begins with the family member’s name, so the person reading it knows who it is from, and ends with “Sent by Tidings & Company for the family. Reply STOP to opt out.” A person receives at most a few messages about one funeral: the announcement, a change of time or place if there is one, and a note of thanks afterwards. Nothing after that, and no marketing, ever.
The announcement comes with a picture: the memorial card, which carries the photograph or the cover design the family chose, the name, and the dates of birth and death, and nothing else. A phone that cannot take a picture gets the words alone.
The screen the family member sees
This is the part of the Announcement step where a family member asks Tidings to send the message. The box must be ticked before any number is added: by ticking it she agrees that Tidings & Company may send the people she has listed text messages about the funeral on her behalf, and the lines under it tell her what they will receive. It is drawn here with example names; it is not a working form.
Or let Tidings send it
For people whose numbers you would rather not text yourself. Each message carries your name and “Reply STOP to opt out,” goes out from Tidings’ number as one picture message with the words and the memorial card, and any reply reaches your email. A phone that cannot take a picture gets the words alone. Add only people who would expect to hear from you about the funeral.
Names and numbers, one per line
Tom Kelly 781-555-0199
These are family and friends who would expect to hear from me about the funeral, and I agree that Tidings & Company may send them text messages about it on my behalf.
Consent to receive text messages. By ticking the box, you agree that the people you have listed will receive text and picture messages from Tidings & Company, (781) 926-1235, about this funeral, sent at your request and in your name: the announcement with a picture of the memorial card, a correction if the time or place changes, and at most one note afterwards. Message frequency: up to 3 messages per funeral. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out. Reply HELP for help. See our SMS terms and privacy policy.
Add to the listSend to 2 people
What the messages look like
Three examples, with a made-up family. The first one, the announcement, also carries the memorial card as a picture.
From Mary Sanford: Paul W. Sanford died on Friday. The Funeral Mass is Tuesday, October 14 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Family Church, Duxbury, with visiting hours Monday 4 to 7 p.m. at the Shepherd Funeral Home. Everything is here: tidingsandcompany.com/e/paul-sanford Sent by Tidings & Company for the family. Reply STOP to opt out.
From Mary Sanford: The Funeral Mass for Paul Sanford on Tuesday is now at 11:00 a.m., same church. Updated details: tidingsandcompany.com/e/paul-sanford Sent by Tidings & Company for the family. Reply STOP to opt out.
From Mary Sanford: Thank you for being with us for Paul's funeral. The family's note and the recording of the Mass are here: tidingsandcompany.com/e/paul-sanford Sent by Tidings & Company for the family. Reply STOP to opt out.
To stop, or to get help
Reply STOP to any message and you will get one confirmation and nothing more, from any family; the number goes on our do-not-text list and stays there unless you reply START. Reply HELP for our contact details. Replies that are not STOP or HELP are passed to the family member who sent the message, by email, so she can answer you. Message and data rates may apply; Tidings does not charge for texts.
Our SMS terms and privacy policy say the same things at more length. We do not share mobile numbers, or the fact that someone received a message, with anyone for marketing.
Tidings & Company, LLC · 225 Depot Street, Duxbury, Massachusetts 02332