To activate a Drop profile for an artist, go to the Drops tab, and click Get Started.
By default, email will always be configured. Add on mobile messaging at time any time, either at time of initial set up or later. Activating mobile messaging incurs a one-time cost of $50 to provision your dedicated account and phone number with telecom carriers.
The following instructions outline how to configure your artist profile, and optionally set up a number or transfer one from somewhere else.
1. Configure Artist Profile
This section configures how your artist appears in email, and the default elements on any drop link you create.
First, customize your profile display name, profile image. This image will become the default for all future drops you make, although you can also customize the image on each drop once you make it.
Next, customize the end of the URL for your drops.
If an error says "Slug is already taken" it means another artist profile is using that URL ending. You can use a different one, or reach out to us on Intercom for support
Finally, add on any social and platform links you wish to auto-populate in your drops.
You can return to edit any of these details afterwards.
2. Set up SMS Messaging
In this step, choose which messaging channels you wish to activate.
Email Only
If you wish to run with email for now, click Complete Setup. You can now build Drops and send emails to fans.
To upload existing email lists, head to the Fanbase tab, and click Import Fans.
Generate New Number
If you are activating SMS messaging for the first time, we will provide you a new number. It will be a US long-form number, which will exclusively be used by your artist. This number will have international delivery capabilities.
Transfer a number
If you already have a phone number and wish to transfer it to Cobrand, select Transfer Number. Please read this article for our best practices on transferring phone numbers:
Keep reading for instructions on SMS Display Name, Contact Cards and Business Registration. These are the same whether you are transferring a number or generating a new one.
SMS Display name
Confirm your SMS Contact Display Name. This will only be used in markets where international traffic is converted to Alphanumeric Sender (for example, the United Kingdom). In these markets, instead of seeing the phone number, a fan will see the artist profile name as the sender.
Contact Card
You have the option to activate Contact Cards, which give fans an easy way to add the artist and profile image to their Contacts. When enabled, Cobrand will automatically send the Contact Card with the first message you send to a new sign-up.
Imported fans do not receive a Contact Card. If a fan you already have in your Fanbase signs up for a Drop, they do not receive a Contact Card.
Contact Cards deliver as MMS in the US and Canada, which cost more than a normal SMS message. Please review the pricing grid in the app for details.
Outside of the US and Canada, MMS delivery is not supported. In those markets, Contact Cards will still deliver, but they are automatically converted to a link format and priced as a normal SMS message.
You can enable and disable Contact Cards at any time.
Note: if your artist does not have a second name, put a space in that field to proceed with Business Registration.
3. Submit Carrier Registration
You must register for a mobile carrier sub-account to activate messaging on Cobrand. The details you enter here will not impact Drop branding. They are used by US carriers to generate a Trust Score. Trust Scores determine how many messages you can send, and how quickly you can send them.
The approval process takes on average 2 weeks. We recommend waiting until your registration is approved for better delivery speed and branding in the US market.
You can send messages before you are approved. During that time, SMS messages sent to the US market during this time will begin with "Cobrand:" and end with "// sent by Cobrand". The rate of delivery may also be slower than what you could have in a dedicated sub-account once your Trust Score is established.
You must wait until the account is approved before you can activate WhatsApp.
If you choose, you can transfer your number from another provider before you are approved, however these limitations will still apply.
Carrier Registration Best Practices
If you are registered in the US, copy the business name, address and EIN directly from a W-9 so it lines up with the IRS database. Any errors will reduce your Trust Score or result in an initial rejection, which will delay your registration.
If you are registered in the UK, use UK CRN as your company identifier. Copy your details directly from the UK Government registration website, ensuring the address and business name are correct.
If you are registered elsewhere in Europe, use VAT as your company identifier. This registration type is the easiest for carriers to validate. Please upload a copy of your VAT Certificate for expedited approval.
Ensure your business website is entered correctly, and that it is operational. It will be actively reviewed by the carriers.
For Authorized Representative, use a POC and contact email address using the domain of the company you are registering.