> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.politicalcomms.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Onboarding Guide

> Get up and running in 2-3 business days. Five sequential steps from account setup to sending your first message.

This guide walks you through every step you need to take to go from "just signed up" to "sending your first compliant campaign" - typically in **2–3 business days**.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="2–3 days" icon="clock">
    Typical end-to-end setup time per brand.
  </Card>

  <Card title="5 steps" icon="list-ol">
    Account setup → 10DLC → Contacts → First project → Monitoring.
  </Card>

  <Card title="$129.50" icon="dollar-sign">
    Per-brand initial setup cost ($4.50 + $95 + \$30 first 3 months).
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Snippet file="/snippets/pricing.mdx" />

## The five steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Account Setup & Organization Profile" icon="users">
    Configure your organization details, invite teammates with role-based permissions, set your timezone and notification preferences, and add a billing method with optional auto-recharge. **Estimated time: 10–15 minutes.** [Walk through Step 1 →](/onboarding/account-setup)
  </Step>

  <Step title="10DLC Brand & Campaign Registration" icon="shield-check">
    Register each candidate/campaign as a brand with The Campaign Registry, vet with Campaign Verify, create your first campaign under that brand, and provision phone numbers. **Estimated time: 2–3 business days per brand.** [Walk through Step 2 →](/onboarding/10dlc-registration)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload & Organize Contacts" icon="address-book">
    Import voter lists via CSV, run carrier lookup to filter landlines, create segments for targeted messaging, and clean up opt-out lists. **Estimated time: 15–30 minutes.** [Walk through Step 3 →](/onboarding/contacts)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create Your First Messaging Project" icon="message">
    Build a project, compose with personalization merge fields, add MMS media if desired, set up quick replies, run test sends, and queue for delivery. **Estimated time: 20–30 minutes.** [Walk through Step 4 →](/onboarding/first-project)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Monitor, Engage, and Optimize" icon="chart-line">
    Watch live delivery and reply metrics, respond to conversations, manage opt-outs, analyze performance, and iterate on what works. **Estimated time: Ongoing.** [Walk through Step 5 →](/onboarding/monitoring)
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Other resources

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Help Center & FAQ" icon="circle-question" href="/help/getting-started">
    Common questions and best practices.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Compliance Guide" icon="shield-check" href="/compliance/overview">
    TCPA, CTIA, 10DLC, and Campaign Verify in depth.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    REST endpoints, webhooks, and authentication.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>