A text message does not guarantee delivery or attention. It can, however, reach an attendee when they are not checking email. Treat SMS as a concise operational signal within a broader event communication plan, not as a replacement for that plan.

SMS or email: choose the right channel

Ask three questions:

  1. Will the information lose value if the recipient sees it later?
  2. Can it be understood without extensive context or attachments?
  3. Does the recipient need to take one simple action?

If all three answers are yes, SMS may be appropriate.

Content SMS Email
Short registration confirmation Yes, when needed Yes
Entry code or link Yes Yes as a copy
Start-time and address reminder Yes Yes
Full agenda and session descriptions No Yes
Terms, invoice, or detailed instructions No Yes
Urgent room or time change Yes Yes as an additional channel
Post-event materials Only a short link when justified Yes

For critical information, also prepare an event-page update, signage, app notification, or staff instruction. No single channel should be the entire emergency procedure.

Event SMS plan before, during, and after the event

Do not send a text merely because the system permits it. Every SMS needs a moment, objective, group, and owner.

Moment Objective Example Segment Backup channel
After registration Confirm status CONREGO Forum: registration confirmed. We sent your ticket and details by email. Newly registered attendees Full email confirmation
Before the event Remind about venue and start See you tomorrow. Check-in from 08:30, start at 09:30. Map: . Confirmed attendees Practical information email
Before entry Make check-in easier Your entry code: . Have it ready before approaching check-in. Attendees with valid tickets Code in email or app
During the event Communicate a change Workshop A has moved to Room B. Start time is unchanged. Workshop A attendees App, screens, and staff
After the event Collect focused feedback Thank you for joining us. Rate the most useful part of the programme: . Attendees marked present Materials email

These are message patterns, not universal sending times. Adapt timing to the event type, time zones, travel requirements, and information already supplied.

SMS before the event

Before the event, SMS can confirm a completed registration, remind attendees of the date, or deliver an entry code. Do not reproduce the entire email. State the essential fact and tell recipients where to find the details.

A reminder is most useful when someone needs to prepare a ticket, use a different entrance, install an app, or complete an action before the start. If there is no clear action, another message may only create communication fatigue.

Base sends on current status. A cancelled attendee should not receive an entry code, a paid attendee should not receive a payment reminder, and a speaker should not receive guest instructions.

SMS on the event day

On the day, text messaging is valuable for changes affecting a defined group. Suitable uses include:

  • directing attendees to the correct entrance;
  • announcing a room or time change;
  • reminding someone about their selected workshop;
  • delivering an updated link to an online event;
  • warning about a significant travel disruption;
  • reinforcing safety instructions through one of several channels.

Do not broadcast every minor update to everyone. When irrelevant messages accumulate, attendees stop treating the channel as important. Prepare approved alert templates in advance, but always verify location, time, segment, and link immediately before sending.

Post-event SMS and surveys

After the event, SMS can lead to a short survey when attendees expect the message and the form works well on mobile. Avoid conducting a survey through a confusing series of text replies unless your system can interpret and document them correctly.

A useful survey message:

  • identifies the event;
  • explains the subject of the form;
  • links to a mobile-friendly page;
  • does not promise anonymity when the link identifies the attendee;
  • keeps satisfaction research separate from promotion for a future event.

Send presentations, recordings, and a detailed summary by email. SMS may simply alert recipients that these materials are available.

Personalisation and segmentation

Personalisation should improve usefulness, not display how much data the organiser holds. The most valuable fields affect what the attendee needs to do:

  • ticket type or registration status;
  • selected workshop and room;
  • correct entrance or access zone;
  • communication language;
  • role: attendee, speaker, partner, or staff;
  • confirmed attendance or cancellation.

Using a first name is optional. Accuracy and relevance matter more. Before a bulk send, test empty values, unusual characters, invalid numbers, and the rules assigning people to groups.

GDPR, consent, and electronic communications rules

A telephone number is personal data. Before sending, define the purpose, lawful basis, recipient scope, retention period, and process for individual rights. An operational update about a registered event must be assessed differently from advertising a future event or partner service. National electronic-communications rules may also apply.

When relying on consent, it must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. The European Data Protection Board consent guidelines rule out practices such as pre-ticked boxes. People should know who will send messages, for what purpose, and how to withdraw consent.

Consent is not automatically the correct basis for every operational text. Document the assessment for the specific workflow and have it reviewed for the relevant jurisdiction. This article is not legal advice.

How to write a clear text message

A useful event SMS contains:

  1. a recognisable sender or event name;
  2. the key information first;
  3. one action when needed;
  4. an unambiguous date or time;
  5. a short, tested link;
  6. a support route when the situation requires it.

Encoding, national characters, and length may affect message segmentation and cost. Check the final version in your SMS gateway, but do not shorten it until it becomes ambiguous.

Registration confirmation example

CONREGO Forum: your registration is confirmed. We sent the ticket and details to the email address used in the form.

Entry-code reminder example

See you tomorrow. Check-in from 08:30. Entry code: . If you need help, visit the Help desk.

In-event alert example

CONREGO Forum: the “Reports” session is now in Room B on the first floor. Start time remains 14:00.

SMS survey example

Thank you for attending CONREGO Forum. Short programme survey: . The form closes on [date].

Measurement and quality control

Do not evaluate SMS using an assumed “open rate.” Measure observable outcomes:

  • gateway acceptance and reported delivery;
  • invalid numbers and failed messages;
  • clicks on tagged links;
  • use of the entry code;
  • attendance in the relevant segment;
  • questions received by the check-in desk;
  • opt-outs and complaints.

Compare similar groups and events. A fall in support calls alone does not prove that SMS caused it; record other process changes as well.

CONREGO integration with an SMS gateway

The CONREGO registration system can use registration data and attendee statuses to create sending groups. Its integration with SMSAPI supports sending through an external gateway, sender names, and the reports available in the configured service.

Automation does not remove the need for control. The organiser remains responsible for the lawful basis, number quality, segment, content, timing, and process for failed delivery.

Conclusion

SMS works best as a short, situational element of a broader communication plan. Use it when information is urgent and simple, choose recipients from current status, provide a backup for critical messages, and measure real actions. Email supplies context; SMS helps attract attention at the moment it matters.