Event reminder texts for a free event: timing and samples

For a free event, three reminders cover most needs: one week before, one day before and one hour before. Each has a different job, so each text should lead with a different detail.

Below you will find a timing table, a sample for each reminder and one sample for a change of plans. Adapt the wording to your own event.

When should you send each reminder?

Try spacing your texts so each one answers the question the reader has at that moment. A week out, they need to plan. A day out, they need the details. An hour out, they need directions.

• One week before: the date, the time and the place, so people can plan.
• One day before: the start time and what to bring.
• One hour before: the address and where to go when they arrive.
• If plans change: the change itself, sent as soon as plans change.

You do not have to send all three. If your event is small or informal, one reminder the day before may be enough. More texts mean more segments, so send what your guests will use.

What should you put first in the message?

Put the event name and the time first. Your reader sees the opening words before anything else, so start with the detail they need most.

Next, add the one detail the reader needs to act on, such as the place or a change. Say who is sending, and end with a way to opt out.

What does a one-week reminder look like?

This text gives the date and place so guests can set aside the time. It also says the event costs nothing to attend.

Furcata adds your account name at the start and a short unsubscribe line at the end of every bulk message, and both count toward the length. With them, the examples below use 2 segments each. In the US and Canada, one segment uses one credit, and every message also carries one flat messaging fee.

Hi {first_name}, [organization] free event: [event name], [date] at [time], [place]. Hope to see you there.

What does a one-day reminder look like?

Lead with the word tomorrow and the start time. Add one practical note, such as parking or what to bring.

Tomorrow at [time] is [event name], a free event at [place]. Reply PARKING for parking details.

What does a one-hour reminder look like?

At this point the reader is likely on the move. Keep it short, and put the address first.

[event name] starts in 1 hour at [address]. Come to [entrance or room]. Reply with a question.

How do you tell guests about a change?

Name the change in the first words. If the time, place or date is different, state the new detail plainly and add a thank-you for the guest's patience.

Update for [event name]. It now starts at [new time] at [place]. Thank you for your patience.

Another useful variation is a short thank-you after the event. It can include a link to photos or notes.

Thank you for coming to [event name], {first_name}. We hope it was useful. Photos and notes: [link]. [organization].

What happens when people reply?

Guests may answer with a question, such as where to park. You can set up an auto-reply under Automation, so a guest who texts one agreed word, such as PARKING, gets the parking details back. The whole incoming message must match that word, and a person answers any other questions in your inbox. Replies arrive in your inbox, where you can answer them in context. Our guide to inbound messages and conversations covers how that works.

Incoming texts are billed at the same rate as outgoing texts, so plan for some replies when you think about cost. STOP and HELP keywords are handled automatically.

How are reminders counted and billed?

Each text is counted in segments, and a longer text uses more of them. In the US and Canada, one segment uses one credit. Every message also carries one flat messaging fee, whatever its length or type.

Shorter reminders use fewer segments. Furcata adds your account name at the start and an unsubscribe line at the end, and both count toward the length. One accented letter, such as á, moves the whole message to Unicode, which fits fewer characters in each segment. Emojis take the space of several characters, so they can push a text into a second segment. Current prices are on the pricing page, and the billing guide explains what is included and what you are charged for.

How do you send to the whole list?

Once your reminder is written, you can send it to your whole list. If you would like to reuse the same wording for each event, the guide to templates shows how to write, test and reuse the messages a service sends.