Event marketing has always been about establishing meaningful connections with attendees. Whether it’s a trade show, sales conference, dealer meeting, road show, product launch, or virtual/hybrid summit, planners work tirelessly to engage attendees before, during, and after events. Yet even the most well-thought-out event communication strategy almost always runs into one frustrating reality.
Have you opened your email inbox today …? If you’re like everyone else, you’ve got countless unopened messages. So many, in fact, you’re more inclined to hit “Delete All” than to spend the next 90 minutes opening, reading, responding, etc. Have you checked your social media accounts? Lordy! And what happened to that IG message you posted last night about an upcoming event?
With so many platforms in today’s world [increasing every day, it seems], communication in general can be a two-edged sword. Yes, it’s easier these days but, no, it’s not always as effective as you might’ve assumed. And to make event marketing even more maddening, social media algorithms often bury posts long before your audience sees them.
So how can an event host or planner make sure the right message reaches the right person at exactly the right time? Is this even possible …?
Well, Merry Christmas a few days late, everyone. It is!
Short Message Service [SMS] automation is transforming event-marketing. It’s direct, personal, and immediate, making it the go-to choice for frustrated event professionals in search of higher engagement levels and more predictable ROI. These days, people simply assume a text will be more important than an email and that means greater engagement for you.
SMS Beats Every Other Communication Channel
The numbers tell a clear story. Quite simply, the overwhelming majority of people actually open and read their texts. Research shows SMS has a staggering 98% open rate and 45% response rate. Compare that with email, where less than 30% of emails are even opened, much less read or read to the end. This is night-and-day stuff here, everyone. But the real power kicks in when SMS is paired with automation. Let’s look a little closer …
Sending individual emails or texts to hundreds, if not thousands, of attendees isn’t just unrealistic, it’s impossible. Nobody has that kind of time [or patience]. SMS automation eliminates that burden entirely. It allows planners to schedule, personalize, and trigger messages automatically based on timelines, necessary attendee actions, or event updates.
Imagine being able to blast alerts with a simple screen tap or two when a registration window is closing, a speaker session is about to begin, a meeting room change happens at the last minute, a survey needs to go out immediately after a session, etc. Automation removes the clunky, time-consuming manual effort of days-gone by, cuts down on miscommunication, and ensures information flows smoothly and simultaneously. Leaning on SMS automation simplifies logistics so planners can focus on what truly matters — the attendee experience.
Before, During & After …
Engagement doesn’t begin when attendees arrive at your event. It begins the moment an event is announced and registration opens, and continues throughout the pre-event, during and post-event phases. Sharing important information via SMS automation helps you nurture relationships with attendees from start to finish. Effective, timely communication makes events run more smoothly and efficiently. When the left hand knows what the right is doing and vice-versa, there are significantly fewer pop-up snags that can hamstring an event.
It helps to build multiple SMS lists – one for attendees, hosts and staff, and one for those behind-the-scenes professionals who make the event happen [i.e., planners, coordinators, vendors, speakers, volunteers, AV crews, venue staff, etc.]. You can call an emergency meeting when an issue arises, communicate last-minute decisions, update program details, send a thank-you at day’s end, or a reminder about the next day’s priorities. The result: fewer mistakes, more rapid response times, and smoother event execution.
So, How Do I Get Started?
Setting up SMS automation is easier than you might expect. Modern SMS platforms [i.e., SMS-iT, Text-Em-All, Textedly, etc.] are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing CRMs, event apps and online registration tools. Typically, the set-up process looks like this:
Select a platform that supports automation, personalization, and CRM integration.
Create or customize templates for invites, reminders, updates, and feedback messages.
Set triggers based on time [i.e., 24 hours before event], attendee status, or actions to be taken.
Launch and monitor open rates, response rates, confirmations, and feedback.
Optimize and refine your messaging strategy for future events.
Event marketing is all about establishing and nurturing connections, and effective connection thrives on timely, reliable communication. SMS automation bridges the gap between planners and participants by delivering the right message at the right moment to the right persons, and leap-frogs the diminishing effectiveness of email, once the Gold Standard of event marketing. Times have changed and SMS automation isn’t just the future of event marketing, it’s the now!
And on another very important note …
Our entire team at dynami hopes you are enjoying a meaningful, memorable and enjoyable holiday season. We are grateful for the gift of your interest and partnership, and we look forward to working together in the New Year.
Cheers, and here’s to an awesome 2026!
Kenneth Jones
