Send SMS/Text Messages to Event Guests

BetterUnite lets you send basic and custom SMS text messages directly to guests from your Event Dashboard. Custom messages are separate from the automatic texts the system sends on its own (such as ticket confirmations, check-in texts, and auction bid alerts — those are free and sent automatically see a full list of the automated texts included in Basic Text Messaging for events). Custom messages require SMS credits.

For more information on custom texting credit plans, see SMS Messages: Credits.

Check to see what text message plan you have for your events and if you need to purchase a bundle of custom text message credits by going to an event page>Communications>SMS/Text.

Sending a Custom SMS to Guests

From your Event Dashboard, navigate to Communications > SMS/Text Communications.
Select New Message.
Compose your message.
**Please note that each text message will include their personal guest link with it unless that setting is turned off under Edit Event>Guest Experience>Guest Link Visibility>Never**

Choose Your Audience

Use the Filter Target Guests to target the right guests. You can combine multiple filters to narrow your audience. Available filters include:
All Guests: Message everyone in your event who has a phone number on file.
Purchase / Ticket Type: Target guests who purchased a specific ticket type (e.g., VIP tickets only).
Check-In Status: Reach guests who have or have not yet checked in — useful for sending a reminder at the door.
Cart / Payment Status: Target guests with open carts, unpaid balances, or completed checkout.
Bidder Status: Filter to active bidders, outbid guests, or winning bidders during an auction.
Table or Team Assignment: Send a message to guests assigned to a specific table or team.
Tags: Filter by any contact tags you have applied to guests in your CRM.

The composer will show you a recipient count as you adjust your filters so you know how many guests will receive the message before you send.

Compose Your Message

Type your message in the text field. A live character and credit count is shown as you type.
Standard SMS messages are 1000 characters. Messages longer than 1000 characters are split into multiple segments, and each segment consumes one credit.
Use the View Suggested Messages for ideas on different types of texts to send and language to use.

Example message: “Today is the day! Get ready for An Evening of Impact: A Better Foundation Gala by registering your card and check in online. We look forward to seeing you soon!”

Send or Schedule

Review the recipient count and message preview before sending.
Select Send Now to deliver the message immediately to all matching recipients.
Or select Schedule to set a future date and time for the message to be sent automatically.
After confirming a scheduled text, it will show in your Communication Timeline.

Viewing Message History

After sending, you can review your SMS history from the same Communications section. Navigate to Event Dashboard > Communicate > Text/SMS Message Guests.

The message log shows:

Date and time sent
Status (queued, sent, failed, or undeliverable)
Scheduled By
Targeting Details
Message content

Please note: Messages may fail to deliver if a guest’s phone number is invalid, on a do-not-contact list, or blocked by their carrier.

Checking the Communication Timeline

Before sending, it is a good practice to review the Communication Timeline to see all scheduled messages and avoid sending guests too many texts in a short window.
Navigate to Event Dashboard > Communications > Communication Timeline. The right panel shows all your scheduled emails and SMS messages.

For more information see Communication Timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a phone number set up to send custom event SMS Messages?
No. Your organization does NOT need an SMS phone number registered in BetterUnite before custom event messages can be sent. An SMS phone number is only required if sending marketing text messages from within the Marketing module.

Can I resend a guest’s personal event link via text?
Yes. From the guest list you can resend an individual guest’s My Event link as a text message from their checkin screen. This is a transactional send and does not consume credits.

What if a guest does not have a phone number on file?
Guests without a phone number are automatically excluded. The recipient count in the composer reflects only guests with a valid number.

Are auction bid alerts and outbid texts custom messages?
No. Auction-related texts (bid confirmations, outbid alerts, winner notifications) are automatic system messages and do not require credits. See SMS Messages: Credits for the full list of free automatic messages.

What happens if I run out of credits during a campaign?
Your SMS plan will attempt to auto-renew. If renewal fails, remaining messages in the campaign will not be sent until credits are added to your account.

Can I send the same message to contacts who are not event guests?
Custom SMS from the Event Dashboard targets event guests only. For broader contact-based campaigns, use the SMS tools in your Marketing Module.

Do event reminder texts use credits?
No. Event reminders are sent via email only and do not use SMS credits.

Need Additional Help?

We’re here to assist you in any way we can. Don’t hesitate to reach out to support@betterunite.com

Let’s go do some good.