Texting for Events
Mass texting is one of the most versatile and promising tools available to any industry. Not only is it useful for day to day business, it can be a game changer in the world of special events. Few industries have so many moving parts subject to a demanding time frame. Sure, you can use email and wait three to five business days for a response— but at that rate, your event will have come and gone by the time you hear back. Mass texting is the quickest, most effective way to communicate with a group, or segmented groups, of people. It’s the best way to communicate while planning your next event!
Communicate with staff
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- Create tags to communicate with sections of your team. There are so many different aspects of an event plan: logistics, marketing, vendors, sponsors and corporate responsibility, volunteer coordinators, programming, and more. It’s easy for the whole operation to become overwhelmed by each new priority. CanaryText allows you to create tags, or groups of contacts, in order to properly communicate with each section of your team. Utilizing these tags will allow you to communicate effectively with team members without clogging their inbox with information they don’t need.
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- Problem Solve. Use two-way texting to work out solutions with your team members as soon as possible. It’s much easier to maintain a cohesive message and put out consistent, relevant content when your information is compiled in one place.
- Assign tasks. Mass texting can also be used to do things as simple as give assignments. When you’re in the middle of planning an event, time is crucial. Texting is not only the fastest form of communication, it is the most interactive. Sending emails to individuals to make sure they complete a task will on average take much longer than sending a text to a staff group.
Communicate with guests
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- Allow your guests to RSVP through text. Giving guests an easy way to RSVP will mean your projected number of attendees will be much more accurate than if you only offer reservations over email or on your website. The truth is, the easier it is to do something, the more people will do it! Go one step further and offer special perks to those who do RSVP before the event. Attaching a coupon for a free drink or a discounted t-shirt is easy to do when RSVPs are compiled over text message.
- Sell tickets. Include a link that makes purchasing or registering for the event easy. Make sure you’re staying on top of messaging consent. Try using social media or your website to create groups of people who have expressed interest. Once they’ve consented to receiving texts, make it worth their while by giving them everything they need before the event rolls around.
- Send pre-event messages. Use texts to send out reminders and updates leading up to the event. Remind your guests what the schedule is and where they need to be in order to get the most out of the event. Let guests know where to park and enter and any other logistical information that will make their experience as enjoyable as possible.
- Emergency alerts. Texting is the quickest way to communicate updates on emergency conditions and inclement weather.
Communicate during the event
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- Notify guests when things are about to begin. One of the perks of using a mass texting service like CanaryText is that once you have created a tag, it’s permanent. If you have a list of projected guests through RSVP, then you can communicate with that group throughout the event. Let guests know when something is about to start or where to find important amenities. Make sure your guests don’t miss out on all of the activities you’ve put so much work into; reminding them that an information session begins in twenty minutes is all it takes to keep guests in the loop and involved.
- Avoid crises by solving problems as soon as they appear. This is also useful when communicating with staff and troubleshooting problems as they come up. Make sure each area is properly staffed and everything is running smoothly.
Get feedback after the event
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- Use text to receive guest reviews. CanaryText allows you to set up reviews through SMS messaging. Getting feedback is one of the most important things in planning a successful event. If you ever want to host the same event or anything similar, finding out attendees likes and dislikes will go a long way in improving guest satisfaction. It also lets your guests know that you value their opinion and is a great way to foster personal relationships with your attendees.
