Venues and events
Business texting for venues and events
When the car park fills up or a show gets moved, ticket holders need to know today, and one text goes to all of them at once. Reminders, door times and on-sale news work the same way.
How do venues use business texting?
Venues text ticket holders about door times, parking and last-minute changes, remind them the day before, answer questions by reply and tell past guests about upcoming events. Texts about a ticket someone bought are service messages. Announcements of new events are marketing, so they need consent and an opt-out line.
Texts around an event
Most venue texts cluster around the day itself: a reminder the day before with door times and what to bring, a nudge on the day about parking or queues, and a quick message to everyone if something changes. Wedding and conference venues have longer conversations too, with the couple or the organiser, over weeks or months.
For anything urgent, run a campaign to the whole ticket list. Its row on the Campaigns page shows progress and delivery counts as it goes, so you can see how far it's got.
Getting ticket holders onto a list
If you sell your own tickets, ask for a mobile number at checkout and say what you'll use it for, which is texts about the event they've booked. If you'd also like to text them about future events, ask separately, with a box they choose to tick, and keep the record.
If a ticketing partner sells for you, check what their terms let you do with buyers' numbers before you text anyone, then import the numbers you're allowed to use by CSV.
When plans change
Texting earns its keep when an event is cancelled or moved. Write it plainly: what's changed, what the ticket holder needs to do and where to find out more. Send it to the ticket list as a campaign under your venue's approved sender name, and point people to your website for the detail, since nobody can reply to a name. If a few guests need a proper conversation, text them one to one from Send SMS with no sender name, and have someone watching the inbox for their replies.
Sector notes
Practical access information is worth a text: step-free entrances, quiet rooms, where to collect wristbands. Keep it short and link to a page with the detail.
If alcohol is part of an offer, the licensing rules and the CAP Code's alcohol rules apply; our page for pubs and bars covers the main points.
CaptiFi Connect texts UK mobiles only. Overseas ticket holders are refused with a reason and not charged, so keep email for them.
Features venues use
The parts of CaptiFi Connect that suit a venue:
- Campaigns to a ticket list, now or scheduled, with progress and delivery counts.
- A list per event, built from a CSV export of your ticket sales.
- An approved sender name, so event texts show your venue's name.
- The two-way inbox for questions from guests, couples and organisers.
- Staff lists for event-day call-outs.
- The REST API and webhooks, if your ticketing system can call them.
Sample texts
Merge fields in braces are filled from each contact. The part count is worked out the way the platform bills it.
Day-before reminder(service)
Hi {first_name}, see you tomorrow at Riverside Hall. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. Have your ticket ready on your phone.
136 characters, 1 part
Event-day update(service)
Riverside Hall update: the main car park is full. Please use the station car park, a 5 minute walk away. Doors still open at 7pm.
129 characters, 1 part
Show moved(service)
Hi {first_name}, sorry, tonight's show at Riverside Hall has moved to Sat 14 Nov. Your tickets are valid for the new date. Refunds: example.co.uk/rh
148 characters, 1 part
Wedding planning(service)
Hi {first_name}, it's Megan at Oakfield Barn. Could you reply with your final guest numbers by Friday? Then we can confirm the catering.
136 characters, 1 part
On-sale announcement(marketing)
Hi {first_name}, tickets for our Christmas gig at Riverside Hall go on sale Friday at 10am. Get in early: example.co.uk/xmas Reply STOP to opt out
146 characters, 1 part
Getting set up
- 1
Create your account
Sign up with your venue's details. We check every new account before it can send.
- 2
Request your sender name
Ask for your venue's name as a sender name, up to 11 characters. Staff check it before it can be used.
- 3
Make a list per event
Import each event's ticket holders from a CSV export into a list of their own.
- 4
Schedule the reminder
Set the day-before text up as a campaign, scheduled for the morning before the event.
- 5
Keep people posted on the day
Send updates to the event's list as a campaign when things change, with a link for the detail. Replies to texts you've sent one to one land in the inbox.
Common texts for venues
| Message | When it goes | Service or marketing | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket confirmation | When the ticket is bought | Service | You've got 2 tickets for Fri 30 Oct |
| Day-before reminder | The day before | Service | Doors 7pm, have your ticket ready on your phone |
| Event-day update | On the day | Service | Main car park full, use the station car park |
| Change or cancellation | As soon as it's decided | Service | Tonight's show has moved to Sat 14 Nov |
| Planning with a couple or organiser | In the weeks before | Service | Final numbers needed by Friday |
| New event on sale | When tickets go on sale | Marketing | Tickets for our Christmas gig on sale Friday |
| Staff call-out | When you're short | Staff text | Two stewards needed Saturday, reply YES |
Questions people ask
Can we text everyone on a ticket list at once?
Yes. Import the list and send a campaign, now or scheduled. Its row on the Campaigns page shows progress and delivery counts as it sends.
Do event-day texts need an opt-out line?
Not if they're only about the event the person booked, because those are service messages. Texts announcing other events are marketing and need consent and an opt-out.
Can ticket holders reply?
Yes, to texts you send one to one from Send SMS or the API without a sender name, which go from a UK mobile number. Texts from a sender name can't be replied to, so don't ask for answers in a campaign sent under your venue's name.
Can our ticketing system send texts automatically?
If it can call a REST API, yes. There are no ready-made connections to ticketing platforms, so a developer adds the calls.
Can we text overseas ticket holders?
No. CaptiFi Connect texts UK mobiles only, including Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. Other numbers are refused and not charged.
Send your first text this week
Set up your account and contacts now; we check every new account before it can send.