SignUpGenius Email, Text & Messaging Features to Save Time

Good communication is what separates a smooth event from a stressful one. SignUpGenius is built to handle more than just sign-up sheets. The messaging tools built into your account let you reach participants quickly, keep everyone informed, and track whether your messages are actually landing.

If you've been sending everything manually or relying on generic reminder emails, these four features are worth a few minutes of your time.

Text Messaging

Email is reliable, but it's not always fast. Text messaging lets you reach participants directly on their phones, which matters when you need a quick update to land before an event, during a last-minute change, or when your group tends to miss emails.

You can use text messaging to send invitations, reminders, and day-of updates to anyone who has opted in. Here's how to get it set up.

Step 1: Invite participants to opt in

Log in to your account and click the Messages icon on the left side of the Sign Ups account page. Select Compose, then Text Message. From there, you can send an email inviting your group to opt in to text messages.

Step 2: Participants confirm their number

Each person receives an email with a button that takes them to SignUpGenius. They enter their mobile number and submit. Anyone who doesn't opt in will continue to receive updates by email instead.

Once your group is opted in, you can send texts the same way you send any other message through the platform.

Genius Tip

Send your opt-in invitation at least a week before your event so participants have time to confirm their number. Last-minute opt-in requests often get missed, and you want your text reminders to reach everyone before the day arrives.

Learn more about Text Messaging

Schedule Emails in Advance

Timing matters in communication. An update sent too early gets forgotten. One sent too late catches people off guard. Scheduled emails let you write your messages when you have time and deliver them exactly when your participants need them.

This is especially useful for sending a logistics reminder a few days before an event, a morning-of message with arrival details, or a follow-up thank-you after the event wraps up. You set it once, and it goes out automatically.

How to schedule an email:

• Click the Messages icon in your account, then select the Compose tab.
• Write your message, then choose your recipients. You can send to an existing group, import addresses, or enter them manually.
• Email messages always include a link to your related sign up, and you can connect one sign up or several, including tab groups or your full account index page.
• Enterprise plan subscribers can also link to a specific portal page.

Once your message is ready, click Preview & Send to review it before it goes out. On the preview screen, select the option to schedule delivery for a specific date and time. Your scheduled message will appear in the Scheduled tab in the Messages area so you can review or edit it before it sends.

Email Templates

If you run the same type of event regularly, or if your confirmation and reminder emails always include similar details, email templates save you from rewriting the same information every time. You build the template once, assign it to a sign up, and the right message goes out automatically when someone signs up or when a reminder is triggered.

Templates work especially well for confirmation emails that include parking information, what to bring, or where to check in. Instead of hoping participants remember the details you shared weeks ago, the template puts everything they need directly in the message they receive.

How to create an email template:

• Click the Messages icon in your account
• Under the Compose tab, select Email Template.
• Write your message, attach any documents if needed, and assign it to a sign up.
• Note that you'll need to publish the sign up before you can assign a template to it.

You can customize templates for confirmations, reminders, or both. Include a custom message, a link to an external site, or an attached form. The email generates automatically based on the trigger you select.

Genius Tip

Use your confirmation template to answer the three questions volunteers and participants ask most: where do I go, what do I bring, and who do I contact if something comes up? Answering those upfront eliminates most of the individual messages you'd otherwise get in the days before your event.

Check Delivery Rate and View Sent Messages

Sending a message and knowing it was received are two different things. The Messages dashboard lets you check delivery stats so you're not left wondering whether a participant missed your email or simply didn't see it.

How to check your delivery stats:

• Click Messages on the left side of your account page.
• On the Dashboard tab, you'll see a log of recently sent emails.
• Click the Stats icon to the right of any message to open Message Details and Message Analytics.
• From there you can view the full text of the email and a breakdown of delivery results.

If a participant tells you they didn't receive a message, here are the most common reasons and how to address each one.

To view all messages sent from your account in the past 30 days, navigate to the Sent tab in the Messages area. Click the stats icon on any row to see delivery details and analytics for that specific message.

Essentials (Gold), Premium (Platinum), and Enterprise subscribers can also see which recipients opened the email and clicked the sign-up link, giving you a fuller picture of engagement beyond delivery alone.

Good communication keeps volunteers informed, reduces day-of confusion, and makes participants feel like the event is well-organized before they even arrive. These four tools are already in your account. Putting them to work is one of the fastest ways to improve the experience for everyone involved.