Engaging Participants Effectively with Email, SMS, and WhatsApp

For many years, email was the primary way to communicate with event participants. Organizers could send one large email packed with logistics - from venue maps and policies to Wi-Fi details, schedules, and arrival instructions - and participants could print it or keep it for reference.

Today, participants are much more likely to access event information directly from their phones, often while traveling or already at the venue. A long email is less useful when someone needs to quickly find one specific piece of information on a small screen.

This makes shorter, focused messages, delivered at the right time and through the right channel, increasingly important. A registration confirmation may belong in an email; an important last-minute update may be better suited to SMS. At the same time, WhatsApp can be useful for timely communication and conversations with participants.

But sending more focused messages across multiple channels creates another challenge for organizers: managing more messages, templates, delivery rules, and participant replies. Email, SMS, and WhatsApp should not become three separate communication systems that your team has to manage independently.

Eventact brings these channels together in one messaging system. A single message can include Email, SMS, and WhatsApp versions, use the same participant data and personalization fields, and be sent manually or through automated processes.

This allows your team to control what participants receive on each channel while managing the underlying messages in one place. Replies can also be handled through a shared inbox, giving your team one place to manage participant conversations across channels.

This article explains how multi-channel messaging works in Eventact, what you can do with each channel, how messages and replies are managed, and the setup and limitations you should know about.

A message sent to a participant serves a specific purpose, such as notifying them of a room change, a payment due, or a badge ready for pickup. Email, SMS, and WhatsApp are the delivery channels.

In Eventact, the message is the central object you manage. Its Email, SMS, and WhatsApp versions live within the same message rather than being maintained as separate, unrelated templates. When you send or automate the message, you determine the recipients, timing, and channels.

For example:

[ Message: "Registration Confirmation" ]
  ├── Email Tab    ➜ Rich HTML, brand header, attachments, receipts
  ├── SMS Tab      ➜ Plain text with character counter and SMS segment counter
  └── WhatsApp Tab ➜ Meta-compliant structure (Header / Body / Footer)

This gives you exact control over the content delivered through each channel.

For SMS, you can monitor the character count and number of message segments, which directly affect costs. For WhatsApp, you work with Meta's Header, Body, and Footer structure and can see the template's approval status.

When you add an SMS or WhatsApp version to an existing message, the editor provides default draft text based on the email version. You can then adapt the text to the channel's requirements while keeping the same merge fields, rules, and statistics.

Versions do not automatically synchronize. This is intentional: an email may contain detailed information, while the SMS version may need to be significantly shorter, and the WhatsApp version must follow Meta's requirements.

Message libraries are also module-specific. For example, Abstract Management displays abstract-related messages, while Registration displays registration messages.

Once a message includes the required channel versions, you can send it directly to selected participants.

From a contact list or module view:

1. Select recipients: Filter and select the contacts you want to reach.
2. Select the message: Choose the appropriate message for the communication.
3. Select the channel: Choose Email, SMS, WhatsApp, or the available channels required for sending.

Eventact automatically loads the correct version for each selected channel.

If the message doesn't have a version for a selected channel, or if that channel isn't configured for your account, the option is greyed out with a note explaining why. This helps identify missing configuration before sending rather than after a delivery problem occurs.

Eventact can send the same messages used for manual or bulk sending automatically based on automation rules.

For example, a registration confirmation can be dispatched automatically when a participant submits a registration. Participant actions or system events can trigger other messages.

An automation rule points to the core message rather than to separate Email, SMS, or WhatsApp templates. The rule determines which channels should be used, and Eventact loads the corresponding version for each channel automatically.

This means adding another channel doesn't require duplicating the automation. You can add an SMS or WhatsApp version to the existing message and use it within the same process.

Multi-channel communication can also be two-way.

When a participant replies to an outbound SMS or WhatsApp message, the response appears directly in the organizer's Eventact Shared Inbox. Your team can continue the conversation in Eventact and support participants without managing separate messaging applications.

Message threads display delivery status indicators for outgoing messages, including Sent, Delivered, Read (WhatsApp), or Failed. Tooltips can provide additional information when a carrier rejects a message.

Two-Way SMS Requirements

Two-way SMS requires a dedicated virtual number assigned to your account. US, UK, and other international options are available, with an associated recurring cost.

WhatsApp conversations are also subject to Meta's messaging rules, including the 24-hour service window explained later in this article.

Every Eventact message has a Message Type.

The type describes the purpose of the communication, not the technology used to deliver it. Eventact uses this classification to determine how email opt-out rules should be handled and which category applies to the WhatsApp version.

You classify the purpose of the message once. Eventact then applies that classification when handling delivery and channel-specific requirements.

This allows an organizer to think in terms of the communication itself - whether it is a receipt, operational notice, engagement message, or promotion - rather than maintaining separate classifications for each delivery technology.

WhatsApp introduces additional requirements because Meta requires approval for business-initiated message templates.

The status badge on the WhatsApp tab shows the current state of the template:

• Draft: Saved in Eventact but not yet submitted to Meta.
• Waiting Approval: Submitted and currently under review by Meta.
• Approved: Cleared by Meta and ready to send.
• Rejected: Refused by Meta. The rejection reason is displayed in the editor. You can select View Status to retrieve the latest details, update the text, and resubmit it.
• Locked: Template inputs remain read-only while WhatsApp reviews the submitted version, preventing the Eventact and Meta versions from falling out of sync.
• Resubmit Required: The text was modified in Eventact after a previous version was already approved or rejected. Submit and approve the new version before using it.
• Paused / Disabled: Meta has suspended the template, typically because of recipient feedback or quality signals.

Because approval applies to the actual WhatsApp content, changing an approved version can require another approval cycle. Keep this in mind when preparing communications to send at a specific time.

Channel setup is a one-time configuration under Settings → Messaging.

Email

Add DKIM and SPF records for your sending domains. These records authenticate your sending domain with email providers such as Gmail and Outlook.

Complete this configuration before your first live send.

SMS

Outbound and inbound SMS are configured separately.

• Outbound: You may use your own verified phone number as the sender ID.
• Inbound: An Eventact-provided virtual number is required to enable replies and two-way conversations.

Carriers may block unverified sender numbers. Alphanumeric sender IDs that are not pre-registered in the destination country may also fail or be replaced by a shared carrier shortcode.

WhatsApp

There are two connection options.

• Your own Meta account (WABA): Connect your existing Meta Business Account using your WABA ID, Phone Number ID, and System User Access Token. You retain direct billing with Meta and build your own verified sender reputation.
• Eventact Managed: Send messages through Eventact's managed WhatsApp account. No Meta setup is required, so you can start without configuring your own Meta account, but templates are limited and subject to Eventact approval.

Costs and billing differ between communication channels.

• Email: Included with your Eventact subscription, with no per-message fees for standard usage. Mail is delivered directly through Eventact's servers without requiring an external third-party email provider.
• SMS: Costs are credit-based. Outbound charges depend on message length (segment count) and destination country. Inbound replies are either included in the monthly number hosting cost or billed per message, depending on the country of the assigned number.
• WhatsApp: Meta charges according to its WhatsApp business messaging pricing and message categories. If you connect your own Meta account, Meta bills you directly. With Eventact's managed setup, Eventact handles the billing.

Dedicated Business Phone Numbers

• Numbers from Eventact: To receive inbound SMS or establish a dedicated sending identity, Eventact can provision a local virtual number. Monthly hosting fees vary by country - from approximately $1-$2/month for US, Canadian, and UK numbers to approximately $15/month for local numbers in some other regions.
• Your Own Number on WhatsApp: You may connect an existing business number instead of provisioning an Eventact virtual number. The number can remain active for standard voice calls and SMS. WhatsApp availability on the mobile app depends on Meta's current API and coexistence rules for the connected account and number.

Before using multiple messaging channels, your team should understand several operational points.

• Default text is a starting point, not a final draft. The SMS and WhatsApp tabs can generate starter text derived from your email content. Review and adapt it for the character limits, structure, and requirements of the selected channel.
• Versions do not automatically synchronize. Editing the email version does not automatically change the SMS or WhatsApp version. Check the other channel tabs after making significant changes.
• WhatsApp changes may require approval. Edits to an approved WhatsApp template may require resubmission and Meta review before you can send the updated version. Prepare important templates ahead of scheduled communications.
• WhatsApp has a 24-hour service window. Free-form customer-support replies are generally available within Meta's permitted service window following a participant's inbound message. Outside that window, an approved WhatsApp template may be required to restart the conversation. SMS does not have the same restriction.
• SMS length affects cost. Longer SMS messages can be divided into multiple segments and therefore cost more to deliver. The SMS editor displays the character and segment counts while you compose the message.

Eventact treats the message as the central object and Email, SMS, and WhatsApp as delivery channels. Your team can create channel-specific versions of a message, personalize them with participant data, send them manually or through automated processes, and manage incoming SMS and WhatsApp replies through a shared inbox.

Each channel retains its own content requirements, delivery rules, configuration, and costs. Eventact brings these differences into one messaging environment, allowing your team to use the right channel for each communication without maintaining separate communication systems.

If you have questions about channel setup or want guidance on structuring your messages, contact Eventact support.