How to Use Message Blast

Direct answer: Message Blast sends messages to your registered guests. Send now, or turn on an automated reminder. It is included with Prepay & Save and comes with 500 free credits, then 5¢ each.

Message Blast lets you email or text registered guests. After the auction, four built-in templates fill starter text for you.

It is included with Prepay & Save ($499 Setup). See CharityAuctions Plans and Included Fundraising Modules. For current fees, see pricing.

Plan gate

If you are not on Prepay & Save, you may see this dialog:

Message Blast is included with Prepay & Save ($499 Setup).
500 free credits, then 5¢ each.

Open Message Blast

Open your auction.
Go to Message Blast.
The path looks like /admin/auctions/{auctionId}/live-event-features/custom-messages.

Header on that page: Send a message now, or turn on a reminder that sends itself. Messages go to registered guests.

Credits

You may see:

500 of 500 still free. Then 5¢ each.
One email or one text to one person is 1 credit.

On Final check, the page can show an estimate such as This uses 172 credits (87 emails + 85 texts). Your numbers change with your list and Notification Method.

Send a message now

The composer is send now only. There is no date picker. There is no time picker.

If you want a later send, use the automated reminders below. Do not look for a schedule field on the composer.

Who gets it

Heading: Who gets it. Helper: Everyone registered, or only the people you pick.

Radios:

Everyone registered plus the count in parentheses (example: Everyone registered (87))
Only people I pick

Only people I pick shows:

A search box
Select all
Clear all
A checkbox for each person

Delivery Options

Under Delivery Options, Notification Method has:

Email and Text Message
Email Only
Text Message Only

Email From Address is Admin Email (Your account email).

Final check

You must send a test first.

Buttons:

Send test email
Send test text
Send to guests

Send to guests stays disabled until the tests are sent.

Automated reminders

These send themselves. You do not pick a clock time.

Before bidding starts

Before bidding starts
Reminds registered bidders that your auction is about to open.
Timing Before bidding opens
Status: Off plus a toggle

Before bidding ends

Same pattern. Status: Off plus a toggle.

Flip the toggle to turn a reminder on or off. That is how you edit or cancel it.

After the auction templates

On the Message Blast page, find After the auction. There are four built-in templates:

Thank you: Thank guests for taking part.
Ask for a gift: Invite people to donate after the auction.
People who did not win: Reach guests who bid or registered but did not win an item.
Pay reminder: Remind winners they still need to pay.

Click a template. It expands into the editable composer.

You will see:

Email Message
Starter text is filled in. Send as-is or edit anything below.
Email subject auto-filled
A body that can include [BIDDER FIRST NAME]
Only [BIDDER FIRST NAME] will be replaced with each bidder's first name when the email is sent.

People who did not win does not auto-filter the list. The name is a label only. It still showed the full registered count (example: 87 registered guests). Use Only people I pick if you want a smaller list.

There is no create template control. There is no save as template control. These four are built-in platform defaults. You do not create them.

The same four templates show on every event. Starter text fills per-event details. Edits stay on that event. There is no cross-event template library.

Quick reminders

Plan: Prepay & Save ($499 Setup).
Credits: 500 free, then 5¢ each. One email or one text to one person is 1 credit.
Composer: send now. No date or time picker.
Later sends: Before bidding starts and Before bidding ends toggles.
Send to guests waits until you send the tests.
After the auction has four built-in templates. Click one to open the composer.
People who did not win is a label only. It does not auto-filter the list.
You cannot create or save templates. Edits stay on that event.

To share your auction link instead, see Where Can I Find My Auction Share Link and How to Share Your Auction With Bidders.

Need help? See How to Contact CharityAuctions Support.

Frequently asked questions

Which plan includes Message Blast?

Message Blast is included with Prepay & Save ($499 Setup). The dialog says Message Blast is included with Prepay & Save ($499 Setup). It also says 500 free credits, then 5¢ each. See CharityAuctions Plans and Included Fundraising Modules. For fees, see pricing.

Where do I open Message Blast?

Open your auction. Go to Message Blast. The path looks like /admin/auctions/{auctionId}/live-event-features/custom-messages. Header: Send a message now, or turn on a reminder that sends itself. Messages go to registered guests.

How do credits work?

The page can show 500 of 500 still free. Then 5¢ each. One email or one text to one person is 1 credit. A Final check estimate looks like This uses 172 credits (87 emails + 85 texts). Your numbers follow your list and Notification Method.

Can I schedule a blast for a date and time I pick?

No. The composer is send now only. There is no date or time picker. For a later send, use the automated reminders. Those fire Before bidding starts and Before bidding ends.

How do the automated reminders work?

There are two. Before bidding starts: Reminds registered bidders that your auction is about to open. Timing Before bidding opens. Status Off plus a toggle. Before bidding ends uses the same pattern. Flip the toggle to turn a reminder on or off. That is how you edit or cancel it.

Who can I send a Message Blast to?

Who gets it. Helper: Everyone registered, or only the people you pick. Radios: Everyone registered (the count shows in parentheses) or Only people I pick. Only people I pick shows a search box, Select all, Clear all, and a checkbox per person.

What delivery options can I pick?

Under Delivery Options, Notification Method has Email and Text Message, Email Only, and Text Message Only. Email From Address is Admin Email (Your account email).

Why is Send to guests disabled?

Final check requires a test first. Use Send test email and Send test text as they appear. Send to guests stays disabled until the tests are sent.

Do I have to send a test?

Yes. On Final check you must send the test first. Then Send to guests unlocks.

What templates are on Message Blast?

On the Message Blast page, open After the auction. There are four built-in templates. Thank you: Thank guests for taking part. Ask for a gift: Invite people to donate after the auction. People who did not win: Reach guests who bid or registered but did not win an item. Pay reminder: Remind winners they still need to pay.

How do I use a Message Blast template?

Click a template. It expands into the editable composer. Email Message. Starter text is filled in. Send as-is or edit anything below. Email subject is auto-filled. The body can include [BIDDER FIRST NAME]. Only [BIDDER FIRST NAME] will be replaced with each bidder's first name when the email is sent.

Does People who did not win only send to people who lost?

No. The name is a label only. It does not auto-filter the list. It still showed Everyone registered with the full count, such as 87 registered guests. Use Only people I pick if you want a smaller list.

Can I create or save my own template?

No. There is no create template or save as template control. Templates are built-in platform defaults. You do not create them. The same four templates show on every event. Starter text fills per-event details. Edits stay on that event. There is no cross-event template library.

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