The short answer
Send two: one the day before and one on the morning of the event. Each should carry the ticket, the start time, the address and anything people need to bring. Reminders cut no-shows and save you answering “what time is it again?” all afternoon.
The easiest way is to let your ticketing platform send them automatically, so you never forget.
Why reminders matter
People book weeks ahead, then forget. A reminder does three jobs:
- it tells them the event is tomorrow, before they make other plans
- it puts the ticket at the top of their inbox, so the door is quicker
- it gives people who cannot come a nudge to free up their place
Free events need reminders even more than paid ones, because nothing is lost by not turning up.
What a good reminder says
Keep it short. Put the important things first:
- The event name, date and start time.
- The address, with a note on parking or the entrance if it is tricky.
- The ticket, or how to find it.
- What to bring: a mat, a water bottle, a plate to share.
- Who to contact if something comes up.
Leave out the sales pitch. They have already booked.
Timing
The day before is the most useful reminder. People can still change their plans and sort out transport. The morning-of reminder is a quick prompt that gets the ticket to the top of the inbox. Avoid a reminder late at night or more than two in a day.
For a big event a week out, a short “one week to go” note with practical details can help too, but do not overdo it.
Doing it by hand
If your tool does not send reminders, you can send them yourself. Export the list of emails, put everyone in the BCC line, never the To line, and send a plain message. It works, but it is easy to forget on a busy week, and nobody gets their ticket attached.
On One Ticket
Reminders go out automatically. Every ticket holder is emailed the day before, about 20 to 24 hours ahead of the start, and again on the morning of, from 7am where the event is. Each reminder carries the person’s ticket with its QR code and a calendar file, plus the event’s current date, time and place.
They go to free and paid tickets alike, and to people you added yourself at the box office with an email address. Each person gets each reminder once, so nobody is flooded. For a series, each session’s ticket holders get their own reminders.
Related: How to stop no-shows at a free event, How to take free registrations for an event and How do attendees add my event to their calendar?
Answers to your questions
Is One Ticket free to use?
Yes. The Free plan has everything you need to sell tickets, with no monthly cost, no setup fee, no payout fee and no card needed. Pro and Team are open now: upgrade any time in Settings › Plan. Limited-time offer: A$1 for your first year (first 100 organisers), then A$29/month for Pro or A$79/month for Team. Cancel anytime.
Who pays the booking fee?
The buyer, on a paid ticket, on top of the price you set, so you receive 100% of your ticket price. Free tickets carry no fee.
When do I get paid?
Ticket money goes to your own Stripe account, with no payout fee from One Ticket. Until your first paid event has gone cleanly, it is paid out two days after each event; after that, it is paid out as it sells.
Can I run a free event?
Yes. A free ticket costs nobody anything, and you don’t need Stripe connected to run a free event.
Do people need an account to book?
No. They book on their phone or computer without an account, and their tickets arrive by email with a QR code to show at the door.