Brushfire's built-in email tool lets you send messages directly to the people registered for your event — no external email platform needed. You can send general updates, last-minute reminders, personalized messages with attendee-specific information, or even include ticket links right in the email.
📌 Heads up: This article covers event-specific emails — messages sent to attendees of a single event. If you need to send an email across multiple events or to your entire organization, see the How do I send emails to my customers? guide.
How to Send an Event Email
Step 1 — Start a New Email
From your event's Manage Page, go to the Emails section and click Create.
Step 2 — Choose Your Recipients
Select who you want to send this email to:
- Every attendee for your event
- Everyone who placed an order for your event
- Everyone who created a group for your event
If you're sending to attendees, you'll also need to decide between two sending modes:
| Mode | What It Does | When to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| EACH Attendee | Sends one email per registration, even if the same email address appears multiple times | When your email contains registration-specific content or Special Items |
| DISTINCT Email Addresses | Sends one email per unique email address, regardless of how many registrations it's tied to | For general updates that don't need to link to a specific registration. Special Items are not available with this setting. |
Step 3 — Select the Email Field to Send To
Choose which email address field to send to. Each option in this list corresponds to an email field you're collecting from your attendees.
Step 4 — Filter Your Recipients (Optional)
You can narrow down who receives this email based on any attendee data you've collected — ticket type, registration answers, and more. This is useful for sending targeted messages to a specific group of attendees.
Step 5 — Fill Out Sender Information
Enter the following:
- From Name – The name that will appear in the "From" line of the email
- Reply To Address – Where any replies will be sent
- Address – A physical address is required as a footer on all mass emails. This is a legal requirement for bulk email sending.
Step 6 — Write Your Email and Personalize with Fields
In the email body, use the Fields dropdown above the content area to insert attendee-specific information directly into your message. Fields appear wrapped in %% markers (e.g. %%FirstName%%) and are automatically replaced with each attendee's actual data when the email is sent.
💡 Example: Instead of "Dear Attendee," you can open your email with the attendee's first name pulled directly from their registration — making a mass email feel personal.
Step 7 — Preview Your Email
Before sending, you can view a preview in a new window or send a test email to any email address to see exactly how it will look in an inbox.
⚠️ Important: Special Items and field placeholders won't be functional in the preview — they reference unique attendee data that only populates when the email is actually sent. Don't be alarmed if they appear as placeholder text in your preview.
Step 8 — Add Special Items (Optional)
Special Items are dynamic, attendee-specific elements you can embed in your email. Options include:
- Edit/update attendee information link – Lets attendees update their registration details
- Payment link – For registrations using payment plans, lets attendees make a follow-up payment
- Ticket link – Inserts a unique link for each attendee to access their ticket. We recommend including this in any pre-event reminder emails so attendees have easy access when they arrive.
📌 Note: Special Items are only available when sending to EACH attendee — not Distinct email addresses — since they reference data specific to individual registrations.
Step 9 — Schedule or Send
Choose when the email goes out:
- Save as Draft – Saves the email without sending it
- Send Now – Sends immediately when you save
- Schedule – Sets a future date and time for delivery
Duplicating a Previously Sent Email
You can duplicate any email you've already sent or scheduled using the dropdown menu next to it in your email list. This is useful for sending a follow-up with minor tweaks, or for reusing a template you've already built.
Sending Online Event Links
If you're hosting an online event using Brushfire Online Experience and want to send attendees their event link, you can insert their unique Online Experience link as a Special Item in a scheduled email. Learn more about that here.
Limitations to Know
- Special Items require the EACH sending mode. If you send to Distinct email addresses, Special Items like ticket links are not available.
- Field placeholders don't work in preview. Personalization fields and Special Items will appear as placeholder text when you preview the email — they only populate with real data when the email is actually sent.
- A physical address is required. This is a legal requirement for all mass emails. Brushfire adds this as a footer automatically using the address information you provide.
- Filtering reduces your recipient list. If you apply filters and your email reaches fewer people than expected, double-check your filter criteria — it may be more restrictive than intended.
- Event emails are event-specific. You can only reach attendees, order placers, or group managers tied to that event. For broader outreach, use the organization-level email tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between sending to EACH attendee vs. DISTINCT email addresses?
EACH sends one email per registration — even if the same email appears multiple times. DISTINCT sends one email per unique address, no matter how many registrations it's linked to. Use EACH when your email contains registration-specific content or Special Items. Use DISTINCT for general updates.
- Can I personalize my emails with attendee information?
Yes. Use the Fields dropdown in the email editor to insert attendee data — like name, ticket type, or any field you're collecting — directly into the email body. Each recipient will see their own information when they receive it.
- Can I include a ticket link in my email?
Yes. Under Special Items, you can insert a unique ticket link for each attendee. We recommend including this in pre-event reminder emails so attendees have easy access when they arrive. Make sure you're using the EACH sending mode, since ticket links are specific to individual registrations.
- Can I send an email to just a segment of my attendees?
Yes. Use the filter options in Step 4 to narrow your recipients based on any attendee data you've collected — like ticket type, registration answers, or other fields.
- Can I resend or reuse an email I've already sent?
Yes. Use the dropdown menu next to any previously sent email to duplicate it. You can then edit and resend it as needed.
- What if I need to email attendees across multiple events?
Event emails are limited to a single event. For multi-event or organization-wide emails, see the How do I send emails to my customers? guide.