Wallet Marketing for Events

The ticket is the channel. Turn one-night attendees into an audience you own.

Issue Apple Wallet and Google Wallet tickets that check attendees in by QR, carry doors, gate and set times on their face, push live updates the instant plans change — and stay on the phone after the show, so your next on-sale reaches a warm, owned audience for free.

Start free See how it works

Free forever planNo app for attendeesQR check-inApple & Google Wallet

Executive summary

Where the ticket becomes an owned attendee channel

Quick answer

Wallet Marketing for events means issuing your tickets and badges as passes in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, then using those passes to check attendees in, deliver day-of logistics, push live changes to the lock screen, and — because the pass stays after the event — reach the same audience for the next one, free. The ticket stops being a receipt and becomes a channel.

Events have a structural problem no other industry has quite so acutely: you spend heavily to fill a room, the audience shows up for one night, and then they vanish — a relationship that ends at the exit. Meanwhile the messages that decide an attendee's night (doors, gate, set times, a stage swap, a weather call) go out by email nobody checks at the venue, or by SMS that bills for every send to a bursty, audience-wide list.

A wallet ticket fixes both ends. It's the entry credential attendees already keep on their phone, so day-of logistics ride on its face and live updates land on the lock screen the instant plans change. And because the pass persists, each event compounds into an owned audience you can re-invite for free. This page is the complete operator's guide: the attendee lifecycle, ticketing and badge types, live-event and post-event communication frameworks, VIP and season-pass models, decision tools, and 30+ answers to the questions attendees and AI assistants ask.

Key takeaways

The wallet ticket is the entry credential and the channel — QR check-in built in.
Day-of logistics live on the ticket; live changes push to the lock screen instantly.
Every send is free at any audience size — ideal for bursty, day-of blasts.
The pass stays after the event, so your next on-sale reaches a warm, owned list.
Tickets, VIP passes, badges and season passes all run as wallet passes.

The category

What is Wallet Marketing for events?

Quick answer

Wallet Marketing for events is the practice of issuing digital tickets, badges and passes in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, then reaching attendees through lock-screen notifications on those passes. It combines ticketing (QR entry, live updates) with an owned communication channel that persists after the event — replacing paper tickets, PDF attachments, single-event apps and per-message SMS.

Every marketing channel is a surface plus an audience you own. Email owns the inbox; SMS owns the phone number. Wallet Marketing reaches attendees through the wallet apps already installed on every iPhone and Android — using the ticket they need anyway. For an organizer, that pass is the entry credential, the day-of information screen, and the line back for the next event, all in one object.

Definition — Wallet event ticket

A wallet event ticket is a branded digital pass stored in a mobile wallet that serves as the attendee's entry credential — carrying a scannable QR or barcode for check-in, the event's date, time, gate and seat — while also updating in real time and triggering lock-screen notifications for reminders and live changes. It requires no app for the attendee to install.

The distinction that matters for events: the ticket is a live object, not a static PDF. A PDF ticket is frozen the moment you send it — if the gate changes, the PDF is wrong and the attendee never knows. A wallet ticket updates in place, surfaces on the lock screen as the event nears, and stays in the wallet afterward as a standing channel. The ticket is the relationship, not the receipt.

In plain termsIf you've ever emailed a PDF ticket and then scrambled to reach attendees about a gate change, a wallet ticket is the fix: it's the same ticket, but you can update it and message the whole audience for free — and reach them again for your next event. Learn the category in What is Wallet Marketing.

The problem

What quietly costs events the most

You pay to fill the room once. Without an owned channel, you pay to fill it again — and again.

Quick answer

Event organizers lose money to four silent problems: attendees who vanish after one night, day-of logistics that arrive where no one looks, last-minute changes that can't reach phones in time, and next-event marketing that starts from zero every time. Wallet Marketing solves all four with one free, owned, lock-screen channel built into the ticket.

Attendees vanish

You sold the ticket, they came, and then they're gone — a one-night relationship with no way to reach them for the next event.

Logistics arrive unseen

Doors, parking, set times, gate changes — the messages that decide the night go out by email no one checks at the venue.

Changes can't reach in time

A stage swap or a weather delay has to reach phones now. Email is too slow, and an app nobody installed reaches no one.

Next event starts from zero

Without an owned list, every event's marketing begins from scratch — paying again to reach people who already came once.

Summary

The common thread: organizers don't own a direct, affordable line to the attendees they've already gathered. Wallet Marketing builds that line into the ticket — free to send, on the lock screen, and persistent from one event to the next.

The attendee journey

From registration to the next event — one persistent pass

Quick answer

The event attendee journey with Wallet Marketing runs: discover the event, register, receive the wallet ticket, get timed reminders, check in by QR at the gate, receive live updates during the event, take a VIP upgrade or offer, get a post-event thank-you and survey, and receive the next-event pre-sale — a loop that turns one ticket into a lasting, owned relationship.

The event attendee journey, from registration to the next event. event-attendee-journey.svg

Acquisition is the ticket

Attendees add the pass from their confirmation or a box-office QR — no separate app, no signup. The credential and the channel arrive together.

Every stage is a message

A 24-hour reminder, a gate change, a VIP upgrade, a post-event survey — each is a free, timely reason to reach the lock screen.

The audience persists

Unlike a one-event app, the wallet ticket stays after the show — so the next on-sale reaches people who already chose you.

How it works

Live in minutes, no developer

Quick answer

To launch: create a branded event pass with the entry QR on its face, share it via the registration confirmation or a box-office QR, attendees add it in one tap to Apple or Google Wallet, and you update the pass to send reminders and live changes that land on the lock screen — free, across the whole audience at once. No app, no code required to start.

Create a branded event passDesign the ticket or badge in the dashboard — logo, date, time, gate, seat, and a scannable QR or barcode for entry on its face.
Deliver it at registrationAdd it to the confirmation email or on-sale flow, or print a QR at the box office. Attendees add it in one tap — no app, no account.
The ticket lives in their walletIt holds the date, time, gate and entry code, and surfaces on the lock screen as the event approaches.
Remind, update, re-invitePush a 24-hour reminder, a live gate change, a VIP offer or the next-event pre-sale — each lands on the lock screen, free, across the whole audience.

Operator noteEntry validation works by scanning the QR/barcode on the pass at the gate — the same way you'd scan any ticket. You can start with a printed QR and a scanner app; deeper access-control and CRM integrations come later.

Ticketing

Every ticket and badge, as a wallet pass

Quick answer

Events can issue general admission and VIP tickets, season and multi-day passes, conference and expo badges, workshop tickets, member-only event passes, backstage passes, media credentials and volunteer credentials — all as wallet passes. Each carries a scannable entry code, updates in real time, and doubles as a channel to that segment of the audience.

General admission

The standard entry ticket with QR check-in, date, time and gate — the pass most attendees carry.

VIP tickets

Premium access with perks on the pass — lounge, early entry, meet & greet — and a channel to your highest-value attendees.

Season & multi-day passes

One pass holds a festival weekend or a season of dates, updated as each one approaches.

Conference badges

A digital badge with name, role and QR for session check-in and lead capture — no lanyard reprints.

Workshop & expo tickets

Session- or booth-specific passes with capacity control and reminders for each slot.

Member-only events

Passes gated to members, tied to a membership card — turning a community into repeat attendance.

Backstage & access passes

Tiered credentials (crew, artist, all-access) with distinct scannable codes for zone control.

Media credentials

Press passes with accreditation details and updates pushed to journalists on-site.

Volunteer credentials

Shift, zone and check-in info on a pass volunteers carry — with instructions updated live.

Related: run recurring or paid attendee communities with the membership card maker.

PushNotice framework

The Next Event Loop™

Quick answer

The Next Event Loop™ is PushNotice's five-stage system for turning a single ticket into repeat attendance: Ticket, Remind, Admit, Engage, Return. Unlike a funnel that ends at the door, the loop treats the wallet ticket as a persistent asset — one that admits the attendee, engages them live, and carries your invitation to the next event.

TicketIssue the entry credential straight to Apple or Google Wallet — the lowest-friction delivery in ticketing, and the moment you gain a channel.
RemindSurface day-of logistics — doors, gate, parking, set times — on the lock screen when they matter, not in a week-old email.
AdmitScan the pass at the gate for fast, verifiable QR check-in. The same object that markets the event also controls entry.
EngagePush live changes and offers during the event — a stage swap, a merch drop, a food voucher — to the whole audience at once, free.
ReturnBecause the pass persists, your next pre-sale reaches a warm, owned audience — turning one event into a series.

Why a loop, not a funnelA funnel ends at the door. The Next Event Loop™ treats the ticket as an asset that keeps working after the show — because in events, the real prize isn't one sold-out night, it's an audience that comes back.

Operations

Check-in & ticket validation

Quick answer

Wallet tickets check attendees in by scanning the QR or barcode on the pass at the gate — fast, contactless and verifiable, the same flow as any modern ticket. Because passes are cryptographically signed by the issuer, they're far harder to forge than a screenshot or a PDF, and each code can be validated against your list at entry.

The check-in and validation workflow — show, scan, validate, admit. event-checkin-workflow.svg

Apple documents the event-ticket pass style and signing in its PassKit documentation; Google covers passes in the Google Wallet docs.

Original framework

The event communication framework: pre, live, post

Quick answer

Event communication runs in three phases, all on one pass: pre-event (confirmation, reminders, logistics), live (gate and schedule changes, session starts, emergency alerts), and post-event (thank-you, survey, on-demand content, next-event pre-sale). The wallet ticket carries each phase to the lock screen for free, turning scattered emails into one coherent, owned timeline.

The event communication framework — one pass, three phases. event-communication-framework.svg

The rule that protects the channelReminders and live changes are always welcome; promotional blasts are not. Keep pre- and post-event marketing sparing and relevant, and reserve high-frequency sending for the day of, when attendees expect and want the updates. Over-message between events and the pass gets removed.

Upgrades & loyalty

VIP upgrades & the season-pass model

Quick answer

Wallet passes make upgrades and loyalty native to the ticket: push a VIP upgrade offer to GA holders before or during the event, hold a whole season or festival weekend on one updatable pass, and convert repeat attendees into a paid membership. Each is a wallet pass that updates in place — no new ticket to reissue, no app to build.

The season pass lifecycle — one updatable pass across a whole season. event-season-pass-lifecycle.svg

VIP upgrade flow

Offer GA holders a lounge or early-entry upgrade on the lock screen; the pass updates to VIP on purchase — no reissue.

Season & festival passes

Hold a weekend or a season of dates on one pass that updates as each event nears and admits at every gate.

Membership conversion

Turn your most frequent attendees into paying members with a membership pass that unlocks pre-sales and perks.

Stakeholders

Speaker & sponsor engagement

Quick answer

Wallet passes aren't only for attendees. Speakers get a pass with their session times, room and green-room details, updated live if the schedule shifts. Sponsors get measurable value: their offer delivered to attendees' lock screens, and booth or session engagement captured by QR — a cleaner, trackable alternative to flyers and email add-ons.

Speaker engagement

A speaker pass carries session time, room, tech-check and green-room info — and updates instantly if a slot moves, so presenters are never caught out by a last-minute change.

Sponsor engagement

Deliver a sponsor's offer to attendee lock screens, and measure booth or session scans by QR. Sponsors get trackable reach; you get a new, ownable inventory to sell.

Campaigns & automations

What you'd actually send

Quick answer

Event wallet campaigns split into automations that fire on a trigger (registration confirmation, 24-hour and 1-hour reminders, gate opening, session reminders, VIP upgrade, survey request, thank-you, next-event early bird) and broadcasts you send by hand (schedule changes, doors opening, sponsor promos, meet & greets, merch drops, pre-sales). All land on the lock screen, free, at any audience size.

Automations (set once, fire on trigger)

Registration confirmation24-hour reminder1-hour reminderGate openingSession reminderVIP upgradeFood voucherSurvey requestThank-youNext-event early birdMembership invitation

Timed reminders are the most-appreciated event automation — attendees rely on them, and they cut missed entries and confusion at the gate.

Broadcasts (send by hand, when it counts)

Schedule updateGate changeDoors openingSpeaker changeWeather / emergencySponsor promotionMeet & greetExclusive merchNext-event pre-saleSeason-pass upgradeReferral reward

Because sends are free, reaching the entire audience the moment a plan changes is always affordable — the exact scenario per-message SMS taxes hardest.

Go deeper on timing, segmentation and copy in the push notification marketing guide and lock-screen marketing.

Original asset

The annual event marketing calendar

Quick answer

An event wallet calendar aligns each send to the event lifecycle rather than a fixed schedule: on-sale and early-bird pushes weeks out, logistics and reminders in the final days, live updates during, and a thank-you-plus-pre-sale window right after — repeating for every event so the owned audience compounds across the year.

The annual event marketing calendar — one lifecycle, repeated, compounding an owned audience. event-annual-calendar.svg

The platforms

Apple Wallet & Google Wallet for events

Quick answer

Yes — events can issue tickets and badges to both Apple Wallet (iPhone) and Google Wallet (Android). Apple's PassKit includes a dedicated event-ticket pass style; Google Wallet supports event passes via its API. Both carry a scannable code for entry, use time and location relevance to surface on the lock screen, and update in real time — with no app for the attendee.

Wallet tickets & relevance

Apple's event-ticket pass style shows the ticket with its QR/barcode, and Wallet uses time relevance (near the event time) and location relevance (near the venue) to surface the pass on the lock screen automatically.

Source: Apple PassKit

Updates & QR validation

Passes update remotely — a new gate or set time reflects on the ticket — and the QR/barcode validates at entry. Notifications can accompany an update to reach the lock screen.

Source: Google Wallet

One link, both platforms

You design once; the same install link detects the device and delivers the right pass to Apple or Google Wallet. No separate build, no attendee left out.

Guides: Apple Wallet · Google Wallet

Comparisons

How the wallet ticket compares

Quick answer

Against paper tickets, PDFs, event apps, SMS, email and printed badges, a wallet ticket wins where events feel pain: it updates after issue, checks in by QR, surfaces on the lock screen at the right time and place, costs nothing to message, and persists as an owned audience. Paper and PDFs are frozen the moment they're sent.

Paper ticket vs wallet ticket

Table 1 — Paper ticket vs wallet ticket
Factor	Paper ticket	Wallet ticket
Can be lost / forgotten	Easily	Always on the phone
Updates after issue	Never	Live
Reach the attendee again	No	Lock-screen push
Fraud / forgery	Easy to copy	Signed & verifiable
Builds an audience	No	Persistent list

PDF ticket vs wallet ticket

Table 2 — PDF ticket vs wallet ticket
Factor	PDF ticket	Wallet ticket
Frozen at send	Yes — can't change	Updates in place
Surfaces at the right time	No	Time/location relevance
Live changes reach attendee	No	Yes, lock screen
Lives with payment cards	A file to find	In the wallet

Event app vs wallet pass

Table 3 — Single-event app vs wallet pass
Factor	Event app	Wallet pass
Attendee install	Download + account	One tap, no account
Adoption for one event	Very low	Wallet already installed
Build & upkeep cost	High per event	Low
Reaches the lock screen	Only if opted in	Wallet notifications
Persists across events	Usually re-downloaded	Stays in wallet

SMS vs email vs wallet

Table 4 — Channels for reaching attendees
Factor	SMS	Email	Wallet
Cost per send	Per message	Low	Free
Seen at the venue	Usually	Rarely	Lock screen
Good for day-of blasts	Yes, but costly	Too slow	Yes, free
Carries the ticket / QR	No	As attachment	On the pass
Scales to full audience	Cost rises	Flat-ish	Free at any size

See also: Wallet vs SMS · Wallet vs Email · Wallet vs Email vs SMS (combined) — coming soon.

Printed badge vs digital badge

Table 5 — Printed conference badge vs digital wallet badge
Factor	Printed badge	Digital badge
Reprints for changes	Costly, slow	Update live
Session check-in	Manual	QR scan
Reaches the attendee	No	Lock-screen push
Lead / booth capture	Card scanners	QR, trackable

One-time ticket vs season pass · Event CRM vs wallet audience

Table 6 — Ticket model & audience ownership
Factor	One-time ticket	Season pass / wallet audience
Relationship length	One event	A season, then renewed
Reach after the event	None	Free, direct
vs an event CRM export	Data you must re-permission & email	A live channel attendees carry
Cost to re-engage	Re-buy reach	Free to message

First-party attendee ownershipAn event CRM stores contacts you still have to reach through a rented channel. A wallet audience is a channel attendees carry with them — capture once at ticketing, reach forever for free. That's the difference between a list and an audience.

By event type

What it looks like for your kind of event

Quick answer

The right wallet setup follows the event's rhythm: festivals and concerts lean on day-of logistics and next-show audiences; conferences and expos lean on badges, schedules and sponsors; theaters and sports lean on season passes and recurring dates; museums and community events lean on membership conversion. Below is a realistic starting setup for each.

Illustrative setups, not customer results — a place to start, tuned to how each format actually runs.

🎶 Music festival

Setup: weekend GA + VIP passes. Sends: set times, gate/stage changes, weather calls, merch drops, next-year pre-sale to the kept audience.

🎤 Business conference

Setup: digital badges + session tickets. Sends: agenda, room changes, session reminders, sponsor offers, post-event survey and recordings.

🏢 Trade show / expo

Setup: expo badges with QR. Sends: hall map, exhibitor highlights, booth-scan capture, VIP hours, next-edition pre-sale.

🎭 Theater

Setup: tickets + season subscriptions. Sends: curtain reminders, cast changes, interval offers, next-production on-sale to subscribers.

🏟 Sports event

Setup: match tickets + season tickets. Sends: gate/parking, kick-off reminders, concourse offers, fixture changes, renewal.

🏛 Museum

Setup: timed-entry tickets + membership. Sends: entry-slot reminders, exhibition launches, member previews, renewal nudges.

🎪 Community festival

Setup: free RSVP passes. Sends: schedule, weather, road/parking info, sponsor thank-yous, next-year save-the-date.

🤝 Networking event

Setup: attendee passes + badges. Sends: venue details, agenda, speaker intros, follow-up survey, next-meetup invite.

🎓 Training workshop

Setup: session tickets. Sends: pre-work, room/join details, breaks, materials, certificate, next-cohort early bird.

🎗 Charity gala

Setup: tickets + tables. Sends: arrival & dress details, programme, auction alerts, thank-you, next-year save-the-date.

Ticket-to-loyalty

The ticket lifecycle: from entry credential to owned relationship

Quick answer

A wallet ticket's life doesn't end at the gate. It's issued, added to the wallet, surfaces before the event, validates at entry, then persists — becoming a standing channel you use for the thank-you, the survey, and the next-event invite. That persistence is the ticket-to-loyalty strategy: one purchase converted into a lasting, owned audience relationship.

The event ticket lifecycle — issued, carried, surfaced, validated, persisted, reused. event-ticket-lifecycle.svg

Playbook

Best practices (20)

Quick answer

Winning event programs deliver the ticket to the wallet at purchase, put entry and logistics on the pass face, send timed reminders, reserve high-frequency messaging for the day of, treat live updates as the core value, and keep the audience warm between events without over-messaging. The ticket is the channel — protect it.

Deliver the wallet ticket at registration, in the confirmation flow.
Put date, time, gate, seat and the entry QR on the pass face.
Send a 24-hour and a 1-hour reminder — attendees rely on them.
Push logistics (doors, parking, gate) the afternoon of the event.
Use live updates for anything that changes — the killer use case.
Keep an emergency/weather message template ready to fire.
Offer VIP upgrades to GA holders on the lock screen.
Segment by ticket type — GA, VIP, staff, media get different messages.
Hold festival weekends and seasons on one updatable pass.
Send a thank-you and a survey right after — while it's fresh.

Launch the next pre-sale to your kept audience first.
Support both Apple and Google Wallet from day one.
Give speakers a pass with their session details and updates.
Sell sponsors measurable lock-screen and QR-scan reach.
Brand the ticket boldly — it's your identity in the wallet.
Test the entry-scan flow with staff before doors.
Convert repeat attendees into a paid membership.
Between events, message sparingly and only when relevant.
Track check-ins, opens and next-event conversion.
Announce the wallet option everywhere at on-sale.

From experience

Common mistakes (20)

Quick answer

The most common event mistakes are emailing static PDFs that can't be updated, building a single-event app nobody installs, letting the audience go cold after the show, over-messaging between events, forgetting to put the entry QR on the pass, and treating the ticket as a receipt instead of the channel it could be.

Emailing static PDF tickets that can't be updated.
Building a single-event app almost no one installs.
Letting the audience go cold the moment the event ends.
Over-messaging between events until the pass is removed.
Forgetting to put the entry QR on the pass face.
No day-of reminder, so attendees miss doors or gates.
Sending live changes by email that no one sees at the venue.
Treating the ticket as a receipt, not a channel.
Supporting only one wallet platform.
No emergency/weather message ready to go.

Blanket messages ignoring ticket-type segments.
No thank-you or survey after the event.
Announcing the next event to strangers, not the kept audience.
Un-branded, generic-looking tickets.
Not testing the gate-scan flow before doors.
Ignoring VIP-upgrade revenue on the lock screen.
Leaving speakers and sponsors off the wallet entirely.
No capacity/validation plan for session or booth scans.
Measuring ticket sales but never next-event conversion.
Launching on-sale without offering the wallet option.

Decide & launch

Which pass model fits your event?

Quick answer

Choose by how often you run and how you gate access: one-off events use single tickets with day-of reminders; recurring or seasonal programs use season passes; multi-track conferences use badges with session tickets; membership-driven venues convert attendees into a membership pass. All are wallet passes with QR entry and lock-screen messaging.

Event pass decision tree. event-pass-decision-tree.svg

Implementation checklist

Model: pick single / season / badge / membership from the tree above.
Pass face: add date, time, gate, seat and the entry QR.
Both wallets: generate one link for Apple and Google Wallet.
Delivery: add the pass to the confirmation flow and a box-office QR.
Entry: set up gate scanning and test it with staff before doors.
Automations: confirmation, 24-hr and 1-hr reminders, thank-you, survey, next-event early bird.
Live templates: pre-write gate-change, delay and emergency messages.
Segments: tag GA, VIP, staff, media, sponsors, speakers.
Retention: plan the post-event and next-event pre-sale sequence.
Tracking: check-ins, opens and next-event conversion.

Downloadable resource: event-wallet-launch-checklist.pdf (placeholder — link once published).

Reference

Glossary

Wallet event ticket: A digital ticket stored in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet that serves as the entry credential and a channel — with a scannable code, live updates and notifications.
Digital ticket: A ticket delivered and stored electronically rather than on paper; a wallet ticket is the live, updatable form.
Conference badge: A digital attendee badge (name, role, QR) used for session check-in and lead capture.
VIP pass: A premium wallet ticket granting extra access and perks, and a channel to high-value attendees.
Season pass: One wallet pass that admits an attendee to a whole season or festival, updating for each date.
QR check-in: Validating entry by scanning the QR or barcode on the wallet pass at the gate.
Ticket validation: Confirming a scanned pass is genuine and on the guest list; wallet passes are signed to prevent forgery.
Time / location relevance: Wallet behaviour that surfaces a pass on the lock screen near the event time or the venue.
Attendee engagement: Reaching and involving attendees before, during and after an event via the pass.
First-party attendee audience: An audience an organizer owns and can message directly, built from persistent wallet passes.
Lock-screen notification: A message delivered to the phone's lock screen through a wallet pass, with no app required.

FAQ

Event wallet marketing — 30+ answers

Quick answer

Short, self-contained answers to the questions organizers — and AI assistants — ask most about Apple and Google Wallet tickets, QR check-in, live updates, VIP and season passes, badges, and attendee retention.

Can events use Apple Wallet tickets?

Yes. Apple Wallet includes a dedicated event-ticket pass style. Organizers issue tickets attendees add in one tap on iPhone; each carries a scannable QR or barcode for entry, shows date, time and gate, and can update and send lock-screen notifications.

Can events use Google Wallet?

Yes. Google Wallet supports event passes through the Google Wallet API. Android attendees add a ticket via an "Add to Google Wallet" link from their confirmation, an SMS or a QR — no app or account.

Can conferences issue digital badges?

Yes. A conference badge can be a wallet pass carrying the attendee's name, role and a QR for session check-in and lead capture — with no lanyard reprints when details change.

Can organizers update tickets after issuing them?

Yes. A wallet ticket is a live object — a new gate, seat, set time or date reflects on the pass automatically, and a notification can accompany the change. Unlike a PDF, it's never frozen at send.

Can attendees receive lock-screen reminders?

Yes. You can send timed reminders (24-hour, 1-hour) and day-of logistics to the pass, and they appear on the lock screen. Wallet also surfaces the pass automatically near the event time and venue.

How do QR tickets work?

The pass displays a QR or barcode on its face. At the gate, staff scan it; the code is validated against your guest list and entry is granted. Because passes are signed by the issuer, they're far harder to forge than a screenshot.

Can event schedules be updated?

Yes. Push a schedule or room change to the pass and it updates in place, with a lock-screen notification so attendees see it in time — the core advantage over static tickets.

Can VIP tickets be upgraded?

Yes. Offer GA holders a VIP upgrade on the lock screen; on purchase the pass updates to VIP with the new perks — no new ticket to reissue.

Can organizers send notifications without an app?

Yes. That's the point — notifications go to the wallet pass, not an app. Attendees never download anything; adding the ticket to their wallet is the consent to receive updates.

Can recurring events build a long-term audience?

Yes. Because the pass stays in the wallet after the event, each show adds to an owned audience you can reach for the next one — free — instead of starting marketing from zero every time.

How do season passes work?

One wallet pass holds a whole season or festival weekend. It updates as each date approaches, admits the attendee at every gate, and can carry news and perks between events — then renews for the next season.

What does it cost to message the whole audience?

Nothing per message, at any audience size. You pay for audience capacity, not per send — which is what makes a day-of blast to everyone affordable, unlike per-text SMS pricing.

Does it work on both iPhone and Android?

Yes. One install link serves Apple Wallet on iPhone and Google Wallet on Android, detecting the device automatically. No attendee is left out and you don't build twice.

Can the pass be the entry ticket?

Yes. The pass carries the QR or barcode for entry on its face, alongside date, time and gate — it's the ticket attendees keep and the channel you can message.

How do attendees get the ticket?

They add it from a link in their registration confirmation or on-sale flow, or by scanning a QR at the box office. The pass saves in seconds.

Can I send emergency or weather updates?

Yes — this is one of the most valuable uses. A delay, evacuation or weather call can be pushed to every attendee's lock screen the instant it happens, reaching them where email can't.

Can I run parking and venue navigation info?

Yes. Put parking, gate and map details on the pass and update them if they change; a link on the pass can point to full venue navigation.

Can I message different ticket types separately?

Yes. Tag by ticket type — GA, VIP, staff, media, sponsors, speakers — and message each segment with what's relevant to them.

Can sponsors get value from wallet passes?

Yes. You can deliver a sponsor's offer to attendee lock screens and capture booth or session engagement by QR — trackable reach that's a cleaner, sellable alternative to flyers.

Can speakers get a pass?

Yes. A speaker pass carries session time, room, tech-check and green-room details, updating live if the schedule shifts — so presenters are never caught out.

How is this different from an event app?

An event app requires a download and account most attendees skip for a single event, and it's often re-downloaded each time. A wallet ticket lives in the wallet already on the phone — one tap — and persists across events.

Is it secure and hard to forge?

Yes. Wallet passes are cryptographically signed by the issuer, and each entry code is validated at the gate. This makes them far harder to forge or duplicate than a screenshot or a printed PDF.

Do I need a developer or an Apple Developer account?

No. The platform handles issuing Apple and Google Wallet passes, so you design the ticket and it's generated and delivered for you — no code, no developer account.

How fast can I launch?

A basic setup can be live the same day: create the pass, add the entry QR, generate the install link, and start delivering it with your confirmations. Access-control and CRM integrations can come later.

Can I import an existing attendee list?

Many setups let you invite an existing list to add a pass by email, SMS or a shared link — so past attendees can join your owned wallet audience.

Can I convert attendees into members?

Yes. Turn your most frequent attendees into paying members with a membership pass that unlocks pre-sales, perks and member-only events.

How often should I message attendees?

Frequently on the day of, when attendees expect updates; sparingly between events. Wallet notifications work because they're relevant — reminders and live changes are welcome, but promotional over-messaging gets the pass removed.

Which events benefit most?

Any ticketed or recurring event: concerts, festivals, conferences, trade shows, sports, theater, museums, community festivals, networking events, workshops and galas. The more day-of logistics and repeat attendance, the greater the benefit.

What is Wallet Marketing?

Wallet Marketing is using passes stored in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet as a direct, owned channel — for events, the ticket itself becomes the way you reach attendees on the lock screen, with no app and no per-message cost.

How much does PushNotice cost?

PushNotice offers a free forever plan, with paid plans that scale by audience size and campaign volume. You can start free and upgrade as your events grow. See pricing.

Ahead

The future of event marketing

Quick answer

Event marketing is moving toward persistent, personalised, location-aware attendee relationships as single-event apps fade. Wallet passes sit at the centre: AI tailors the right update to the right attendee, smart venues trigger passes by location, and the ticket becomes a standing membership in a recurring community the organizer owns — not a one-night transaction.

First-party attendee ownership

As paid reach climbs, the audience an organizer owns directly becomes the most valuable asset. The persistent wallet pass is where that ownership lives.

AI & personalised experiences

The next step is the right message to the right attendee — a session they'd like, a VIP upgrade at the right moment, a re-invite to the event they'd return for.

Smart venues & location

Location-aware passes surface the right info as attendees move through a venue — gates, sessions, offers — without an app.

From events to communities

Recurring passes and memberships turn one-off audiences into standing communities that come back, season after season.

Learn more

Event & wallet resources

What is Wallet Marketing?
Wallet Marketing: the third channel
Membership card maker
Lock-screen marketing
Push notification marketing guide
Apple Wallet for business · Google Wallet for business
Wallet vs SMS · Wallet vs Email

Other industries

Wallet Marketing by industry

External references: Apple PassKit · Google Wallet docs · Events Industry Council · UFI · PCMA.

Get started

Put the ticket — and the next event — on their lock screen

Create your first wallet ticket, add it to your own phone, and send yourself a live update — free forever plan, no app, live today. Turn one night into an audience you own.

Start free Learn Wallet Marketing

Free forever plan · No app for attendees · No credit card