Creating automated messages in Recur
Last updated August 5, 2026
Objective
This guide demonstrates how to configure and deploy automated communication workflows in Recur. By setting up Messages and Sequences, associations can maintain consistent engagement with members through automated emails and SMS triggered by specific events, group changes, or member attributes.
Key Steps
Step 1: Create Your Automated Messages
Before building a sequence, you must design the individual messages that will be sent.
Navigate: Go to Engage > Automated Messages and click the Messages tab.
Initiate: Click + New Message in the upper right-hand corner.
Configure Basics:
Message Name: Give the message a clear, internal name (e.g., "Training Email 1"). Use a numbering system if creating a multi-step series.
Type: Select either Email or SMS.
Sender Address: Determine the email address from which the message will be sent.
Design Content: * Formatting: Use the standard editor or toggle Plain HTML if you want the email to look like a personal message rather than a stylized template.
Personalization Tags: Use the left-hand sidebar to insert dynamic tags. For example, adding
Contact First Namewill automatically pull the specific member's name (e.g., "Hello, [First Name]").Contextual Tags: If the message is for an event, you can add tags for
Event DateorEvent Location.
Save: Click the save button to store your message in the library.
Step 2: Set Up the Sequence
A sequence is the "brain" that determines when and to whom your messages are sent.
Navigate: Go to Engage > Sequences and click the Plus (+) button on the right-hand side.
Sequence Basics: Name your sequence (e.g., "Event Training Series") and select the communication type (Email or SMS).
Important Activation Rule: Keep the Active toggle Off while you are building. Only turn it on once you are fully ready for the messages to start being sent to live contacts.
Step 3: Choose Your Trigger Type
Recur offers three primary ways to trigger an automated sequence:
Trigger 1: Group Membership: Select a specific group (e.g., "Active Members"). The email will trigger when a contact is added to that group. You can choose to target both existing and new contacts.
Trigger 2: Date Attributes: Trigger messages based on a specific date in a contact's profile.
Example: A "Birthday Message" sequence can be set to trigger when the
Operationmatches "Today."
Trigger 3: Event-Based: Link the sequence to a specific event already in the Recur system.
Filters: Target users based on their response, such as "Accepted" or "Declined."
Timing: Set the message to deploy a specific number of days before the event starts (e.g., "45 days before").
Step 4: Layer Multiple Messages
You can create a "drip" campaign by adding multiple steps to a single sequence:
Click Add Additional Sequence within the same builder.
Select a different message (e.g., "Training Email 2") and set a different timing interval (e.g., "30 days before" or "1 week out").
This allows you to nudge different segments (like "Declined" invitees) with tailored messaging over time.
Step 5: Save and Activate
Review all your steps and timing intervals.
Toggle the Active switch to On.
Click Save in the upper right-hand corner to deploy the automation.
Cautionary Notes
Activation Safety: If you set a sequence to "Active" while it is still under construction, you risk sending incomplete or incorrect messages to your members immediately.
Data Accuracy: For "Date Attribute" triggers (like birthdays), the automation will fail to send if the specific date information is missing from the member's contact profile.
Event Dependency: You must create the event in Recur before you can select it as a trigger for an automated sequence.
Tips for Efficiency
Strategic Naming: Always name your messages based on their place in the sequence (e.g., "Welcome Part 1," "Welcome Part 2") so they are easy to select from the dropdown menu in Step 2.
Personalized Outreach: Use the "Declined" trigger for events to send a "We'll miss you" message or a final nudge to reconsider, increasing your potential event attendance.
The "Plain HTML" Look: Use the Plain HTML toggle for important administrative updates or personal nudges to make the communication feel less like a mass marketing email and more like a 1-on-1 message.