How to send messages to a customer's lock screen

To send messages to a customer's lock screen, put your loyalty card in their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. When you send a short update to the card, it shows on the card and can pop up on their lock screen. No app, no phone number and no text messaging needed.

How do lock screen messages work?

They come from the wallet card itself. A wallet card can update after it's saved. When the card changes with a new message, the phone can show a notification, just like other apps do.

1. The customer adds your card. It lives in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
2. You write a short message. From your loyalty tool's dashboard.
3. The card updates. The message shows on the card.
4. The phone can show a notification. It can pop up on the lock screen, like a text would.

Are lock screen messages the same as texts or emails?

No. They come from the card, not from a phone number or an inbox. You don't need to collect a phone number, and they don't land in a spam folder.

They are also short by nature. Think of a sticky note, not a newsletter. One or two lines.

Can customers turn the messages off?

Yes, anytime. They can switch off notifications for your card in their wallet app, or remove the card. That is how it should be.

It also means every message has to earn its spot. Send something annoying and people switch you off for good. With Regulars, the dashboard shows who removed the card, so you can tell if you are overdoing it.

What messages should I send?

Send things that help the customer: progress, rewards, a timely deal or a warm hello. Here are the types that tend to land well.

What do good lock screen messages look like?

Short, clear and friendly. Shop name, one idea, maybe one emoji. Here are samples you can copy.

Does it work the same on iPhone and Android?

Close enough that you don't need to plan for two. The message shows on the card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, and either phone can show it as a notification.

The look is a little different on each phone, and each person's notification settings decide how loud it is. Some see a banner. Some only see it when they open the card. That is another reason to keep messages short: the first few words have to do the work.

What should I never send?

• ❌ Daily messages. Fastest way to get switched off.
• ❌ Fake urgency. "ACT NOW!!!" on a muffin deal is too much.
• ❌ Long paragraphs. The lock screen cuts them off anyway.
• ❌ Late-night sends. Nobody wants a pizza buzz at 11 pm. Send during your open hours.
• ❌ Messages with no reason. "Just saying hi!" is not a reason.

How often should I send lock screen messages?

Keep one-off messages to about one a week or less. Helpful automatic ones, like "your reward is ready," can go on top, since they are about the customer's own card.

Timing matters too. Send a lunch deal at 10:30 am, not at 1:45 pm. Send a rainy day deal when the rain starts, not when it stops.

What messages can run on their own?

The most useful ones can be set once and left alone. In Regulars, six automatic messages are on by default:

• 👋 Welcome: when someone adds your card.
• 🏁 Almost there: when they are close to a reward.
• 🎉 Reward ready: when they earn one.
• 💌 We miss you: after a quiet stretch. More in how to win back customers.
• 🎂 Birthday: if you collect birthdays. Ideas in birthday rewards customers love.
• 🐌 Slow day boost: on the quiet weekdays you pick.

On top of those, you can send your own one-off message blasts. The Starter plan includes 4 a month. Growth and Pro include unlimited.

How do I start sending lock screen messages?

Get your loyalty card into your customers' wallets first. The messages come with it.

Regulars puts your stamp or points card in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. Customers join with a first name, staff scan with any phone, and the six automatic messages start working right away. Plans start at $49 a month with a 30-day free trial and no contract. See pricing. A little buzz on the lock screen, far out.

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