When it comes to event promotion, you can use plenty of different channels such as social media, paid advertising, good SEO, promotion on forums and other hangouts for people interested in events, and more. However, email still remains one of the key channels that deliver good results.
In fact, over 60% of users prefer brands to contact them through email. So, email is definitely worth your attention. But keep in mind that the average email recipient spends only 15-20 seconds (or even less in 2020) reading each email. That is why you need to make an impact really quickly.
We have put together these nine tips to get your event email opened, read, and acted on.
Tip #1: Create a compelling subject line
It is a proven fact that people decide whether to open an email or not based on the subject line. To make them open and read your message, you need to create an engaging subject line first. We recommend including action-oriented verbs, numbers, or psychological elements to make people feel special.
For example, “Dine with the world’s best marketers.”
Tip #2: Use social proof
If people see that many other people behave in a certain way, they think it is the correct behavior. When it comes to creating a copy for your event email, keep this in mind and try to incorporate social proof by mentioning how many people attended the event the previous year or what huge brands/influencers will be there soon. This way, you will create more buzz around the event.
Tip #3: Create interactive content
Interactive content is anything that your recipients can click on, swipe, or interact with. According to statistics, such content increases the click-to-open rate by 73%! If you want to use it in your campaign, you can try adding, for example, a box where information continually changes (carousel of images). These images might feature your keynote speakers, their bios, etc.
This way, you will keep your readers engaged and get them looking forward to your future mailings.
Tip #4: Highlight the benefits of attending
Always explain the benefits attendees will get from coming to the event. For example, you can use testimonials from past attendees telling how the knowledge gained at the event impacted their business. Remember, it’s always better to use real people’s stories over boring facts.
Tip #5: Add a clear CTA to your emails
Always add a compelling call to action (CTA) that will draw people in. For example,
“Save My Seat,” or “I am In.”
Here are several important things to pay attention to:
- It is better to include only one CTA per email to avoid confusion;
- Don’t place the button at the very beginning of the event email. If the email is long, try to position the CTA early enough so that recipients don’t have to scroll down to find it;
- This button is a good way to see if you have created an effective mailing. Experiment with various CTA copies, colors, and sizes to know what works best.
Tip #6: Add an email signature
Did you know that a good event email signature can become an effective channel for event promotion once you include a banner?
This banner is usually placed under the rest of your signature and contains attractive visual elements and a call to action. Your recipients are likely to see the banner and click on it.
The promotional banner in the email signature below links to a registration page for the upcoming event.
Create email signatures for free just in a few clicks.
Tip #7: Offer an early bird discount
You can give your invitee a gentle nudge by offering them to book early bird tickets at a discounted price. This way, you will reward people for acting fast. And they will get a chance to save money. It is a win-win situation.
You might also want to offer group tickets, VIP tickets, or ticket bundles. All these special offers can do wonders for your event promotion, so don’t neglect them.
Tip #8: Add event agenda to your emails
To attract even more attention to your event, consider adding the event agenda to your promotional emails or include a link to it in your email signature. This is especially beneficial for you when there are some famous speakers on your list. Their names can attract more visitors if you mention them.
Tip #9: Send a follow-up event email
If you sent a perfect email, and no one read it, you failed! A lot of event promoters put much time and effort into their event emails, but the one very important thing they often forget is a timely follow-up.
If the recipient didn’t respond, it doesn’t mean they are not interested or don’t want or hear from you anymore. Chances are they lost your email in their cluttered inbox. So, don’t be afraid to look annoying and write your follow-up. Sometimes, you can simply restate the content of your previous email, but it is much better if you take the time and offer something of value in your follow-up email (for example, a discount or some valuable resource).
Once your event is over, don’t forget to follow up too to make people more likely to remember you and do business with you.
Final words
You put tons of time and effort into organizing your new event, but you are still worried. You are looking for ways to encourage people to show up. You want to persuade them that they will get the most out of the event once they arrive. This is where event promotion comes in.
In 2020, email still remains one of the best ways to connect with your audience and drive better event attendance. So, take it and make your strategy perfect. Make good use of subject lines, calls to action, email signatures with banners, early-bird discounts, ticket bundles, interactive content, social proof, names of well-known speakers, and follow-ups. Good luck!
Description: In this article, you will learn how to drive more attention to your event and increase the number of attendees with your next email marketing campaign.