Top 6 essentials for an effective event invite campaign

Top 6 Essentials for an Effective Event Invite Campaign

If you’re an events-based business, the way you go about marketing them via email is crucial. Many would agree that the effectiveness of an event is largely related to how many bums you get on seats, regardless of whether you are running a conference, launch event or networking event.

Letting potential attendees know about your event prior – with an effective email campaign – will increase positive awareness of your special occasion and encourage more people to walk through the door.

The best event invite email campaigns make it easy for subscribers to attend. Here’s how.

Curate a targeted list

If you’re holding an event in Sydney, chances are you don’t want to be inviting your subscribers from New York (unless it’s a seriously big event). Keep response and click-through rates high by keeping your campaign open to only nearby residents. Try segmenting your lists like this and should see that you’ll receive higher open rates and fewer unsubscribes.

Don’t underestimate the value proposition

A value proposition is a concise statement that succinctly details why someone should attend your event. Ideally, it should be placed prominently in the email with a focus on the benefits of attending. Use a short sentence that aims to motivate subscribers to RSVP.

Describe your event in detail

Hold your recipient’s attention after the value proposition by detailing what people can expect to experience should they attend. Put yourself in your potential attendee’s shoes and make it your goal to answer any questions they may have about your event: What is happening at the event? Will I learn anything? Who will I see or hear from?

Prominently feature time and location

By placing essential details like location, time, address, transport information and dress code prominently in your invite, recipients will be able to identify straight away if they are able to attend. Obviously, not everyone on your list is going to be able to make it. But if you can grab the attention of other potential attendees with detailed event information you’re more likely to see them through to the ticket reservation or RSVP section. To help remind attendees, it also helps to add a calendar link feature that will automatically add itself to your recipient’s preferred online calendar. The result? A greater chance that they will remember to attend.

Ease concerns

People can naturally be hesitant towards attending events, even if they are free. Time is precious, after all. Some people will be concerned that your event isn’t relevant to them, won’t be worth their time or money, or doubt that your event can deliver. Introduce testimonials or reviews of your event in your campaigns to help reduce the anxiety recipients may face about attending.

Include a call-to-action

It may seem obvious, but after remembering to include all of the above steps, you might have forgotten to include what is one of the most important elements of your event invite campaign. A prominent call-to-action button will allow recipients to commit to your event via a ticketing or registration process. If your event is free, you might even be tempted to simply notify people of your event and hope they will show up – but there’s a higher chance they’ll go through with it if you get them to register.

Not sure how to go about creating a successful event invite email campaign? Get in touch.