Think of email marketing as the secret ingredient that can take your well-planned event into the hottest ticket in town. You’ve lined up everything: a stunning venue, top-notch speakers, and exceptional vendors. But how do you get people excited enough to fill those seats? That’s where the power of email marketing comes into play.
What Is Email Marketing for Events?
Think of email marketing for events as a targeted use of emails to promote, manage, and build engagement around a specific event. And no, it’s not about simply sending out invitations.
When it comes to promoting an event by email, you need a comprehensive approach. It’s very important that your attendees are hooked from the first announcement to the post-event follow-up. At its heart, the goal of event email marketing is to share a message that will inform people of your event and increase turnout.
At this point you may be wondering: is email really a good way to drum up excitement for my event? We vote yes.
Email marketing is a great way to engage an audience that is already interested in your industry or niche. With the average open rates around 30% — and even higher in specific sectors like restaurants and childcare — email proves time and again to be a highly effective promotional tool.
Strategies for Effective Email Event Promotion
To maximize the impact of your event, you need a strategy.
Event announcement
Start with a compelling first email. Don’t think of it as just an announcement – it’s more of an invitation to something unique and exclusive. And this invitation is only available to those on your mailing list. Make it count by focusing on the essence of your event: tell your readers to expect something truly memorable.
Like Apple, make your emails intriguing and memorable
Look at how Apple launches its products. Their announcement emails are minimalist in design but compelling in copy. They mention the date and location of the event but also offer a peek into what’s to come. So, you are looking at more than an announcement – you are being invited to something groundbreaking.
Building anticipation
It’s important that those who plan to attend your event stay excited about what’s to come. Regular email updates that build anticipation are your best tool here. Keep up the excitement by sharing special features of your event. These may be exclusive guest appearances or unique activities that guests can start looking forward to.
See how TED stirs excitement with previews and highlights
Consider how the TED Conferences manage their email campaigns. They regularly include highlights of upcoming speakers, key topics, and even previews of the talks themselves. This strategy effectively keeps the audience engaged and eager for the event.
Using cross-channel teaser videos
To get better engagement, add in teaser videos to your email campaigns and share them across social media platforms. Consider investing some time into making a short, captivating video that showcases the highlights of your event. Sharing these teasers in your emails and on social platforms will not only increase visibility but also help keep your guests engaged.
Want to spark excitement like Coachella?
Look at how music festivals like Coachella handle their promotions. They are great at creating buzz. They do it by releasing short teaser videos that show artist lineups and festival previews. These videos give subscribers a glimpse into the event and are great at inspiring more sign-ups.
Consistent reminders and intriguing updates
Once you’ve captured your attendees’ interest, it’s important to keep it. You can do this with consistent and intriguing email reminders. For a tech conference, for example, consider giving previews of keynote speeches or showcasing innovative products that will be featured.
Craving the Sundance effect?
Take inspiration from major film festivals like Sundance. Their email reminders do more than just inform; they captivate. Including sneak peeks of upcoming film trailers, interviews with filmmakers, or exclusive behind-the-scenes content keeps the event lively in the minds of potential attendees and heightens anticipation.
Exclusive perks for VIP attendees
Elevate the experience for your VIPs with exclusive perks. Consider add-ons such as early access to sessions, special seating arrangements, or unique networking opportunities. These benefits will not only make your VIPs feel valued – they will also inspire others to consider a VIP status for your next event.
Dreaming of a VIP experience that stands out?
Look at how Salesforce’s Dreamforce conference handles their VIP experience. They offerVIP attendees exclusive access to select talks, special networking events, and even personal interactions with industry leaders.
Addressing key concerns
If you’re planning a business seminar, be proactive in your emails: offer details about the agenda, parking availability, public transport options, and accommodation recommendations.
This level of transparency can help ease up any concerns your future attendees might have. With all the information at hand, they will feel much more comfortable planning their day.
Seeking a seamless attendee experience like the Boston Marathon?
Take a cue from the Boston Marathon. Their approach to participant communication is exemplary. Here’s why. They send detailed emails that cover everything from race day instructions and transportation options to weather forecasts. With this information, attendees know exactly what to expect and are guaranteed to have a smooth experience.
Essential post-event email strategies
The success of an event is not just about the initial excitement and attendance. It’s also about what happens after. Post-event engagement is a crucial phase of your overall event promotion.
More importantly, it’s a one of a kind opportunity to strengthen the relationship with your clients, collect valuable feedback, and lay the groundwork for future events.
Don’t forget to follow up with a visually appealing email that captures what your event was about. For a business seminar, include highlights from speakers, links to presentation materials, or even a highlight reel to give attendees a comprehensive recap.
Looking to extend the impact of your event like Social Media Week?
Look at how Social Media Week handles their post-event communication. They send detailed follow-up emails that give those who attended a quick overview of the event, including links to presentation slides, video recordings of key sessions, and a photo gallery of event highlights.
Leverage thank-you emails
Your thank you emails should be personal. Make sure to recognise the attendance and specific contributions of each participant. When relevant, focus on the impact of their presence: for example, mention the funds raised or the success of a product launch.
Keen to keep engagement soaring post-event like Google I/O?
Just look at what Google do for their annual developer conference, Google I/O. After the event, they send emails that not only thank attendees but also include key session highlights, links to recordings, and summaries of major announcements. This is a great way to keep the audience engaged even after the event. Plus, this also helps extend the reach of conference-related content to those who were unable to attend.
Optimizing post-event surveys
An effective post-event survey is concise and focused. The goal here is to collect actionable insights. After an event, such as a marketing workshop, come up with a list of questions that will help you evaluate the relevance of the topics covered, assess speaker quality, and get helpful suggestions for future improvements.
Want to harness insights like Apple and Google?
Look at how tech giants like Apple and Google handle feedback after their product launches. They use succinct surveys that focus on attendee experience, content quality, and overall satisfaction. This targeted approach allows them to gather meaningful insights that can significantly enhance future events.
Reminding attendees of your next event
Add an encouraging teaser of your next event to your follow-up email. This can be a simple “save the date” for the next annual conference or an offer for early registration discounts for an upcoming workshop.
Ready to keep the hype alive like Coachella?
Take a look at major music festivals like Coachella or Lollapalooza. They frequently introduce their next event as the current one concludes. They share dates and early bird ticket details. This strategy keeps their audience engaged and eagerly anticipating the next event, strengthening ongoing relationships and setting the stage for continued success.
To Sum Up
We’ve hinted at this a few times throughout this article: event email marketing is way more than just simple promotion. Your emails should follow your event’s entire lifecycle. Start with buzz-building announcements, keep up the engagement during the event, and follow up with insights and personalized thank you notes.