What’s on your calendar for 2019? Since planning ahead and successful events go hand-in-hand, this step is essential for your bottom line. While you’re drafting your schedule, don’t forget that a winning event promotion strategy involves email.
Did you know? Email marketing is still the most effective channel for promoting events. That’s a fact, friends. Email marketing has a huge reach, and more importantly an effective reach. The people in your email database have opted in aka they want to hear from you.
#1: STAND OUT IN CROWDED INBOXES
People’s inboxes are flooded every single day, so your emails need to be concise and compelling. From the subject line to the call-to-action, you need to capture a reader’s attention right away and keep it. The initial invite is super important. Build excitement from the very beginning by teasing your event even if all the details aren’t finalized yet. Even a simple Save the Date works.
#2: BALANCE TEXT & GRAPHICS
Visuals are just as important as the message. Too much text won’t keep a reader’s attention and lack of information and cluttered design confuses readers. Use high-quality imagery. Answer the 5Ws as simply as possible, while still building FOMO. And remember, you can always link to your website for more information.
#3: ALWAYS THINK MOBILE-FRIENDLY
Reality check. We live on our phones. The majority of people open emails on their mobile devices first, so your emails need to be designed with mobile in mind. Think skimmable, one-column design with a CTA button that’s large and tappable. If you’re linking to a landing page, make sure that’s mobile-friendly, too.
#4: SEND PROMPT CONFIRMATIONS
As soon as you receive a RSVP, send a confirmation email. This lets attendees know their purchase went through correctly. Plus, it gives them a reason to immediately add your event to their personal calendar. Take it one step further by adding social buttons to your emails, and encourage attendees to share their RSVP on their social accounts. Word of mouth is your best friend.
#5: SEND REMINDERS
Reminder emails boost anticipation. While it may seem like overkill, it’s not. People are forgetful, so a friendly reminder is quite alright. If your event is close to selling out, spread the word. People are instantly more interested when you create a sense of urgency. Plus, it gives them a reason to remind their friends who haven’t purchased tickets yet.
#6: DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW UP
Just because the event is over doesn’t mean it’s time to close the lines of communication. Always thank people for coming. Ask for personal feedback. People love that! But really, letting attendees know you appreciate them earns you major bonus points. A simple survey will do the trick.
#7: ANALYZE YOUR METRICS
Every email campaign can teach you something, but only if you take the time to analyze the results. Open rates, click-through rates, response rates, and unsubscribe rates are each important for achieving email campaign objectives. An expert can tell you exactly what these metrics mean and why they matter. There’s always room for improvement when it comes to email optimization.
GIVE IT A TRY
Ideal email optimization strategy varies from business to business. The key to unlocking yours is in the research. Yes, email marketing comes with brand-new set of responsibilities. But trust us, it’s worth it! And luckily, it’s easy to implement, especially when you have a helping hand or two. Hint, hint!