When it comes to selling out your event, there’s one tool you can’t afford to overlook: email. As an event organizer, you know the importance of getting the word out and driving ticket sales, and email marketing offers one of the most powerful ways to engage potential attendees and keep them coming back for more information. Combining the power of email marketing plus Auctria’s tools can set you up for a great event! Here’s how you can leverage email to maximize ticket sales for your next event.
1. Create a Strategic Timeline For Promoting Your Event
One email isn't enough to sell out your event. Research shows that it often takes multiple touchpoints to get people to take action. According to the Marketing Rule of 7, potential customers typically need to be exposed to your marketing messages at least seven times before they take action and make a purchase decision. That’s why it’s important to structure your email campaign over an extended period of time.
Here are the types of emails that you may want to include:
- Announcement Email: Kick things off with an email that introduces your event, including key details like the date, time, location, and the event’s value.
- Program and Speaker Highlights: Follow up with emails that feature details about the event program, speakers, or special activities. Build anticipation by showing why people should attend.
- Early Bird or Special Offers: Send time-sensitive emails with discounts, exclusive access, or other incentives to encourage early ticket purchases.
- Deadline Reminders: As the event date nears, send reminder emails about ticket availability, price increases, or approaching deadlines.
A well-timed, multi-step email campaign will help keep your audience engaged and remind them to buy tickets before it’s too late.
2. Build Urgency to Drive Action
Creating a sense of urgency is one of the most effective ways to motivate people to act quickly. People are more likely to buy tickets if they feel they’re about to miss out on a great deal or opportunity.
Consider these urgency tactics:
- Early Bird Pricing: Offer discounts for those who purchase tickets early. This gives people a reason to commit right away.
- Exclusive Bonuses: Incentivize early buyers with exclusive perks, like access to a VIP area or a chance to win a special prize such as a spa day or private dinner with a speaker or maybe getting a free raffle ticket to enter a draw.
- Countdowns: Use countdown timers in your emails to show how much time is left to purchase tickets at a special price.
Urgency makes your event feel like a must-attend, pushing potential attendees to buy tickets sooner rather than later.
3. Diversify Your Email Content
Repetitive emails that offer the same message can quickly lose their effectiveness. To keep your audience engaged, vary the content and angle of your emails as well as your “hook”.
Here are a few ideas to keep your emails fresh:
- Feature Event Highlights: Instead of just sending out a generic reminder, focus on different aspects of the event in each email—whether it’s the program, the speakers, or the networking opportunities.
- Tell a Story: Share a personal story or testimonial from past attendees. Highlight how attending your event helped someone achieve their goals or have an unforgettable experience.
- Focus on Benefits: Always frame the event in terms of what attendees will gain from attending. Show how they’ll walk away with new knowledge, connections, or experiences.
By mixing up your content, you’ll keep your emails interesting and relevant, ensuring your audience doesn’t tune out.
4. Segment Your Email List
Not everyone on your email list will be interested in your event, and continuing to send emails to the wrong people can result in frustration and unsubscribes. Effective segmentation is key.
Here’s how to make sure you're targeting the right people:
- Segment by Interests and Past Behavior: If you're promoting a high-end gala, target your emails to those who have previously shown interest in similar events or made larger donations.
- Monitor Engagement: Keep track of who’s opening your emails and clicking through. If someone hasn’t engaged with your last few event-related emails, it might be time to stop sending them more promotional messages.
- Focus on Warm Leads: Pay attention to those who have clicked on your event emails but haven’t yet purchased a ticket. Tailor your follow-up emails to address any hesitations or provide additional information that might push them over the edge.
Email marketing is a powerful tool for promoting events, but it’s crucial to approach it strategically. By creating a clear timeline for your campaign, adding urgency, diversifying your email content, and properly segmenting your audience, you can maximize engagement and boost ticket sales.
By being strategic about who you’re emailing and when you can avoid overwhelming your audience with irrelevant messages and focus your efforts on those most likely to attend.
Special thanks to Vanessa Lockshin for the expert advice. Vanessa is a consultant, author, award-winning entrepreneur and trainer specializing in nonprofit storytelling, fundraising, and communications. She is the author and creator of training programs that empower nonprofit professionals to drive impact.