What's the secret sauce to successful event email marketing? It's not just about blasting out generic messages to your entire list. To truly engage your audience and drive event registration, you need a strategic approach that overcomes common challenges. In this post, we'll dive into four key challenges event planners face with email marketing and share proven strategies to boost your results.

Challenge 1: Building a Quality Email List for Effective Event Promotion

The foundation of any successful event email campaign is a targeted, engaged email list. But growing that list organically can be a challenge. Here are some strategies to try:

• Offer valuable content, like guides or webinars, in exchange for email sign-ups
• Run social media contests that require an email to enter
• Include email sign-up forms on your event website and blog
• Partner with related organizations to cross-promote to their email lists

Once you have a growing list, segment it based on factors like demographics, past event attendance, and interests. This allows you to send more targeted, relevant emails that get better engagement.

Challenge 2: Crafting Compelling Email Content to Boost Event Registration

With inboxes more crowded than ever, your event emails need to stand out and motivate action. Every element, from the subject line to the CTA, plays a role. Some tips:

• Craft irresistible subject lines that pique curiosity without being clickbait-y
• Personalize email content based on the recipient's name, company, or past interactions
• Highlight unique event selling points, like keynote speakers or exclusive experiences
• Use persuasive language and create a sense of urgency with limited-time offers
• Make your CTA buttons clear, bold, and easy to click

People crave connection and experiences. Show how your event delivers that through engaging storytelling and appeals to emotion in your emails.

Challenge 3: Improving Email Deliverability and Avoiding Spam Filters

You can have the greatest event email in the world, but it's all for nothing if it doesn't reach inboxes. Email deliverability is a complex topic, but some key best practices include:

• Authenticating your email domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records
• Keeping your email list clean by regularly removing invalid or inactive emails
• Using a reputable email service provider that has good delivery rates
• Avoiding spam trigger words in your subject lines and content
• Making it easy for recipients to unsubscribe to maintain list hygiene

Aim to keep your emails valuable and relevant. The more recipients engage with your emails by opening, clicking, and not reporting as spam, the better your delivery rates will be over time.

Challenge 4: Measuring the Success of Your Event Email Marketing Campaigns

How do you know if your event email strategy is working? Track these key performance indicators (KPIs):

• Open rate: The percentage of recipients who opened your email
• Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage who clicked a link in your email
• Conversion rate: The percentage who completed a desired action, like registering for your event, after clicking through
• Unsubscribe rate: The percentage who opted out of your emails
• Revenue generated: The amount of ticket sales or registrations driven by email

Use these metrics to run A/B tests and see what subject lines, content, CTAs, and send times get the best results. Continually test and optimize to improve your email performance over time.

Ready to take your event email marketing to the next level? ConferenceTap's integrated event app makes it easy to build your email list, send targeted event promotions, and track your results - all in one place. See how it can help you boost registrations and attendee engagement.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

How often should I email my list about an upcoming event?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but a good rule of thumb is to send at least 3-4 emails in the month leading up to your event. This could include an initial announcement/save the date, early bird registration prompts, a "one week away" reminder, and a last chance message. Just be sure not to overdo it and annoy your list with too many emails.

What's a good open rate and click-through rate to aim for with event emails?

According to Campaign Monitor, the average email open rate for the events and entertainment industry is 21.3%, with a 2.1% click-through rate. However, these benchmarks can vary widely depending on your audience and event type. The best approach is to track your own email metrics over time and aim to continuously improve them.

How can I make my event emails more mobile-friendly?

With over 60% of emails opened on mobile devices, optimizing for mobile is crucial. Some tips: use a responsive email template that adapts to screen size, keep your subject lines short, put the most important info up top, and make your CTA buttons large and easy to tap. Always send test emails and check them on multiple devices before sending to your full list.