Outdoor Events & Advance Ticket Sales

Do you or your organization have an upcoming event? Let's assume you already have a web site, high quality targeted email list, and an email distribution service. It is important to remember there are so many companies who now do email marketing that it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. If you plan on using email for event marketing you need to distinguish yourself. There are a few simple steps you can take to stand out from the crowd.

Send More Than One Email
It takes more than one simple email to get people to your event. Many event marketers assume that one or two emails are sufficient enough to compel the target audience to buy a ticket or induce a desirable action.  The consumer gets bombarded with so much advertising, it's easy for them to forget or simply not pay attention to your messaging. Take some time to think of a series of emails that will build interest and encourage measurable action over time.  This measurable action could come in the form of purchasing an online ticket, clicking a link for additional information, or signing up to volunteer.  You want to think with the final goal in mind.  Consider what you ultimately want to accomplish with your email marketing. How do you plan on measuring success? The biggest mistake you can make is by asking your audience to buy right from the start.

The First Thing They Read
Your messaging starts with the email's subject line.  You need to give the user a good reason to open your email.  Remember that your target audience is being inundated with "Free Viagra" and "Your Pre-Approved" messages on a regular basis. The better the subject line the better email open rates. The best open rates I've seen my clients achieve with their email marketing efforts ranges between 30-40%.  I personally don't know of anyone in the industry who achieves email open rates above 60% on a regular basis.

Building Interest
When engaging in email event marketing you need to be conscious of the fine line between being persistent and annoying your list subscribers. If each email you send is asking someone to "buy now, buy now!" and overly sales pitch oriented, you're going to annoy your target audience. Engage your audience at the emotional level. It is possible to sell something without being overly "salesman-like." I'm a firm believer in providing an overwhelming amount of useful and entertaining information with little or no sales pitch.  It is hard to build trust and credibility when you are always asking for the sale. Tease them with great content or a link to an interesting video.  Don't over do the persistence of your messaging. Send your messages about every two weeks leading up to your event.

Consider some of the steps outlined above for the next time you start an event marketing campaign. The most important thing you can do is deliver high quality and relevant information to your target audience.  It's difficult for someone not to open a new email when the last one was so engaging.

Want to get more great info? Check out the articles below:

• Why Well Planned Events Fail
• How to Get Them To Your Event
• Getting Them to Buy Tickets Early
• Turn Your Event Into an Experience
• Leveraging Your Sponsor's Digital Resources

• The Event Promotion System - Get 'FREE' Event Promotion & Marketing Video Training