The average email subscriber receives 416 commercial emails per month. While open rates vary by industry and organization type, it is safe to assume that not all of these emails are read. What happens to the emails deemed not worth reading? According to research by ExactTarget, when subscribers receive emails that don’t meet their interests, 67% will unsubscribe, 17% will delete the email, 8% will mark the email as spam, 6% will ignore the email, and 2% will set up a filter for future emails.
If you do not want the messages about your event to get lost in the shuffle, you need to take a thoughtful approach to your email marketing strategy. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all email marketing plan, but you can create a solid strategy in two steps: determine your content and set a schedule. If your campaign has already launched and your still struggling, find out our list of major email marketing mistakes you could be making.
Step 1: Determine Your Content
Content is key for email blasts. We know that emails will remain unread if they have no value to the reader. What would be useful for your subscribers to know? Consider the types of emails you can send, like invitations, reminders, and informational emails. For example, send invitations to previous attendees when registration opens. Schedule a reminder as the early bird pricing deadline approaches. Or, send a blast close to the event date with important details like parking information and check-in instructions. Start by brainstorming a list of email ideas and then choose which to send.
Step 2: Set a Schedule
Once you have determined your content, you should decide how often you would like to send email blasts. As a general rule, you should send email blasts anywhere from once a month to once a week. After you have established how frequently you would like to send emails, take a look at your event’s timeline. Schedule your blasts for when they will be the most relevant. Your attendees may not need parking instructions months in advance, but they will want to know about hotel room blocks and other travel accommodations. Establishing your email schedule in advance can help you avoid the mistakes that send other messages to the trash bin.
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