Essential Event Email Marketing Tips to Increase Open Rates

91% of people check their email every day, which makes email marketing a channel with high potential. But with only 20-25% open rates for marketing emails, if you want to get noticed, you’re going to have to do something special.

It’s crucial to craft your event emails strategically to grab attention, convey your message, and ultimately drive registrations.

To help you, we’ve analyzed Eventbrite’s top creators to bring you top event email marketing strategies to drive attendance and get people talking about your upcoming event.

From crafting the perfect email subject line to optimizing for mobile devices, these strategies will ensure your event promo emails get read and make your readers take action.

Let’s dive in!

The anatomy of an event email

First, let’s take a look at what makes an effective event marketing email. We’ve pulled together a few examples of emails from people who used Emma. This application integrates with Eventbrite to market your events and shows you how successful creators make their emails work for them.

Grab their attention with your subject line

Your email’s subject line is the first thing readers will see when they open it. Here are some winning subject lines for event marketing emails:

  • Last chance to get tickets for [event name]
  • See [influencer/band] live for one night only
  • You’re invited to the exclusive [event name]
  • Don’t miss out: Tickets for [event name] are almost gone!
  • Enjoy [event name] for [discount] with this exclusive offer

Use eye-catching visuals

Visuals are key components of a great email. Make sure your visuals are attention-grabbing and relevant to your message.

Give key information

Include key event details, such as the date, time, price, and what’s included. This is the basic “who, what, when, where” of the event.

Write a compelling and clear CTA

A call to action is where you ask your readers to take an action like registering for your event. It should be easy to read and understand, and have a sense of urgency.

Let people opt out

Ensure that if people don’t want to receive your emails, they have an option to opt out. This helps to establish a relationship of mutual respect with your target audience.

Essential email marketing strategies

In this section, we’ll delve into 11 innovative event email marketing campaign strategies designed to elevate your event promotions:

  1. Make it mobile-friendly
    According to Adobe, 81% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Make sure your emails display correctly regardless of the device’s screen size.

  2. A/B test CTAs and subjects
    Test different subject lines and CTAs to see which gets a higher conversion rate.

  3. Advertise your ticket packages & discounts
    Offer ticket packages and discounts to create immediate incentives for prospective attendees.

  4. Segment potential attendees into groups
    Divide your potential attendees into distinct groups based on shared characteristics to tailor your marketing.

  5. Provide a clear event schedule
    A detailed event schedule helps potential attendees know what to expect, building trust and excitement.

  6. Highlight what makes your event special
    Highlight unique elements that set your event apart to draw attention and interest.

  7. Provide value to potential attendees
    Offer discount codes, VIP treatment, or exclusive content to attract more attendees.

  8. Tap into FOMO
    Use FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) to emphasize the scarcity or exclusivity of your event.

  9. Encourage pre-event interaction
    Engage registrants before the event with resources or discussions to keep their interest alive.

  10. Tidy up your email subscriber list
    Re-engage subscribers who haven’t been opening your past messages and clean up your email list.

  11. Emphasize the event’s exclusivity
    Highlight that tickets are selling out quickly to create urgency for people to register.

Event email marketing metrics to boost email performance

Key metrics to assist you in improving your event email marketing campaign include:

  • Open Rate: The percentage of recipients who open your email (average 21–30%).
  • Click-through Rate (CTR): The percentage of people who click a link in your email (average 2.1–3%).
  • Unsubscribe Rate: The average event email has about 25% churn out every year.

By paying attention to these metrics, you can learn how to improve your email performance and effectiveness in your marketing strategies.

Bonus: Reach a targeted audience through your ticketing partner’s event emails

Your ticketing partner can also use emails to boost event sales by targeting based on previous event activity.