The single largest challenge for any event, meeting or conference is building attendance. Audience activation begins with the first email. Let’s transform the lowly Save the Date email from a useless placeholder into a powerful event marketing effort.

Priority #1

Building attendance should eclipse anything else. If people don’t show up this year, there may not be a next year. But it won’t happen without strategy, planning and a lot of effort. In short, you have to aggressively market and sell your event.

What happens so often is marketing gets pushed to the end of the list after all the logistics of venue, agenda and speakers – the tactics of the event – have been decided.

Of course you have to get the details confirmed.

Of course you have to determine the messages, content and objectives.

Of course people are busy and their calendars fill fast.

BUT … all of a sudden it’s two months out and fear grips you. What if no one registers? Most people quickly send a “Save the Date” email in an attempt to get on the attendees’ radar. Then they sit back and work on other aspects of the event. The problem is: Save The Date emails are the least effective way to attract attention, build interest and trigger action.

The Real Point of “Save the Date”

Every person on your email list is busy with calendars that fill up months in advance. It’s a little presumptuous to expect people to immediately mark their calendars and make a personal commitment just because they receive an email. (If you can pull that off consistently, then you can make billions in marketing.) So change the emphasis.

Open the “marketing conversation” about your event. Send out a great message that sells the value of attending … a communication that will capture your clients immediately.

Don’t Wait Until You Feel Ready

The objective of your first email is to provide the very basic logistical information about the event, start to establish the value and benefits and – and this is important – make the person feel wanted. You want them to feel complimented to receive the email and compelled to register.

Don’t wait until the last minute. As soon as the location, dates, names and key content are determined, start marketing. You don’t need a finalized agenda. If you wait until everything is nailed down and you’re comfortable, it’s too late. Your convenience should not be a consideration – not ever. Never.

First Marketing Message

Forget “Save the Date.” This is going to be your first marketing message. At this point in the event planning process, registration for your event should be open and ready to accept guests. Okay, get ready. Here’s the plan.

#1. Subject Line – Attract Attention

The subject line is the first thing your recipients see in their inboxes. Attract their attention instantly. Email reality is most people don’t actually read the subject lines. Since they get so many messages, they just quickly scan them to decide which ones to open and which ones to send to the cosmic trashcan.

•  Make the subject line short and simple.

•  Make it clear and specific.

•  Highlight a key benefit and then make sure the subject is actionable.

In marketing, this is called the Event Promise. Instead of just announcing the event name and date, deliver an immediate benefit. What is your promise?

Immediate Attention: Where To Meet The Top People In Your Field – Be The First To Find Out

You’re Missing Out On A Major Opportunity – But You Have A Chance To Fix It

Action Required: Powerful Strategies To Double Your Business in 90 Days

Go From Good To Great – Which One Are You?

If your system allows you to put the person’s name in the subject – do it. If this sounds like a TV commercial, then you’re getting the idea. I don’t care who you are:  We all respond to a strong message. You have nothing to gain by being passive, vague or subtle. Just remember, if they don’t open the email then the opportunity is gone.

Don’t Make “Save the Date” the Subject Line

It doesn’t inform or invite. It just shouts an order or a demand. I know you think that everyone understands what that email means. They don’t. Yours is just one of hundreds of emails the average person sees each day. Actually, using “Save the Date” as your subject line decreases your open rate.

People respond to emails that are personal. Using “Mark Your Calendar” or just the name of the event is about as warm as a grocery list. You want to give them a reason to read further. Getting them to open the email is your first major milestone. Next you have to make sure the readers do what you want them to do.

#2. Create a High-Motivation Message

This is all about the reader and what she/he has to gain. Time and date can wait. This is where you target value, benefits and really build interest. Right now the attendees only need to know three things:

•  What the event means

•  The benefits of attending

•  The action you want them to take

“Spend two days with the top leaders in hospitality as they address today’s most pressing competitive challenges. You’ll go home with new strategies and techniques to increase revenue, maximize budgets and build occupancy. Register now for the most comprehensive business development conference in 2014.”

Try to make this just two or three sentences that clearly state why the event matters, why it’s important and valuable to the attendee and what you want them to do. If you have an internal audience, there’s the temptation to skip this. Please don’t.

Event Name, Date and Details

Now you list the details and logistics. They come only after you have grabbed the attendees’ attention and given them some compelling reasons to attend. The details are useless until you have created that need.

Keep the details to the bare minimum. You’ll be following up with more event marketing later. There is much more to lose by attempting to say too much that by saying too little.

Strategic Messaging

You can develop even greater rapport by using strategic messaging for the main body of the email. My blog article Audience Segmentation is as Easy as Lick, Twist, Dunk! explained how important it is to understand the unique needs and desires of every person. If you take the time to segment your audience, you can develop different value/benefit hooks for each of your main audience groups.

Highlight sessions, workshops and speakers that match the interests of an audience segment.

Showcase special networking opportunities with people who share common interests.

Offer incentives for early registration.

Strategic messaging helps make the recipients feel that you are contacting them and not just one more person on a faceless email list.

#3. End by Encouraging Action

I know you’ve already asked them to do something, but ask again. Give them something to do. Go for the commitment. Ask them to register – now.

If a person will mark a calendar or save a date – they will register right now.

Make it easy for them. Give them a big button with a hotlink to the registration site. Add a telephone number to a live person for questions. If you can offer a special incentive to register early, this is the time.

Save the Date – This is Only the Beginning

You have opened the marketing conversation, so don’t waste their time and attention. Sell the value of attending and not the location. The silent question every person asks is “Why should I bother to attend?”

Emphasize what they or their business have to gain.

Highlight on the prestige and exclusive nature of attending.

Focus on delivering significant value for signing up.

Then the next event marketing pieces and emails can write the story of the event and make the attendee a key character. Remember: The location, speakers and the content don’t create an event. The people who attend create an event.

Oh, one more quick tip. Email early and email often!

Let’s spend 15 minutes talking about your next project or challenge. Just click on CONTACT US or send an email to andy@ideagroupatlanta.com and get in touch.

CHECK THESE OUT

The Gutsiest Pricing Strategy – Scratch The Value Itch

Event Emergency – Are You Ready When It All Goes To Hell?