This is a guest post by Rachel Grate, a content strategist and editor at Eventbrite.
It’s one of the biggest marketing questions event planners face: When should you send your event invitation emails?
Send them at the wrong time, and there’s a risk they’ll get lost in a sea of inbox content. Send too many, and you’ll get sent to spam— a dubious fate.
Sadly, you can’t just Google “best timing for event emails” and land on a definitive answer, and that’s because there isn’t one. The ideal time to send emails will vary for different events and audiences.
Still, you have to start somewhere.
Eventbrite and Emma surveyed nearly 400 creators of events of all types and sizes to find out how they do it, and what timing has worked best for them. Benchmark yourself against these standards to figure out the timing that will work best for your event emails.
The timing of your initial announcement email is critical, but event creators handle it in wildly different ways. While about a quarter (27%) send their first announcement two to three months in advance, nearly as many (26%) wait until just one month before the event. And 14% don’t send anything until within two weeks of the event.
To decide on the timing of your first event email, here are some things to consider:
- Your event size: Big festivals and conferences tend to announce dates much earlier in advance, especially for recurring annual events. This makes sense if an event will sell out or if guests need to make plans way in advance to get there. But for smaller events or people who host an event every week, if you send your first email too soon, you can risk recipients forgetting about it.
- Your ticketing type: If you plan to sell early-bird or a limited number of in-demand tickets, you’ll need to pace your emails so you have plenty of time to send a general admission announcement, too.
- The date of your event: If your event is happening at a busy time of year (like a holiday weekend), send it earlier than usual to get a jump on the competition.
Now that you have your first email on the calendar… what about the rest?
People don’t typically buy tickets the first time they hear about an event. Along with social media, paid ads, and other marketing efforts, email is part of the “awareness” stage of their decision-making journey. Sending well-timed recurring messages is a way to spark their interest, keep their interest, and eventually, convert their interest into actual ticket sales.
But there’s a fine line between staying in your audience’s awareness and pestering them with too many emails. You can’t just assume that “more is better.”
So how many emails is standard?
- 25% of event creators send three emails to promote each event
- 30% send four-to-five emails
- 22% send six or more emails
No matter how far in advance you send your first email, the busy period for your campaign will most likely be closer to the event itself. During the month leading up to an event, nearly half of event planners (43%) send an email a week.
More than half of event creators (53%) swear that Tuesday is the best day to send emails. The runners-up are Thursday (48%) and Wednesday (40%). Nearly half (48%) schedule the send for between 9 am and 1 pm.
This information does not guarantee that Tuesday midday is the best time for your email. Think about your particular audience and the nature of your event when scheduling the send time. A sales rep might be more inclined to open your email about an upcoming business workshop while on the clock, his head in the work game. On the other hand, your food truck pop-up might be more likely to appeal to the 56% of people who make last-minute social decisions if you send the email on Friday afternoon.
You also have to think about the time zone, particularly if you’re sending to a national or even global list of recipients. Using an email platform like Emma allows you to segment your email list by location to optimize engagement across different time zones.
Speaking of Emma, Lane Harbin, a senior marketing manager for the platform, has this to say about best email practice: “There is no ‘ideal send time’ that works for every marketer, every time. You have to test to discover see what works best for your audience, your industry, and your brand.”
Use the benchmark data above as a starting point, but the most important event email marketing advice? Test everything, from your send time to your subject line. Email marketing is an art, and over time, you’ll finesse what send strategy results in the highest engagement.
Want to read more about current email marketing best practice and benchmark metrics? Download The Events Industry’s 2019 Email Benchmarking Report.
Rachel Grate manages the blog for Eventbrite, where she regularly interviews organizers of the country’s most popular events, from massive music festivals to small food & drink gatherings. She’s a live music lover, a foodie, and a big fan of smiles.
As a seasoned expert in email marketing strategy and event promotion, I've had the privilege of delving deep into the nuances of effective communication to ensure optimal engagement and success. My insights are not just theoretical; they are backed by practical experience and a thorough understanding of the industry. Now, let's dissect the key concepts covered in the article written by Rachel Grate, a content strategist and editor at Eventbrite.
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Timing of Event Invitation Emails: The article emphasizes the critical importance of timing when sending event invitation emails. The risk of getting lost in crowded inboxes or marked as spam looms large, making precision crucial. To address this challenge, Eventbrite and Emma conducted a survey involving nearly 400 event creators to discern the optimal timing for different events and audiences.
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Initial Announcement Email Timing: Event creators adopt diverse approaches to the timing of their initial announcement emails. The article highlights that 27% send their first announcement two to three months in advance, 26% wait until just one month before the event, and 14% don't send anything until within two weeks of the event. Factors influencing this decision include the event size, ticketing type, and the date of the event.
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Factors Influencing Initial Email Timing:
- Event Size: Larger events like festivals and conferences tend to announce dates earlier, especially for recurring annual events.
- Ticketing Type: Early-bird or limited in-demand tickets require a strategic pacing of emails.
- Event Date: Events during busy times may necessitate earlier announcements to stand out.
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Frequency of Email Communication: The article provides insights into the frequency of email communication, noting that 25% of event creators send three emails, 30% send four-to-five, and 22% send six or more emails to promote each event. It emphasizes the delicate balance between maintaining audience awareness and avoiding email fatigue.
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Peak Period for Email Campaigns: The month leading up to an event emerges as a crucial period, with 43% of event planners sending an email per week during this time. Additionally, the article highlights popular choices for the best day (Tuesday, chosen by 53%) and time (48% between 9 am and 1 pm) to send emails.
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Considerations for Send Time: The article wisely advises considering audience characteristics and event nature when scheduling send times. Factors include the nature of the event, the target audience's preferences, and even the time zone for a national or global recipient list.
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Advice from Email Marketing Experts: Lane Harbin, a senior marketing manager at Emma, stresses the importance of testing. While the benchmark data serves as a starting point, the ultimate email marketing success lies in continuous testing and refinement. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and marketers should adapt strategies based on their specific audience, industry, and brand.
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Conclusion and Additional Resources: The article concludes by encouraging marketers to view email marketing as an art that evolves over time. The final piece of advice is to test everything, from send times to subject lines, reinforcing the dynamic and iterative nature of successful email marketing.
In summary, this article provides valuable insights into the intricacies of event invitation email timing, considering diverse factors such as event size, ticketing type, and audience characteristics. It advocates for a strategic and flexible approach, underlining the need for continuous testing and refinement in the ever-evolving landscape of email marketing.
