In 2018 – almost 2019 – the internet is a huge part of our daily lives. An enormous database of knowledge and information is only a few clicks away. It is precisely in this digital era that real-life meetings – such as a seminar, conference or networking event – are extra important and valuable. But how do you actually increase the attendance rate of your event?
An 8 second attention span
We don’t have to tell you that the attendance rate of your event is very important. You make sure there is a nice location, interesting speakers and an appealing programme. You have written the text for your invitation and designed the mailing. Ready to hit send! Let the registration process begin … But be cautious! Many things could go wrong when it comes to the invitations.
Because almost all communication takes place online nowadays, there is an overload of information. The result, our attention span has decreased to only 8 seconds - 1 second less than that of a goldfish. In these 8 seconds, we have to determine whether the provided information is relevant to us, and based on that we decide whether it gets our full attention or not. When creating your mailing, you must ensure that your potential visitor considers your information relevant enough to respond within those 8 seconds.
On average, the email open rate is 24.79%. The average open rate of Momice software emails is 49.61%.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Provide a beautiful, striking design for your invitation. You can share a lot of information in text, however, a nice image is much more appealing. Remember that your recipients only look very briefly at the email, so make sure it is eye catching. That will ensure the email will be opened.
Need some inspiration? Download the Momice lookbook!
Don't put all your cards on the table
Curiosity is a strong driving force for people to do something, so try to stimulate your invitees with interesting speakers, sneak peeks or workshop themes. That way, you will raise the corner of the veil instead of giving away the whole programme immediately. Make sure you tell potential visitors what to expect, but make them have a thirst for more information.
Call-to-action
You chose a nice image to attract the attention and wrote a catchy text for your invitation. The final step is to place a clear call-to-action (CTA) in your invitation to make sure the registration process of your event is easy and accessible. Make sure the text for the CTA is not too long and clearly formulated. You can do this, for example, by placing a button in your email. A clear CTA ensures that the reader clicks through more quickly (click-through rate). In short, your visitor will more likely register if the process is kept as simple as possible.
Of the previous mentioned 24.79% recipients who open an email, only 11.88% clicks through. Of the 49.61% that opens a Momice software email, 48.13% clicks through.
Conclusion
Besides organising a great event, you have to make sure you send out a catchy invitation. Spend a lot of thought on the design, the text and the CTA’s and don’t be afraid to experiment a little. See what appeals to your target audience and let your invitation match that appeal. That way, you get the most out of your mailings.
