One process for getting great results from email marketing campaigns is:

1. Define clear goals. Typically, in my experience, there will be different goals for each audience segment. Example: Goal 1 for customers vs. Goal 2 for prospects.
2. Deliver clear value/benefits. You know why you want people to buy from you. The trick to great marketing is to focus on why people would want to buy from you, and meet them there with a terrific offering.
3. Segment and target. Match messages to each audience carefully. Once you figure out what people in each audience segment you have want from you, it will be clear that what you have to say to each segment will be different. When it comes to crafting compelling messages, one size does not fit all.
4. Test. Test. And Test. The only way to really measure ROI from your email marketing is to know what is working and what is not. Test regularly. Some key items to test include subject lines, content layouts, timing and frequency.
5. Track results. To measure ROI track results regularly, and perform relevant analysis. For example, you might analyze the relationship between subject lines, open rate, and RSVP clicks for an event invitation campaign.
6. Revise and repeat. After taking time to test, track and analyze results, you can make changes to your campaign to get better results.

For lead generation campaigns step 2 is key. Typically our clients come to us with what they want to sell. We have had consistent success translating what are clients are selling into value propositions and offerings that fulfill recipient needs.

For event promotion campaigns step 3 is key. At different stages in the promotion of events recipients needs change. We have achieved consistently high performance on our event campaigns by making sure we deliver relevant communications at the right time.

We use SMS with extreme care as it does not have simple to implement opt-out features. We have had success integrating campaigns with social media.

• Collects RSVP Responses
• Tracks Conversions (persons on your list(s) who actually attend)
• Grows Your Database

Email marketing is an amazing event promotions tool. Here’s what you need to setuip an effective event promotions campaign:

1. Setup a “RSVP” web page for prospective attendees. The RSVP form is generated by your email marketing system and placed into your web page.
2. Setup a “Register For Event Updates” web page to allow interested persons to register. The Update Registration form is generated by your email marketing system and placed into your web page.
3. Send the initial email to your list promoting the event with one link to RSVP, and another to Register for event Updates.
4. Setup two autoresponder emails for recipients who do not open your initial email. Set the first to send 3-5 days after the initial email. Set the second to send 3-5 days prior to the event. Be sure to highlight any new developments in these emails – like new presenters, or new featured guests attending, etc.
5. Setup two autoresponder emails for recipients who registered to receive Event Updates. Set the first to send 3-5 days after they register. Set the second to send 3-5 days prior to the event. Be sure both of these emails contain some “new” information about the event. Be sure the second contains something “new” and different from the new item featured in the first email. The second should also include the new item that appeared in the first – as a reminder.
6. Be sure to setup thank you emails for persons who RSVP or Register For Updates.
7. Print the list of persons who RSVP. At the event have all attendees sign-in at the event – providing their name, email, and asking ‘how they heard about the event’.
8. Compare the event registration list against the RSVP list to see the percentage of attendees your email converted.
9. Finally, be sure to setup different post event autoresponder emails to send to 1) Persons on your list who did not open any emails; 2) Persons who opened but did not attend; 3) Persons who opened and attended. Include a brief survey in the email to persons who attended that captures their impression of the effectiveness of your promotion campaign. Send these 1-3 days after the event.

This basic campaign structure has successfully promoted attendance and built opt-in databases of prospects for marketing future events. See a case study at http://businessmarketingsystems.net/portfolio.html.

EMAIL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Below is a list of features your email campaign system should have:

• Event based ‘autoresponders’ or ‘triggers’ that can be targeted based on opens and/or link clicks.
• Creation of unlimited Custom Fields of varying types including checkboxes, radio buttons, and list menus.
• Creation of simple surveys. (Optional)

Hope this is helpful. My firm, Business Marketing Systems, specializes in email and web-based event promotion. Contact me know if I can be of assistance.