INTRODUCTION
According to a report by ZeroBounce, 88% of people check their email at least once a day, making it an ideal medium for event venues to communicate details for upcoming events.
When done right, know-before-you-go emails prepare event attendees for what to expect when they arrive at the event. This can help eliminate or minimize confusion, foster efficiency and create a better overall experience, which can help bolster your venue’s reputation as a premier event location among organizers and attendees.
Following are some tips of what to include in your event venue’s know-before-you-go e-blasts and email communications.
CREATE A KNOW-BEFORE-YOU-GO EMAIL TEMPLATE
Develop a standard, yet customizable template for your know-before-you-go emails to help stay organized and streamline your efforts. Make sure to break it up into easily-consumable sections vs. creating a long paragraph of text. For instance, you should include a section for primary event details at the top with separate fields or bullet points for the name of the event, date(s), time(s) and the exact location (e.g., exhibit hall A), along with a brief description of the event.
You will need 2-3 more text blocks to include other baseline information such as the event schedule (e.g., what time doors open) and directions to your venue. When you use the template, add, remove or revise sections as needed to customize the information for that specific event. You may also want to consider creating multiple templates that can be used at different times, such as a month before an event or the day before the event.
Include visual components in your template to help make it more interesting and engaging. Add bold background colors to the main section or subsections to break up the text or add placeholders for photos, videos or infographics. For instance, you can include a place to drop in a map of your venue in the directions section of your template to help attendees know where to go or a space for a “how-to” video in an FAQ section.
Make sure to add your logo and use colors and fonts that are on brand with your venue, or update them to match the event’s branding when you compose the event-specific email.
SHARE DAY-OF LOGISTICS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
An effective know-before-you-go e-blast anticipates attendees’ questions and provides that information within the content. Besides the baseline information, you also should include helpful information like parking instructions and/or fees, a list of items that are and are not permitted in the venue and onsite food or beverage options. If the event has an agenda, you should include a schedule of events, speakers or activities.
You also can include some recommendations of what to check out, such as a kids zone, featured workshops or keynote speakers, as well as tips for attendees. For example, you could suggest that they wear comfortable shoes or share a list of items to have ready (e.g., tickets, identification if there is an age minimum, etc.) to ensure a smooth entry into the event.
Add information about nearby hotel and lodging accommodations if the event is likely to attract non-local visitors. Know-before-you-go emails for national conventions or championship-type events (e.g., Crossfit Games), for example, typically include this information.
INCLUDE IMPORTANT LINKS AND CALLS TO ACTION
Add links or call-to-action (CTA) buttons to your email to provide attendees with additional resources. For instance, you could add a link to the FAQ page of the event website or a CTA to purchase a parking pass in advance. You also could include a link to a web mapping platform like Google Maps to provide attendees with exact directions to your location or add a link to purchase additional tickets if the event isn’t sold out.
These links and CTAs will help keep your email concise, while also giving attendees access to all the information they need.
Add UTM codes to your links to track your efforts and identify which types of information are most valuable to attendees. Use these insights to shape the format and content of future know-before-you-go emails for your venue.