Email remains the channel with the best ROI for selling tickets: for every euro invested, the average return is €36. But it's not enough to send mass emails announcing your event. The key is in segmentation, timing, and relevant content for each audience.
Build your list legally
An email list of your own with consent is your most valuable asset. But building it takes time and strategy.
- Form on website: offer something in exchange (early access, discount)
- Previous buyers: you already have permission to communicate about similar events
- Social media: direct to landing page to capture emails
- In-person events: collect emails with explicit consent
Basic but effective segmentation
Not all your contacts are the same. Segmenting dramatically improves relevance and conversion.
- By behavior: buyers vs non-buyers, purchase frequency
- By interest: type of events they've bought or shown interest in
- By location: distance to venue, especially relevant for tours
- By engagement: active (open emails) vs dormant
Email sequence for an event
An email campaign for an event follows a proven structure.
- Announcement: build anticipation before opening sales
- Sales opening: communicate the start with early bird if applicable
- Reminders: 2-3 emails during the sales period
- Last chance: real urgency when few tickets remain
- Confirmation and preparation: post-purchase emails with useful info
Automations that work
Set up automatic emails that work for you 24/7.
- Welcome: when someone subscribes (50%+ open rates)
- Abandoned cart: recover lost sales
- Post-purchase: confirmation, practical info, upsell
- Reactivation: for contacts who haven't opened in a while
Metrics that matter
Don't obsess over vanity metrics. Focus on those that impact sales.
- Open rate: benchmark in events is 20-25%
- Click rate: 2-5% is normal, more than 5% is excellent
- Conversion: % of clicks that end in purchase
- Revenue per email: the definitive data
Conclusion
Email marketing for events isn't sending generic newsletters. It's designing a communication experience that accompanies the potential attendee from when they discover your event until they walk through the door. Segment, automate, measure, and optimize. Your database is the most valuable asset you can build.