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  • 1.  Email Frequency leading up to conference

    Posted 06-19-2020 15:07
    Hi Everyone,
    We have had to more our Conference to an online/virtual setting for November. I know that with virtual events, we need to adjust our communication and engagement with the participants. I was just wondering if anyone had any idea of a good benchmark for how many emails/communications should be sent prior to an online/virtual conference? One per month, per week, etc. 
    I would love your feedback on this!
    Thank you!
    #Creating/ManagingEvents
    #Miscellaneous

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    Katie Porchak
    Events & Training Coordinator
    Precept Ministries International- Canada Office
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  • 2.  RE: Email Frequency leading up to conference

    Community MVP
    Posted 06-23-2020 13:06
    Hello Katie, 

    More than the switch to virtual, I think important factors to consider are if the event is free, and how much content it has. 
    We had to transition from a paid, week-long, 10 parallel track event to a much lighter, free online event. So we have less content to advertise, and also need to not work as hard convincing people to attend, since it's free! 
    So we kept a weekly email schedule, but started advertising later than we usually would, 6 weeks before the event instead of 3 months. Also, because it's a free event, we did not want people to register, and then forget they did by the time the event actually took place. 
    Of course, once people are registered, we will be sending reminder emails closer to the event start day, including some dedicated tech emails to encourage them to get ready. 

    I hope it helps!

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    Béline FALZON
    Event Planner
    California Teachers Association
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  • 3.  RE: Email Frequency leading up to conference

    Posted 06-23-2020 17:17
    Hi Katie - Monthly reminders until you're very close to the event are a good idea!  I think you might be too far out right now (especially if your attendees may attend any other virtual events within the coming months).  But I think 2-3 months out, just as a heads up, a general event email would be ideal. Once you're within a month, increasing the number of emails to weekly then maybe twice a week (right before the event) is what I'd recommend.  Doing too many emails far in advance could make your attendees start to ignore your emails and just dismiss them.  When the event is closer, they'll be more interested and more invested in your email communications.  Hope this is helpful!

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    Kayla Sisco
    Convention Coordinator
    Impact XM
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  • 4.  RE: Email Frequency leading up to conference

    Posted 06-24-2020 09:22
    I think it depends on the event and the audience. We're planning on sending multiple "how to" based emails in the weeks prior to our virtual event that caters to elderly. For the events we're hosting that are a younger age bracket we're sending every other week until the week before, then we'll send some housekeeping details.

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    Amy Jones
    Assistant Conference and Event Coordinator and Marketing
    Georgia Southern University Division of Continuing Education
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  • 5.  RE: Email Frequency leading up to conference

    Posted 06-25-2020 11:12
    Hi Katie,

    We've just had this same conversation in our office and we've come up with a few marketing ideas that I'll drop here in case any are helpful:

    - Weekly member newsletter - Banner ad about conference from 3 months out in every issue. Posts in newsletters whenever it's close to price change/ reg opening/closing etc   
    - Tour Tuesday's - E-blast every 2nd Tuesday promoting 2 tours. Starting 8 weeks out.
    - Keynote announcements - we'll send an e-blast for each of our three keynote on either Monday or Tuesday on the week between each tour email. 
    - App available emails from 3 weeks out. Probably one per week or we'll include that in some of the above emails. 
    - Get ready - week before and day before emails getting attendees ready for the tech side of the event. Making sure they have log in details etc.
    - Daily highlight emails during the 3 day event, sent around 8:30am (first sessions at 10am)

    This is honestly probably too much but I think our members are used to getting flooded with emails from us around conference time and we know that some emails will end up being combined into one or skipped on some weeks so it hopefully wont feel too cluttered. 

    Good luck!

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    Sharna Pascolo
    Program Director
    Texas Society of Architects
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  • 6.  RE: Email Frequency leading up to conference

    Posted 06-25-2020 19:43
    Hi Katie, it looks like you have lots of good feedback here already but thought I would put in my 2 cents.  Depending on who your audience is you always have to be careful about too many emails, then they will just tune out ( how many emails a week do you get from Khols and how many do you actually look at right?).  If you are having an employee event then I think it could be more emails before they get offended.  

    But as always, content is the key.  You don't want to send an email just to send an email.  The content of the email has to be something new or different so they will want to open the email and stay connected to the event.

    Good luck!

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    Heather Connelly
    Incentive Travel Manager, North America
    Gordon Food Service, Inc.
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