Effectively communicating with your audience is crucial for arts organizations seeking to sell tickets, drive traffic to their website, or share important news. And in today’s world, that means mass emails.
Mass emails are a powerful tool for achieving these goals, but crafting them in a way that engages readers and encourages action can be a challenge. In this article, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide, from subject lines to closing remarks, on how to create engaging and visually appealing mass emails that resonate with your audience and ultimately, yield results.
1. Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines:
Think of the subject line as the gateway to your email. It is important to craft your subject lines in a way that grabs your readers’ attention and entices them to open the email. You will want to avoid generic phrases here and instead, focus your efforts on creating a sense of intrigue and excitement.
Another way this can be done is by incorporating emojis. This can add a touch of personality and really help to catch the reader’s eye. Remember that a large percentage of your list might be viewing the email on a mobile device, so keep your subject lines short enough to make an impact on smaller screens instead of getting cut off.
2. Personalized Greetings:
A great way to help your emails stand out is by adding personalized greetings. Personalization adds a human touch to your emails and makes them feel less like junk mail. If possible, craft your emails to address the recipient by name as this will make the email feel more tailored and engaging.
Additionally, consider the sender’s email address and ensure that it appears trustworthy and relevant to the content. You know an obscure looking email address when you see it. We have all received plenty of emails that instantly raise red flags for us and get sent straight to the trash, so don’t be one of them! Make sure your email address is professional and easily recognizable.
3. Engaging Introduction:
Next, begin your emails with an engaging introduction that provides your audience with contributive content that they will be interested in. Put yourself in their shoes…If you were a potential ticket-buyer, what would you be interested in knowing? Chances are it’s information about what to wear, character outlines and descriptions, why the show is funny, what The NY Times said about it, why it’s special, etc. Make sure it’s not just content that you as the organization are interested in.
In your introduction, also make sure to use relatable and catchy phrases and make this section visually appealing. If the content is easily scannable, it will be easier to capture the reader’s attention and not make them automatically check out or lose focus.
4. Show Details:
Once you have drawn your audience in with your engaging introduction, next you will want to provide essential details such as the show’s title, a brief summary, performance dates and times, venue, and ticket prices. A great way to present this information is by using bullet points. This will keep the information visually clear and concise.
And don’t forget! Always incorporate a prominent call-to-action button that leads readers directly to the ticket purchase page. We want those conversions!
5. Testimonials or Reviews:
Has your show garnered any positive reviews or testimonials? If so, you will definitely want to include them in your email to further convince the readers of your show’s quality and appeal (now it’s not just you who thinks it is great and you have proof!). Providing social proof can greatly influence your audience in their decision to “take a chance on you” and attend.
6. Additional Information:
Part of what can keep some new audience members away from coming to a show can be the “unknowns”. To help alleviate this, you can include information such as any necessary details that would be helpful for them to know. For example, this could be parking information, accessibility options, show length, etc.
While this information is important, it can become a little dry, so aim to keep this section concise and engaging. If the information can be easily found on your website, you could also consider linking to it instead of cluttering the email. (This reinforces the importance of a well built-out website or landing page to send your audiences to!)
7. Closing and Signature:
Lastly, it matters how you close your email! You will want to close the email by warmly welcoming the reader into your community and expressing your excitement about their attendance. Here you could consider including one more final call-to-action to create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate ticket purchases.
For one last touch of personalization, end the email with a signature that includes your name and contact information for any further inquiries. This will help to remind your readers that you are, in fact, real people too (that they can trust!) and not just some faceless organization.
Recap: Crafting Engaging Mass Emails for Arts Organizations
Crafting engaging mass emails is an art form that can significantly impact arts organizations’ ticket sales, audience engagement, and overall success, but it takes practice to get it right! By following these steps, you will be on your way to creating compelling emails that engage your readers, inspire action, and ultimately drive your desired outcomes.
Remember to focus on the reader’s benefit, keep emails concise and visually appealing, and continuously test and refine your approach. In no time at all, we know you will start to see the results!
Feeling like you need a little more guidance still? We, at Confluence Arts Solutions, are here to help!