In today’s data-driven world, webinars have become a vital component of marketing and lead generation. At ArtForm Agency, we have extensive experience in email marketing and lead nurturing. We understand the efficacy of data-based strategies to make your webinar promotion more effective pre- and post-event. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through a recommended email cadence for your webinar, custom-tailored for effectively engaging C-level and up federal government.
Understanding Your Target Audience
Before getting into the email cadence, you need to know the behaviors and preferences of federal government decision-makers. These individuals are inherently busy, so it’s vital to craft communications that are not just relevant, but can also speak to their specific needs. Meetings and meetings about meetings consume many C-level executives’ time. They’re often early risers who check their emails before the typical 9am workday start time. Use what you know about your industry and data from previous email sequences or reliable sources like Hubspot.com to determine the best time of day to send your emails.
1 Month Out – Email 1: Save the Date
Initiate your webinar promotion strategy by sending a “Save the Date” email approximately one month prior to the event. Introduce the webinar, offering basic details like the date, time, and a high-level topic overview. Use a personal and inviting tone to stoke curiosity and interest.
3 Weeks Out – Email 2: Official Invitation with Details
As the webinar date draws closer, follow up with an official invitation email. This email should delve deeper into the specifics of the event, offering insights into the topics to be covered, the credentials of the presenter, and a direct link to the registration page. Here, you can emphasize why this webinar is pertinent to your target audience, highlighting how it will address their unique challenges and provide practical solutions.
2 Weeks Out – Email 3 & 4: Reminder and Additional Incentives
At two weeks out, send reminder emails. In this message, provide additional incentives to register by highlighting one or two specific value propositions. Offer exclusive insights and actionable takeaways. You can even create a social media poll asking what topics your audience is eager to learn more about and link to it in your email! A poll provides insight into your audience’s pain points for consideration of future webinar topics.
1 Week Out – Email 5: Third Reminder
One week before the event, send another reminder email. Include any final details or last-minute additions, such as a surprise guest speaker, and reiterate the takeaways they can expect from attending. Focus on how these takeaways can be implemented in their own business to accomplish a specific goal. To that end, consider a companion checklist or guidance document for post-event distribution to attendees and promote this takeaway resource as an enticement for registrants.
2-3 Days Out – Email 6: Last Call for Registration
With just a couple of days remaining until the webinar session, send an email emphasizing the urgency of time running out. Remind your audience that the webinar is only days away and that they should register if they haven’t already. Reinforce the benefits of attending one last time to motivate those who might be on the fence.
1 Day Out – Email 7: Confirmation and Logistical Details
On the day before the webinar, send a final confirmation email to those who have registered. Provide logistical details they will need to join the webinar, such as the exact time (with timezone), the link to join, any passwords needed, and instructions (including a POC email) for addressing technical difficulties.
Day of the Webinar – Email 8: Webinar Starting Soon
A few hours before the webinar begins, send a “starting soon” email to remind recipients that the event is happening today. Provide the link to join once more to ensure that no one misses out on the event. They may have already received this reminder from your event platform, such as Eventbrite, but fret not. They’ll appreciate the ease with which they’re able to locate the meeting link. There’s nothing worse than registering for a webinar only to be locked out or unable to find the link when it starts!
Post-Webinar – Email 9: Thank You and Follow-up Material
After the webinar, express your gratitude by sending a “thank you for attending” email. Include a link to the recorded webinar, any relevant supplementary materials such as a slide deck, and possibly a feedback survey to collect insights for future improvements.
Monitoring and Adaptation
As you implement this email sequence, monitor open and click-through rates. These metrics will allow you to assess the effectiveness of your email content and send times and inform adjustments to your strategy if needed. Be mindful of email fatigue – space out your emails appropriately to maintain engagement!
Conclusion
Promoting a webinar effectively is not just about the content you offer, but also about how you engage your audience in the lead-up to the event. Let attendees know how much you appreciate their participation and contributions to any conversations sparked during or after the webinar. Personalization and relevance are key components for delivering a valuable experience.
For email personalization and performance evaluation, we recommend a platform like Hubspot.com. Contact our team to learn how ArtForm can help implement something like this at your company. We’re here to help!
