When it comes to corporate events, it may be the event schedule and content that works hardest at convincing people to attend, but those elements would never get a chance to impress if the event invitation hadn’t gotten attendees in the door! Whether you’re sending out personalized corporate event invitations or issuing a general invite to a large group, it’s important to make every word count.
Read on for templates for:
- New attendees
- Repeat attendees
- VIP attendees
- Exhibitors
- Event sponsors
This Is What Makes an Invitation Effective.
While there are many different kinds of corporate events, when it comes to email invitations, there are a few simple rules that work for all. Whether you’re planning a corporate banquet, an industry trade show, or a team-building exercise, applying these rules can both induce people to read the email and stoke their interest in attending.
- Make it quick – Don’t bore people with multiple paragraphs about your event. This isn’t the place for wordy descriptions—save those for the website. Better yet, ditch the wordy descriptions entirely, and write concise, informative copy for the event website too.
- Put the most valuable information first, either in the subject line or in the first few lines of the body of the email – Don’t make recipients read to the very end to find out what it’s about.
- Don’t just list what’s happening at the event – Tell your readers how they can benefit from attending.
- Add interest with visual content – Visual branding, video clips or photos of previous company events, or even photos of speakers and guests will generate more interest than just another list.
- Highlight your call to action – Add a CTA to both the top and bottom of your email, and add visual interest with branding or color.
Corporate Event Invitations That Work Harder
The above rules can work well for all kinds of events, but there’s still a certain amount of tailoring needed to craft the most effective business event invitations. The kind of wording you use will differ depending on the kind of event you’re holding. However, the most significant differences relate to who your recipients are. At a trade show, for instance, the goals of sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees are all different. The wording you use to invite them to take part must take this into account.
An Invitation Going to New Attendees
People who are new to your event may also be unfamiliar with, or even entirely new to, your brand. Since you may be introducing your brand, invitations for this group should focus not just on selling the event, but also on strong branding. Adopt a tone that’s informal, but not overly friendly. Remember that you’re inviting people to a corporate event, so it does need to remain professional.
Subject lines:
[NAME], You’re Invited to [EVENT] on [DATE]
Join [COMPANY] at [EVENT + YEAR]
Email:
[LOGO + CALL TO ACTION] Reserve Your [EVENT] Ticket Now
[EVENT DETAILS]: Name, Date, Time, Location
Dear [NAME],
Every year, [COMPANY] hosts over [ATTENDEE NUMBERS] people at [EVENT NAME], a [EVENT TYPE] dedicated to [attendee-focused objective].
You’re invited to attend [EVENT + YEAR], an [EVENT TYPE] that’s packed with an incredible [program/schedule/agenda], designed to help you [solve a specific problem/learn about a specific topic].
See the full lineup of [speakers/presenters/etc.], and grab your ticket at [EVENT website]. Buy before [DATE] to get your ticket at the early-bird rate.
[CALL TO ACTION BUTTON] Get My Ticket Now!
An Invitation Going to Repeat Attendees
For people who have attended previous years’ events, offering discounted tickets can be a great way to boost attendance. Or an extra discount for early-bird ticket-buyers can help you boost early numbers, which can, in turn, help you attract more sponsors and exhibitors. The same informal but professional tone is appropriate here too.
Subject Lines:
Shhh… [EVENT + YEAR] Presale Starts [DATE]
[EVENT] Tickets at Extra-Low Presale Prices, Just for You!
Email:
[CALL TO ACTION]: Reserve Your Extra-Low Presale Ticket Now!
[EVENT DETAILS]: Name, Date, Time, Location
Dear [NAME],
It’s [EVENT] time again, and we’re back this year with a [program/schedule/agenda] designed to help you [solve a specific problem/learn about a specific topic].
For loyal attendees like you, we’re offering a special low presale discount, giving you an extra [DISCOUNT %] off the early-bird price.
See the full lineup of [speakers/presenters/etc.] at [event website]. Or click below and use the code [DISCOUNT CODE] to secure your super-discounted ticket right away.
Looking forward to seeing you at [EVENT + YEAR]!
An Invitation Going to VIP Attendees
In event terminology, VIPs are those people who pay a premium price to receive special event perks that regular attendees don’t have access to. VIP guests aren’t necessarily celebrities or big industry names, although it certainly helps if you can get a few of these on your attendee list.
VIP invitations are best sent in addition to regular event invitations, a few days or a week after the initial general invitation is sent. This allows people two ways to get a VIP ticket:
- By upgrading their standard ticket to the VIP version, or
- By buying a VIP pass outright if they haven’t purchased a ticket yet
People who are interested in buying a VIP pass want to know about event content, but they also want details about the perks they’ll be able to access. A successful VIP invitation is short and to the point, quickly making a few things clear:
- Choosing the VIP package will make the event more valuable and more enjoyable.
- The reader has been hand-picked to receive VIP benefits.
- Availability of VIP perks is limited.
Use the same casual-but-professional tone as for other attendees—but focus less on the professional side of the event and more on the perks of being there.
Subject lines:
[NAME]: Your VIP-Only [EVENT] Experience Is Inside
[NAME], Discover Your Exclusive [EVENT] Perks Here!
Email:
[CALL TO ACTION]
[EVENT DETAILS]: Name, Date, Time, Location
Dear [NAME],
If you enjoy the finer things in life, you’ll love this year’s [EVENT] VIP package. Along with all the benefits of the standard event package, you’ll receive a host of exclusive perks to elevate your experience.
With perks like [VIP PERK 1] and [VIP PERK 2], you won’t want to miss out on this year’s VIP package. We can’t offer these to everyone, so click below to book your VIP pass right now!
[CALL TO ACTION] Reserve My VIP Pass
See you in the VIP lounge, [NAME]!
An Invitation Going to Exhibitors and Sponsors
Many event organizers send out email invitations that cover both exhibitor and sponsor recipients. This is generally done where it’s expected that there will be some overlap between the two groups, meaning that some exhibitors are likely to also want to purchase sponsorship packages.
Business event invitations for exhibitors and sponsors tend to use more formal and professional language as compared to those intended for attendees. It’s not necessary or productive to use calls-to-action that urge the recipient to “Buy Now,” as exhibitors and sponsors have a longer decision-making process. With more choices to make and a larger financial outlay at stake, they don’t respond to calls-to-action in the same way attendees do.
Another difference between attendee and exhibitor/sponsor emails is that invitations for exhibitors and sponsors tend to be longer and more detailed. For instance, it’s common to include full exhibitor and sponsor package information along with the email invitation, rather than simply referring recipients to a website as with attendee invitations.
Subject lines:
[EVENT + YEAR] Invitation for Exhibitors and Sponsors
Email:
[EVENT DETAILS]: Name, Date, Time, Location
Dear [NAME],
This year, [COMPANY/ORGANIZER] will welcome [ATTENDANCE FIGURES] to the [YEAR + EVENT]. That means hundreds or thousands of leads and clients could be coming your way. We invite you to join us as an [exhibitor or sponsor], at the [VENUE] on [EVENT DATES].
Every year, [EVENT] attracts [DESCRIBE AUDIENCE PROFILE]. For [exhibitors and sponsors] in [RELEVANT INDUSTRIES], [EVENT] could be your most significant [OBJECTIVE] opportunity of [YEAR]!
[SUMMARY OF EVENT SCHEDULE/AGENDA/ETC.]
- Follow up the summary by highlighting networking and other events that may be of particular value to exhibitors and sponsors.
[YEAR] Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities
[LIST] Sponsorship packages, including full details of the cost and benefits of each package or sponsorship level
[LIST] Exhibitor packages, including full details of the cost of each package and what’s included
Build Sponsorship Into Your Strategy
To complete the invitation, you can opt to include a range of other details. Most exhibitors and sponsors appreciate having an email copy of important information before they commit to a booth or sponsorship package, rather than having to refer to a website. Some options include:
- Full conference schedule
- Venue layout for exhibitors
- Exhibit rules and regulations
- Deadlines for exhibitor registration, booth or sponsorship deposits, and copy for printed materials
- Cancelation information and deadlines
- Setup/teardown times
- Any necessary payment information
Your corporate invites are what get the ball rolling on a successful company event. Without interest, there are no attendees, and without attendees, there is no event! Put these invitations into action to build a solid corporate event foundation.
