Email is without a doubt one of the best ways to sell just about anything online. Research makes it clear that for every $1 spent, email can generate up to $42 (4200% return on investment). This is why you should not ignore it if you are considering selling more tickets for your event. 

In this article, we will look at some tips to help you write better emails reiterating final deadlines for ticket sales.  

Types of emails nonprofits send 

A comprehensive email marketing program means you will need to send lots of different types of emails. Here are some of the most popular ones for nonprofits: 

• Welcome series: This goes out to all your new subscribers. You do this to thank them for joining your donor database and also to teach them more about what you do. 
• Event campaigns: Since events are the bread and butter of fundraising, these are some of the most common emails in nonprofits. The emails will notify donors about upcoming events, how to attend, etc. 
• Educational campaigns: It's a mistake to assume that donors have the same level of understanding you do towards your cause. This is why educational emails are also important. The more donors learn about what you do and how important it is, the more likely they are to donate. 
• Advocacy campaigns: These campaigns help charities and nonprofits create real change by effectively drawing attention to their missions and showcasing the impact of their activities. Advocacy campaigns help nonprofits increase the number of their supporters by weaving in real stories of people they’ve helped.
• Gratitude campaigns: These emails focus on thanking your donors for their support. Research has shown that this is key to donor retention, which correlates with more funds raised. 
• Donation campaigns: These focus on soliciting donations from donors. And it's one of the easiest and quickest ways of fundraising, especially if you have a large donor database. 

Email tips for reiterating the final deadline for ticket sales 

1. Highlight what they could win 

If you are hosting a raffle or you have some big prize you are giving away, highlight it as the event nears the end. The best part with raffles like 50/50 or Catch the Ace is that as the raffle progresses, the jackpot keeps on getting bigger. So, this presents a good opportunity for you to highlight how much they could win if they don't buy that ticket for $5 or $10.

2. Offer a good reason to make them take immediate action 

What you need to understand is that people are overloaded with information and extremely busy. They may want to buy those tickets for your fundraiser, but they may keep on forgetting as a result of being preoccupied with work, family obligations or other commitments. This is why you need to focus on making them act right away—while they are reading the email. Don’t give them a reason to say “I will buy the ticket when I get home in the evening.” Chances are they won’t. 

And one of the best ways to do this is by highlighting the deadline. For instance, if you are closing the sale of tickets in 4 hours, make this very clear. For other fundraisers like a dinner, you may have limited seats. So, buying the ticket now ensures they won't miss out. Think of creative ways to add urgency in your end-of-sale emails. 

Related: 8 Email Marketing Tips for Nonprofits to Inspire Giving and Attract Donors

3. Keep the email short 

Yes, people need more information to act. However, as you are nearing the deadline for your fundraisers, try to keep your emails short. Chances are the donors already know everything there is to know about the fundraising event from your previous emails. So there’s no need to get repetitive and make the email unnecessarily long. 

Stick to the point, give the facts, make the emotional appeal, and tell them what to do. End-of-sale emails need to be action-oriented.   

4. Use social proof 

This is one of the most powerful tools you have in your arsenal if you want to get more sales. Lots of testimonials indicate that your event is popular. Not only will this introduce a sense of missing out on a trendy event, but it will also increase their trust in you. 

So, make it clear how many people have bought tickets in the last 24 hours or show how tickets from your previous event sold out way before the deadline. 

5. Have a countdown timer 

Nothing says “deadline” better than a simple countdown timer. It's easy to use and yet so effective. Ensure you have this somewhere prominent. The top of the email is always a good place. And so is the bottom. This countdown timer can be coded in the email via HTML. Or you can use any of the email tools or add-ins available online for adding timers.   

6. Include a P.S. 

While you might dismiss a postscript (P.S) as a long-lost relic from the direct response world, the truth is that people still read postscripts in emails. So include them. And don't just add it because you have to. Make sure it's adding value to the entire email. 

When writing it, think of it as the last push a donor needs to click the link in the email and buy the ticket. So the P.S. can focus on giving more info on the impact buying the ticket will have. Or it might highlight the jackpot amount. Or it might be a testimonial.  

7. Add a powerful and clear CTA 

Perhaps no other email deserves a strong Call to Action (CTA) than a sales email. Make sure it's clear. And use one of the action words people expect to see in an end-of-sale email. Examples may include “buy now,” “ending soon,” “hurry,” “don't miss,” etc.

Related: How to Segment Donors: Tips for Nonprofits  

8. Add a great subject line 

Most importantly, make sure your subject line is good. Otherwise, all the effort spent making the email great will be for nothing if the email is not exciting enough to be opened in the first place. There is plenty of competition in the inbox. 

This is why your emails need to stand out. You can’t keep doing the same things everyone else is doing. You need to get creative with how you craft your subject lines. Be bold and don’t be afraid to try subject line strategies you have never used before. Here are some tips to remember:

• Make the subject line short so it’s visible without needing to open the email
• Make the subject personal by using “you” 
• Use active voice, not passive 
• Tease in the subject line so they have a reason to open the email 
• Don’t settle for your first subject line 

Email template for reiterating the final deadline for ticket sales

You have plenty of options for informing your audience about ticket sales for fundraising events. But by far, email still remains the best way to sell things online. So be sure to include it in your promotional strategy.