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