Email has become the standard tool for event planners to communicate meeting, event and conference details with their attendees. It is quick, convenient and even green. With Certain Registration's high degree of customization the possibilities for creating dynamic email communications are great, but first email messages have to be optimized to make it through SPAM filters and get read by recipients. Email communications for meeting and event planners

Here are some best practices passed on from savvy business-to-business email marketers and some sound off from Certain Registration Chief Software Evangelist, Dr. Rick Borry.

1 - Get to the point.
Keep messages short as people typically skim emails to decide if they want to read deeper.


2 - Avoid big images or attachments.
Messages with large images or attachments often do not make it past spam filters.


3 - Stand out.
Make sure your subject line is compelling. Personalize your subject lines. This could make or break your chances of ending up being deleted. (For example, “Cindy, registration is now open for the 2008 Miami Tech Conference” as opposed to something vague like,“Tech Conference Registration.”)


4 - Personalize emails.
Connect with each addressee by personalizing greetings and content.


5 - Test before sending.
Send yourself and another colleague test emails to proof how content and formatting will look to your recipients.


6 - Pay attention to timing.
The best times to send email communications are Tuesday through Thursday. If you send on a Monday when people are sorting through emails from the weekend, yours may get lost in the shuffle.


7 - Plan ahead.
Plan all your communications strategically – sending too often may annoy, while too infrequent may leave you forgotten.


8 - Always include “Opt Out” instructions.
Not having an option for people remove themselves from your mailing lists is illegal.


9 - Avoid spamming.
Make sure your communications are up to date with the current CAN-SPAM ACT. Information can be found on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.


10 - Learn from the results.
Track and review the results of your email communications to improve on what is working and what is not.

Dr. Rick Borry of Certain Software, Inc. discusses email communications and online registration webistes.....