Those in the know use the word “drip” in a specific context. A modern slang meaning “very cool, awesome, and stylish,” to have drip means you have it going on.
Drip email campaigns, on the other hand, derive their name from the steady “drip” of emails sent to recipients. A nod to irrigation systems, drip marketing campaigns nurture relationships with recipients much in the same way water nurtures a crop.
Drip email campaigns are so crazy effective, though, that we think Gen Z’s jargon is a better fit. In this article, we’ll show you how to create drip email campaigns for your NYC events that are just, well, drippin’.
What Is a Drip Email Campaign?
A drip email campaign officially is a series of tailor-made emails designed to move the recipient through the customer journey. Remember those choose-your-own-adventure books for kids? Readers would “choose” the main character’s next move and flip to the corresponding page to continue reading. In much the same way, drip email campaigns take their cue from the recipient’s choices.
An initial email comes through and gives the recipient a series of choices, such as opening an account, viewing ticket prices, or viewing content. The email that follows corresponds to that choice, and so on with subsequent emails.
Each successive email is designed to nudge recipients a bit further down the customer journey until, ultimately, they convert.
What Are the Benefits of a Drip Email Campaign for NYC Events?
General mass email campaigns are proven heavy hitters to include in your NYC event marketing strategy. Drip email campaigns, however, have an extra little something special that appeals to your audience.
For example, drip emails have higher click-through rates. According to Campaign Monitor, the average click-through rate for run-of-the-mill marketing emails in 2021 was 1.8%. That click-through rate soars with drip emails, with a click-through rate of 24.46% for welcome emails and 21% for abandoned cart emails, according to marketing research firm, Drip.
Other advantages of drip email campaigns are:
- Schmooze leads. Oftentimes, potential event attendees are shopping around for the best NYC event for them. Whether yours is a professional conference or an Indie pop concert, drip emails offer up opportunities to speak to your audience and make a case of why your NYC event is the best in town.
- Send hyper-personalized content. With drip emails, you’re meeting the recipient where they are. Whether it’s offering a discount, providing more information, or viewing a promo video, drip emails meet the unique psychological needs of each potential attendee.
- Stay top of mind. Thanks to drip emails’ higher open rate, you are more likely to stay at the top of your recipients’ minds. That way, when they’re ready to set their plans in stone, your NYC event is the first they think of.
How to Use Drip Email Campaigns to Market Your NYC Event
As you can see, elevating a mass email marketing campaign to a drip email campaign will make your NYC event business a stellar success. Below, we have some tips to get you started.
Clearly Identify Your Target Market
Set your drip email campaign up for success by identifying and segmenting your target market. Drip email campaigns are, by their nature, personalized to the recipient. So, you have to drill down farther when identifying your target market. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, segment your target audience according to demographic information as it makes sense for your NYC event. For example, when marketing your NYC events, you would segment corporate events by income or position title.
Create a Roadmap for the User Journey
Sales funnels outline how email recipients go from prospect to attendee. Generally speaking, consumers go through the following stages as they travel through the sales funnel:
- Awareness of your NYC event
- Interest in learning more
- Consideration or mulling over whether to purchase tickets.
- Intent or making concrete plans to attend your event
- Purchasing tickets for your NYC event
- Retention or becoming a loyal member of your brand’s community
Identify the Recipients’ Likely Emotions at Each Stage of the User Journey
Empathy is at the heart of effective marketing, and emotion is at the center of every purchasing decision. With a mass email campaign, you only get one shot at connecting emotionally with your recipients, and chances are that connection will only be relevant to a few. With drip email campaigns, your chances to connect are greater because each stage of the customer journey is defined by a small subset of emotions.
Create a Series of Choices the Recipient Can Make at Each Stage of the User Journey
Identify choices that correspond with each stage of the sales funnel. Ideally, the choices will lead the potential attendee onto the next stage. For example, the welcome email you send once a user is aware of your NYC event would offer choices for learning more, such as reading content or viewing a video of last year’s event.
Create Your Drip Emails Long Before You Send Them
Ideally, the many iterations of your drip emails will be written and designed at the outset of your campaign. From there, you can plug them into your email marketing software to put your drip email campaign on autopilot.
Make Your Drip Email Campaigns Easy to Digest
Make it easy for the recipient to read each email and take the next step. Remember, you’re focusing on one stage of the journey at a time. An email in the interest stage should not include a detailed price breakdown of tickets. Or an email tailored to a recipient with intent should not include a list of your future NYC events.
Follow the Best Email Marketing Strategies
Whether your campaign involves mass emails or drip emails, there are few proven strategies for marketing success.
- Use call-to-action buttons instead of clickable links to increase click-throughs.
- Make sure your marketing emails are mobile-friendly.
- Segment your audience, and create drip email campaigns for each segment.
- Include videos in at least some of your emails.
- Add social share buttons.
Learn More Drippy Marketing Strategies The Event Planner Expo
Drip email campaigns are effective because they’re personal, relevant, and make an emotional connection with your audience. But drip email campaigns are only one piece of the NYC event planner’s toolbox. You can learn more about NYC event marketing when you attend The Event Planner Expo. In addition to featuring more than 50 industry-leading speakers, The Event Planner Expo is your chance to connect with other pros in the event planning industry. Tickets are selling fast. Get yours before they’re gone.
