Aesthetics matter. Usability matters just as much. Before a guest even reads the words on the invite, they begin forming an impression of the event itself based off of the invite. Make sure that impression is shaped by beautiful, functional choices. Digital invitations give you the opportunity to integrate helpful information in clever ways. Plus, with the move towards digital only accelerating in the events industry, it’s important to establish a digital relationship with your guests as soon as possible.
 

So you’ve designed a stunning digital invitation, organized the guest list and emails, and are prepared to send them out. But how can you get guests to open the invite once it lands in their inbox? That’s where ‘the pitch’ comes in, and it starts in the subject line. Your pitch is really just the most critical information lined up so people can start caring right away. What makes your event unique? Maybe it’s the speaker, the location, the other guests, or a combo. That’s the hook that will then earn you a little more attention from your potential guests, and lead them to open the invitation. Then it’s your job to expand on your initial pitch with the details that matter, and by writing about your event in ways people care about.

Take the time to treat your guests as the valued individuals that they are. An easy way to imagine ways to do that is pretend you’re a guest receiving the invitation yourself. What makes you perk up and feel like whoever’s on the other side really knows you? The amount of respect you show for your guests is likely to be returned to your events. Guests want to feel like their presence at the event matters - so make sure they know! Inside tip: Create forms that gather useful information, such as dietary preference, conference slots, or logistical needs (do some of your guests have mobility limitations that require extra assistance?).

Make the RSVP action incredibly clear and identifiable on the invite. Include multiple RSVP options carefully positioned throughout the invitation to make sure guests feel called to respond. Big, colorful buttons with a clear action like “RSVP Now” are a good approach. But don’t forget you can also hyperlink text to give guests a contextual nudge. Ensure that guests know that they have successfully submitted their RSVP. Follow-up with an email confirming their response. As the event gets closer, send another email either reminding guests of their upcoming event, or if they haven’t responded yet, as a gentle nudge to get an RSVP.

From the thousands of invitations sent on Zkipster's invitation platform, a few useful trends have been identified. Send your invitations earlier in the week. Guests are more likely to respond ‘yes’ Monday - Thursday. Invitations on the weekend tend to get ignored after a long week of emails. Little data supports a prime-time to send out an invitation and guarantee a strong turnout. While most invites are sent out a week in advance of the event, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what you need to do. Follow your instincts when it comes to deciding how far in advance to invite your guests. Different types of events and guest lists require different degrees of notice.

A beautiful invitation carefully sent out within the ideal window of time is irrelevant if it gets relegated to the dreaded black hole of the spam folder or a typo sends it the wrong way. There are two key steps you should take to ensure that your guests receive your invitation: 1. Regularly update and refresh your guest database. Set a recurring reminder in your calendar to do an audit of your guest information so that you’re confident in its accuracy. 2. Verify your email domain. This is a more technical process, but one worth undertaking. With a verified email domain, you signal to guests’ inboxes that you are a trustworthy and reliable source worth the inbox and not spam.