Event Email Marketing: The 5 Sequences That Drive Registrations

Email marketing consistently outperforms every other channel for driving event registrations. The conversion rate from email clicks to registration is 8-20% — far higher than paid social (2-5%) or organic social (1-3%).

Yet most event organizers underuse email. They send a single announcement blast, maybe a reminder, and wonder why registrations are slow. The difference between a mediocre email strategy and a great one isn't volume — it's structure.

Here are the five email sequences that drive registrations, with timing, content frameworks, and subject line patterns that work.

Sequence 1: The Announcement Series (8-10 Weeks Before)

Purpose: Build awareness and capture early registrations from your warmest audience.

Emails in this sequence:

Email 1: Save the Date (8-10 weeks out)

• Announce the event with date, location, and core value proposition
• No hard sell — just excitement and a "mark your calendar" CTA
• Include one compelling reason to attend (keynote speaker, exclusive content)

Email 2: Full Details (7-8 weeks out)

• Share the complete agenda, speaker lineup, and logistics
• Include the registration link prominently
• Add early-bird pricing if applicable

Email 3: Speaker Spotlight (6-7 weeks out)

• Feature your most recognizable speaker or panelist
• Include a brief quote or preview of their talk
• CTA: "Register to see [Speaker] live"

Subject line patterns that work:

• "[Event Name] is back — save the date"
• "The lineup for [Event] is here"
• "[Speaker Name] is joining [Event Name] — here's what they'll cover"

Benchmark: 25-35% open rate, 3-5% click-through rate for announcement sequences sent to warm lists.

Sequence 2: The Early-Bird Sequence (6-8 Weeks Before)

Purpose: Create urgency around discounted pricing to drive a burst of early registrations.

Emails in this sequence:

Email 1: Early-Bird Opens (6-8 weeks out)

• Announce the discount with a clear deadline
• Show the price difference between early-bird and regular pricing
• Social proof: mention how many people registered last year

Email 2: Midpoint Reminder (1 week before deadline)

• Remind subscribers the early-bird deadline is approaching
• Share a new reason to attend (new speaker added, agenda update)
• Include a countdown element

Email 3: Last Day Warning (day of deadline)

• Urgency: "Early-bird pricing ends tonight at midnight"
• Short, focused email — one CTA, no distractions
• Consider sending both morning and evening versions

Subject line patterns that work:

• "Early-bird pricing ends [date] — save €[amount]"
• "48 hours left for early-bird tickets"
• "Last chance: [Event] early-bird closes tonight"

Benchmark: Early-bird sequences typically drive 20-30% of total registrations. The final-day email often generates more registrations than the entire preceding week.

Sequence 3: The Social Proof Sequence (4-6 Weeks Before)

Purpose: Convert undecided subscribers by showing that peers are already attending.

This is where most event email strategies fall short. You've captured the eager early adopters. Now you need to convince the majority who are interested but haven't committed.

Emails in this sequence:

Email 1: Momentum Update (5-6 weeks out)

• Share registration milestones: "200+ professionals already registered"
• List notable companies or job titles of attendees
• If running attendee advocacy, mention the LinkedIn buzz

Email 2: Attendee Spotlight (4-5 weeks out)

• Feature a past attendee's experience or testimonial
• Or highlight the types of professionals attending this year
• CTA: "Join your peers at [Event]"

Email 3: Content Preview (3-4 weeks out)

• Share a specific insight or data point from the event content
• "Here's a preview of what [Speaker] will cover on [topic]"
• Give enough value that people want the full version at the event

Subject line patterns that work:

• "[X] [job titles] are already registered — are you joining them?"
• "Here's who you'll meet at [Event Name]"
• "A sneak peek at what [Speaker] will share about [topic]"

Benchmark: Social proof emails convert 15-25% better than generic reminder emails because they activate the fear of missing out on what peers are already committed to.

Sequence 4: The Last-Chance Sequence (1-2 Weeks Before)

Purpose: Convert the remaining fence-sitters with urgency and scarcity.

Emails in this sequence:

Email 1: One Week Out (7 days before)

• Comprehensive overview: what's happening, who's speaking, why it matters
• Include practical details (venue, parking, agenda, networking events)
• Hard CTA: "Register now — limited spots remaining"

Email 2: Scarcity Alert (3-4 days before)

• Real scarcity signals: "Only [X] spots remaining" (only if true)
• Or: "Registration closes on [date]"
• Short email — urgency drives the message

Email 3: Final Call (1 day before or morning of registration close)

• Last email — make it count
• Subject line: "Final call: [Event] registration closes today"
• One sentence of value proposition, one CTA button

Subject line patterns that work:

• "Registration closes in 48 hours"
• "[Event]: last [X] spots"
• "You still have time — but not much"

Benchmark: The last-chance sequence typically drives 15-25% of total registrations. People procrastinate, and a clear deadline forces a decision.

Sequence 5: The Waitlist & Post-Registration Sequence

Purpose: Maximize the value of every registration by activating advocacy and building excitement.

This sequence is different — it targets people who've already registered.

Emails in this sequence:

Email 1: Registration Confirmation + Share Prompt (immediately after registration)

• Confirm their registration with event details
• Include a prompt to share their attendance on LinkedIn
• If using Attendir, include their personalized sharing card link
• This is the highest-intent moment — share rates are highest immediately after registration

Email 2: Preparation Guide (1-2 weeks before)

• Practical content: how to prepare, who to meet, sessions to prioritize
• Networking tips or suggested connections
• Another share prompt: "Let your network know you'll be there"

Email 3: Day-Before Logistics (1 day before)

• Venue details, check-in process, Wi-Fi info
• Remind them of the sessions they bookmarked
• Build excitement: "See you tomorrow"

Why this matters for growth: The post-registration share prompt is the single most cost-effective marketing moment in your entire funnel. A registered attendee sharing on LinkedIn reaches an audience that trusts them — and it costs you nothing in ad spend. See how events like TEDAI Vienna achieved a 24% share rate using this approach.

Putting It All Together: The Timeline

Email Mistakes That Kill Registrations

Sending the same email to everyone

Segment your list. Past attendees need a different message than people who've never heard of your event. Someone who clicked last week's email but didn't register is warmer than someone who hasn't opened in months.

Burying the CTA

Every email should have one clear call-to-action. Not three. Not a paragraph of text followed by a small link. One prominent button that says "Register Now."

Ignoring mobile

60%+ of email opens happen on mobile. If your email requires horizontal scrolling or has tiny tap targets, you're losing registrations. Test every email on a phone before sending.

Not tracking conversions

If you're not using UTM parameters on every link in every email, you can't measure what's working. Add utm_source=email&utm_medium=sequence-name&utm_campaign=event-name to every registration link. See our ROI measurement guide for a full attribution framework.

Getting Started

You don't need to build all five sequences for your first event. Start with the essentials:

1. Announcement email — Tell your list the event is happening
2. Early-bird deadline email — Create urgency with a real deadline
3. Post-registration share prompt — Activate attendee advocacy from day one

Then measure the results, identify which emails drove the most registrations, and build from there. Each event cycle, add another sequence and refine your approach.

For the complete picture of how email fits into your broader event marketing strategy, see our B2B event promotion strategies guide.