3.2 BILLION email accounts across the globe* … and growing.

We wanted to set that bad boy right up at the top for you. For everyone who does email marketing (and who doesn’t?), it’s such a dreamy statistic.

Marketing to meeting planners through email is a whole different ball of wax, however. It’s not the same as the leisure market and should be treated differently. Using email to attract direct response actions from meeting planners is by far one of the most effective forms of advertising to this audience. When done correctly, it delivers the highest ROI for companies, regardless of the industry. (GetResponse, 2017)

What does an M&C Email Campaign Look Like?

First, start with the basics of any solid email marketing campaign: test your audience. Figure out what tone and content work best for the meeting planners you are trying to reach.

Is your destination a mid-western town looking to reach regional planners?

This audience may be more interested in location-based content or perhaps, how your destination is easier to access than it is interested in how different your destination is from other possibilities.

Is your destination trying to attract corporate or incentive groups?

You may need to amp up your content to include creative and colorful images, or even embed videos!

Begin by setting up goals and conversions you want to achieve, then test content buckets and subject lines.

Digital Edge’s Digital Marketing Manager, Courtney Godwin explains, “For the emails we send for our clients, I’ve noticed the content that receives the most engagement is content around new updates from the destination, especially concerning hotel properties undergoing renovations or that are opening soon.”

“Placement also matters,” Godwin explains, “Meeting planners enjoy learning about any incentives that the DMO offers, like room credits or airfare reimbursement; but the success of those offers converting can often greatly depend on where those offers are located within the email and how simple they are to understand.”

Email Marketing For Specific Events & Promotions

Organizing your emails and publishing them on time before, during, and after your team attends a sales event for meeting planners will have a significant impact on the success of your DMO’s sales team at the event.

Perhaps, the most critical type of email DMOs should be sending meeting planners is a follow-up email from an event. Deployed after trade shows and client events, follow-up emails are a great way to keep the planner engaged and to make sure the destination stays top of mind.

Promotional emails are also the perfect opportunity for DMOs to update meeting planners on the new happenings in their destinations & build a deeper awareness of what your destination offers.

For a more in-depth look, download our free eBook, Digital Marketing for Meetings & Conventions, the ultimate meetings marketing manual for DMOs.

Feeling bloggy on this topic? Peep the 4 Strategies to Take Your DMO’s Email Campaign Beyond the Newsletter.

Source: Radical Group, 2017