Post 9 of 15

Reasons for using MailChimp

Here are the main reasons why we decided to use MailChimp over our internal email system:

• Improved deliverability of emails
• No risk for our domain to end up on ‘spammers’ lists
• Better group management
• Detailed reports of who read the emails, who clicked on links within the emails, etc.
• Nice looking templates
• Ability to easily personalise emails
• Ease of use
• Generous free tier
• It has a monkey for its logo

MailChimp is only one of many providers of such service.

Picking audience groups

As our conference was a relatively small scale event, we decided to keep the different audience groups simple and easy to manage. Here are the groups we decided on:

• Potential delegates (no personal email addresses – work email addresses only)

• Presenters

• Registered delegates (also included presenters)

• Sponsors & Exhibitors

• Internal staff*

• We used our normal email system to communicate with this group.

When to contact and what to share with audience groups

As we had very limited time to organise the conference (6 months from ‘okay’ to end of conference), we had to adapt our communication accordingly. We know that we could have done better, had we had more time. Here is when we contacted each of our audience groups, and a rough outline of what we discussed in each email.

Potential delegates

• Email 1 – Event announcement (we did not have the luxury of doing this)
  • Save the date
  • Location
  • Theme
  • Call to action – Call for presentations
  • Call to action – Register interest
  • Call to action – Visit website for more information
• Email 2 – Registrations open
  • Price
  • Theme
  • Guest speaker(s) / keynote(s)
  • Call to action – Register
  • Call to action – Call for presentations
  • Call to action – Visit website for more information
• Email 3 – One month before registrations close
  • Price
  • Theme
  • Parts of event already sold-out (e.g. pre-conference)
  • More details about programme
  • Call to action – Register
  • Call to action – Visit website for more information

Presenters

• Email 1 – Presentation selection is done
  • Congratulate presenters on selection
  • Explain process between now and event
  • Call to action – Prepare professional biography, with photo
  • Call to action – Start using hashtag when tweeting, and website link on social networks
• Email 2 – First draft schedule
  • Update on signup numbers
  • Draft schedule is shared with presenters only
  • Call to action – Check schedule is okay for you. If not, contact organisers ASAP
  • Call to action – Ensure profile is up-to-date. If not, update self
  • Full list of what tech, stationary and support is to be provided during the event (e.g. cables, dongles, etc.)
  • Photos of a typical room where presentation will take place
  • Call to action – Ensure presenter discount has been applied to invoice
• Email 3 – Final draft schedule is ready
  • Final draft will be published in 24 hours. Last chance to make changes
  • Call to action – Add conference ‘slide’ to presentation if possible
  • Call to action – Send session materials if any available
  • Call to action – Can your session be video recorded?
  • Call to action – Any special requests not shared yet?

Registered delegates

• Email 1 – Schedule has been released

  • Call to action – Make some noise on social networks (provide hashtag, image and link to website)
  • Link to schedule
  • Call to action – Update profile on scheduling tool
  • Technical guidelines (e.g. install apps, update devices, switch off automatic update, etc. prior to attending event)

• Email 2 – One month prior to event

  • Update (signups, more sessions available, etc.)
  • Call to action – Pick sessions using scheduling tool*
  • Transportation and food surveys. E.g.
    • Will you need bus transportation?
    • Do you have specific dietary needs?
    • Are you planning on joining us for free social events?
    • Etc.
  • Remind that some delegates may need sponsoring for visas.

• Email 3 – One week prior to event

  • Updates to schedule
  • How to reach the venue, where to park, etc.
  • Call to action – Update your digital devices, and download all necessary apps (available in each session description)
  • Call to action – Any special request you did not share with us? Do it now!

• Email 4 – 24 hours prior to event

  • Present sponsors

• This helped us constantly re-room presentations based on sign-ups to individual sessions (not all rooms had the same capacity).

Sponsors and exhibitors

• Email 1 – One month prior to event
  • Update on signups
  • Printed materials for delegate bags. E.g.
    • Size
    • Deadline for posting it
    • Postal address
  • Call to action – Promote event through channels (provide hashtag, image, link to website)
  • Call to action – Provide logo, description if not done yet
  • Call to action – Any special requests?

We did not contact this group as often as we wished, as a group. However, most of our communication happened on a one-on-one basis with our contacts.

Internal staff

The pre-conference took place while school was in session, so it was vital to ensure every aspect of the organisation was well communicated with staff (parts of the messages were also communicated to parents and students, through newsletters and daily bulletins).

• Email 1 – Registrations open

  • Price
  • Theme
  • Guest speaker(s) / keynote(s)
  • Call to action – Register
  • Call to action – Call for presentations
  • Call to action – Visit website for more information

• Email 2 – One month prior event

  • Update on signups (to give an idea of the possible ‘disruption’ to the normal school day)
  • Schedule (with areas of school used)
  • ‘1990’s throwback day’ – essentially asking teachers and students to rely on technology as little as possible during the day, and plan accordingly

• Email 3 – The week of the event

  • Reminder – similar to email 2

• This really helped us save on bandwidth during the day of the pre-conference.

In the next post, I will discuss ways to advertise a conference.