When E2open, a global leader in supply chain automation, wanted to breathe new life into a series of regular Webinars, they turned to CDI to redesign the e-mail and direct mail invitations for the monthly online events. Results were immediate and impressive. Response to the first event totaled a whopping 994 registrations, an all time high. Direct mail response alone increased almost 300% compared to the previous design by another agency.

Click here for a look at the e-mail invitation for the event, a presentation featuring E2open customer LSI.

Why was the e-mail so successful? Consider the following:

* The copy grabs your attention quickly. Many e-mails waste the first paragraph on something the reader already knows (ex: “As an IT manager, you already know …”) Here, both the first and second paragraphs speak immediately to clear, compelling benefits the reader will gain by attending the event.

* All of the bulleted points in the main body copy (bulleted so they’re easy to read and scan) deliver a clear, concise learning benefit. Note that none of them speak to E2open technology, or even that LSI used E2open to realize the business benefits described in the copy (though that point is implied by E2open’s sponsorship of the event).

Invitations to sales events (Webinars, seminars, executive breakfasts) are most successful when they appeal not just to those prospects shopping for a particular product or service, but also to companies facing the specific challenge or business issue that the product or service solves. The more a Webinar reads like an invitation to hear how wonderful a product is, the smaller the potential audience and the lower the response.

The e-mail presents a lot of information, but does so in an organized, uncluttered way. The sidebar at right is used to provide logistical information (what, when, how) and also “who should attend”, a thinly disguised attempt to attract the right demographic to the event, and also to convince potential executives that many of their peers will be taking part.

Kudos to Dave Dumanis, CDI Creative Director, and Don Joslin, Art Director, for a job well done.

[If you’re planning events in Q4 and want to maximize response, contact CDI for a free consultation or no-obligation quote.]