Nowadays, sending invitations via email is not uncommon. Not only do you allow yourself to be more creative in email invitations, it is also more cost effective than sending paper invitations. In email invitations, there are basically three areas to consider: the subject or opening line, the body of the invitation, and the RSVP. These three areas should be addressed and given equal importance in designing your email invitation.

The following are tips for you when crafting an email invitation. These tips cover all areas of the invitation.

• The key for people to open your email invitation, or any email message for that matter, lies on your subject or opening line. This is the first thing that people will see of your email, and if your subject line doesn’t catch the attention of the recipient, chances are your invitation will remain unopened and unread. Choose an opening line that will pique their interest and cause them to open your email to see your actual invitation. Your opening line should be a representation of what’s inside your email and one that will give your recipient an idea that they’re getting an invitation instead of the usual email.
  
  

•  Studies have shown that a person is seven times more likely to open an email if they see their name on the subject line.  This doesn’t necessarily have to be their personal names.  It could be the name of the company they are working for or a group they are a member of or are associated with.  As long as they can see that the email is particularly meant for them, it will increase your chances of their opening and reading your invitation.

• The body of your invitation is the main area of your message. It tells the recipient what the invitation is all about. You can really let your creativity show in this area. You should make your invitation as visually appealing as possible. You can hire the services of a graphic artist or designer to create your invitation for you. They can add color, images, and graphics to your invitation to enhance the overall effect. However, the design of your invitation should only take second priority to the actual content of your invitation. More important than the design is the text contained in your invitation. It should be comprehensive and should tell the invitee all they need to know about the event they are invited to – the date, the place, and the time. You should also include details like names of speakers, schedule of activities, any food and beverage that will be served, and any giveaways. This way, your invitees will know what to expect from your event. And the more informed they are, the more likely they are to attend.
  
  

• The last key area of an email invitation is the RSVP. This allows the recipients to respond to your invitation and confirm whether or not they will attend the event. You should make the process of RSVP as simple as possible. It could simply be a button they can click at the bottom of the invitation to confirm their attendance or a link that will lead them to the actual confirmation page. Whatever you decide on, make it very easy for the invitee RSVP and it should only involve a few steps, the fewer the better. A RSVP that is too complicated and time consuming will only discourage an invitee and will lead them to change their minds in attending your event.
  

• Once someone has confirmed their attendance to your invitation, send them an email reminder. This should be done especially if the event they agreed to attend is not immediate. Sending a reminder will keep your event in their minds and will even prompt them to include it in their schedules if they hadn’t done so yet.

For the success of your email invitation campaign, you should keep these tips in mind.  Always remember that a successful event starts with a good invitation.