Powerful Invitation Wording Doubles Attendance

Done right, business events provide ample opportunity to network, build relationships and earn sales. There's one thing all great events have in common: awesome invitations. And the golden rule of creating awesome invitations is powerful invitation wording, which can easily double event attendance. Other elements factor into an invitation's ability to attract attendees - event reputation, price, design and quality of mailing list - but everything else being equal, it is your invitation wording that will dictate your attendance. Here's what you need to know about invitation wording and how you can harness its power to double event attendance.

Your invitation must headline an incredible offer

The first wording on your invitation should be a bold headline that reveals an incredible, impossible-to-pass-on offer. This is where you grab attention - it's the hook that lures your potential attendees into reading the rest of your invitation. Some examples might include:

"Network with the 50 Top Social Marketing Gurus at the 2013 Social Networking Event"

"Sell to More Than 5,000 Electronics Dealers at the 2013 Electronics Expo in Beautiful Las Vegas!"

"Meet the Top 10 Horror Novelists of Today's Century at a Special Author's Party"

"Learn How to Optimize your Website for Top Results in Google, Yahoo and Bing!"

As you can see, your invitation offer does not need to offer a free promotional gift - it only has to offer an opportunity.

Highlight benefits and back up your value statements

After your headline, your invitation wording should work to highlight the benefits of your event. Depending on the type of event, benefits might include access to famous industry personalities, industry buyers, showcase booth space, a resort location and atmosphere, or even a free continental breakfast. Your invitation wording should also back up these value statements with brief information on each benefit. If your event is a screenwriting expo and one of your benefits is a one-on-one with an agent, for example, you should list what works the agent has sold as well as what famous directors, authors or producers the agent has worked with or represented. Again, it's all about demonstrating the amazing opportunities your event offers attendees.

Finish with a clear call to action

Finally, you have to tell your invitation recipients what to do at the end of your invitation wording. Be very specific and provide more than one response option. You might want your invitation recipients to fill out a registration card and mail it with a check, visit a website and pay online, or call a phone number to register. To add even more value, offer a time-limited discount or incentive to encourage fast sign-ups. Examples include:

"Go to www.signupformyevent.com and register before December 1st and get a 25 percent discount!"

"Return the enclosed registration with your check for $399 by December 1st and get a FREE showcase booth upgrade!"

"Call 555-555-5555 TODAY to get a GUARANTEED one-hour one-on-one with the agent of your choice!"