11 Email Invitation Examples and Templates that Excite

An event without guests is an organizer’s worst nightmare. So, if you’ve already spent your time and efforts planning one, we should better leave it for others to answer.

With emails having an average open rate of 21.5%, an invitation email might be the best way to fill the venue (it doesn’t matter, a virtual or an offline one) to the brim with guests. But how do you craft such an email in the first place?

Read on to catch up with the best practices of event email marketing, see the samples of other brands’ good work, and find 11 exclusive templates to lead the way to your event marketing success. 

What Elements Make an Invitation Email Successful?

As incredible as your event sounds, you might need more to attract the attendees. Here are some tips to use for crafting a crowd-pleaser invitation email:

• Sender’s name. To ensure that your email looks trustworthy and arouses curiosity, make your brand’s name noticeable – send out the invitation from a business email and include its’ name in the subject line. This way, the invitation will carry more authority and look like the event is official. 
• Email subject line. Create a rocking email subject line that the recipient can’t help but click on. Spill out the most intriguing and exciting details about your event. Once the recipient is hooked, reveal the not-so-interesting whats, whens, and wheres inside the email.
• Email preview text. Use the preview text (those words shown next to the subject line) to give more juicy details about the event and better explain its idea. But keep it short – ideally under 90 characters.
• Email content. Before writing the email content, think about what could motivate the invitees to come. A rare opportunity? Something they’ve been looking for a while? Free drinks? Hook your invitees from the email beginning and leave the event details – date, place, dress code, etc. – for the end.
• Email layout. In your event emails, say only what makes the recipient want to participate and inform them how they can do it. The best way? Find a concise email invitation template, edit it to fit the occasion, and include an outstanding CTA (call-to-action) leading to the event’s landing page.
• Footer signature. Besides your brand’s name and logo, include in the footer links to your social media. The undecided invitees might need to check them out to decide on attending. Even if not, at least your brand will be already familiar when the next event comes.

11 Event Invitation Emails Examples with Handy Templates 

Between dog weddings and launches of futuristic products fits a vast array of event types. So do the emails inviting you to participate.

If you’re unsure what to include in an email for your specific occasion, we’ve selected 11 fascinating event invitation email examples covering the most common events to inspire you. But that’s not all – you’ll also find tips and templates to create your event promotion email worthy of mention in this article.

EverAfter – Webinars

Webinars have gained much popularity in recent years and for some good reasons. Available online, these interactive seminars can host people and invite speakers worldwide to share industry-specific information.

If hearing crickets at your online event isn’t optional, you must convince the invitees that it’s better than watching TV series. Communicate well what the attendees will take from your webinar: the topics, the expert speakers, and any related perks.

EverAfter does a good job with their email above, inviting you to their exclusive webinar.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The invitation email opens with a curiosity-inducing line that nudges to learn more;
• The guest speakers are put in focus to add value to the online event;
• The date and time of the event are highlighted several times to stay on recipients’ minds;
• CTA is both inviting and encourages clear action.

Do you already have a planned webinar, and only a good company is missing? Here’s a virtual event email invitation template to help you craft yours:

Hi, [Name],

Our [title of the event] webinar is one week away!

[date and time]

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity – hear from the industry experts:

[Guest speaker and topic #1]
[Guest speaker and topic #2]
[Guest speaker and topic #3]

See you there:

[CTA inviting to participate]

Valley Cruise – Exclusive Sales

Exclusive sales are probably the most “visited” event due to an irresistible combo of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and VIP experience. Yet, even a 99% sale available for a single person won’t cut it if you don’t come prepared.

Let your offer pop. Is there 60% off? Bold it and make it 1.5 times bigger than the rest of the text. A free gift with every purchase? Slap an image on there and go with all-capital letters. Don’t forget to emphasize the exclusivity, skip the boring details, and you’ve made yourself a first-rate exclusive sale invitation email.

Look at Valley Cruise’s email above and tell us you don’t want to smash that CTA.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The sale comes with an almost-perfect title that bets both on exclusivity and curiosity;
• It takes one moment to notice the discount;
• ‘Just for our favorite newsletter subscribers’ couldn’t have been written better.

Now you cannot wait to invite us to your exclusive sale. Grab a template to start from:

[Name], enjoy [discount percentage] off our [product category]. 

Available only for loveliest [loyalty tier] customers until [date time].

Use [promocode].

[CTA]

Boosted – Product Launch

Is it going to be your first or 101st new product launch? It doesn’t matter when you have an audience to introduce it to. To keep your customers on the edge of their seats, use the invitation email to excite them without revealing too much.

Yes, you must give details about the webinar to see people connecting. Yet, with product launches keeping your invitees in the dark before is the sure way to leave a bright impression during the product launch.

Above Boosted went creative with their new product announcement email by hiding it in the literal shadows.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The new product is only hinted at arousing curiosity;
• The date of the reveal is communicated not to leave the audience hanging for too long;
• The most impatient recipients are kept interested and invited to check out other novelties.

Don’t put off showing your baby. Here’s an event email template to introduce it to the world:

Hello, [name],

Be among the first to get blown away by our huge news.

Join us on [date and time] at [place of the product launch].

[CTA]

Segment – Conferences

If you’ve taken the troublesome task of hosting a conference, you must know why they’re so valuable for any business – you want to show that your company has a strong standing in the industry. But how do you have all the eyes laid on you? By crafting a powerful invitation email, of course.

Show, tell, and otherwise express why the invitees should become the attendees: highlight key takeaways, introduce high-profile speakers, and mention the networking opportunities. Throw in anything compelling enough to buy tickets to the event.

From the invitation email above, it’s evident that Segment knew what they were doing.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The focus is on the most prominent conference’s value – industry titans as guest speakers;
• Not to leave any misunderstanding, the main event also got a catchy explanation;
• The recipients are further encouraged to participate with a limited-time offer and live counter;
• The email is informative and visually compelling without being distracting.

If you find the invitation the most challenging part of organizing an exciting conference, trust this template to spark your creativity and boost your event email marketing campaign:

Hello, [Name],

We’re excited to invite you to our biggest industry event of the year – [conference name and type]. During [duration of the conference], you’ll hear from [number] guest speakers and have a chance to network in special evening events.

Our star speakers this year:

[Speaker #1 and their topic]
[Speaker #2 and their topic]
And [Speaker #3 and their topic]

Get your early bird ticket today for only [price]! Prices are going up on [date].

[CTA]

David Jones – Awards

We can’t get enough of award ceremonies. It’s captivating to see the best people, products, or companies in the industry being appreciated. 

So, how do you invite the celebrating and celebrated people to the awards event? In your invitation email, lay out the categories of awards, nominees, star hosts, and engaging activities waiting at the ceremony. If they’re a nominee you’re inviting to the in-person event, send them a unique email rich in details.

As you can see from the sample above, David Jones went the visual way with their invitation email.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The theme of the awards is expressed throughout the email and attracts the audience interested in the beauty industry;
• The nominee categories are shown one by one, and invite to know about each in more detail;
• The juries are presented separately to give weight to the ceremony.

Get your audience excited about your awards ceremony – build on this event email marketing template:

Hi, [name], 

Our favorite time of the year has come again – the [title of the awards] awards is only a few weeks away! 

During the ceremony, we’ll be celebrating [area of focus] across [scope of award] and honor them with the [name of the prize]. You’re invited to join us at [location] on [date and time]!

This year’s nominees in category #1 are:

[Nominee #1], [Nominee #2], and [Nominee #3]

In category #2: [Nominee #1], [Nominee #2], and [Nominee #3]

You can find full awards ceremony details on our official website at [website link].

We’re looking forward to seeing you!

[CTA]

Quotit – Customer Appreciation Event

Your customers are the rhyme and reason why your business world spins. So, it’s only evident that you want to show them a little love occasionally. Customer appreciation events do a fantastic job of celebrating your best and biggest customers and strengthening your relationship. Ensure you express these friendly intentions in your invitation email.

Think of the email as a message to a good friend – start by thanking the customer for being here with you. Tell them how eager you’re to see them on the day and why they should come by (to meet someone special, see a show, dine, etc.). Make the idea that it’s all about the customer clear and loud.

Quotit’s customer appreciation event email above proves that you don’t have to go overboard; a heartfelt message inviting you to dedicated activities on industry-specific events is enough.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The thank-you for being a customer is straightforward and honest;
• The details of the event (date and location) are highlighted;
• The recipients are informed of the engagements they can expect during the event.

Don’t wait for your customers to understand how much they mean to you. Do it yourself with a special event and an email explaining your gratitude:

Hi, [name]!

Today we wouldn’t be where we are without your support. To show how much we’re grateful to you as our customer, we want to invite you to [name of the event].

Join us and other beautiful customers of [company’s name] on [date and time] at [event location] and enjoy [activities during the event], including a meeting with [special guest]! We’ve also prepared some surprises you cannot miss.

[CTA]

Kampgrounds of America – Charity Events

Showing your customers that you care about the same issue and become a part of the solution together? We’re in! But how do you make your audience say the same?

In the invitation email, it’s crucial that you state the reason behind your charity event, how the attendees can add to the good cause, and how your company will tackle this philanthropic task.

We loved the approach from Kampgrounds of America shown above.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The brand connected the charity event with its engaging services, making it even more attractive to participate in;
• The cause of the charity is well-explained in the text and more extensively in the video;
• The customers who cannot participate are given other opportunities to help.

Are you planning a charity event for a cause you deeply care about? Here’s an invitation email template to inspire your customers to participate:

Hello, [name],

From the beginning, [company name] cared about [charitable cause]. We use everything in our power to support [the supported group], and this time, we ask you to join us for a good cause.

You’re invited to [charitable action] on [date and time] at [location]. All the charity participants will get [rewards] from the [company name].

Let’s do something beautiful together!

[CTA]

Facebook Business – Corporate Event Invitation Email

Corporate events play a huge role in unifying the company’s employees. Gathering in a relaxed offsite setting provides an invaluable break from routine and a precious opportunity to have fun, collaborate, partake in team-building activities, and network with peers.

To have a corporate event filled with happy employees, you’ll have to invite them first (Sherlock enters the chat). So, ensure you craft a captivating invitation email. Be keen on the details about the exciting activities waiting for the attendees and how they’ll benefit from it. Be it a learning session with industry experts, a networking party, or team-building time.

We can only guess the number of employees to participate in the special Facebook Business event but seeing an invitation email like this, we bet it was impressive.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The offer is irresistible – to learn from the best of the best in the industry;
• Workshops and networking are thrown in for good measure;
• The CTA is actionable, leaving little space for doubt. 

Your employees are happy people to have your corporate event waiting for them. Here’s a template to  invite them for valuable time and stay for the good one:

Dear [name of employee],

It’s said that teamwork makes the dream work. We couldn’t agree more, so we’re organizing a [duration of the event] team-working event.

Join us on [date and time] at [location], where you and your team members will engage in the following educational and bonding activities:

[Activity #1]
[Activity #2]
[Activity #3]

We cannot wait to see you there!

[CTA]

Retail Global – Office Party Invitation 

If your employees worked hard, they deserve to party hard too! Think of an occasion: milestone, anniversary, or holiday and organize a celebration. Once done, all that’s left is a good company, so get those creative juices flowing with an invitation email.

As with any other event for employees, mention that the party is well-deserved. Don’t miss out on how the attendees will have the time of their life: dress code, shows, activities, food, and drinks – what your party committee thought of. But leave some pleasant surprises untold.

It’s hard not to envy the party invitation email above from Retail Global.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The party has a fantastic theme expressed with engaging text and images;
• The email cleverly boasts of all the many activities waiting for the participants;
• It also mentions the attention-grabbing partners to join the celebration.

Now that we’ve established that work parties are a must, let’s look at the invitation email template to get you even more fired up:

Hi, [name],

[Company name] is organizing a [occasion of the party] party, and you’re invited!

Prepare your best [theme of the party] outfit and get ready to be lost in fun:

[Activity #1]
[Activity #2]
[Activity #3]

See you on [date and time] at [location]! More surprises will be revealed closer to the date.

[CTA]

Iterable – Conference Email Reminder

You probably imagine or know how much time and effort it takes for a conference to see the light of day. So, it’s more than reasonable to start inviting the participants at least one month before. Yet, with ever-changing plans, it’s hard for some to plan. A reminder right before the date can help them make up their minds.

But what do you include if all the exciting stuff has already been said in the first email? You have two ways. One – repeat the biggest highlights from the first email to remind what the invitee could be missing out on. Two – tell only about the exciting updates to push recipients who’ve already been interested after the first one.

For their ACTIVATE conference, Iterable went more than beyond. As you can see from the sample above, they’ve kept their main speaker a secret until the last moment making sure to grab the attention of the late birds.

Here’s what makes it work:

• The keynote speaker is not only presented as a trump card – it’s also written why hearing her is a unique opportunity;
• Rather than repeating the exact details, email invites curious recipients to find them on a dedicated website;
• The sponsors are shown in a visually compelling manner not to slip through the cracks.

Prepare a reminder email about your upcoming conference to have one thing less when the big day comes. Here’s a template to help you:

Dear [name],

We’re happy to announce more surprises waiting at [name of conference]! [Guest speaker name] will join us to speak on [panel topic]. Here’s why you cannot miss out:

[Reason #1]
[Reason #2]
[Reason #3]

Get your ticket today for [price], and see you on [date and time] at [location]!

[CTA]

Send email reminders without a hassle: Sender has a robust automation feature with smart workflows that allow you to deliver perfectly timed, personalized, and targeted emails to your audience.

Zendesk – Upcoming Events

What’s better than an exciting upcoming event? A series of those, of course! If you have yours already lined up, let your audience know about it!

First and foremost, stick to a concise structure. Start with a short introduction about all the events and briefly summarize each. You may add one link to the website with details on all the events or a separate link under each so the invitees check out only the one that interests them.

Zendesk is a master at saying a lot with so little. After all, it managed to fit information on six events in a single email!

Here’s what makes it work:

• All of the events have an illustrative picture and a short description for immediate understanding;
• The most important events stand out visually;
• Rather than cramming in all the upcoming events, the email invites you to see what’s waiting in the far future on a dedicated website.

Here’s an invitation email template for the busy bees who plan events ahead:

[Time period] is full of events you don’t want to miss!

Check out the events our team has been working on and participate in one or all of them!

[Event #1] [Short description #1] [CTA #1]

[Event #2] [Short description #2] [CTA #2]

[Event #3] [Short description #3] [CTA #3]

Visit our website [website name] to discover even more upcoming events!

Key Takeaways

Event invitations determine a considerable part of events’ success, i.e., having participants. While there are many ways to inform the invitees, emails are the top, as they have a high open rate and can contain concise and engaging content combining copy and visuals. 

Here are key takeaways on how to get the most of event invitation emails:

Also read:

• Marketing for Event Planners: Tips & Examples
• How to Write an Announcement Email: Tips, Examples

Author bio

Vesta Oldenburg is a content writer specializing in email marketing strategies. In her daily work, creativity intertwines with a strategic mindset to create content that captivates its readers.