The good news is that you don’t need a marketing degree or a complicated software program to run effective email sequences. This guide will walk you through how to use simple, effective drip campaigns to increase registrations and boost attendee engagement. 

Key Insights

➡️ Drip campaigns aren’t just for big brands; they’re also powerful for small teams running events.
➡️ The best emails feel like personal messages, rather than automated blasts.
➡️ You don’t need fancy tools—just the right timing and tone.
➡️ When used right, drip campaigns increase sign-ups, lower drop-off, and build long-term loyalty.

What Makes a Drip Campaign Actually Work?

Let’s be honest: most of the emails in your inbox are probably missing the mark. They’re too generic, pushy, or maybe even annoying. If emails don’t resonate with your reader, they’ll head straight to the trash—or worse, get flagged as spam.

Drip campaigns work because you can leverage your timing, tone, and relevance. You can intentionally schedule messages to send out at the right time, when someone is interested but needs guidance, for example. Whether it’s reducing drop-off after a page view or nudging someone to upgrade to VIP, the goal is to meet them where they are with relevant messages.

What Even Is a Drip Campaign?

A drip campaign is a series of automated, pre-scheduled emails designed to guide potential attendees through the registration process. Think of a drip campaign as a short series of emails that go out automatically based on timing or a specific action, such as viewing your registration page but not signing up, or attending your event.

Here’s the simple breakdown:

➡️Trigger-based: Someone does something (or doesn’t), and the emails begin.
➡️Time-based: Messages roll out starting on a specific date, according to a specific time interval.
➡️Purpose: This might be to warm people up, nudge them toward sign-up, or bring them back after abandonment.

When to Use Drip Campaigns for Your Event

There are multiple ways to successfully use drip campaigns for your event, but here are some of the most effective times to send your automated messages:

🕵️ Abandoned registration – After someone views your page but doesn’t register, follow up with an email reminder and an incentive.
🎉Post-registration – Build excitement and nurture new registrants by sharing important logistics, upselling VIP packages, or offering add-ons.
⏰A few days before the event – Build hype, remind people of what’s coming, and reduce no-shows by sending out an email shortly before the event.
📥Post-event – Thank attendees, request feedback, and tease your next event in the post-event follow-up email. 

With RegFox, you can trigger emails natively or integrate with your favorite email platform using Zapier or our 3,000+ third-party integrations.

3 Real-World Drip Campaign Flows

Here are a few examples of how event organizers like you are using drip campaigns in different ways to grow their event and engage their attendees.

1. Abandoned Registration Flow

Trigger: Someone views your page but doesn’t register.
Email 1: Friendly reminder with a value prop (for example, “Still thinking about joining us?”).
Email 2: Benefit-focused follow-up (testimonials, highlight a keynote).
Email 3: Deadline reminder or limited-time offer.

2. Pre-Event Countdown Flow

Trigger: Someone registers.

Email 1: Hype + confirmation (logistics, add-to-calendar, QR code).
Email 2: FAQ + upsells (VIP, merch, breakout sessions).
Email 3: Final details (parking, weather, what to bring).

3. Post-Event Feedback + Retarget Flow

Trigger: Event ends.
Email 1: Thank-you note + quick feedback survey.
Email 2: Highlight reel or photos.
Email 3: Early-bird promo for your next event.

How to Avoid Being Annoying

Just because your emails are automated doesn’t mean they should feel automated. The goal is to stay relevant and helpful without overwhelming people or sounding robotic.

Here are a few quick rules to keep your messages welcome—and your subscribers sticking around:

A few quick rules to keep your audience happy (and subscribed):

✅ Space out your emails so people don’t feel overwhelmed.
✅ Write like a human, not a template
✅ Add value, don’t just say “register now”
✅ Make unsubscribing easy—nobody wants to feel trapped, plus it’s healthy for your list.

What Tools Should You Use?

If you’re using RegFox, you already have built-in options for confirmation emails, automated reminders, and follow-ups—no tech skills required.

Want more advanced automation? You can use integrations with tools like Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, or your favorite CRM via Zapier or our native API.

How to Know If Your Drip Campaign Is Working

Keeping a pulse on the success of your drip campaign will help you know what needs to change and where to double down. You don’t need an entire wall of charts, though; you can focus on tracking these three metrics:

📅Open Rate: Are people even seeing your message?

📊Click Rate: Are they engaging with your call-to-action?
📈Completion or Show-Up Rate: Are they doing what you hoped they would?

If numbers dip, it might be your subject lines, send time, or message tone. Time to tweak, test, and repeat.

FAQ: Still Figuring It Out?

No problem. Here are three of the most common questions we get.

Q: Can I use these if I only have a small list?
Yes! Smaller lists often mean higher engagement. Choose quality over quantity every time.

Q: How many emails is too many?
Three to five is usually the sweet spot. More than that, and you’re just noise.

Q: What if people unsubscribe?
That’s okay! A few self-selected unsubscribers keep your list clean and filled with the people who want to hear from you.

Final Takeaways

With the right strategy, email drip campaigns can skyrocket your event registrations and free up your time. Schedule a demo to learn more, or download our full PDF guide on drip campaigns.

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our support team.

Our goal is to help you have the best event ever!
‍

– The RegFox Team