A communication plan gets registrants into Brella before the event, reminds them to book meetings, and keeps attendees informed during the event. Each step of the plan uses a Brella feature in the admin panel.
Before you start
Invitation emails and custom emails work only in invite-only events. In a public event, copy the Join URL and Join Code from People > Registrants and send them with your own email service.
Custom emails go to the registrant lists you choose. Announcements and stories go to all registrants or to the lists you choose. Create a list for each group you want to reach separately, for example sponsor representatives or speakers.
Sponsor representatives, speakers and partners receive these messages only if they are registrants of the event. When you choose lists, they must be in one of them.
Choose the Brella feature for each message
Invitation email (People > Registrants): Brella's invitation, with a personal join code and join link. See Add registrants one at a time and send invitations.
Custom emails (Communications > Custom Emails): your own emails to the lists you choose, sent now, at a scheduled time, or on a trigger. The audience Unused invites reaches registrants who haven't joined. Joined attendees reaches those who have. See Introduction to custom emails.
Event reminder email (Communications > Reminders): one fixed email to everyone who has joined, at the time you set.
Pending notifications reminder emails (Communications > Reminders): ask attendees to answer meeting requests that are waiting for them. See Schedule reminder emails.
Announcements (Communications > Announcements): a push notification, and an email if you choose, to joined attendees, all of them or those in the lists you choose. See Send announcements to attendees.
Stories (Communications > Stories): text and image slides at the top of the Home screen, for all attendees or the lists you choose. They stay visible for as long as you set. See Create and organize stories.
Recommended plan
Send each invitation and reminder as its own email, not as part of a newsletter.
Two weeks before the event: invite sponsors and partners
Leave invites Not published for now, so that Brella emails only the people you select.
Open People > Registrants.
Select the sponsor representatives, partners and exhibitors.
Select Send emails, then Send.
If a custom email with the Invite created trigger targets their list, Brella sends that email instead of the default invitation.
Give representatives time to practice networking and check their booth materials. Include the relevant attendee instructions in their welcome message.
Ten days before the event: invite attendees and speakers
In the Publish invites box on People > Registrants, select Publish.
Select Publish in the dialog.
Brella emails every registrant who has an email address, hasn't joined and hasn't received an invitation yet. While invites are Published, Brella also emails each registrant you add later.
Five, three and one day before the event: send reminders
Create a custom email. Under Sending method, choose Scheduled emails.
Under Who should we send this email to?, choose Unused invites.
Ask people to join, and add the
{{join_url}}merge tag so they can join from the email. The One-Click invite template light and One-Click invite template dark in the visual editor already include the join link.Create a second scheduled custom email for Joined attendees. Ask them to complete their profile and book meetings.
In both emails, under Target delivery by registrant list, choose the lists of everyone you invited.
Repeat for each reminder date. Duplicate copies an email as a draft that you can reschedule.
The Event reminder email can't replace these reminders. It reaches only people who have joined, and you can send it once.
Use the launch and reminder templates in Custom email best practices. Adapt the help contact and instructions for each audience.
The days before the event: meeting requests
Schedule Pending notifications reminder emails so attendees answer the meeting requests waiting for them. As a starting plan, send one 3 days before, one the day before and one on the first morning. Adjust the sequence to your event.
You can schedule the separate Event reminder email for the day before. It reaches joined attendees only and does not replace the reminder to unused invites.
During the event
Send announcements for changes to the schedule, rooms and session starts. Keep them few, timely and relevant.
Use stories for content that stays available: sponsor messages, venue information, agenda highlights.
After the event
Send a thank-you announcement, or a custom email to Joined attendees with recordings or a survey.
Track progress
Analytics shows how many people have joined. See Read attendee analytics.
In an invite-only event, the Joined and Not joined cards on People > Registrants show who still has to join.
Communications > Custom Emails shows the opens and clicks of each email.
Each announcement shows how many attendees opened it.
If many registrants haven't joined, send another reminder to Unused invites.
Welcome walkthrough outline
A short welcome message or video can show first-time attendees what to do next. Include only features your event uses, with their actual page names.
Welcome attendees and explain the event's purpose.
Start on Home. Show announcements, upcoming activities and Event info.
Show where to find event help and the support contact's hours.
Explain why to complete a profile and choose networking interests.
Show how to set availability, find a person and request a meeting.
Show the schedule, filters and where to find booked meetings.
Show speaker pages, sponsor booths and how to contact representatives.
Finish with one action, such as completing the profile before [date].
Add these optional topics when your event uses them:
Show how to bookmark sessions and sync the schedule to a calendar. Explain the displayed time zone and link to time-zone settings.
Show where to watch a stream. Point out its available chat, Q&A or poll tabs, and explain where each session or discussion happens.
Show how to join a breakout room if you offer group discussions there.
Explain how to turn on push notifications.
If you share recordings, show their location and explain how long attendees can access them.
Test your walkthrough with someone who has not used the event before.
To place a video on Home, use Add an image or video to the event home page. To prepare a support page, see Create event info pages.
Promote networking outside Brella
Add a networking section to your event website.
Mention networking in your newsletters, blog posts and social media posts.
For a public event, share the join link. For an invite-only event, tell people to look for their invitation email.
Announcement examples
Use these as starting points. Replace the text in brackets, and use the names your event gives its app pages, such as Schedule or People. A title can have up to 45 characters. Check that the feature you mention is turned on for your event.
To open a session or a sponsor's booth from an announcement, put a deep link in Link, for example https://next.brella.io/events/<event slug>/session/<session id> or https://next.brella.io/events/<event slug>/sponsor/<sponsor id>. For a white-label app, replace next.brella.io with <organization slug>.brella.io. See Use deep links to open screens in the app.
Before the event
Title:
[Event name] starts tomorrow. Content:Book your meetings and pick your sessions today. The agenda is in [Schedule].Title:
Doors open in 1 hour. Content:Registration is at [location]. See you there.
Opening and each event day
Title:
Welcome to [event name]. Content:Complete your profile, then find people to meet in [People].Title:
Day [number] starts now. Content:Today's sessions are in [Schedule].
Networking
Title:
The meeting area is open. Content:Your 1:1 meetings take place at [location]. Check the time and place of each meeting in [My Schedule].Title:
[number] meeting requests sent so far. Content:Attendees are booking meetings. Find your matches in [People] and send your requests.Title:
Welcome reception at [time]. Content:Join us at [location] for the welcome reception, hosted by [sponsor name].
Sessions
Title:
Next session starts in 10 minutes. Content:[Session name] starts at [time] in [location].Title:
Now live: [session name]. Content:Join us in [location]. The session has started.Title:
Workshop in the breakout rooms. Content:Join [room name] in [Breakout Rooms] at [time]. Bring your questions.
Sponsors
Title:
Visit [sponsor name] at booth [number]. Content:Stop by before [time] to enter the prize draw.Title:
Lunch hosted by [sponsor name]. Content:Lunch is served at [location] from [time].
Breaks and practical information
Title:
Coffee break. Content:Coffee and tea are served at [location] until [time].Title:
Room change for [session name]. Content:The session moves to [location]. It still starts at [time].Title:
Lost and found. Content:A [item] was found at [location]. Collect it at the registration desk.
Technical issues
Title:
Problem with the stream. Content:Reload the page or restart the app. If the stream still doesn't play, contact [support contact].Title:
We are fixing a technical issue. Content:[Feature] isn't working right now. We will send an update within [number] minutes.
After the event
Title:
Thank you for joining [event name]. Content:Recordings are available in [Schedule] until [date].Title:
Rate your meetings and sessions. Content:Tell us how it went. Open the Home screen and rate your meetings and sessions.