It can be disheartening to have to send an event cancellation email notifying those involved in your carefully planned and thoughtfully designed event that it must, unfortunately, be canceled for unforeseen circumstances.
Instead of planning and preparing for the event, you are now faced with the dilemma of breaking the news to everyone involved, especially to your audience, who are just as excited as you for the event.
And yet, the audience is just one of the many things you must deal with during event cancellation. You also have to face questions like; “How do I handle the refunds, rescheduling, or alternative options? How do I protect my brand image and reputation?”
The answer lies in one crucial tool: an event cancellation email.
But how do you make one? In this blog post, we’ll show you how to write an effective event cancellation email that minimizes the negative impact and maximizes the positive outcome of your event cancellation request.
Not only will you have fun reading this blog, but you’ll also have a clear understanding of how to craft an event cancellation email that helps you succeed in event planning, even in the face of adversity.
What is an Event Cancellation Email, and Why Do You Need One?
An event cancellation email is a type of email that you send to your attendees, sponsors, and speakers when you have to cancel your event for any reason. It is an email that is a formal and professional way of informing your audience that your event will occur differently than planned. It’s also an opportunity to show your empathy, gratitude, and solutions to your audience and maintain a positive relationship with them.
An event cancellation email differs from an event postponement email when you reschedule your event for a later date. Cancellation of event email means that your event will not occur at all, or at least not in the foreseeable future.
There are many scenarios and reasons why you might have to cancel your event, such as:
- COVID-19 pandemic
- Natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, earthquakes, floods)
- Security threats (e.g., terrorism, violence, cyberattacks)
- Low attendance or registration rate
- The venue or vendor issues
- Speaker or performer cancellations
- Budget cuts or financial losses
- Change of plans
Whatever the reason, sending an event cancellation email is important for several reasons:
Cancellation of an event email helps you to communicate clearly and respectfully with your attendees, sponsors, and speakers. Inform them of the cancellation immediately and explain why you made this decision. Apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment caused by the cancellation and express your appreciation for their support and understanding.
Additionally, it protects your brand image and reputation. The email shows your professionalism and credibility by handling the situation gracefully and responsibly. It also demonstrates your values and mission by putting the safety and well-being of your audience first.
Moreover, it helps you avoid legal issues and negative feedback. Avoid legal issues by complying with contractual obligations or terms and conditions with your audience or stakeholders involved in your event. It also assists you to avoid any disputes or complaints arising from the cancellation.
Furthermore, you get to offer refunds, rescheduling, or alternative options. You want to provide your audience with some compensation or solution for their loss of time, money, or interest in your event. You might offer them full or partial refunds, credits for future events, access to online or virtual events, or other resources or benefits that they can enjoy.
As you can see, sending an event cancellation email is not only a courtesy but also a necessity for any event organizer who has to cancel their event.
Write an Event Cancellation Email that Wows Your Receiver or Audience
Now that you know what an event cancellation email is and why you need one, let’s look at how to write one effectively.
Writing an event cancellation email can be challenging and stressful, especially if you must do it under time pressure or emotional distress. However, our best practices and tips can help you craft an event cancellation email that wows your audience and achieves your goals.
Best Practices and Tips in Crafting an Event Cancellation Email
Use a clear and catchy subject line.
The subject line is the first thing your audience will see when they receive your email. It’s also the most crucial factor that determines whether they will open it or not.
Thus, ensure that your subject line is clear and catchy. Convey the main message of your email (that your event is canceled) and spark some curiosity, empathy, or interest in your audience.
Examples of good and lousy cancellation email subject lines:
Good subject lines are specific, informative, and engaging. Good subject lines tell the audience what to expect from the email and entice them to read more. Bad subject lines are vague, generic, and boring. They don’t give the audience any reason to open the email or care about the cancellation.
Address your recipients politely and personally.
Salutation is the next thing that your audience will see when they open your email. It’s also the first impression that you make on them.
Therefore, make sure that your salutation is polite and personal. Address your audience by their name or title and show some respect and appreciation for them.
Some examples of good and bad salutations for event cancellation emails:
As you can see, excellent salutations are friendly and customized. Excellent salutations use the recipient’s name or title and show warmth and familiarity. Mediocre salutations are cold and impersonal. These salutations use generic or vague terms and show some indifference or detachment.
Be concise, empathetic, and professional in your tone and message
The body is the main part of your email. It’s where you deliver the news of your event cancellation and explain the reason, apology, and solution.
Ensure your tone and message are concise, empathetic, and professional. Use clear and simple language, avoid jargon or slang, and use bullet points or paragraphs to organize your information.
Furthermore, show empathy and understanding for your audience’s feelings and expectations. Acknowledge your possible attendees’ disappointment or frustration, and express your regret and sincerity.
Maintain a professional and respectful attitude, avoid blaming or criticizing anyone or anything, and focus on the positive aspects or opportunities of the situation.
Great and poor cancellation message samples:
From the example, you can see the great tone and message are concise, empathetic, and professional. It uses clear and straightforward language, shows empathy and apology for the cancellation, and offers solutions and compensation for the audience.
Poor tone and message are vague, insensitive, and unprofessional. They use jargon or slang, showing indifference or sarcasm for the cancellation, and present some options without any explanation or gratitude.
Provide the reason and apology for the cancellation
One of the most important parts of your event cancellation email is to provide the reason and apology for the cancellation. An apology is where you explain why you had to cancel your event and how sorry you are.
Providing the reason and apology for the cancellation is essential for several reasons:
- Displays transparency and honesty.
Be upfront and truthful with your audience about why you canceled your event. Don’t hide or lie about anything that might damage your reputation.
- Shows respect and empathy.
Acknowledge and validate your audience’s feelings and expectations about your event. Avoid ignoring or dismissing their disappointment or frustration.
- Displays responsibility and accountability.
Take ownership and apologize for any inconvenience or loss caused by your event cancellation. Do not blame or criticize anyone or anything for the situation.
Here are some ideas on ways to explain and apologize for the cancellation:
As you can see, a strong explanation provides a clear and specific reason for the cancellation and a sincere apology to the audience. A weak explanation provides a vague and general reason for the cancellation and a casual and insincere apology to the audience.
Offer solutions and compensation.
Another crucial part of your event cancellation email is to offer solutions and compensation for your audience. The solutions and compensation part is where you provide them with some options or alternatives that they can choose from to make up for their loss of time, money, or interest in your event.
Offering solutions and compensation is essential for several reasons:
- Signifies gratitude and appreciation.
Thank your audience for their interest and support in your event, and show them that you value their loyalty and satisfaction.
- Demonstrate generosity and goodwill.
Give your audience something in return for their ticket purchase or registration, and show them that you care about their needs and preferences.
- Displays creativity and innovation.
Offer your audience something relevant and useful for them and show them that you can still deliver value and quality even without an in-person event.
Here are some examples of how to offer solutions and compensation:
The good examples offer a variety of options or alternatives that are relevant and useful for the audience and explain how they can claim them easily and quickly. The bad examples offer a limited number of options or alternatives that are vague and generic for the audience and don’t provide clear instructions or deadlines for them.
Include a call to action or a feedback request.
Event cancellation emails should include a call to action or a feedback request for your audience. Call to action is where you invite attendees to take action or share opinions that will help you improve your communication and relationship with them.
Important reasons for including a call to action or a feedback request:
- Displays engagement and interest.
You want to keep the conversation going with your audience and show them that you are interested in their thoughts and feelings about your event cancellation.
- Shows improvement and learning.
You want to get feedback or suggestions from your audience and show them that you are willing to learn from your mistakes and improve your performance.
- Reveals anticipation and excitement.
You want to create some excitement for future events and show them that you are confident and optimistic about your prospects.
Examples of how to include a call to action or a feedback request:
An excellent call to action and feedback request, aside from being relevant and beneficial for the audience, also provides some incentive or motivation for them. Weak calls to action are vague and general. It is not appealing or useful for the audience and does not provide any reason or reward for them.
Thank them for their support and understanding.
The last part of your event cancellation email is to thank your audience for their support and understanding. Express your gratitude and appreciation for their loyalty and patience in the face of your event cancellation on this portion.
Reasons for thanking audiences for their support and understanding:
- Manifest respect and recognition.
Acknowledge and recognize your audience’s efforts and sacrifices to attend your event and show them that you respect their decision and choice.
- Displays humility and sincerity.
Admit and apologize for any shortcomings or failures in organizing your event and show them that you are sincere in your apology.
- Reveals hope and optimism.
End your email on a positive note and show them that you are hopeful and optimistic about the future of your event and your relationship with them.
How to thank attendees for their support and understanding:
A great way to thank audiences is to acknowledge their feelings and expectations and express hope and optimism for the future. A bad way is doing it casually and insincerely, ignoring their feelings and expectations, and not showing any hope or optimism for the future.
Event Cancellation Announcement Examples from Top Brands
Now that you know how to write an event cancellation email, let’s look at some real-life examples from top brands and organizations that demonstrate effective communication and management of event cancellation.
We’ll analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each example and see what we can learn from them.
Mobile World Congress
One of the first large events to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic was Mobile World Congress, a global event for the mobile industry that takes place in Barcelona every year.
The organizers of the Mobile World Congress faced a lot of pressure and uncertainty as they had to deal with the rising concerns and withdrawals of their attendees, sponsors, and speakers. They eventually decided to cancel the event in February 2020, just two weeks before it was supposed to take place.
What they did well:
- They used a clear and catchy subject line: “MWC Barcelona 2020 Event Cancellation”
- They addressed their recipients politely: “Dear MWC Barcelona Attendees”
- They were concise, empathetic, and professional in their tone and message
- They provided the reason and apology for the cancellation: “The global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern, and other circumstances make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event”
- They offered refunds or credits as solutions: “We are working to provide details on how refunds of tickets will be processed”
- They thanked them for their support and understanding: “Our sympathies at this time are with those affected in China, and all around the world”
What they could improve:
- They could have included a call to action or a feedback request to engage their audience
- They could have provided more details or instructions on how to claim their refunds or credits
- They could have created some anticipation or excitement for their future events
Woodstock 50
Another event that had to be canceled in 2019 was Woodstock 50, a festival that was supposed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic music event that took place in 1969.
The organizers of Woodstock 50 faced a lot of issues and setbacks as they had to cancel their event that was supposed to take place in Watkins Glen, New York in August 2019. They had to deal with the loss of the original venue, the failure to secure permits, the withdrawal of key investors and partners, and the cancellation of some performers.
After exhausting all possible alternatives, they decided to cancel the event in July 2019, just a few weeks before it was supposed to start.
What they did well:
- They used a clear and catchy subject line: “Woodstock 50 Cancellation”
- They addressed their recipients politely: “Dear Woodstock Friends”
- They were concise, empathetic, and professional in their tone and message
- They provided the reason and apology for the cancellation: “We are saddened that a series of unforeseen setbacks have made it impossible to put on the Festival we imagined with the great line-up we had booked and the social engagement we were anticipating. We thank the artists, fans, and partners who stood by us even in the face of adversity”
- They offered donations or online resources as solutions: “We encourage our supporters to further our efforts at social change by donating to our non-profit organization, The Woodstock Foundation. We also invite you to visit our website, where you can find information and resources on various causes and movements that we support”
What they could improve:
- They could have included a call to action or a feedback request to engage their audience
- They could have provided more details or instructions on how to make a donation or access their online resources
- They could have created some anticipation or excitement for their future events.
Checklist and Template for Writing an Event Cancellation Notice
The checklist you need to remember when writing an event cancellation email:
- Subject line: Event Cancellation: [Event Name]
- Salutation: Dear [Name],
- Body:
- Inform them of the cancellation and the reason
- Apologize for the inconvenience or disappointment
- Offer solutions and compensation
- Include a call to action or a feedback request
- Closing: Thank them for their support and understanding
- Signature: [Your Name] [Your Title] [Your Organization]
Write down your own event cancellation email using this template:
We hope this checklist or template helps you write your own event cancellation email.
Event Organizers’ Roles After Canceling an Event
Canceling an event is only part of your role as an event organizer. It’s just the beginning of a new phase of your event planning process.
After event cancellations, you have several roles and responsibilities that you need to fulfill to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
Here are some of them:
Managing Refunds, Cancellation Fees, Contracts, and Insurance Policies for Event Cancellation
One of the most essential roles after canceling an event is to deal with the financial and legal aspects of event cancellation.
You need to manage the refunds, cancellation fees, contracts, and insurance policies involved in your event cancellation.
Here are some tips on how to do that:
- Communicate clearly and promptly with your audience about how they can request or receive their refunds or credits. Provide them with clear instructions, deadlines, and contact information.
- Negotiate with your vendors and service providers about how they can cancel or reschedule their services without incurring any penalties or fees. Review your contracts and terms and conditions carefully and try to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
- Protect yourself from any legal issues or disputes that might arise from your event cancellation. Consult with your lawyer or legal advisor about any potential liabilities or claims that you might face. Review your insurance policies and see if they cover any losses or damages caused by your event cancellation.
Follow up with Attendees and Maintain Communication After Canceling an Event
Another important role after canceling an event is to follow up with your attendees and maintain communication with them.
You need to keep in touch with your attendees and keep them informed and engaged after canceling your event.
Here are some tips on how to do that:
- Send them regular updates and newsletters about your future events, online events, or resources that they can access or enjoy.
- Invite them to join your online community or social media channels where they can interact with other attendees, speakers, sponsors, or partners.
- Ask them for their feedback or suggestions on how you can improve your communication and service after canceling your event.
- Offer them some incentives or rewards for staying loyal and supportive of your event and organization.
Maximizing Event Cancellation Communication Impact with Event Smart
Canceling an event is a difficult decision and never easy, but it doesn’t have to be a disaster.
With the right tools and strategies, you can turn your event cancellation into an opportunity to communicate effectively and efficiently with your audience and maintain a positive and lasting relationship with them.
One of the tools that can help you do that is Event Smart, a powerful and flexible event management and ticketing software.
With Event Smart, you can:
- Create and send professional and personalized event cancellation emails to your audience using customizable templates and automated workflows
- Manage and process refunds, credits, or donations for your event cancellation using secure and integrated payment systems
- Follow up and engage with your audience after canceling your event using smart and intuitive tools such as surveys, analytics, reports, CRM, and more
- Plan and prepare for your future events using reliable tools such as registration, ticketing, marketing, networking, and more
Event Smart is the ultimate event management solution that helps you achieve event planning success even in the face of adversity. Start your free trial today!
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