Everybody's inbox is full of holiday and event invitations during this time of the year. Between fundraisers and holiday parties, you have enough email to last you until January. If you are the person sending those invitations out, are you having success?

Success starts with having the person open your email, but is sealed when the person makes a decision to attend.

Sometimes, there is too much volume and you could have the perfect invitation and few people will see it. That's something to consider during the November-December holiday season. However, you can't avoid it if you are keen to have a holiday party or a year-end fundraiser.

Based on the invites I have been getting, here are my four top tips for making them successful:
<ol>
	<li>Have an informative subject line (Join Joe's Christmas Party  on December 22)</li>
	<li>Provide the <strong>all the requisite information</strong>: date, time, location/directions, cost, attire, and any other relevant information. Do not put any of this stuff elsewhere.</li>
	<li>Double (and triple) check the dates, spelling, and the accuracy of the information.</li>
	<li>Include at least on reason as to why this event is a must-attend (biggest fundraiser of the year, more than 200 potential clients, the best food and drink, etc.)</li>
</ol>
These may seem like good common sense, but I can't tell you how many emails I get that:
<ul>
	<li>Have the right day, but the wrong date</li>
	<li>Don't include location</li>
	<li>Don't include cost (and make you click through to registration to find out)</li>
	<li>Give no reason why would want to attend</li>
</ul>
Yes, this is basic, but minding the basics is the first thing you should do. Once you have covered the basic, the extra credit to make invitations successful is good design. An attractively designed invitation will welcome people, and make them want to be a part of the event.

What do you do to make your invitations stand out from the crowd?