Event Information

RunSignup’s Email V2 is a powerful, free tool that helps you communicate with participants, promote your event, and streamline operations—all within your race dashboard. In this session, our onboarding team will walk you through the essentials of using Email V2, from building your contact lists to creating automated emails that keep participants engaged.

Key topics include:

• How to set up and send marketing and event emails
• Using prebuilt templates and dynamic replacement tags
• Automating pre- and post-event emails
• Managing contact lists and tracking email performance
• And more!

Bring your questions! We’ll answer written questions throughout the webinar, as well as key questions verbally at the conclusion of the session.

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Summary of Webinar 

Overview

This RunSignup 101 webinar introduces Email Marketing V2, the platform’s modern, mobile-optimized email solution designed to replace legacy email tools and third-party providers. The session walks through the full lifecycle of email communication—from selecting recipients and building content with drag-and-drop templates, to scheduling, automation, and performance tracking. A key takeaway is that Email V2 is free, powerful, and built directly into the race dashboard, making it easy for events of any size to communicate consistently, save time, and increase participation.

What Is Email V2?

Email V2 is RunSignup’s next-generation email platform, combining familiar functionality with new features that improve efficiency, design, and engagement.

Key improvements include:

• Drag-and-drop email templates

• Mobile-first design and previewing

• Image galleries with folders

• Dynamic replacement tags for personalization

• Built-in automation

• Robust reporting and analytics

The system is designed so that anyone can create professional, effective emails without needing design or marketing expertise.

Who Should Use Email V2?

Everyone. Email V2 is:

• Free to use

• Available directly in the race dashboard

• Designed to replace third-party tools like Constant Contact or Mailchimp

With 78% of emails viewed on mobile devices, Email V2’s mobile optimization ensures messages are readable, clean, and actionable. The platform supports both marketing growth and critical participant communication, making it a core tool for successful event management.

Creating & Sending Emails (Live Demo Highlights)

Accessing Email V2

• Navigate to your Race Dashboard

• Select Email Marketing V2 from the left menu

• Choose Send Email

Selecting Recipients

• Use pre-built system lists (current participants, past participants, volunteers, donors, etc.)

• Create and manage custom contact lists

• Upload external lists via CSV to replace third-party platforms

Building the Email

• Enter subject line and sender details

• Choose a template:

  • Start from scratch

  • Use a basic framework

  • Select a pre-built RunSignup template

  • Import custom HTML

• Save templates for reuse across emails and races

Templates & Content Blocks

Template Options

• Pre-built templates categorized by email type

• Fully customizable layouts

• Save edited templates for future use

Content Blocks

Add flexible elements such as:

• Text and images

• Buttons

• Sponsor grids

• Social media links

• QR codes (linking directly to RunSignup pages)

• Dividers and layout elements

These blocks make it easy to assemble clear, visually consistent emails quickly.

Dynamic Tags & Personalization

Dynamic replacement tags allow you to personalize emails at scale.

Examples include:

• First name

• Bib number

• Corral assignment

• Registration details

• Event-specific links

This enables mass emails to feel individual and relevant, improving engagement and reducing confusion.

You can also set default fallback values (e.g., “Hi there” if a first name is missing).

Previewing, Scheduling & Sending

Before sending:

• Preview emails in desktop and mobile views

• Send test emails to yourself

• Save drafts for later edits

Sending options:

• Send immediately

• Schedule for a future date and time

Scheduling emails in batches is encouraged to save time and maintain consistent communication.

Marketing vs. Transactional Emails

Marketing Emails

• Promote the event

• Target potential, past, or future participants

• Examples:

  • Registration open announcements

  • Price increase reminders

  • Swag or sponsor highlights

Transactional Emails

• Deliver essential information to registered participants

• Examples:

  • Weather updates

  • Packet pickup details

  • Race-day logistics

Important distinction:
Participants can unsubscribe from marketing emails, but cannot unsubscribe from transactional emails, ensuring they receive critical race information.

Deduplication Explained

Deduplication controls how emails are sent when multiple registrations share the same email address.

Options include:

• Email only: one email per address

• Email + name: one email per unique person

This is especially helpful for families or group registrations.

Automation Tools

Email V2 includes built-in automated emails to save time and increase conversions:

• Incomplete registration reminders

• Price increase notifications

• Registration follow-ups

These automated touches act as reminders without overwhelming recipients and often recover lost registrations.

Contact Lists & Email Capture

Custom Contact Lists

• Create unlimited lists

• Add contacts manually or via CSV upload

• Ideal for importing lists from external providers

Email Capture Popup

• On-site signup form for visitors

• Automatically adds contacts to a custom list

• Useful for building a marketing audience outside of registration

Reporting & Analytics

Email V2 provides detailed reporting, including:

• Open rates

• Click-through rates

• Bounces

• Unsubscribes

Reports help identify what’s working, refine messaging, and improve future campaigns.

Legacy email tools remain accessible only for historical reference.

Best Practices & Suggested Email Cadence

General guidance shared during the webinar:

• Email once per week or every other week for marketing

• Increase frequency around key milestones:

  • Registration opening

  • Price increases

  • Swag deadlines

  • Sponsor or course announcements

• Use scheduling to batch work and reduce stress

• Reuse high-performing emails and templates

Communication is framed as a service, not spam—clear, timely emails reduce inbound questions and improve participant experience.

Q&A Highlights

• Copying emails between races: Export and import saved templates

• Sharing email lists: Export lists and re-import as custom lists

• Unsubscribes: Separate unsubscribe tracking for marketing vs transactional

• Reply-to address: Configurable in Email V2 settings

• Legacy email system: Read-only for past data; all new emails use Email V2

Key Takeaways

• Email V2 is a free, modern replacement for legacy and third-party email tools

• Mobile optimization is critical for engagement

• Templates, dynamic tags, and automation save time while increasing impact

• Clear communication drives registrations and reduces support workload

• Email V2 is designed to grow with your event—from first announcement to race day logistics