Are you in the process of composing an event announcement email? Maybe your event marketing efforts are going to waste because of a poor open rate. And you’re left wondering, are the recipients even opening their emails?
You could have an exceptionally well-crafted email or a newsletter with all the reasons for your leads to join your event, but all that effort can go to waste if you don’t have a fitting subject line for your email.
The subject line is the first thing your lead will see besides the sender’s name. If the subject line doesn’t pack a punch, the email will be ignored like hundreds of others daily.
A whopping 69% of email recipients have stated that they report emails as spam solely based on their subject line. That is, if the email hasn’t already been flagged as spam by your provider’s spam filters. So, this single element can also affect how your leads perceive your brand.
Email marketing can be an incredibly effective way to promote your upcoming event and drive ticket sales But it all starts with a compelling email subject line
Your subject line is the first impression your event promotion email makes on subscribers. If it doesn’t immediately capture attention and interest, your email may go unopened and your event promotion efforts can fall flat
So how do you craft subject lines that get your event emails opened and read? Here are some tips and strategies to create attention-grabbing email subject lines that will boost opens and engagement for your next event
Why Your Event Email Subject Line Matters
Your email subject line matters more than you may realize when it comes to promoting an event. Consider these statistics:
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Emails with subject lines between 6-10 words get open rates of over 50% on average (Campaign Monitor). Shorter subject lines allow the full line to be visible on mobile devices.
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4 out of 10 people open emails based solely on the subject line (Campaign Monitor). That first impression from your subject line is crucial.
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Emails about events often get deleted unless the subject line is compelling. People get a lot of event invites, so yours needs to stand out.
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Subject lines can improve click-through rates by up to 50% when personalized (Campaign Monitor). Adding the recipient’s name makes a difference.
The bottom line is your subject line is often the deciding factor in whether your event promotion email gets opened or deleted. So make sure you give it plenty of focus when constructing your campaign.
How to Write Effective Subject Lines for Event Emails
When writing subject lines that capture attention for your event promotions, keep these tips in mind:
Keep it Short and Concise
Long subject lines often get cut off on mobile devices, so shorter is better. Stick to 6-10 words to optimize open rates. Get right to the main hook or value proposition.
Leverage FOMO
FOMO (fear of missing out) is powerful. Mention limited spots, early bird pricing ending soon, or special guests to create urgency. But don’t overuse FOMO or it loses impact.
Make it Personalized
Adding the recipient’s first name makes it feel more like an individual invitation vs. a generic blast email. Even using “you” instead of “your” can help.
Use Numbers Strategically
Stats like number of tickets left or days until the event taps into urgency. Just be sure the numbers are accurate.
Consider Using Emojis
Arelevant emoji can help your subject line stand out in the inbox. But be selective and don’t overdo it.
Offer Discounts or Perks
Special offers or perks can incentivize opens. Just don’t make offers you can’t fulfill.
Focus on Relevance
The event name, date, location, keynote speaker – choose details carefully to highlight value.
Speak to Pain Points
Does your event help solve common problems? mentioning these can grab attention.
With these tips in mind, let’s look at some examples of effective subject lines for promoting events of all kinds.
Examples of Great Subject Lines for Event Emails
Here are some examples of email subject lines that utilize the strategies above to capture attention and drive opens for event promotions:
Announcement Subject Lines
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We’re excited to announce Music Festival 2022 tickets now on sale!
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Just announced: Keynote with Celebrity at Conference 2023!
These types of subject lines build anticipation and excitement around new event announcements.
Personalized Subject Lines
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John, your invitation to our annual Holiday Party!
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You’re invited! Exclusive deal for our Newsletter Subscribers
Nothing grabs attention like seeing your own name. Personalized subject lines make it feel special.
Discount or Perk Focused
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Last chance for 50% off tickets to Comedy Festival!
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Newsletter subscribers get 20% off admission to Art Expo next week!
Special offers or perks can incentivize opening. Just don’t make offers you can’t fulfill.
Event Detail Focused
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Comedy Show this Friday at 8pm with Guest Star!
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Join us for Music Festival in Seattle July 2023!
Relevant details like date, location, and special guests can help subject lines feel more unique and valuable.
Countdown Style Subject Lines
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3 days left for early bird pricing to Design Conference!
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Only 5 spots remaining for this exclusive workshop!
Countdown style subject lines leverage FOMO and the urgency of expiring offers or limited availability
Question Style Subject Lines
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Love live music? Join us for Blues Festival 2023!
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Passionate about photography? Don’t miss Photography Con 2023!
Asking questions in subject lines taps into the reader’s interests and gets them to self-identify with the event.
Other Strategies for Irresistible Subject Lines
Beyond the examples above, here are a few other strategies you can use to create intrigue and excitement with your event promotion email subject lines:
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Tease special guests or celebrity appearances without giving away too much. For example, “You’ll never guess who the musical guest is at this year’s Festival!”
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Leverage pop culture references or current events when relevant to the event. For instance, “The blues revival is here – don’t miss Blues Festival 2023!”
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Use “insider” language like “The big reveal for Conference 2023 you’ve been waiting for!” as if the reader is part of an exclusive club.
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Try an urgent CTA like “Secure your spot today before tickets sell out!” just don’t overdo urgency.
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Ask an intriguing question like “Is this the best Conference venue ever?”
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Use ellipses to create anticipation, like “This year’s Festival headliner is…”
Get creative with these strategies to pique curiosity and make your event sound like something subscribers will regret missing.
Avoid These Common Event Email Subject Line Mistakes
While the examples and strategies above represent effective subject line practices, there are also some common mistakes to avoid:
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Too long or crowded – Keep event email subject lines to 6-10 words max.
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Too generic – Avoid overused phrases like “You’re Invited!” or other generic language.
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Misleading – Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. For example, claiming a celebrity guest who hasn’t been confirmed could backfire.
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Too salesy/promotional – Avoid coming off like an advertisement. Focus on intrigue over heavy promotion.
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Typos – Triple check for spelling and grammar errors that undermine professionalism.
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Dated references – Avoid references that may go over readers’ heads or seem outdated.
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Overusing gimmicks – Things like emojis and urgency should be used sporadically, not in every subject line.
Avoiding these pitfalls will help your event promotion emails make a great first impression with compelling subject lines.
Tools for Testing Subject Line Performance
To refine your email subject line strategies, you can A/B test different options to see which ones perform best.
Here are some email marketing tools with easy subject line testing:
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Mailchimp – Allows split testing subject lines to see which has higher open rates
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Constant Contact – A/B testing and tracking clicks lets you compare subject performance
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Campaign Monitor – Tests subject lines and content variations to optimize campaigns
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Omnisend – Split testing and real-time analytics to refine subjects and content
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Sendinblue – Multivariate testing to analyze how different subject lines perform
Try crafting a few subject line variations for the same event promotion email, and sending each version to a sample of your list. The open and click-through rates will tell you which subject resonates most.
Let Your Event Personality Shine Through
Don’t be afraid to let some personality or creativity shine through in your subject lines. Events are exciting, so your subject line tone should reflect that.
Look at your event’s branding and overall style for inspiration on the right tone to capture. Is it elegant? Fun? Edgy? Inspiring? Let that personality shape how you construct subject lines.
Finally, take time to carefully craft and test subject lines well in advance of sending your event promotions. Don’t leave it until the last minute. A compelling subject line can make all the difference in email campaign results and event turnout. Use the strategies in this guide as a starting point, and refine over time based on open and click-through rates. With compelling, attention-getting subject lines, your event emails will stand out in subscribers’ inboxes and get your event noticed.
C. Make it Informative
If you can make the subject line informative, it’ll make you look professional and credible.
- “[Leading industry professional] will be at [your event] on [date].”
- “Here’s the schedule for [event].”
- “We will be giving out 100 coupons for…”
- “Here’s what to expect from [the event].”
Those are some ways you can write subject lines with high open rates. Next, look at more catchy subject lines for events marketing and in different scenarios.
Email Subject Lines Based on Your Event Goals
7 Subject Lines That Get Your Emails Opened
How many effective event email subject lines are there?
Discover over 35+ effective event email subject lines to improve your open rates and see examples of event-related emails and actionable tips.
What is an event email subject line?
Event email subject lines are your first impression to potential attendees. It’s the deciding factor on whether or not your recipient opens your email to read more and ultimately buy their tickets to your upcoming event. This is why you must get it right!
How effective are email subject lines for event invitations?
The critical role of engaging and informative subject lines in the effectiveness of email subject lines for event invitations lies in their capacity to instantly grab the recipient’s attention in a cluttered inbox.
How do you write a catchy email subject line?
Here are a few tips to help you write catchy email subject lines that get readers interested in your event. You might be tempted to include as many details as you can about the event in your subject line. However, shorter works better—especially on mobile devices where the email subject can get cut off.
