Strategies for Writing Compelling Email Subject Lines

Choosing the right email subject can be tricky. You want to be unique without being too kitschy. You want to get attention without being too obvious. You want to get it done already without the same obvious lines AI spews out.

Instead of just jumping in and trying to craft the most brilliant subject, first think about different psychological themes. Keep in mind that not every psychological trick will work on every single person. So you will want to mix things up.

Urgency

Urgent email subjects provide psychological pressure, compelling the recipient to act fast. Subject lines emphasizing time-sensitive language such as “two hours left” tap into the fear of missing out and push the recipient to act fast.

Possible email subjects: “Two Hours Until Our Fundraising Deadline” or “Two Hours Left to Enter the Raffle.”

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

These emails tap into a powerful psychological trigger driving people to take action to avoid potential regret. FOMO subject lines create a sense of not only urgency but also scarcity, making the recipient believe that if they do not act now, they will be left out.

Possible email subjects: “Final Hours to Be a Part of History – Act Now!” or “Don’t Get Left Behind: Contribute Before It’s Too Late!”

Elitism

Let’s face it, we all want to be elite. This is a similar psychological effect as the FOMO subject, but elitism offers the opportunity to be a part of a prestigious group and leverages the allure of exclusivity to drive engagement. Implying the email contains exclusive information or opportunities reserved for a select few creates a sense of privilege and high status for the recipient.

Possible email subjects: “Join the Inner Circle of Our Campaign’s Most Influential Supporters” or “As a Distinguished Supporter, You’re Invited to Our Exclusive Event.”