11 minute read time
10 Reminder Event Email Subject Lines For Your Next Send
You’ve dreamed up the perfect event, planned every last detail. Now all you need is one last push to bring in those last minute RSVPs and create buzz for your attendees.
Even if your event is offline, 85% of event marketers choose email marketing campaigns to promote their event which makes sense when you consider that 71% of all ticket buying happens online. A reminder email doesn’t have to be a stale task to check off your list before the big day and definitely shouldn’t be an afterthought.
Instead, a well-crafted reminder can generate enough excitement around your event to garner more revenue, build event and brand recognition, and ensure your attendees have the best experience possible at your event. But for your email to accomplish all that, your audience needs to actually open it.
Here are 10 subject lines that will get your emails opened, read, and engaged to make sure your event gets maximum exposure:
1. The share reminder email subject:
Bring a friend to [Event Name]
This subject line includes the name of your event to signal to readers that it isn’t spam and encourage recognition, it also includes a clear action that’s easy for busy people to understand in an instant. And your purpose here is clear: to get your attendees to share with those who are not-yet-attendees.
Try using your reminder email as an opportunity to fill open slots and boost engagement with your event by encouraging subscribers to share with friends, both by email and on social. Half of the total number of ticket sales take place in the final week before an event. That means that any reminder email sent within that final week should encourage sharing and last minute registration in order to drive revenue.
One of your best marketing assets is the group of people who have already registered so design your email to encourage them to share the event with a friend. Odds are, if this person is interested, they know others who would be too. Include a call to action (CTA) that encourage those already attending to share the event with a friend in order to see a boost in last minute attendance and revenue.
2. The scarce reminder email subject:
[Event Name] is selling out!
People hate feeling left out, so creating an email subject line that emphasizes urgency will encourage your subscribers to take notice and take action. Reaching out to the people who started the event registration process but never finished it is another great way to tap into those last minute sales. According to SaleCycle, nearly half of all abandoned cart emails are opened and over a third of clicks lead to sales back on your site.
Check out how Adidas recovers customers with this abandoned cart reminder:
Source: Really Good Emails
Emphasizing the scarcity of tickets tells your audience your event is popular, it’s a great value, and if they don’t act fast, they’ll miss out; it’s why subject lines that emphasize scarcity tend to perform so well. Just be sure to not use this subject line too often and lose credibility with your audience.
3. The informational reminder email subject:
Don’t get lost on [date]
Since most inboxes stay full, it’s important that your subject line stands out from the others. By writing a subject line like this one, you not only remind your audience that the event is coming up, you also clue them into what other information is contained in the body of your email. Using a subject line that promises to give vital information piques your audience’s attention and leads to a greater number of opens.
This is also a great time to include those ever-so-important details, like the timezone of your event, especially if your hosting an online event or has attendees from a wide variety of locations. It’s also a great opportunity to include information on parking, driving directions, lunch options, etc.
This will cut down on frustration the day of your event and keep your attendees happy and impressed that you’ve thought of everything. Not only are your guests more likely to open the email and engage, they’ll also avoid stress and have a better experience at your event.
4. The offer reminder email subject:
15% off for you and a friend
Another way to increase last-minute attendees is to combine the first and second points into one mega-attractive subject line. People love a good deal so why not lead with your offer? Offering an incentive will encourage your audience to buy their own ticket and bring a friend, a great way to fill two seats and possibly reach customers you haven’t already.
In fact, a study by SocialTwist found that the best way to reach new customers is through email referrals with 50.8% reached via email as opposed to 26.8% through Twitter and 22% through Facebook.
In order to utilize sharing to drive revenue, be sure to include a CTA that encourages sharing and keep the promo code bold and obvious. You want your audience to see your offer at a glance. Just don’t forget to include the name of your event or some other indicator that this email isn’t spam.
Legacybox does a great job of keeping the promo code front and center:
5. The urgent reminder email subject:
Starting tomorrow! [Event Name]
A last minute reminder is a good idea when your audience consists of busy people — and that’s everyone. When your audience has a lot going on, it’s easy for an event to slip their minds, especially if they signed up months in advance. A last minute reminder is a great way to find those subscribers who meant to register but never got around to it.
De Beers uses this tactic by emphasizing the time left for people to take advantage of a holiday sale:
However, you don’t want to drop reminder emails every day for a month leading up to your event. Though it might keep your event at the top of their mind, it might also have a negative effect. Sending emails too often can result in your emails getting deleted without opening or worse: reported as spam. Did you know that 54% of consumers report email frequency as the reason they unsubscribe?
Instead, allow customers to indicate how often they want to receive emails by giving them the option of a preference center. A study performed by MarketingSherpa revealed that though 86% of subscribers wanted to receive promotional emails weekly, 15% wanted to receive emails daily. That’s a big difference. So allow your customers to set their own preferences and then use segmentation to send the right information at the right cadence. That way, all of your subscribers are happy.
6. The question reminder email subject:
Are you ready for [event name]?
If you want to get to know someone, you ask them questions. This is a good practice for email subject lines, too. People respond well to questions and it immediately opens a dialogue between you and your subscribers. Asking a question allows you to then continue that dialogue within the content of your email, encouraging opens and engagement.
Additionally, when you ask a question like “are you ready,” you can include event add-ons such as VIP passes, exclusive offers, upgrades, etc. In your reminder email, showcase the way these add-ons create value and improve attendees’ experiences and add a CTA that makes it easy for subscribers to purchase.
Again, think of your reminder email as a way not only to increase attendance to your event but also to drive additional revenue. What might have seemed too expensive when your attendee bought their initial ticket might be more attractive closer to the event.
7. The list reminder email subject:
5 things to bring to [event name]
There’s a reason lists are everywhere on the internet right now. They work! Including a list in your email subject line accomplishes two main things: a number in a sea of words will attract the notice of your readers and the list will also pique your reader’s curiosity, leading to a greater number of opens and click-throughs. In our own A/B test, the subject line that contained a number got 57% higher open rates than the subject line that contained only words.
A list tells your reader exactly what to expect in the body of your email and provides a handy structure to follow, making your emails even easier for your readers to read and act on.
This tactic also allows you the opportunity to show your subscribers that you want them to get the most out of their experience at your event. By reminding them to bring business cards, for example, you are preparing everyone to make the event the best it can be. Your event will move more smoothly and you’ll ensure your attendees have a great time.
In fact, we at Campaign Monitor use this tactic ourselves:
Source: Really Good Emails
8. The brief reminder email subject:
[Event name] [event date]
Don’t underestimate the power of brevity in your email subject lines. This succinct subject line lets your audience know you aren’t trying to waste their time, but you understand their need for the specifics. It’s a no-nonsense approach for an audience that is highly organized, super busy, and ready to get down to business. According to a study by ReturnPath, keeping your email subject lines to around five words will lead to better open rates.
Be sure that the content of your reminder email follows the same rule by only including need-to-know information, and your reader will reward your efforts by improving your open rates; they’ll realize that every email you send contains something they need. Your subscribers will assume your event will be the same: full of content that matters and nothing extra that doesn’t.
See how this reminder from Deus Ex Machina reports only the most pertinent details?
9. The command email reminder subject:
Reminder, join us at [event name]
People respond well to commands so including one in your subject line removes any confusion for your reader while including the word reminder in your subject line informs your reader of the purpose and the importance of the email, encouraging them to open up and give it a read.
Considering that there was a 50% increase in the use of smartphones for ticket purchases from 2012 to 2014, it’s more important than ever to keep your subject lines optimized for mobile users. That means keeping your subject lines direct.
A subject line like this one is clear and straightforward and who couldn’t use a little more of that in their daily lives? Action verbs create clarity from the very beginning and get your subscribers looking for that CTA. If some of your subscribers are hesitating to sign up, a clear and enticing subject line like this one will help drive revenue and increase those RSVPs up to the very end.
10. The personalized email subject reminder:
Grace’s reminder for [event name]
Personalization is another tactic you might notice in your own inbox. Emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened, so consider adding a subscriber’s name to a subject line in order to catch their attention.
But don’t stop personalization after you’ve added a name to a subject line! Email personalization can go much further and so can your results. Personalize the content of your reminder email based on a subscriber’s preferences and behavior in order to see max opens and click-throughs.
For instance, including a subscriber’s name in the subject line and then promoting a list of event add-ons based on a subscriber’s location will tell your subscriber you know them and send relevant content. Collecting data and segmenting your email preferences can lead to an increase of 20% in sales, according to a report by Monetate. So personalizing those subject lines is a great start, but be sure to follow-through with personalized content to really wow your subscribers.
Source: Really Good Emails
Wrap up
The point of every email marketing campaign is to increase opens and drive revenue and your event is no different. Whether you’ve got seats to fill or VIP experiences to push, your reminder email is a great way to bring in a final rush of revenue. In order to make the most of your reminder emails, be sure to:
- Personalize wherever possible
- Include a CTA that makes it easy for attendees to share with their friends either through email or social media to grow awareness of your event and bring in those final registrations
- Pique curiosity and promise relevant, crucial information to encourage opens and click-throughs
Enticing email subject lines are crucial to getting your subscribers to open your emails, so don’t forget to spend time crafting the perfect one that works for your audience and your event. With these subject lines in your back pocket, you’re ready to make the most of your reminder emails and see a swell in RSVPs, event awareness, and revenue.
