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.”
Scarcity
These subject lines capitalize on the psychological principle of limited availability. This can then heighten the recipient’s sense of urgency.
Possible email subject: “Limited spots available, join us at our exclusive event!” or “Final Chance: Limited Edition Campaign Gear Available Now!”
Incentives
Email subject lines with incentives tap into the innate human condition of wanting something in return. By offering something in return, such as campaign swag or exclusive access, the email subject lines create a sense of value, motivating the recipient to act.
Possible email subject: “Donate Today and Get Exclusive Campaign Gear!” or “Join Our Volunteer Team and Earn VIP Access to Election Night”
Personalization
Personalized email subjects have the powerful effect of making a recipient feel seen and valued. These subjects help foster a personal connection because the recipient feels that the message is tailored specifically to them (shhhhh, don’t tell them that you just left brackets for the email program to fill in their name and information).
Possible email subjects: “{NAME}, We Need Your Help in {City}” or “{NAME}, We Need More {OCCUPATION} Like You!”
Social Proof
Email subjects that are social proof rely on the tendency of people to look at others’ actions as a guide for their own behavior. By highlighting the involvement of other donors or volunteers, a campaign can create a sense of momentum and legitimacy. When a recipient sees that others are participating, they begin to feel this must be the right thing to do.
Possible email subjects: “Join Thousands Who’ve Already Made a Difference – Volunteer Today!” or “Join 10,000 Supporters Who’ve Already Pledged Their Support!”
Authority
These subject lines rely on the influence and credibility of respected figures or organizations to influence the email recipient. Referencing an authoritative voice has the psychological effect of making the reader believe that the email is important and trustworthy.
Possible email subjects: “From the Campaign Chair: Why Your Support is Crucial Right Now” or “From the Desk of President _____: Your Role in Victory”
Emotional Appeal
Emotional appeal subject lines connect the candidate to the recipient based on whatever issues the recipient deeply holds. These subject lines can tap into feelings of hope, fear, pride or responsibility. Emotional appeals have such an effect because they align the values of the recipient with the candidate.
Possible email subjects: “Protect Our Kids’ Future: Stand Up for Better Schools Today” or “Together, We Can Save Our Planet – Join the Movement”
Contrast
Contrasting subject lines are effective because they present a clear choice to the recipient. The subject lines are set up in such a way that the reader has to agree. Highlighting two opposing outcomes or options creates a sense of urgency while making it overwhelmingly obvious what is at stake.
Possible email subjects: “Protecting Our Kids or Risking Their Future? Act Now” or “Progress or Stagnation? The Choice is Yours”
While an email subject line seems like the smallest detail for a political campaign, keep in mind that this is the first thing a reader sees before determining whether or not they will engage with your email. By figuring out which psychological trigger you want to tap into, you can drive action for your campaign. And as digital campaigns evolve, these triggers can be used in other areas of the campaign.
Mindy Serin is the CEO of RunWith.Digital, a Los Angeles based digital strategy firm for Democrats. Additionally, Mindy is a Digital Analytics instructor at UCLA.
