27 Mar Email Subject Lines For Event Surveys

 

Event Survey Email Subject Lines and Response Rates

 

Email subject lines directly influence open rates. Too often the best event survey design is undone by low response rates that may be attributed to haphazard email tactics. When sending an email invitation for an event survey it’s critical to have a thought out email campaign that follows best practices. These best practices are closely associated with more general email marketing.

This entry looks at email best practices for event producers. Specifically, the most effective email subject line and “From” name an event producer can use. This entry is based on observed open rates and a review of sources by established email service providers such as Constant Contact and MailChimp.

Event producers sending an email for an event survey have an advantage over a more common send for an email newsletter. The email for an event survey is quickly associated with an actual experience and offers dialogue about that experience. The email subject line should be too the point and play on name recognition, e.g. “Show Name” is in the subject line along with a clear invitation to provide “Feedback” or “Help”, etc. The subject line announces the purpose or contents of the email.

Keep the format of an email subject line straight forward. While event producers can use upper case letters to highlight an important word it may be less gimmicky to use title case. In title case the first letter of each principal word is capitalized and articles (“the” or “an”) are lower case. “Blank Show Invites You to Provide Your Feedback” may be more appealing than “Blank Show INVITES you to provide your FEEDBACK”.

Email subject lines that have demonstrated strong response rates include:

• Please Provide Your Blank Show Feedback
• We’d Like Your Blank Show Feedback

Variations on these simple subject lines may be a good way to test what works best for your event. If possible, maintain a consistent message through the email reminder process. The email subject line should use keywords that are easy to identify. If the initial invite is “Provide Your Blank Show Feedback” a first reminder may simply play on that message with, “Please Provide Your Blank Show Feedback”.

In a final email reminder it’s time to up the urgency without becoming too gimmicky. “Last Chance to Provide Your Blank Show Feedback” maintains the keyword consistency, ups the urgency and explains what the email is all about.

The “From” name should be quickly identifiable. The “From” name is a natural complement to the subject line. It is very likely that the event name will be in the email subject line. Using the event producer’s name in the “From” field creates a tight package that clearly indicates what the email is about and who the email is from.

Event managers can try a generic “from” name if a specific name is not appropriate. For example, a generic from name could be “Blank Show Event Management”, though this could be alarming rather than intriguing to recipients. Each event producer will have unique needs and the right sense of what will connect with their prospects.

Stay clear of spammy words like “free” or “contest” that may route the event survey email to a spam box. It’s also risky to try certain punctuation or symbols like “$$$$” in the subject line. It’s better to be direct than overly excited. “Blank Needs Your Help” is likely to land in more inboxes than “Blank Needs Your Help Today!!!” simply because of the “!!!”.

Innocent words like “reminder” in the email subject line can also cause issues. Immediately it’s known that this email has already been received. Certain words may also activate email spam filters. If the email gets to the inbox what is the reaction? Suspicion? A reminder email? Did I ask for a reminder email? This email subject line may cause hesitation rather than an impulse to open the email.

In the worst case a sketchy email subject line with gimmicky calls for a “free contest” will increase the chance of meeting a spam filter. In the best case an email subject line and “from” name will create interest and lead to an opened email. What’s inside the email will influence a clickthrough to the event survey.