Coming up with catchy email subject lines for events is like a challenging puzzle for event marketers to solve. Lucky for you, with our team's extensive research, we’ve solved the mystery! Read on to learn tips on how to craft compelling event subject lines and equip yourself with 45 ideas to test out for your next event email.  

Why event email subject lines are so important

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! It’s been said that 47% of recipients will open an email based on your subject line, while 69% of recipients will report spam based on the subject line. This statistic shows just how important this element is in making or breaking your email. But fear not! We have tips and tricks for your subject lines that can boost your event email open rate! 

Know your audience 

To start writing the perfect email, you’ve got to know exactly who you’re writing to! By now in your event planning process, you should have a good read on who your target audience is with the help of your surveys, custom questions at checkout, follower demographics on social media, and more. This is super important because understanding what resonates with your audience is key to crafting an event subject line that will stand out in their inbox and actually get clicked.

Assess your attendee demographics and research what kinds of content they consume. Are they a younger generation who appeals to a more friendly, fun tone of voice? Or are they industry professionals who’d resonate with a more business-casual tone in your writing? These are just a few examples of how knowing your audience can reflect in your choice of writing style. The more you tailor your message to resonate with your attendees, the more likely they are to open your email!

5 tips on writing catchy email subject lines

Before we dive into our curated list of event subject line examples, let’s go over a few general tips that you can apply when creating your subject line. 

1. Keep it short 

We know you want to delve into your event details so your recipient knows exactly why it’s a must-attend event, but don’t jump too far ahead! Keep your subject line short and sweet, ideally between 7-9 words or about 60 characters. This way, mobile users can read the full line without anything being cut off. You'll pack a punch, leaving your reader wanting to open for more! Your subject line should give enough information so your recipient knows what the email is about without being too lengthy. 

2. Avoid spam words

One of the best things you can do as you put together your event email campaign is to research how to avoid email spam filters. A spam filter is designed to keep unwanted or dangerous emails out of a recipient's inbox, and we need to make sure your event invitation email doesn’t get mistaken for one!

There are many types of spam trigger words to be aware of like “100% Free” or “Act Now”. This is because they are either exaggerated promises or pushing a questionable sense of urgency. To work around this if you’re still looking to create a sense of urgency, try using a phrase like “Limited Time Offer” instead of “Act Now”. As long as you remain responsible with these words, you’ll be just fine! If you’re unsure whether your subject line is up to par, check out a subject line tester. This will let you know if your subject line is an optimal length and help you avoid using any negative words.  

3. Stir the emotions with your subject lines

What emotion do you want to evoke in your recipient? Perhaps a fear of missing out? How about excitement? According to Zippia, emotional content is 94% more effective than rational content. Rather than just stating that your event is coming up, briefly capture how awesome the experience is going to be with some powerful adjectives to pique readers’ interest. You could also mention phrases like “Tickets Are Selling Fast!” in your subject line to get your potential attendees in on the action before your event sells out. 

4. Utilise emojis and numbers

Emojis are a super fun and powerful way to level up your event subject line! In fact, 56% of brands that utilize emojis in their subject lines have higher open rates! Be sure to use them sparingly (finding the one perfect emoji is the way to go!) and not give an emoji overload. Similarly, try incorporating a number in your subject. This could be anything from an event statistic like how many people attended your last event to another metric you’re proud to show off like the number of special guests in your conference lineup or the amount your nonprofit has fundraised already. 

5. Implement A/B testing 

If you really want to see which subject lines work, try using A/B testing. This is a sure way to gain insight into what types of subject lines lead to higher open rates with your audience. To conduct an A/B test, you create two subject lines and deliver one line to a portion of your email list while sending the other line to the rest. Tools like Constant Contact offer A/B testing so you can be more intentional to use subject lines that lead to higher open rates. This works for post-event thank-you emails as well, in case you want to find the best subject lines for trying to collect feedback after your event!

45 ideas for event email subject lines

Time for the star of the show! Here are 45 ideas for event email subject lines as starting points for your emails. Our examples include fake event names that should be modified to your events and their unique needs! 

Curiosity-piquing subject lines

These subject lines are aimed to spark interest, ultimately enticing the recipient to open your email to learn more about your event.

1. “🪄 Unveil the Mystery! Come see Mike the Magician!”

2. “We’ve Got a Surprise for You at ArtJamz!”

3. “What’s Brewing at Beer Sampler? Come Take a Taste!”

Benefit-oriented subject lines

A benefit-oriented subject line should highlight the value a recipient will gain from attending your event, whether a promotional incentive or a more intangible benefit for attending.

4. “30% Off Oliver’s Farm Season Passes to Now Available!”

5. “📚 First 25 Attendees to Register Get a Free Signed Book!”

6. “Gain a New Network to Leverage at Business Buzz!

Personalised subject lines

Reference a recipient by their name or include a personal interest, you can create a sense of connection and relevance. 

7. “Hey Marissa! You’re Invited to Bree’s Brewery! 🍺”

8. “🎁 We’ve Got Something Special for You, Jake!”

9. “Superhero Fan? Your Dream Convention is Coming Near You!”

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) subject lines

These subject lines should leverage a recipient's fear of missing out on something exciting to compel them to take action to avoid being left out. 

10. “Last Chance to Join the Fun at Our Pop-Up!”

11. “Limited Spots Left! Snag a Ticket to JoltCon!”

12. “Don’t Miss our Epic Speed Dating Event! 💜”

Exclusivity-based subject lines

An exclusivity-based subject line should make your potential attendees feel special by offering them something unique. 

13. “VIP Access to See DJ Jamz! Only for You! 🎶”

14. “You’ve Been Selected for The Ravens’ Concert Pre-Sale!” 

15. “👗 Guess What? You’re In! See You on 7/2!”

Question-based subject lines

You guessed it! Ask a question to encourage your recipients to open your email to either find the answer or participate in the conversation.

16. “The Night of Your Life Awaits! Ready to Explore?”

17. “🎒 Ready to Start Your Next Adventure?”

18. “Want to Master Content Creation? The Workshop For You 🤳”

Teaser subject lines

A nice teaser subject line gives a hint of what’s to come at your event, leaving your recipient wanting more.

19. “📻 Something Big is Coming at WonderFest!”

20. “Prepare to Be Amazed: Oak Festival Teaser Inside!”

21. “You Won’t Believe Who’s Performing... 🎤”

Humorous subject lines

Inject humuor into your subject line to grab attention and set a positive tone for your event messaging. 

22. “Warning: Dancing Skills May Improve at Jordan’s Dance Camp!”

23. “🚘 Drive-In Movie Dress Code: PJ’s Encouraged!”

24. “Yoga Time - Netflix Binges Need a Break! 🧘”

Event countdown subject lines

Countdown subject lines urge potential attendees to secure the spot before time's up!

25. “3 Days Left to Buy Tickets: Don’t Miss This!”

26. “⏳ Countdown Alert: Your Epic Experience Awaits!”

27. “Emerald Fundraiser Starts in Two Days!”

Clear and direct subject lines

Rather than using any play on words, a clear and direct subject line clearly communicates the email’s purpose so the recipient knows exactly what the email is about.

28. “You’re Invited to Sarah’s Comedy House on 6/5! 😂”

29. “🏥 RSVP to our Children’s Hospital Fundraiser!”

30. “Go Jaguars! Attend the Game at Como High School!”

Action-oriented subject lines

Action-oriented subject lines prompt the recipient to take a clear action like downloading event-related materials or registering early for your event.

31. “Download Our Festival’s Lineup! Don’t Miss Your Faves! 🎸”

32. “We Want You at SuperCon! Reserve Your Spot Today! ”

33. “🎧 DJ Maxx is Coming to You – Buy Tickets Now!!”

Social proof subject lines

Build trust and credibility by using a subject line that contains an element of social proof. This can include an endorsement or a statistic to enhance the reader’s understanding of your event’s value.

34. “Hear From 3,000 Others! Our Festival Rocks, Literally!”

35. “Join Hundreds of Excited Attendees! 🥰”

36. “🩰 #1 Show on TripAdvisor! Come See Us!”

Storytelling subject lines:

Captivate your readers’ attention by drawing them in with a storytelling subject line to kick off a cool narrative about your events.

37. “From Zero to Hero: Our Journey Revealed”

38. “🎵 Our Untold Story Behind Julius’ Jamz Success!”

39. “Sail to Paradise With Us! Learn How at BalloonFest! ”

Interactive subject lines

These types of subject lines encourage recipients to engage with your event email content by asking them to participate in a poll, watch a video, download a resource, etc.

40. “🤔 Help Us Choose: Which Sessions Excites You the Most?”

41. “Solve This Puzzle for Event Itinerary! 🎟️ Bet You Can’t!”

42. “Check Last Year’s Highlight Reel of Our Gala!”

Post-event subject lines

A post-event email subject line can either thank attendees, share highlights or provide next steps for the recipient. 

43. “Here’s Our Fundraiser Recap! We Hit Our Goal!”

44. “📸 Loved Seeing You at Our Con! Download Your Pics!”

45. “Thank You for Making Our Festival a Success!”

Choose the right email marketing tools 

Once you’ve got your email and its subject line done, there are many tools to choose from that can make sending out your event emails a breeze! Instead of juggling multiple tools to put together your awesome event marketing campaign, why not use an event ticketing platform that can handle all your email campaign needs in one place? With TicketLeap, you can send email campaigns to your attendees straight from our ticketing software!

As additional options, check out email marketing tools like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to send your emails. If you need some more help brainstorming your subject lines for events, look into using artificial intelligence (AI) tools as a writing assistant to get your creative juices flowing. Some powerful AI tools you can use include Grammarly, Simplified, and AI Writer. AI can be a powerful tool for brainstorming or polishing up your fresh ideas!

Wrap up

If you’ve made it this far, you’re well on your way to becoming an event email subject line pro! You know why email subject lines are important, how to choose the right email marketing tools, and how to leverage the best subject lines for your target audience. Equipped with these tips and our curated list of email subject line examples, it’s now time to put them into action with your next event email campaign! Make your event planning even easier and save on costs by using an intuitive event ticketing platform like TicketLeap that has the features you need to handle executing your event email marketing strategies all in one place!