Steal These 8 Tricks for Irresistible Email Subject Lines For Your Next Nonprofit Email Campaign

As an ministry leader, the subject lines you write every week are quite literally the most important sentence you'll write. If it doesn't motivate people to open and read your email, then all the effort put into crafting the perfect email body goes to waste.

Subject lines have a direct and outsized connection on open rates.

And open rates, in turn, determine whether your emails get any engagement at all in terms of click-throughs, forwards, replies, and conversions. You could have the most persuasive, finely-tuned email copy, but it's meaningless if nobody opens it in the first place.

That's why writing a great subject line deserves a disproportionate amount of your time and attention as an email copywriter. It's the one sentence you should work on and revise over and over and draft multiple alternatives for more than anything else.

Get the subject line right and you've overcome the biggest hurdle to having your email message seen and acted upon.

8 Proven Techniques For Effective Email Subject Lines With Examples For Nonprofits:

1. Tap into a Burning Desire or Pain Point

People are most motivated to take action when you touch on a strong desire they have or a nagging problem that needs solving. By hinting that your email contains the solution, you increase the incentive to open it.

Examples:
- "The Simple Trick to Finally Stop Feeling Guilty About Food Insecurity In [Your City]"
- "How a Single Afternoon Can Uplift An Entire Community"
- "The #1 Way Volunteers Get More Out of Giving Back"

Why It Works: These subject lines tap into common desires like wanting basic human needs for all neighbors, make an impact, and get personal fulfillment from volunteering. They position the email as providing a solution.

2. Spark Curiosity with a Teaser

You can capitalize on people's innate curiosity by crafting a subject line that teases them with a compelling hook or thought-provoking statement. This piques their interest to want to learn more in the email itself.

Examples:
- "You'll Never Guess Why Tim Tebow is Supporting Our Cause"
- "The Shocking Truth About Church Planting In Chicago (It's Not What You Think)"
- "Do You Know the Most Effective Way to Motivate Donors?"

Why It Works: These subject lines arouse curiosity by dangling a teaser about something unexpected, counterintuitive or that the recipient may be missing out on key knowledge about.

3. Convey a Highly Specific Benefit

Rather than making vague claims, subject lines that highlight a precise, tangible benefit tend to be more compelling. Be as specific as possible about what's in it for the reader.

Examples:
- "5 proven strategies to achieve a 100-day streak of daily Bible reading"
- "How Volunteering 1x a Week Can Add 3 YEARS to Your Life Expectancy"
- "This Tax Tip Could Save You Thousands on Your Donation"

Why It Works: These subject lines work because they convey a very specific and desirable benefit in clear, quantifiable terms. The reader knows exactly what value the email content provides.

4. Instill a Sense of Urgency

Creating a sense of urgency or scarcity can motivate people to open your email right away before missing out on something limited or time-sensitive. Use language that prompts immediate action.

Examples:
- "Only 24 Hours Left to Claim Your Limited Edition Donor Gift!"
- "LAST CHANCE to Buy Gala Tickets at Early Bird Pricing"
- "Urgent: We Need 25 More Volunteers to Hit Our Goal"

Why It Works: Words like "only," "last chance," "limited" and emphasizing a deadline compel the reader to open the email promptly to avoid missing out on an opportunity or special offer.

5. Leverage Social Proof

Highlighting a recognized influencer, expert or celebrity who is associated with the content of your email can boost credibility and make it more enticing to open.

Examples:
- "PGA Champion Scottie Scheffler's Surprising Tip for Inspiring Gen Z Kids"
- "5 favorite nonprofits handpicked by Tim Tebow himself"
- "What Bill Gates taught me about effective philanthropy"

Why It Works: Namedropping prominent figures related to your cause or mission instantly elevates the perceived value and authority of the email's content. It signals the information inside is worth paying attention to.

6. Personalize with Recipient's Name

Using personalization like the recipient's name or other details makes your subject line feel directly relevant to them as an individual. It grabs their attention better than a generic subject line.

Examples:
- "John, This Volunteer Opportunity is Perfect for Your Skillset"
- "An Exclusive Thank You Gift for You, Jessica"
- "Michael, You're One of Our Most Valued Supporters"

Why It Works: Emails with personalized subject lines have significantly higher open rates. Seeing their own name signals that the email was meant specifically for them, not a mass audience.

7. Evoke Curiosity with Specificity

Peppering your subject line with precise details like numbers, statistics, or little-known facts can stimulate people's innate curiosity about specifics. It makes your subject line seem substantive and valuable.

Examples:
- "92% of Churchgoers Don't Actually Do This (Here's What to Do Instead)"
- "The $7 Million cost of inaction on hungry families with children in [Your City]"
- "Only 14% of volunteers do this (It could change how you serve)"

Why It Works: Using hard numbers and data points creates an information gap that arouses curiosity. The reader is compelled to open to close that knowledge gap and learn what the subject line is referring to.

8. Promise Useful Information or Insights

Subject lines that position your email as containing valuable knowledge, tips or insights the reader can't afford to miss tend to have higher open rates. People are hungry for useful information.

Examples:
- "Top 10 trends parents of high school students needs to know for 2024"
- "The surprising psychology behind why people donate (Insights from Harvard)"
- "3 Little-known tax benefits for volunteers you'll want to claim"

Why It Works: These subject lines make it clear that the email contains valuable, actionable information that will make the reader smarter or give them an edge. The promise of gaining real insights is hard to resist.

Final Thoughts

When you start applying these 8 techniques for your email subject lines, you email recipients will encounter more compelling hooks that will get them to open and engage with your messages. By the way, you must always be sure to deliver on the subject line's promise with high-quality email content inside the email as well.