50+ Survey Email Subject Lines (That Work!)

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Updated: May 14th, 2021

If you're looking to boost your email open rates and increase sales, your email subject line is the first (and most important) step in achieving those goals.

Did you know that 33% of email recipients open emails because of an engaging subject line?

That's why it's critical to craft a catchy email subject line that will get you the traffic and conversions you deserve.

We've put together a list of 50+ survey email subject lines (that work!).

Some are proven examples from other successful campaigns, and some are creative ideas to inspire you.

Creative Email Subject Line Ideas

Help improve [business name]
Got a minute to spare?
Cast your vote! Win up to 40% off!
How was your stay at our place?
Your opinion matters to us
Did you enjoy dinner at [company name/dining hall name] today?
Focus on any benefit/discount/offer
[recipient name] – take our survey, earn 30% off
Got a minute?
How did we do, [first name]?
[First name], what do you think about [new product/service/company]?
<Name> , can we chat?
You have a [product]. And an opinion
How was your service at [company/facility]?
Heads or tails? Would you rather have: (accompanied by a choice of perks in the body of the email)
Fewer than 10 words
Be honest – what do you think of your new [product]?
Want to share your point of view?
How was your recent airport experience, [recipient name]?
Was <product> all you hoped for? Let us know!
Wording designed to trigger an emotion
Help out the underdog! Vote for [company name]
A clear call to action
We’re listening! (accompanied by a 20% discount for completing a survey email)
What did you think, <Name> ?
Your help is requested
How was your recent experience with <brand> ?
We need your input!
We’re offering a special gift for telling us what you think
Respond now and win an Amazon gift card
How do you like <product/brand> ?
Are you satisfied with <brand> ? Let us know how we can improve
Hi [recipient name], how does your new [product] fit?
A question
We value your insight
Thanks for visiting! Here’s a link to share your review
Help improve <brand> by taking this short survey
Tell us more about the [product] you bought yesterday [recipient name]
We want to hear you (and give you 50% off)!
Please share your experience with us
Hi [recipient name], can we talk?
How can we help you?
Well, look at you! How is your <product> working for you?
How was your experience with [company name/auxiliary service]?
How likely are you to recommend [company] to a friend?
Be honest – what did you think?
Make our newsletter even better
Cast your vote, and 50% off your next purchase is all yours!
Tell us about your experience with [company name/auxiliary service]?
We can’t improve without your help
Let’s keep our conversation going
How can we make [service] work for you?

GUIDE: How To Write A Great Subject Line

As we mentioned above, crafting a catchy subject line is critical to the performance of your email campaign.

While just a few words may seem like a small piece of your overall message, this is the first impression your audience will have before they decide whether to open your email.

If your subject line isn't engaging or appealing enough, there's a chance it could get buried in your reader's inbox.

Let's go over the proven tips on how to craft a subject line that boosts engagement:

What makes a great subject line?

First, let's discuss the fundamentals of creating a great subject line:

Spark interest and curiosity
A clear and urgent call to action
An offer/intriguing discount
Personalization (this can be done by sending out different versions of emails to subscribers based on their preferences)
Relevance - make sure your subject line covers the current trends and topics within your industry

5 Tips To Crafting a Great Subject Line

Now, let's dive into the specifics of how to create a great subject line for your next campaign:

1. Use a familiar sender name

Although this may seem obvious, it's a piece many marketers miss the ball on.

Your readers want to feel like your email is coming from a human and not a corporation or automated system.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is by changing the sender's name to YOUR name or someone in the company that is well known.

Here's a great example of this from Marketing Examples

Pro Tip

Avoid the "no-reply" sender name at all costs. This makes your email feel unfamiliar, unapproachable, and less personable.

2. Keep your subject short and to the point

If your subject line is too long, it will get cut off, which could impact your reader's chances of opening your email.

The rule of thumb (for both mobile and desktop) is to keep your subject line under 50 characters.

3. Add personal touches to your subject line

If you have access to information about your subscriber (ie. name, location, etc), you can use this to benefit your subject line and catch your readers attention.

It's important not to go overboard here, but adding even the simplest touch such as their name can build trust and rapport.

Here's a great example of a personalized email + offer I received from BarkBox with my dog's name in the subject line:

4. Avoid making any false promises

Your subject line makes a commitment to your reader, so it's important you don't stretch the truth just to simply get more opens and clicks.

In the grand scheme of things, making false promises will end up hurting your open rate as your readers will lose trust in you.

5. Give them a sneak peek of what's inside

Telling your subscriber what is inside helps with open and clicks.

For example, if you're providing your reader with a free guide or e-book, consider making your subject line something along the lines of:

"Your FREE marketing e-book awaits!"

Conclusion

If you want your email campaign to perform well, it all starts with your subject line.

Think about the emails you receive in your inbox and what makes you click vs what gets buried - odds are, the same habits go for your customer.

We hope you enjoyed our guide + list of 50+ survey email subject lines (that work!).

meet the author

Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.

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