Here’s some interesting research on subject lines from Eloqua’s Chart of the Week.
In this study:
- Using a recipient’s name in the subject line improves open rate of email.
- Using a recipient’s company name slightly decreases open rate.
- Using other personalized information in the subject line improves it by nearly 10%.
- An exclamation mark hurts, but only a little. Surprisingly little, given the alarmism of spam filters about exclamation points.
What might fundraisers do with this information?
Use donors’ names in subject lines now and then. Like Meet the kids you helped, DONORNAME
Find other things from your data to include. Like Homeless heat emergency in DONORCITY or Build a bridge from Africa to DONORSTREETNAME.
Thanks to the Be Relevant! Email Marketing Blog for the tip.
Jeff Brooks has been serving the nonprofit community for more than 35 years and blogging about it since 2005. He considers fundraising the most noble of pursuits and hopes you’ll join him in that opinion. You can reach him at jeff [at] jeff-brooks [dot] com.
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