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Send all the emails and SMS you like but let’s face it… It’s hard to get your customers' attention these days.
It’s understandable. We’re busy people who can’t give every little thing that comes our way 100% focus (ain’t nobody got time for that.)
But just because it's hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Email is still the best way to move the needle in business. So when you need to grab their attention and drive more sales, it’s important to switch gears right from the get-go.
You can do that by using a little tactic called last chance email subject lines.
In this article will learn about:
- 4 Different types of last chance subject lines
- How to correctly utilize FOMO
- Subject line suggestions, so you’re not starting from scratch
4 Types of Last Chance Email Subject Lines You Can Use
1. Start with FOMO
This is the place to start because it’s where all your subject lines will stem.
But… What is FOMO?
It’s a simple acronym for Fear Of Missing Out, and it’s a subtle but powerful motivator to get people to pay attention to where you direct it.
We don’t like missing out on something we want to do, buy or see. That’s why last-chance emails with great subject lines work so well at getting people to open and click.
The anatomy of a great subject line for these types of emails starts with FOMO at the foundation. That’s easy to say, but what does it look like?
Jeni’s ice cream pushes their limited flavor with the subject line: “Last chance! Everything Bagel is almost gone!”.
The email reinforces FOMO on this flavor with copy that reads, “Get it while you can” and “Last chance!”. While the body of the email follows up with persuasive copy to remind the shopper to act fast as the product is moving quickly.
The flow is all there, and you can see the FOMO built into its design.
Subject Lines To Try:
- Stop EVERYTHING! Up to 80% off
- Uh-oh, this item’s almost out of stock!
- Last Chance 😱 50% off
//[inject:ad-personalized-email]
2. Create a Sense of Urgency
These types of subject lines are like FOMO 2.0. You can take many principles from the FOMO subject lines above and elevate that by using language to create a sense of urgency.
How do we do that exactly? Great question. The easiest way is to ensure the subject line makes the email time sensitive.
This example from Packlane hits the nail on the head. Just take a look at the subject line.
Packlane states how many hours remain, giving people the sense that saving money on their deal is about to slip from their grasp. The email content builds on the fear of missing out established in the subject line.
It restates how long the sale will last and how much shoppers will save if they click through to buy now. On top of that, they place the discount code right into the email to make it easier for the checking out process.
It’s all the things an email establishing urgency should be doing.
Haus is another great example of this. You can see in the subject line that they create a sense of urgency by adding a time element — “Ends Today.”
The term “Ends Today” still indicates that this could be their last chance to grab items they already wanted with free shipping.
Take a spin with these phrases and keep them on hand when you need to generate some urgency. And don’t forget to weave the
Subject Lines To Try:
- Stop EVERYTHING! Up to 80% off
- Ends today! Grab before we run out
- Only 1 HOUR Left & this deal is gone
3. Build on Upcoming Social Situations
Another way to create last chance emails is to keep in mind what will happen in your calendar. By that, we mean what upcoming social situations are taking place soon?
This could be anything from a holiday (ex., Christmas, National Donut Day, etc.) to an expected sale like Cyber Monday or back-to-school shopping.
To help plan ahead, take a look at a social media calendar so you can set aside time to create campaigns ready to launch.
Take a look at how Better Brand leveraged National Protein Day to promote sales:
But since we’re talking about last-chance emails here, it’s important that whatever campaigns and emails you plan out also include that element of FOMO so you can drive more ROI.
The email is simple, but the incentives are all there. Wool & Oak plays on Halloween to make the sale festive, plus they mention it’s the last day for the sale, which creates urgency if shoppers want to claim $200 off!
8fit is another one to look at for inspiration. Their last chance email subject lines utilized seasonal FOMO and incentives, all in one go.
Being able to do so isn’t hard but it can take some practice to keep the subject lines short enough to read on mobile.
You can go a simpler route or add some pizazz with countdown timers to really seal the deal. There’s no wrong way as long as the FOMO is present and the stats show the campaign was performing well for your audience.
Subject Lines To Try:
- Back to school shopping already?
- Summers here! Grab these must-haves
- Thanksgiving is 7 days away! ✅ these off your list
4. Let Them Know Items are Literally Running Out
This is a great one and not something we see a lot of brands doing. If you’re using a good email marketing automation software, you can track the pages someone views to gauge where their interest lies.
You can see how World Market does this (they really have a good hold on their email marketing.)
First, they have their subject line, indicating that an item viewed is about to go out of stock. The content of the email reinforces the message by saying the item is almost out, showing a picture of it, and then a CTA that takes you back to the website.
As an added touch, there’s also a part of the email where there are personalized suggestions to keep interested people moving through to a purchase. This is all brilliantly done and something worth stealing for your own email marketing strategy.
Other online brands utilize similar tactics and meld the browser tracking feature World Market undoubtedly used with the “Low Inventory” like you see NoBull did. (Full Disclosure… I totally bought these shows after this email. Even good marketing works on marketers.)
Whereas Danner hits you with a double whammy to let you know both time and stock are running out.
If you spend some time in a creative headspace, you can generate many ideas that play to the tune of “Better hurry up, these are about to sell out.” It takes time and practice to come up with things, but practice makes perfect!
Subject Lines To Try:
- Oh no, we ran out 😖
- Did you miss out on this?
- Low Stock 🚨 Get them before they’re gone!
Take These Last Chance Subject Lines for a Spin!
With a touch of FOMO, a sprinkle of urgency and a dusting of timeliness, you could be fashioning your last chance emails with subject lines ready to grab attention.
But with the bones of these examples of last chance subject lines drawn out for you, you can take these ideas and make them all your own.
If you’re on the hunt for an email marketing platform with great open rates and advanced marketing features like site tracking and SMS, be sure to give Sendlane a try today!
