1. "Summer Hot Savings, You Don’t Want to Miss."
Since summer is a season most people are looking forward to, they want to make the most out of it. That’s why FOMO (fear of missing out) is a strong strategy for writing summer email subject lines.
Subscribers tend to open email subject lines that promise to maximize summertime opportunities. Here are some examples that you can inspire from:
- What everyone is ____ this summer
- Emily, Your summer savings will disappear soon
- Join the party and get the most out of summer
- Don’t miss the sweetest summer deals of the season
"Summer Hot Savings, You Don’t Want to Miss."
8fit aims at the consumer's fear of missing out with the subject line above to increase sales and attention to the discount campaign.
Recommended article: 50 Best Practices of Abandoned Cart Subject Lines
2. “Yum in the sun 😎”
Using emojis in the email subject lines could help your campaigns stand out in an inbox. However, as Search Engine Journal points out, emojis may catch the receiver’s eye, but that doesn’t mean they will open it.
That being said, emojis are often considered suitable for summer vibes. Just try not to overdo it.
Starbucks uses emojis in summer email subject lines to drive clicks:
“Yum in the sun 😎”
When you open the email, they are promoting new summer drinks available in stores.
More Summer Subject Lines Like This:
- Pull&Bear: 🕶 + 👟 + ☀️ = Summer!
- Crocs: Florals are in for SUMMER 🌸
- Pura Vida Bracelets: What’s hot this summer 🔥☀️🔥
- Estee Lauder: Escape to Summer ☀️🌊
- Penguin Books: 📚️ + ☀️= 🎉🎉🎉
3. “It's time for dresses and skirts!”
Apart from FOMO and using emojis, one way to drive clicks and increase open rates is what Protest Sportswear does; catching attention with summer trends.
They play at subscribers’ needs with an ordinary statement in the subject line. This email aims to make recipients click to see the dresses and skirts offered.
Inside the email, we see another summer-vibey line:
"The sun is out, so it's also time to get your legs out!"
More Summer Subject Lines Like This:
- Aerie: Your new summer shorts are inside
- Ulta Beauty: 🥅 Our summer goal 👇
4. “Your Butt Has Summer Plans”
Most brands prefer to promote summer bestsellers, while others choose to do it with some humor. The latter is what Everlane does.
With a summer email subject line saying “Your Butt Has Summer Plans,” Everlane draws attention to their shorts with a humorous statement. With a clear CTA and fun copy they successfully engage their subscribers.
More Summer Subject Lines Like This:
- Urban Outfitters: The 7 pieces you need this summer ☀️
- NYX: This NEW body oil is a summer essential!
- SHEIN: Summer shopping isn’t complete without these picks
5. "School’s out for summer!"
Summer season means graduation and the end of school terms. Join the celebration by marketing your offers and products with the right subjectlines. Here are some "end of school" subject line examples you can steal:
- School’s out for summer!
- Celebrate the end of school with [brand]’s summer discounts!
- 20% off everything at [brand] for new graduates this July
- You did it! Here’s our exclusive discount code
- Put the books away and get outside with [brand]
- Grads are rad! Check out our exclusive end of school offers
- Hot promo codes for cool school leavers
- Hey teacher! Leave them kids alone!
- Trade-in your old textbooks today for CASH
- Just another school year? Not quite…
6. “Dog Days of Summer Sale! 🐶☀📬”
Some brands took advantage of wordplay to get subscribers to click. That’s what Postable does to get noticed in busy email inboxes.
Postable uses subtle humor with the subject line “Dog Days of Summer Sale” with a dog emoji to increase open rates. So can you; even if you are not a big fan of humor and jokes, you can still experiment with puns for seasonal emails.
In case you don’t prefer humor, here are some alternatives:
- Blue Apron: Get that instant summer feeling with $80 OFF.
- AllSaints: Best of the Summer Sale
- Abercrombie & Fitch: Summer Sale is still ON.
- Tailgate: The summer sale keeps shining.
- Old Navy: These shorts are actually $10 & summer is actually here!
7. End of Summer
Just like FOMO, the sense of urgency is a powerful trigger to imply that time is running out. With the end of summer closing in, people realize the summer days are numbered and all the things they forgot to do. For example, the end of the summer means the approaching school days for kids.
You can use these feelings in your email marketing strategy and craft emotional email subject to get subscribers to open the emails and take action:
- Don’t let your summer slip away!
- Summer is almost over, and the heat is on
- Your last chance for summer savings
- Squeeze the last drops of fun out of summer
"Summer is sooo last season"
Storehouse "waves goodbye" to summer like a pro with a fun and conversational subject line.
Create Summer-Ready Popups to Collect Subscribers
Before you start thinking about what to write in that subject line, you should keep in mind that consistently growing your email list MATTERS for successful email marketing results.
So, how do you keep expanding your email list without lifting a finger? One common way that actually works is using subscription popups. You can collect leads without hassle just by displaying a popup on your website.
Create your email popup with Popupsmart for free.
Here are some summer popups created with Popupsmart to encourage visitors to signup to your email list:
Bonus: 70 Summer Email Subject Lines for Retailers
- Summer is Getting Closer: Grab a Deal Now
- Our Holiday Deals? Summer Pretty Good
- Yelp: Rise and Shine, It’s Beach Time
- Swimwear 365: Seas the Day
- LOFT: Meet Your Summer Loves
- ShopBop: The Go-To Summer Shoe
- DAVIDsTEA: Your summer iced tea is on us.
- Topshop: The big summer sale edit
- rag & bone: Summer Whites
- Weekend Sherpa: Beaches & Beverages
- J.Crew Factory: Get extra 30% off these summer MVPs
- Blaster Tag: Blaster Tag Summer Hours & Mobile Parties
- CustomInk: You could win a summer prize pack or an iPad!
- Toms: Take your toes on an adventure | Beach-ready styles
- Gap Kids: rarely on sale! stock up on summer must-haves
- lucy: Cool. Carefree. Capris.
- DSW: Big brands. New sandals. $29.95 & under prices.
- REI: Make Summer Epic
- Kate Spade: Hello Sailor
- LOFT: Summer’s “It” color is…
- Rip Curl: Earn Your Stars & Stripes
- Chandon: Don’t Miss Our Summer Party!
- Topshop: The five shoes of summer
- Virgin America: Float away this summer with fares from $69 one way
- Kate Spade: Your summer style muse (and her chicest secret weapon)
- CB2: jumpstart summer with these 3 hot offers
- THACKER NYC: The B I G B A N G Sale Starts Now! ??
- Topshop: Kendall + Kylie swimwear has landed
- Birchbox: What’s Your Biggest Summer Beauty Bummer?
- Food52: We pledge allegiance to the picnic.
- Rent the Runway: A sale that’s better than fireworks
- Rip Curl: Made For Independence Day
- Unison: Red White +Blue Cool
- Whole Foods Market: Beer Cocktails and Grilled Pizza? Hello, Summer!
- Crate and Barrel: Let the fireworks begin
- Minibar Delivery: Red, White & Brews ?? ?
- Name Bubbles: Before you head off to that BBQ…
- Gap Kids: this is BIG (for sandcastles & pool parties)
- RON ROBINSON: Swim Into Summer
- Pharmaca: Shop EWG-approved sun care, on sale now!
- DSW: Sandals $29.95 & under = a happy closet
- AliExpress: Heads up: Get your hands on the hottest gadgets
- Rip Curl: WAVE THE FLAG
- The Music Zoo: 30 Red, White and Blue Guitars & Basses for Summer
- lucy: Summer’s on sale. up to 40% off
- Del Mar Racing: Summer is Heating Up
- Pottery Barn: July 4th Savings + Free Shipping
- J.C. Penney: Under $10 summer styles for the family—polos, tees & more
- Stars, Stripes, and Sales
- Who’s Your Daddy (Father’s Day sale line)
- Bloomingdale’s: Sun’s Out! 10 Beach-Bound Essentials for Him & Her
- DAVIDsTEA: It’s time for something exotic…
- Banana Republic: Summer dresses to wear everywhere
- The Stationery Studio: Up to $25 Off Patriotic Parties
- NORDSTROM: Sun’s out: Pop-In@Nordstrom de Soleil
- Pottery Barn Kids: Summer-ready savings! 20% OFF all tabletop + more saving
- Food52: The holy trinity of summer salad tricks.
- Neiman Marcus: Try out a lighter palette for summer
- The Land of Nod: Games for All Summer Long
- Guitar Center: Fun in the Sun Savings End Today
- Whole Foods Market: 8 Summertime Sips That Sparkle
- Old Navy: 60% OFF your summer essential
- Tory Burch: The Miller Sandal: Pick a new shade for summer
- Etienne Aigner: Everything You Need For A Stylish Summer Getaway
- Sloat Garden Center: Birds, bees, and warm weather color!
- Real Simple: How to Plan the Perfect Summer Getaway
- Charming Charlie: NEW crossbodies & summer dresses. Yes & yes!
- Chandon: Perfect Summer Party Day 1: Sparkling Red Snow Cone
- Summer Gets Better
- Get a Head Start on Summer
Conclusion
Regardless of your business size, the summer season brings a special opportunity to promote deals and products to your subscriber base. You need to turn it to your advantage by crafting funny, emotional, curious, or promising subject lines. No matter which tone you’ll be using in your subject line, make sure to match it to your brand voice.
Take inspiration from how top e-commerce brands write catchy summer email subject lines, and you’ll craft yours like a professional.
Which one will you be using? Share with us in the comments below.
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