While this may not seem like a huge drop, in a world where associations rely on email to engage members, promote events, and share critical updates, any decline in open rates is a red flag. As inboxes become increasingly crowded, members are overwhelmed with emails and growing more selective about what they open.

The good news? You can fight this decline by being more creative with your subject lines. The key is to grab attention and spark curiosity by teasing the video content inside, which studies show can increase engagement and boost open rates. Here are 100 subject line ideas tailored to various use cases for association leaders.

Event Promotion Emails

Event promotion emails are crucial for driving attendance, and using a video preview is a great way to generate excitement and curiosity. Start your email off with a subject line that promises a sneak peek, or highlights the event's biggest selling point in a short, engaging video.

1. 🎥 “Watch This Before Our Big Event!”
2. “Sneak Peek: A Video Preview of [Event Name]”
3. “Important: [Event Name] Details in 30 Seconds”
4. 🎬 “Can’t-Miss Highlights from [Event Name]—Watch Now!”
5. “Unlock Your Exclusive Event Video”
6. “Why You Should Attend [Event Name]—Watch This!”
7. “One-Minute Video: [Event Name] in a Nutshell”
8. “See What’s Waiting for You at [Event Name]”
9. “A Quick Video About [Event Name] You Don’t Want to Miss”
10. 🎥 “The [Event Name] Video You Need to See”
11. “Get Ready for [Event Name]—Watch the Video!”
12. “Only 2 Days Left to Watch Our Event Video!”
13. “Why [Event Name] Is a Must-Attend—Watch and See”
14. “See the Magic of [Event Name] in 60 Seconds!”
15. 🎥 “The Countdown is On! Watch This to Learn More”

Membership Renewal Emails

Membership renewal emails are a great opportunity to remind your members about the value your association provides. By including a video in your email, you can quickly engage your members with a personal message about why renewing is important.

16. 🎥 “Your Membership Renewal in 60 Seconds”
17. “Why Renewing Your Membership is Worth It—Watch This”
18. “Don’t Miss Out: Watch This Quick Membership Update”
19. “A Personal Message About Your Membership Renewal”
20. 🎬 “Renew Today: Watch This Short Video on Member Benefits”
21. “A Quick Video About Why Your Membership Matters”
22. “Renewing Made Easy: Watch Our Step-By-Step Video”
23. “What’s New This Year? Watch the Membership Update Video!”
24. “It’s Time to Renew—Get All the Info in One Video”
25. “Your Membership Renewal in 1 Minute: Watch Now”
26. “Unlock the Benefits of Renewal—Watch and Learn”
27. “Just a Quick Video on Why Renewing is Important”
28. “Why Stay a Member? Watch This Personal Message”
29. “Renew Today! A Special Video from [Your Association’s Name]”
30. 🎥 “Membership Renewal: Watch This 30-Second Video for Key Info”

Sponsorship Sales Emails

Sponsorship emails should highlight the value and ROI that potential sponsors can gain from partnering with your association. A short video can help you visually communicate these benefits and increase the likelihood that they’ll open and engage with your email.

31. 🎬 “Exclusive Sponsorship Opportunity—Watch This!”
32. “Why Sponsor [Event/Conference Name]? Watch This Quick Video”
33. “Be Part of Something Big: Sponsorship Video Inside”
34. 🎥 “Unlock Exclusive Sponsorship Benefits in 60 Seconds”
35. “Sponsorship Opportunities for [Event Name]—Watch Now”
36. “Quick Video: How Sponsorship Helps Your Brand”
37. “Take Your Brand to the Next Level—Watch This Video”
38. “A Personal Invitation: Become a Sponsor at [Event Name]”
39. “See Why Sponsorship is a Game Changer for Your Brand”
40. “Sponsorship for [Event Name]: A Video to Explain Why It’s Worth It”
41. “Maximize Your ROI: Watch Our Sponsorship Opportunity Video”
42. “Your Sponsorship Video Invitation—Don’t Miss It!”
43. “What’s New in Sponsorship for [Event Name]?”
44. “3 Ways Sponsoring [Event/Program] Will Benefit Your Brand”
45. 🎥 “A Video Explaining Why Sponsorship Is a Win for You”

General Association Announcements

Announcements can be difficult to get attention for, but a video can make a world of difference by turning your message into something engaging. Start with a subject line that highlights how the content is new and worth watching.

46. 🎥 “Exciting News—Watch This Announcement”
47. “A Quick Video About Our Latest Updates”
48. 🎬 “Big Changes Coming—Watch This Short Video”
49. “Stay Informed: Important News in 60 Seconds”
50. “A Personal Update for You—Watch This Quick Video”
51. 🎥 “The Latest News from [Your Association]—Watch Now”
52. “See What’s New This Year for [Association Name]”
53. “Important: A Video Message You Need to See”
54. “You’ll Want to See This—New Video Update Inside”
55. “Major Update for [Your Association]—Watch This”
56. 🎬 “Watch This Important Update from [Your Association]”
57. “Get the Latest News—In Video Format”
58. “We’ve Got News! Watch This Quick Video for All the Details”
59. “One-Minute Video: [Association Name] Updates You Need”
60. “Stay Ahead: Watch This Quick Announcement Video”

Member Engagement & Retention Emails

Retaining your members is essential to the growth of your association. Use videos to highlight the value of membership and the benefits your members get, increasing their overall engagement with the association.

61. 🎥 “A Quick Thank You Video from [Your Association Name]”
62. “We Value You—Watch This Video from Our Team”
63. 🎬 “Your Member Benefits in 60 Seconds”
64. “Exclusive Member-Only Content Inside—Watch Now”
65. “A Personal Message for Our Loyal Members”
66. 🎥 “Thank You for Being a Member—Watch This Video”
67. “Member Perks: A Video You Don’t Want to Miss”
68. “Engage with Us—Watch This Exclusive Video for Members”
69. “See How You Can Get More Involved—Video Inside”
70. “Maximize Your Membership—Watch Our Short Video”
71. “A Personalized Video Just for You”
72. “Special Announcement for Members—Watch This!”
73. 🎬 “How to Make the Most of Your Membership—Watch Now”
74. “A Quick Video on Enhancing Your Member Experience”
75. 🎥 “Unlock Your Membership Benefits—Watch This!”

Educational Content Emails

Educational content emails are a great way to offer value to your members. A short, educational video will engage them quickly and deliver the information they need in an easy-to-digest format.

76. 🎥 “Learn More About [Topic] in 60 Seconds”
77. “Quick Video: [Topic] Explained in a Minute”
78. “Master [Topic]—Watch This Helpful Video”
79. 🎬 “The Ultimate Guide to [Topic]—In Video Form”
80. “Get Expert Insights in 60 Seconds—Watch Now”
81. “See [Topic] in Action—Quick Video Inside”
82. “A Video Tutorial: How to Master [Topic]”
83. “Learn Something New Today—Watch Our Quick Video”
84. 🎥 “The Best Way to Learn About [Topic]—Watch This Video”
85. “Don’t Miss Our Latest Video on [Topic]”
86. 🎬 “Unlock the Secrets to [Topic]—In 60 Seconds”
87. “Short and Sweet: [Topic] Explained in a Quick Video”
88. “[Topic] Made Simple—Watch This Video”
89. “An Easy Guide to [Topic]—In One Minute Video”
90. 🎥 “Get the Essentials on [Topic]—Watch This Quick Video”

Special Offers and Discounts

Your special offer emails should be visually enticing, especially with a video preview of what your members can gain. Use video to add a personal touch and drive action quickly.

91. 🎬 “Unlock Exclusive Discounts—Watch This Video”
92. “Limited-Time Offer Inside—Watch the Video Now”
93. “Special Deal Just for You—Watch This Quick Video”
94. 🎥 “Your Exclusive Discount Video: Don’t Miss Out”
95. “A Limited-Time Offer You Need to See—Watch Now”
96. “Unlock Your Savings Today—Watch This Video”
97. “How to Claim Your Special Offer—Watch This Quick Video”
98. 🎬 “Last Chance! Watch This Video for Special Pricing”
99. “Exclusive Member Offer Inside—Video Details”
100. “See How to Save Big—Watch This Quick Video for Details”

Maximizing Impact Once Your Email Is Opened: The Power of Video

Now that your email has been opened, it’s time to ensure your video gets the attention it deserves. Here’s how to maximize the impact of your video content:

• Place the Video Thumbnail Above the Fold: Make sure the video thumbnail is visible right away when the email is opened. If it’s buried under long paragraphs of text, you risk losing engagement.
• Make the Play Button Obvious: A thumbnail should clearly look like a video. The play button overlay is key to signaling that there’s something to click.
• Keep the Video Short and Personal: Engagement drops off after 60-90 seconds, so keep your videos concise and directly address the viewer with relevant, personalized content.
• Leverage Social Proof: Use testimonials or user-generated content in your video. A short clip of a real member sharing their experience is far more compelling than a generic pitch.

By incorporating these tactics into your email design, you can further increase engagement and provide more value to your members.

At Gather Voices, we make it easy for associations to collect, edit, and share video content—especially in email campaigns. If you're looking to increase open rates and engagement, we can help you implement a video-first email strategy that works.

Want to see the impact for yourself? Try incorporating a video thumbnail in your next email and watch what happens. The data is clear—video isn't just engaging after the open. It helps get the email opened in the first place.

‍