Writing your subject line for your email campaigns is critical because it will help you ensure that your subscribers open and read your emails; otherwise, you will waste money on emails that are not opened.
According to Finances Online, 64% of recipients decide whether to open or delete emails based on subject lines, and 33% of users open emails due to catchy subject lines.
Read on and learn more about how to create your subject lines according to experts.
Creating Subject Lines to Increase Open Rates by Florian Decludt
Many small businesses have proven the good results of sending out cold emails to acquire new customers as well as retain them, which promotes loyalty.
Email marketing may sound easy, as other business owners describe it but it’s more complicated than you could ever imagine. This is because email marketing requires a strategy and proper content creation, especially in constructing the subject lines to hook customers.
Your goal is to make your subscribers open and read your email so you can persuade them or simply deliver a message. Although you need to choose the best subject lines that will help you entice your subscribers.
Here is an example of five cold email subject lines that get more than 70% open rates, according to Florian Decludt:
Addressing a Relevant Problem:
Make it specific enough to convey relevance, while keeping it vague enough to pique curiosity.
Quick Question:
A timeless classic that still works
Our brains are wired to respond to questions, making this subject line effective.
{{Their Company}} x {{Your Company}} Partnership:
By combining their company name with yours, you create an instant sense of familiarity.
Question about {{Company Name}}:
A variation of the second subject line, leveraging the same psychological triggers.
However, you add a personalized touch to increase curiosity.
Feedback Request:
This subject line is highly effective when you’re testing a new offer and seeking valuable qualitative feedback.
Why does it work?
Because people enjoy sharing their opinions, especially on products and services.
Best Subject Line Recommendations by Samantha Rideout
According to Samantha Rideout, a product marketing lead, “It’s better to test something creative and fail, than never to try at all!”
This is especially true when you are just starting your journey with email marketing. It may require a lot of testing until you finally find the perfect way to reach your audience in the niche you chose.
If you are looking for tips and suggestions, the comments section on SubjectLine.com’s email marketing tip contest is basically a crowdsourced email subject line how-to guide.
Here are some of Samantha’s favorite recommendations:
Use An Emoji At The Beginning
For Example: “🍀 13 best websites.” OWN AN EMOJI AND STICK TO IT. (Ari Murray) – [My POV: This definitely works for Go-to-Millions. The clover emoji consistency/branding stands out in my inbox.]
Ask A Compelling Question!
Best way to open a loop and add a little mystery. (Hillary Weeks)
Be Newsworthy.
Share a growing trend or new industry that could impact your audience. People are always looking to close the information gap. Example:
“New Apple Updates Means You Should Stop Tracking Opens.” (Sheri Otto)
Always Revise!
Never accept your first subject line idea as your final subject line. (Holly Barrett)
Watch Your Character Length.
No one wants an awkward truncation. (Betsy Grondy)
Stop Using The First Name!
Don’t remember the last time I opened a mailer that started with ‘Jade, …’ (Jade W.)
Write Something That Will Make The Reader Ask Themselves Two Questions At Once.
Example: “The Veterinarian Said WHAT?” (1. What’s a veterinarian got to do with it? 2. What did they say? )The more curious they are, the more they’ll want to read! (MaryHelen Herndon)
5 Subject Line Templates To Test And Optimize By Will Cannon
If you think you’ve made sufficient efforts to optimize your email campaigns, consider the journey taken by individuals like Will Cannon before they could find the most effective subject lines that lead to closed contracts ranging from $2K to $10K.
There is no formula or recipe for creating the best subject lines. In fact, it can vary depending on your target audience, as each individual possesses unique personality traits that can be leveraged to capture their interest.
Here are five subject line templates that consistently generate high open rates and replies:
Template #1:
“Quick question, {first name}”
Why it works:
Posing a question to someone immediately grabs their attention. Including their first name adds a personal touch, making it even more impactful.
Template #2:
“{Shared contact} recommended reaching out to you”
Why it works:
Mentioning a shared contact establishes trust and familiarity. However, use this template only if it’s true; authenticity is crucial.
Template #3:
“Take a look at this, {first name}”
Why it works:
Inviting someone to check something out naturally sparks their curiosity. Incorporating their first name further enhances the personal connection.
Template #4:
“I have {something useful} for you”
Why it works:
Offering something of genuine value, such as an audit of their current marketing strategy, captures their attention and compels them to pay heed.
Template #5:
“Noticed your {tweet/LinkedIn post/blog post/etc.}”
Why it works:
Acknowledging someone’s work or their business creates a sense of recognition and appreciation, making them more receptive to your outreach.
Key Lessons:
Keep your subject lines concise and to the point.
Focus on generating interest and curiosity.
Make your messaging about them, not you.
Establish familiarity by leveraging personalization whenever possible.
Follow those, and you’ll be better than 95% of people doing outreach.
10 Elements Of Response-Worthy Subject Lines by Andy Mewborn
Some people may have thought that an attractive subject line alone would suffice. However, similar to any other digital marketing strategy, it is crucial to understand the fundamental elements that make a subject line effective in order to optimize your email campaigns and achieve superior results.
Regardless of your objectives, it is essential to ensure that your subject line incorporates the elements mentioned by Andy Mewborn in his LinkedIn post.
In addition, he mentioned that “your subject line is 80 cents of your dollar.”
So, don’t miss out on understanding these 10 elements of response-worthy subject lines:
- Overcome objections
- Out-of-this-world-idea
- Beginner Tips
- Time Frame
- Deep Desire
- Authority
- Timeliness
- Lists
- Negativity
- Curiosity
Great subject lines get you up to bat more often.
If your subject lines suck, no one’s going to open your email.
If nobody opens your email, nobody reads it.
If nobody reads it, you don’t make any money
It’s that simple
So work on your subject lines and understand better how it should be! Here is an example of how it is being used with the different elements:
Overcome an objection
Boring: How to use LinkedIn
Better: How to Make Money on LinkedIn
Best: How to Make Money On LinkedIn
Out-of-this-world-idea
Boring: I made breakfast
Better: I made a massive egg sandwich
Best: I made the world’s largest egg sandwich (50 pounds)
Beginner Tips
Boring: How to swim in the pool
Better: How to swim in the pool as a beginner
Best: How to swim your first 800m without stopping – beginner swim techniques
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Give Time Frame
Boring: I got lots of followers quickly
Better: How I got 10K followers
Best: 10K Followers in 10 Days (MY OPERATING SYSTEM!)
Hit Deep Desire
Boring: How to wake up early
Better: How to wake up & seize the Day
Best: How to change your life in 4 weeks
Rent Authority
Boring: Improve your presentations
Better: How to give a good presentations
Best: How to present like Steve Jobs on his best day
Use Timeliness
Boring: Why people are unproductive at work
Better: 20 reasons people are unproductive at work
Best: 20 reasons “quiet quitting” is America’s new epidemic
Use Lists
Boring: Cool things you should buy
Better: 22 amazing things you should purchase
Best: The 22 Best Purchases of 2022
Leverage Negativity
Boring: Teslas aren’t worth it
Better: You shouldn’t buy a Tesla
Best: 3 Reasons you should never buy a Tesla
Spark Curiosity
Boring: Did you know low birth rates are an issue?
Better: Low Birth rates worldwide are a problem
Best: Why Elon Musk says low birth rates are the biggest threat to Civilization
Phrases in Creating Urgency Emails for Subject Lines by Matej Dolenec
Urgency emails are the holy grail of instant conversions. If you have experience being enticed by products online you don’t even intend to buy but are still hooked to buy, then this is how you should do it for your target audience as well.
To create urgency in your emails, use these 10 phrases in your subject line, as mentioned by Matej Dolenec:
• Today only
• Low stock
• Only X left
• 1 day left
• Limited time
• Don’t miss this offer
• Hurry
• Free shipping for today
• Limited time
• Few hours only
