The Subject Line
As I said above , your subject line is the headline of your email . It is the first big determinant of whether or not your email will get opened . Here are a few mistakes to AVOID when writing a subject line :
Mistake # 1 : Capitalizing The First Letter Of Every Word
The above , while a subhead , is an example of this . Capitalizing the first letter of every word in an email subject line instantly tells me “ spam .” Why ? Because that ’ s not how most personal email subject lines are written .
Mistake # 2 : Trying To Sell
Here are a few real subject lines from spam emails I received that are trying to sell :
• Mobile App Development
• Boost B2B SEO Now
• Festival Delight : Get 60 % Off Web Design
• Cost-Effective Web Development & Mobile Apps
• Accounting And Bookkeeping
As you can see , these also commit the first-letter-of-every-wordcapitalized mistake AND they are coming from a complete stranger . This is the one-two knockout punch that kills ANY chance of me opening these .
Mistake # 3 : Being BORING
Another problem with the above subject lines is that they ’ re boring . The last thing anyone wants is to waste time on something totally irrelevant AND boring . Here are some other examples of subject lines that are BORING , even though they came from senders I know :
• A Buyer ’ s Guide To Unified Communications
• Press Moves Update – USA September 2024
• October Newsletter
• Tailored Lead Generation Strategies For You
Again , the capitalization mistake . This is because untrained amateurs trying to write copy ALWAYS go into “ brochure speak ” when they craft a marketing communication . Here ’ s the key : Write your email like you ’ re sending it to ONE person , not a broadcast . If you were writing to someone you know , would you use any of these subject lines ? Of course not . Your writing style would be entirely different ; it would be more casual , more natural . Now let ’ s look at what some GREAT subject lines have in common .
Strategy # 1 : Create Curiosity
All things being equal , curiosity is your BEST FRIEND when it comes to getting your emails opened ( and clicked on ). Here are some subject lines we ’ ve used that have been successful ( note that the ones with “ Robin ” were personalized to the recipient ):
• Robin , is this REALLY you in the photo ?
• That voicemail I just left was horrendous
• I ’ m SO excited , my hands are shaking !
• Our office flooded ( pics enclosed )
• I ’ m getting some hate over this ...
• You WILL get left behind
• IMPORTANT ( please read )
• I ’ m SO embarrassed about this
• WTF should I do now ?
• This MSP added 41 new clients ... Here ’ s how
• How to write a blog post that goes viral
• The ONE WORD you should never say to a prospect
• One sign your IT company is FAILING you , big-time
• Forward this to your employees ASAP
• Are you okay ?
• Is this Robin ’ s actual email ?
Strategy # 2 : Personalization
When email marketers first figured this out and started personalizing subject lines , response rates went through the roof . Then everyone started using it , and everyone became numb to it , and we ’ re right back to the usual open and response rates .
HOWEVER , strategic personalization does work in a subject line . As you can see from the example above , “ Robin , is this REALLY you ?” uses personalization well . Obviously , it could be added to any subject line , but you don ’ t want to overuse it .
The person ’ s name is not the only personalization you can use in a subject line . For example , the company name , the person ’ s FULL name , zip code , city , or location are ALL ways to “ personalize ” an email to get a bump in open rates .
The Lead
The “ lead ” is the opening sentence or paragraph to your email and is critical to keep the reader engaged enough to click on your link . You have SECONDS to grab someone ’ s attention with your lead . The mistake most make is doing what copywriters call “ clearing your throat ,” which means you open with some drivel to warm yourself up to the point you want to make . Here ’ s my advice :
GET RIGHT TO THE POINT and MAKE IT INTERESTING !
Here ’ s an example of a BAD lead where the person is clearing their throat :
The threat landscape is constantly evolving and increasing in impact . Globally , cyberthreats are up on all vectors . That ’ s why you need to be up-to-date on regulatory compliance laws to stay ahead of the curve .
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