Spam filters and quick deletions are the bane of the email marketer’s existence, but you often don’t need to drill down into every moving part of your emails to make a fix. The key to a successful email marketing campaign is an effective, punchy subject line that has the power to capture your client’s attention and earn their opens and clicks. Here are 10 of the most effective subject line tips to overcome email skepticism and your client’s hesitation to open your correspondence.
Legible Subjects
No one likes having their subject lines cut off in the middle. An email with a subject line that cannot be read has a first-class ticket to being ignored or – worse – deleted. Using incomplete sentences like “Here are a Few Simple Ways to Catch…” leaves users uninterested and slightly confused. What are they supposed to be catching? Fish? A cold?
Ensure that your subject lines are fewer than 40 characters so that your customers are able to read and understand them. “4 Simple Ways to Catch Clients” is a much better headline for your email.
Be Direct
Don’t waste their time. Your clients are busy people. The last thing they want to do is spend time reading a subject line that makes no sense or is irrelevant. Be concise. Give your clients information that is pertinent to their needs. Example: “Direct Marketing Strategies.”
Ask a Question
Ask a question that perks the attention of your clientele. Asking a question like “Want a New Marketing Approach?” in your subject line drives user curiosity and increases the probability that your email will be opened.
Give Them a Sample
Draw your target market in with a taste of the email’s content. If a user knows what they can expect to see inside, they are more likely to open your email. Example: “Unique Weddings: Make Your Fantasy Come True.”
Give a Command
“Join Our Open House On Wednesday 9/22” is bold and upfront. It grabs your client’s attention by tell them what they should They then open your email to understand why they should do what your email tells them.
Quantify
People like numbers. More specifically, people like numbers that are in their favor. Telling your clients that the information enclosed in your email could benefit them lures them to read your email. “Increase Your Sales By 60%” promises your customers that the information can help them and their business.
Remind Them Who You Are
Your clients gave you a personal way to reach out to them. They trust you and that trust is going to get them to open your emails. Casually remind them who you are in your subject head. “Bee Ice Cream Has New Flavors” subtly injects the company or brand name into the first line that their customers see. By doing this, Bee Ice Cream is essentially saying, “Hey, you know us. You like our ice cream. Here is a way to learn more about us.”
Make Announcements
There is something special about being the first to know about new information. By making announcements the first thing your clients see, your customers will feel like VIPs. Example: “New Gowns and Wedding Designs!”
The List Hook
“6 Steps to Marketing Success” is a short, attention-grabbing subject line that promises an easy-to-follow formula for marketing success in a select number of steps. Such title hooks are much too tempting to pass up. List articles or emails are usually short but informative so readers know that they will not be reading an article that is endlessly time-consuming and irrelevant.
Show Them How You Can Help
State your worth to your clients. Let them know that you are not simply trying to sell a product they do not need. Instead, remind your clients that your purpose is to help them get what they want. Example: “Let Us Help You With the Perfect Wedding.”
Subject lines play the most important role in your email marketing strategy. They can make or break the chance of your email getting noticed, opened, or tossed into the bin. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating how important it is to catch the attention of your clients. Does your marketing team use these strategies to draw attention to your emails?