Use Better Subject Lines to Get Your Emails Opened

According to Jay Baer of Convince & Convert, 35% of email recipients open messages based on subject line alone.

Perhaps more surprising is his report that 69% of email recipients mark email as spam based solely on the subject line.

So, how can you be sure your outgoing emails are getting opened rather than trashed or—even worse—reported as spam? Crafting great subject lines can go a long way in ensuring your messages get read, so it’s time to up your subject-line game.

Let’s look at some examples so you know what you should (and shouldn’t) be writing.

Emojis: Use Your ?????? Wisely

·      The Bad

Example: Want to get the best price on new styles??? You can, and you’ll &3x1F49C it!!!

o  What’s wrong:

§ Why all of the question marks and exclamation points???? It’s distracting and unnecessary!!!

§ It’s a bad idea to format your subject line as a question followed by an exclamation. This configuration is so common in spam that it can make your message look like spam regardless of the content. Some spam filters are actually set up to throw out any messages with this subject-line format.

§ The sender tried using an emoji (a great idea) but neglected to test it across different devices. The gobbledygook is supposed to be a heart, but the recipient doesn’t know that. All they know is that this message does not look worthy of their time.

·      The Good

Example: Amy, You’ll Be ?? Over These 50%-Off Looks

o  What works?

§ If I’m Amy, I like this message. It has my name in it!

§ This is an example of an emoji being used well. Emojis increase open rates when they look like emojis.

§ Including numbers like “50%-Off” also increases email open rates.

§ This message is personalized, to the point, and promises Amy a sale on some current fashion that is of interest to her. Presenting the recipient with an offer and piquing their curiosity are great tools for getting them to click.

Action, Name Recognition, and No Yelling

·      The Bad

Example: WASHINGTON D.C. ANNUAL BASEBALL DINNER TO SUPPORT CHILDREN’S NATIONAL HOSPITAL CARDIAC UNIT PATIENTS

o  What’s wrong?

§ WHY IS THIS PERSON YELLING SO MUCH?! Nobody likes to be yelled at, and that’s what is implied with a subject line in all caps. Studies have shown that title case is best when crafting your subject line, so write it as you would the title of a book. If you’re not sure about what gets capitalized in a title, here’s an easy online tool that can help.

§ Zzzzzz…It’s boring! Nothing in that subject line is going to get someone jazzed enough to open the message. The recipient stopped reading after “annual baseball dinner.”

·      The Good

Example: Dine with Bryce Harper and Help Sick Kids. Win and Win.

o  What works?

§ Now here’s something I’m going to click on. I get to hang out and eat dinner with a Washington National while doing a good deed? Sign me up!

§ This subject line is short.

§ It has action words (“Dine,” “Help,” and “Win”).

§ It references the name of someone cool I’d like to meet.

§ It uses humor and shows a bit of whimsy.

Who Are You, and Why Are You Asking Me That?

·      The Bad

Example: wanted to touch base after our meeting last week and see if you’re still interested in bras…From: [email protected]

o  What’s wrong?

§ Let’s begin with the obvious. Long subject lines often get cut off, especially considering that half of all emails are opened on mobile devices. This one happened to get cut off in a very inopportune place. Hopefully the recipient remembers that she just met with Brasstown Security and doesn’t really think she’s being queried about underwear, but chances are she’s not opening this email. Worse, she’s likely to mark it as spam.

§ The subject line is written all in lowercase. Nothing says “lacking authority” like an all-lowercase subject line.

§ Who is it from? If the recipient met with George last week, how come she’s receiving a message from a generic sales email address? Brasstown Security isn’t looking so great.

·      The Good

Example: Valerie, Checking in to Discuss Next Steps. From: [email protected]

o  What works?

§ This subject line is concise and personalized.

§ It uses phrases like “checking in” and “next steps” that have been shown to get higher clickthrough rates. It’s worth doing a quick search on the latest studies and data to find out what words and phrases get the most clicks and which ones you want to avoid. Resources like Campaign Monitor and Yesware can give you a good overview of what works best right now.

An email subject is only a few words (or should be), so it’s easy to assume it’s not worth thinking much about. In a world of constant communication and split-second decision-making, however, the subject line is often your one chance to grab somebody’s attention. After all, what’s the point of crafting a powerful email if it won’t be opened? Taking the time to create an effective email subject line can be the difference between gaining a prospect or losing one. It can promote the sale or stall it. It’s worth the effort to give it some ??.