Creating the Best Email Subject Lines for Your Business

 

Email – we depend on it for quick and easy communication between ourselves, between businesses, between clients, customers, etc. As digital marketers, we also rely on the capabilities of email marketing automation to make our jobs easier, which is why it’s crucial we understand just how important email subject lines are within our strategy. Only the best email subject lines are the ones people open. 

 

 

In a case study by Wordstream, they explain that over 105 Billion emails are sent out daily, making email the third most influential communication tool for the gathering of B2B (aka Business to Business) information. If the emails your business sends out are consistently being placed into the Spam or Trash, well, you’re in trouble. 

 

Subject Lines are the first impression your email makes and they entice the recipient to click to open. The most successful email marketing campaign will get people opening your email. Now open rates are important, because how can you achieve your email marketing goals if you cannot get people to open the email, but please keep in mind that open rates are also a vanity metric.

Tracking open rates ensures you are utilizing your best email subject lines (also test different subject lines). However, the success of your email marketing efforts should be measured through the main KPI (key performance indicator) you determine for the email. In order to achieve higher open rates, which will help you to achieve your KPI, the best email subject lines are an important part of the equation. 

 

So, how do you make sure that the email you’re sending out for your business is the one that gets people clicking and helps you to achieve your goals? How do you entice your customers and keep them coming back for more?

We’ve got some great tips for you to help you write your best email subject lines, so here we go!

 

The Best Email Subject Line Styles

 

 

The Urgent Subject Line

You absolutely need to read this right now! It’s very important, you could miss out on a very big opportunity here! “Act now!”

You see these in your inbox: a warning that your phone or internet or car insurance bill is past due, or that you have 24 hours left for the once a year sale happening at your favorite boutique. Open rates soar when the subject line heeds the possibility that you may lose a service or miss out on an amazing deal. Some of the best email subject lines create urgency but remember to use these and not abuse these. Know your personas and craft urgent subject lines when you really want them to take action and fast. 

 

The Curious Subject Line

Has something piqued your interest? “DO NOT OPEN!”

Let’s be honest, an email saying DO NOT OPEN, really wants to be opened, especially by those curious cats who are on your email list. Find a best email subject line for your business that will create curiosity in your recipient. Leave a question hanging. Some curious rebel will click on it! In a similar vein to the urgent subject lines, use curiosity strategically and don’t become the business that cries wolf. Balance the occasional mystery with your overall email marketing strategy. 

 

The Vain Subject Line

“Check out our new age-defying serum!” or “Looking to get that summer body this winter?”

It’s makeup, it’s skincare, it’s work-out tips. By creating a subject line that fluffs up those feathers, it might be the direction you need to take to sell that product. Everyone wants to be a better version of themselves and appealing to this side of your email audience can move the needle if you need a boost in sales.

Adding social proof from happy customers is also a great way to double down and validate your product. “Kim K swears by our squats program!”

 

The Personal/Self-Interested Subject Line

We all know those businesses that send out birthday discount offers. The ones offering the birthday boy/girl that extra 10% off their next purchase (just for being a subscriber or customer)?

A company that invests time in knowing their customers and their individual needs or life events tend to be the ones that customers focus more on. It creates a fuzzy feeling when you feel personally taken care of. 

 

The Straightforward Subject Line

Sometimes writing some of your best email subject lines, such as, “The best winter coat for 2018”, is truly all it takes to get that click.

Because they really do want to know…is it really the best winter coat of the year? What makes this winter coat so great? Who is claiming that this coat is the best? Straightforward emails can also play to curiosity, vanity, and other subject line strategies. 

 

Think Before You Write Your Best Email Subject Lines

 

 

Something to keep in mind each time you write a subject line is that they can be as unique as the message you are conveying. Don’t over complicate when working on ideas for your best email subject lines. Overcomplicating a simple solution or situation can easily backfire on you. 

68% of email recipients report email for spam based on the subject line of the email – regardless of what the content actually is. Yikes!

 

Constant Contact has some amazing tips and tricks to make sure that the subject line is tailored just enough to increase open rates of email. They make sure your subject line isn’t too long or wordy and that it doesn’t offend readers, but rather, that it creates controversial curiosity.

Mailchimp is another helpful tool for shaving off extra words and promotes better email marketing campaigns through specific word choices. For example, saying something is free isn’t always guaranteed to get that click on the email.

And remember what I said about spam? Sometimes using the word “free” in your line creates the opposite effect, causing the customer to report or delete it.

 

Work on Your Best Email Subject Lines & Get Those Emails Opened

 

 

Alright, so you understand the basics of email subject lines. Now it’s time to start writing yours!

Blend vanity with curiosity: “Want to learn about a makeup line that can hide your blemishes and keep your skin healthy underneath?”

Add some urgency to a straight-forward email: “Only 75 Tickets Left for Disney on Ice”.

Your subject lines are so important when working on email marketing for your business. They are the email’s first impression and you don’t get another chance to make a first impression (unless you’re working on an email drip campaign, but that’s another blog for another time).

The best email subject lines will determine whether or not your email will be opened or deleted. 

Time to get to work on creating your best subject lines yet!

 

Want some help with email marketing?

 

Send me a message!

Kaitlyn “Drapes” Curtin

Kaitlyn at heartbrain dot marketing