Email marketers put a lot of time and effort into the content of an email, but more often than not the subject line is overlooked. The subject line itself is a major determining factor on whether or not an email is even opened. Imagine opening a newspaper or magazine; are you really going to read the article with a terrible title? I think not! So obviously, spending time on creating a good subject line is crucial. Although I may not be able to provide a magical solution for subject lines I can offer a few tips that have attracted me personally to open emails. First, keep it short and to the point; limit the characters to 50 or 60, anything more is just overkill. Second, be honest and develop a subject line that reflects what is exactly is in your email. Third, include an offer; make sure the offer is clear giving the person an incentive to read the email. Finally, steer clear of spammy words such as free, drug names, as on TV, mortgage etc. To give you a better feel, I took emails from my own inbox of lists that I have opted into including: wineries, wine clubs and golf courses. The list on the top I opened and read the list on the bottom I did not read:
Opens
- 4th of July Weekend Tee Time Presale
- Family Luau & Tournament – Special Rates This Week Only
- Reds, Whites and You Wine Sale – Save up to 61%!
- Buy Any 5 Bottles and Get a Bottle on Us!
- Attention Pinot Lovers – Exclusive 1¢ Shipping Offer
No Opens
- FREE WINE GIVEAWAY!!!!!
- 2007 _______Winery Major Zinfandel, ______ Vineyard – 20% Off & Special Shipping Offer only at The _______!!!
- Last Chance! Purchase three dozen and get the fourth on us!!!
- Two Sonoma Reds with 6 Medals and Rave Reviews for Just the cost of Shipping! CONTACT US NOW!
- Demo Day
As you can see, a good subject line is arguably the most important part of your email campaign. And from the list above you can see that there is no real magic involved when creating a good subject line. Stick by the guidelines to create a short, honest and descriptive subject line and you will find a better open rate.
Thanks for reading,
Vince
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Filed under: Do's and Don'ts, Email Marketing Tips, First Impressions, Marketing Tips, Subject Lines
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