When it comes to email, subject lines can make or break you. With only a few seconds to entice a recipient to click through and begin reading, the pressure is on you to make them pay attention.
Email marketing, in particular, has evolved into a tricky business for this reason. With folks receiving dozens of emails daily, many of them unsolicited spam, there’s no time to give emails that don’t give a good first impression a fair chance. Most likely, your carefully crafted pitch, industriously worked on and even ran through an English writing software for good measure, will be sent to Trash, along with the nominal garbage.
As such, writing compelling subject lines are now more important than ever. These three techniques are among my favorites to employ when fashioning my subject lines. I think you’ll find them helpful too.
Making An Offer. As with the old sales directive, starting off with your best offer can do a lot to gain attention. Tell them your biggest discounts, offer your sweetest deals and put up your most compelling right in front of your recipients’ eyes. That should get their eyeballs right on your copy.
Show Off Your Greatest Benefit. People are always anticipating what’s in a deal for them. If you can let them know right on the subject line, you will be sure to attract those who are most interested in it. Present it creatively, lauding 50% savings instead of telling them they can save a dollar on a two-dollar product, for instance.
Speak What’s On Their Mind. If you know what your audience wants, put it right smack on the subject line. If you’re emailing to a list of former “diet pill” users, make sure to have that exact keyword prominently featured when they first see your message in their inbox list.
As with any marketing campaign, the real measure of your subject lines lie in their results. Make sure to track them accordingly as well.
