How to create powerful subject lines by Kenny Van Beeck @Kvanbeeck

How to create powerful subject lines by Kenny Van Beeck

When people receive an email, it is just a matter of seconds to decide which emails they are going to read.  Email marketing can be very effective and the open rate can be very high, if it is done correctly.

1. The most important thing to pay attention to is the “subject-line”. After all, the purpose of the subject line is to intrigue readers into opening the email.
2. Success also depends of the “from-line”.
3. Finally one should find the best timing to send the email.

SUBJECT LINE

To have a successful subject-line, your subject line should

• Directly state what the recipient will learn when reading the email
• Express the key-benefit the recipient will receive
• Be urgent, unique, ultra-specific, useful (4 U’s)
• State an offer (*), that hints at business results (save time, earn money)
• Announce exciting news
• Appeal to the how-to instinct: reader will find out in the email “How to…”
• Be in a problem/solution format
• Ask a question

(*) Be careful with the word “free” or promotional words or phrases.  They can be trapped by a spam filter or deleted by the reader!

Do’s

• Personalize your subject-line
• Using your reader’s name might be too pushy
• Use the word “you”
• Make sure you know your readers and tune your subject to them
• Use a short and snappy subject-line (eight words or less)
• Arouse curiosity, by leaving out an essential element in the headline
• Tease the reader so he has to click to learn more (don’t overdo this!)
• Get to the point quickly, be specific, be brief

Get the readers attention, use words like:

• New, discover, introducing, announcing, now, it’s here at last, just arrived
• How to, why, sale, quick, easy, bargain, last chance, guarantee, results, proven, save
• Stress benefits, offer an incentive
• Use good grammar
• Create the feeling of exclusivity and immediacy: make sure they wish to read your mail straight away. If they save it for later they will most probably not read it

Don’ts

• Use the word “hype”
• Use all cap lines
• Use multiples exclamation points
• Write cute puns or play-on words
• Use the abbreviation “ADV”
• Use the word “free” or promotional words or phrases

FROM LINE

People are more likely to open an email from a sender they know or recognize.

As from line you can use:

• A company name
• A personal name
• An email address
• A department address

But, make sure you keep the “from” name the same over time.  After a while you will become a sender they know and you will benefit from it. If you got a strong brand or a person in your company who has a great brand name, use it!

Remark: in a business environment it is not always possible to put a personal email address in the “from” line. Still one can create a personal touch by using a specific email address like editor@etale.be instead of a general email address like info@etale.be

TIMING

Apart from the subject line and the “from” line, one should also consider the best time to send the email. Although we will give some general ideas here below, it is clear that there is no “magic” solution. For instance one can imagine “business” readers require a different approach than “consumers”.

• Make sure you don’t send the email in the middle of the night.  Otherwise, it will appear in a very full inbox the next morning.  This will increase the possibility of being deleted.
• Make sure you don’t send it at the end of the day.  People are anxious to go home and they will clear their inbox without even take a look at the email.
• In some cases it might be better to send your email during the weekends or in the evening to allow you readers to read them in quiet.
• For newsletters it might be good to follow a fixed rhythm, so your readers will expect your email.

ADDITIONAL: WHAT ABOUT FUTURE OPEN RATES?

Of course it is important that once you have reached your desired open rate, that you can maintain this level in the future. On that matter the content of the email is key, in combination with the lay-out, structure and look&feel.  Here below some tips about content that will keep your open rates at a high level:

• Make sure your content is in-line with the expectations that you create in the subject line.
• Expand your subject line in the header or first paragraph of the body of the email
• Use an editorial approach: a brief intro from the editor addressing the reader
• Try to involve your readers: allow them to ask questions, react
• Use their feedback in the next issue…