Improve Email Subject Lines to Increase Open Rates
Lately I’ve received many non opt-in emails from companies that I have never heard of. I deleted most of these emails as soon as I get them. At the same time, I opened and looked at a few of them. The ones that get my attention usually have good email subject lines. Some even got me to click on the link in the emails just to see what they’re about.
The email subject line is one of the most important elements of your email campaign. It can make or break your campaign. If you don’t have a compelling subject line, the chance of your email even getting opened is slim.
Take a look of the email subject lines that are in my Deleted mail folder. Do you see a pattern below on why they got deleted (company names are changed)?
- Free Evaluation of ABC Encrypted Portable Drive
- Data Company Adds Cascaded Replication to DR Infrastructure
- EFG Company: Request for Meeting
- Meeting Request: Introducing our new product
- XYZ data centers: High density collocation & Managed Server / Storage Solutions
Marketers have to realize the importance of email subject line. To give you an idea on how you should write your subject lines so that more recipients will open your emails, let’s take a look at the elements that make most of us open and read the emails.
Personalization
If you have details about your recipients then use them in your subject line to get their attention. If you see your company name or even your first name in the subject line, you’ll likely feel that the email is specifically sent to you. There is a good chance that you’ll open and read the email.
Relevancy
Similarly people will open the email if the subject line contains the topic of their interests. By using relevant events in an organization, you can create a subject line that can relate to what’s going on in that business and provide solutions to the challenges they are having.
Curiosity
When the email subject contain relevant interest, adding curiosity wording can entice people to open and read the contents of your email. Many times it will also improve your click through and conversion rates.
Non spammy words
Certain words in the subject lines would be flagged as spam by spam filter or even the recipient. Try to avoid words like “free”, “offer”, “cheap”, “stock”, “earn”, “$$$”, etc. As soon as I see email subject containing these words (if they bypass my auto spam filter), I usually move to the delete button.
The email subject line is one of the most important elements of your email campaign. It can make or break your campaign. If you don’t have a compelling subject line, the chance of your email even getting opened is slim.
Another way to improve email subject lines is with A/B test splits. Whereby you send two emails that are exactly the same but with varying subject lines.
Subject lines are the key to better open and clickthrough rates.
Help Marketing
25 Oct 09 at 8:51 pm
Any suggestions for a company whose business is cash?
Nearly all the email we send to our customers (current and previous clients) revolve around “cash,” “money,” “current offers,” “discount”, or “free.” It’s simply the nature of our business.
How can I possibly NOT get flagged as spam when I’m emailing a current customer to offer them 50% off their loan fees or $75 free on a new loan? Because we don’t spam at all – all of our email recipients are current or past customers who have had a business relationship with us in the past. It’s a difficult email marketing situation.
Jessica
21 Dec 09 at 10:29 am