How To Write Email Subject Lines That Get Responses

I’m sure you’ve heard the common advice that you should never end the subject line of an email with a question mark. However, in reality, there are many ways to write subject lines that get responses without asking a question.

This article will show you how to write effective email subject lines using proven copywriting techniques, giving your emails a better chance of being opened and read by recipients who see them in their inboxes or on their mobile phones.

REAL EXAMPLES❗️ Here’s How to Write Email Subject

Takeaways
1. Craft subject lines that pique curiosity
2. Personalize subject lines for better engagement
3. Use clear and concise language to convey value
4. Address recipient pain points to resonate
5. Incorporate humor or intrigue to stand out in the inbox
6. Create urgency without misleading
7. Avoid clickbait and overly generic subject lines
8. Test and optimize subject lines for open and response rates
9. Tailor subject lines for different recipient segments
10. Stay consistent with your brand voice and messaging style

Table of Contents

Keep It Short (Less Than 50 Characters)

You’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: keep your subject lines short. According to the aforementioned study, fewer than 50 characters is ideal.

Why? Because research shows that many people tend to skim their email in boxes when they’re looking for something specific or important and no one wants their message to get lost in a sea of other messages based solely on how it appears in their inbox.

Beyond making sure your email will appear at the top of someone’s list of unread messages, keeping your subject line short also helps ensure that they’ll want to read your message when they open it up.

If you can get all the information across with two words and an emoji (or three words), why use more?

Crafting compelling email subject lines is crucial for boosting open rates. Learn how to create subject lines that capture attention and drive responses in our guide on using bait titles effectively.

Try The Inverted Pyramid Structure

The inverted pyramid structure is a way to structure your email so that you give the most important information first. Let’s take a look at an example of this in action:

“We’re trying something new!”
“We’re offering a discount on all orders over $100.”
“Use code SALE2018 at checkout.”

This format works because it gives subscribers the gist of what your email is about right off the bat while leaving them intrigued enough to click through, and then you can deliver all of the details they might need.

It’s an effective tool when applied to subject lines, too! Here’s how it would work in practice:

Focus On The Reader, Not Yourself

When it comes to writing subject lines, you shouldn’t just write from the perspective of your own needs. Instead, think about what the other person needs and write a subject line that addresses those needs.

It’s important to use the word “you” in subject lines because it reminds people that they’re being addressed directly. The same goes for using words like “your” and “we.” Other writers have pointed out how this technique works effectively:

Russell Brunson recommends using language like “We” when you want someone to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves (like an event or community).

Copyblogger says using “You” is best when talking about benefits or solutions as opposed to features or functions because it triggers readers’ desire for personal gain or improvement right away!

Are your cold emails falling flat? Discover the tactics I use to leverage cold email effectively and turn them into real opportunities that bear fruit

Personalize The Subject Line

You may be thinking: “How can a subject line be personalized?”

Well, there are several ways to do this. For example, if you know the recipient’s name, you can use it in your subject line.

If you don’t know their name but have other details about them, such as where they work or what their interests are, then by all means include them in your email subject line.

You could also use something that is unique about your recipient and how they like to spend their time, for example, if they live in New York City and love coffee shops (like me), then try something along the lines of “Thinking of visiting NYC? Let me show you around!”

Be Specific

When writing your subject line, it’s important to be specific about who you are and what you want.

Here are some ideas for making sure your email subject line is as detailed as possible:

Use a person’s name in the first sentence of your email. This will help them remember who you are and make them more likely to open your message.

For example, “Hey [name], I just wanted to let you know about my new product!” instead of “Hi there! Check out this epic new thing I made! :)”

Include a number (like 1 or 10) in your subject line if it applies to what you’re promoting or referencing in any way at all.

For example, “10 things we learned from our trip” or “How we used 1 million dollars wisely.” People love numbers in headlines (and they’re proven click magnets) because they make us feel informed and intelligent just by reading them!

Use Numbers, Percentages, And Lists

Consider using numbers, percentages, and lists in your subject lines. These types of words are great because they make the email seem more engaging and compelling.

Consider this example:

“Are you struggling to get more sleep? We have the solution!”

In this case, “we” is a pronoun that makes it sound like we’re talking directly to the reader. It’s also something that people might relate to because we all struggle with sleeping at times.

The use of “sleep” is also good because it’s a word most people associate with restfulness and relaxation something many of us could use more of!

Email marketing is a powerful tool, and a well-structured strategy can make a significant impact. Explore our insights into email marketing strategy to learn how we achieve engaging and successful email campaigns.

Set Urgency (Without Lying Or Exaggerating)

To set urgency, you can use words such as “now” or “this week” in your subject line. These are the most popular types of words to use if you want to create a sense of urgency.

You can also use a countdown timer if you want to give people an idea of how much time they have left to respond before something bad happens (like missing out on an amazing opportunity).

You could also give readers some context as far as when they should expect their response for example, by saying something like: “In 24 hours you’ll miss out on [INSERT NEGATIVE THING].”

This works especially well when there’s an offer involved; for example: “This deal ends in 24 hours.”

Another approach is simply reminding them what will happen if they don’t act quickly enough: “If we don’t hear from you this week…” Or even better yet: “Today is the last day we’ll be offering this discount…”

Give Them A Taste Of What’s To Come

When you create an email subject line, you want people to open the email. This means that you need to give them a taste of what they’re going to get when they open it.

Give them a taste of what they will get when they open the email
Give them a taste of what they will lear
Give them a taste of what they will gain
Give them a taste of what they will find

Use Action Verbs In Present Tense

Use action verbs in the present tense.
Use active voice.
Don’t use passive voice (you can, but it’s not a good idea).

Don’t use future tense or past tense (or the various tenses we’ve talked about above). For example, the following sentences are all bad because they’re using a different verb tense than is necessary: “We will fix your car.”

Or, even worse: “Our team of experts has fixed many cars before yours.”

These are both examples of what we call “future math,” which means that you should never put words like “will” or “have” in any email subject line unless they’re being used as an introductory phrase to explain how something might happen in the future (“We will fix your car by tomorrow,” would be fine).

The best way to write these kinds of statements is simply with active verbs and no future-perfect tense: “We’ll fix your car today,” or even better and much more useful for reaching out over email “we can help fix your car today.”

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Use Power Words (Trigger Words)

Power words are the ones that get people to take action. They usually come in two forms:

Emotive power words generate an emotional response from your reader.
Cognitive power words make the reader think about what you’re saying and why they need to respond to your email.

In addition, you can use both kinds of power words in one sentence if you want! For example, “You’ll be surprised by our new product” is a sentence with an emotional and cognitive trigger word.

In other words, if this subject line gets someone excited about your new product, then they’re probably going to click through!

Put Important Words First

To write subject lines that get responses, you need to focus on a few key things. One of these is the Flesch-Kincaid readability test. This will help you determine how many years of education it takes to understand your email subject line.

Once you have this number, you can decide whether or not it’s appropriate for your audience. If the reading grade level is too high (or too low), then adjust accordingly and try again until it feels right!

You can also use https://wordcounter.net/ to see how long your subject line is and get an idea of its complexity.

Ask Questions That Appeal To Their Emotions

When you write an email, it’s good to ask a question. That way, your reader will have to open the email and read it. This makes them more likely to respond to you in some way or take action on your request.

The right kind of question can get them thinking about how they feel about your topic or product, too! You want these emails where people are opening and reading them often because that means they’re engaged with what you’re saying.

And more likely to respond positively when asked over social media or in person later down the line (if someone shares something publicly on Twitter that mentions their email address).

Stir Up Curiosity With A Hint Of What’s Inside The Email

Here are some ways to get your audience curious about what you’ll be talking about:

Use an intriguing question. “Can you guess what I’m going to say?” If they can, then they’ll feel smug and confident in their guess. And if they can’t, then it’ll make them want to read the email to find out more!

Use a teaser that piques curiosity. For example: “I just got back from [place], and here’s what happened.”

This is an especially good one if the place is somewhere exotic like Thailand or Paris it will immediately get people interested in where exactly you went, as well as why there was enough action there for you to write an entire story about it after returning home (and remember how much they love stories).

Not only that but if the reader knows anyone else who has ever been there before too then this becomes even more enticing because those two friends could compare notes afterward which means everyone wins! Yayyyyyy!! Or maybe not so much…but still worth it 🙂

Implement scarcity, eg “5 Spaces Left” or “Exclusive Offer”. Not sure if this is OK but I have seen it used many times. Just be careful never to lie or exaggerate using this tactic because it really could destroy your credibility if you get caught out doing it too often!

Use scarcity to create urgency. The most common way to implement this is by stating how many spaces are left in the offer, eg “5 Spaces Left”, or “Get This Offer Before It Runs Out!”. However, you can also use it in other ways:

You could say that something is only relevant for a limited time (eg “This Offer Ends Next Wednesday”).

You could even add a bit of misdirection and claim that there’s a limited number of places available (eg “Limited Places Available”).

Make sure you don’t overdo it! People will get annoyed if they receive too many emails from you that all seem like they’re trying to trick them into opening them. Your reputation will suffer if people start thinking you’re lying or exaggerating just to squeeze some extra money out of them.

New to the world of cold emailing? Dive into our Cold Emailing 101 guide to get started on the right foot, covering essential concepts for crafting effective subject lines and beyond.

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you find some inspiration for your next email subject line. Remember, there are no rules here!

Just make sure that whatever approach works best for you and your audience. If you have any other tips or tricks to add, please share them in the comments below 🙂

FAQs

How can I improve open rates with my email subject lines?

Crafting attention-grabbing email subject lines that pique recipients’ curiosity or address their pain points can help improve open rates.

What are some effective strategies for writing response-worthy email subject lines?

Personalization, clarity, and relevance are key strategies for writing email subject lines that encourage recipients to respond.

Are there any specific techniques for sales prospecting subject lines?

Sales prospecting subject lines should be concise, value-driven, and tailored to the recipient’s needs to increase the likelihood of engagement.

How can I make my email subject lines stand out in a crowded inbox?

Using humor, intriguing questions, and conveying urgency can help your email subject lines stand out and compel recipients to open your emails.

Are there any common mistakes to avoid when writing email subject lines?

Avoid using clickbait, misleading information, or overly generic subject lines that may lead to disappointment and decreased trust from recipients.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.