How To Write Epic Email Subject Lines That Make People Open Your Emails

The email subject line is the first thing your readers will see. It should be clear, concise, and compelling to make them open your emails and click through to the content. If you’re looking for more effective subject lines that improve open rates, sales conversions, and customer loyalty, then this article was written especially for you!

Takeaways
1. Crafting attention-grabbing subject lines is crucial for email marketing success.
2. Use curiosity, personalization, and urgency to pique recipients’ interest.
3. Keep subject lines concise and relevant to the email’s content.
4. A/B test different subject line variations to determine effectiveness.
5. Experiment with emojis and visual elements for added appeal.
6. Avoid misleading or clickbait subject lines.
7. Consider segmenting your audience for tailored subject lines.
8. Understand the preferences of your target audience to tailor subject lines effectively.
9. Regularly review and analyze subject line performance to refine your strategy.
10. Professional platforms like LinkedIn require subject lines that are clear and relevant.

Personalize The Email Subject Line

Personalize the email subject line. This is a no-brainer. We’re all more likely to open an email if it’s addressed to us by name, and even if it’s not, a personalized subject line can still add some extra value that makes you stand out among the many other emails in your prospect’s inbox.

If you have a first name, use it! It’s quick and easy (and often free) to get access to someone’s full contact information through LinkedIn or Facebook just check the social media platform for their full name and send them an invite for additional access on LinkedIn. 

If you don’t have either of those platforms available but still want a way into their address book so that you can reach out as professionally as possible without feeling like you’re making connections just for connections’ sake, ask permission from them directly via email (see below).

If you don’t yet know someone well enough to ask their first or last name outright but want an excuse to start getting closer and show how much potential value this relationship could be for both parties you may want to try sending something related specifically about them: “We noticed one skill listed in your profile indicates expertise in [something]. Would love feedback on some recent work we’ve done related here at Company Name! Thanks so much :)”

Crafting attention-grabbing email subject lines is an essential skill for any email marketer. If you’re a freelance writer diving into the world of email marketing, you’ll find valuable insights in our article about 11 Email Marketing Tips for Freelance Writers.

Make Sure It’s Clear What Your Email Is About

Tell them what the email is about. Don’t hide the real purpose of your email in the body of your email. In other words, don’t trick people into opening an email by saying something like “See What I Bought On Amazon” and then reveal that instead of being about Amazon products, it’s actually a resume for a job opportunity. Your readers will be annoyed and probably unsubscribe from future emails because they think you’re trying to deceive them (you are).

Don’t use clickbait subject lines that are misleading or confusing even if they do get opened! For example: “You Won’t Believe Who Just Wore This Outfit!” Or: “Is This The Most Absurd Thing Ever?”. These types of subject lines make readers feel duped and oftentimes will cause them to unsubscribe from future emails from you or even blacklist you altogether because they feel like they’ve been tricked into opening these messages based on pretenses.

Use Urgency And Scarcity

Urgency and scarcity are the two most effective tools you can use to get people to open your emails. When you’re selling something, it’s important to communicate how much time is left before the offer expires. 

This helps readers know whether they need to act quickly or if they have plenty of time before the deal ends. Urgency is also proven to work when you have a limited quantity of goods for sale like an airline ticket or a flash sale item on Amazon. 

Use urgency sparingly though; don’t overdo it! You don’t want potential customers thinking that all your deals expire soon because then they’ll think every deal is only good for a short amount of time (even if this isn’t true).

Effective email marketing can truly make or break a business setup. Discover the impact of email marketing strategies in our post on How Email Marketing Can Make or Break a Business Set Up and gain insights into building a successful campaign.

Make An Exciting Offer

Remember, your email subject line is a sales pitch. You need to offer something that your readers want or need. This can be anything from an offer for a coupon to a special deal on the latest product or service, to exclusive content that they won’t find anywhere else.

Show them what they will get: Your customers don’t want vague phrases like “click here” or “find out more.” Instead, show them exactly what they will receive if they open your email and give them an incentive for doing so by providing some kind of benefit (examples include discounts, free shipping, etc.).

Be clear and direct: If you’re offering something specific in exchange for opening the email like a coupon code or special deal make sure it’s clearly stated in the subject line so that people know exactly what they are getting.

Give them a reason to open your email: In addition to describing what people will get from clicking through, give them another reason why they should click on it too this could be as simple as saying “don’t miss this,” which has proven effective at encouraging recipients’ curiosity about what’s inside!

Be Direct And To The Point

When you’re writing an email, be as direct and to the point as possible. Long sentences are hard to read and easy to skim over, so try using short words when you can. 

If you’re not sure whether a word is too long or complicated, just ask yourself: “Is there any other way I could say this?” If there is another way, then use it. You’ll likely find that it’s much easier for your reader to comprehend your message when it’s written in clear language.

Jargon can also make communication difficult for your audience, so avoid using industry-specific terms unless necessary and even if they are necessary, consider replacing them with more common ones wherever possible. 

For example: “For us to achieve our goal of surpassing $100 million in sales by 2022…” could become “We need to sell $100 million worth of products by 2022…”

“Open me now!” – Crafting attention-grabbing email subject lines is an art. For inspiration, check out our compilation of 16 Email Subject Lines That Will Gain Your Readers’ Attention that can enhance your email engagement.

Get Personal

Now that you’ve got the basics down, here are some more ways to take your subject line game to the next level.

Use their name or the name of the company. If you have their email address, it’s easy enough to find out their first and last name and if they work for a large company, there are probably public-facing directories that list employees’ names and titles. 

Don’t forget: Many people will forward emails from colleagues, so your subject line could be seen by other members of the same business as well as my friends who know them socially (or both).

Use the name of someone they know who referred you but not too many degrees away from them. If someone has recommended that I reach out to you about X feature on our platform/website/API, then we’re already on common ground! This makes me feel like we’re already connected through mutual contacts and gives me an excuse to reach out without seeming too pushy or salesy.

Incorporate Numbers Into Your Subject Line

Using numbers in your subject line is a simple way to make your email more effective. Numbers have a higher open rate than words. Using numbers can help you be more specific about your email. 

For example, if you’re sending an article about “How To Write Epic Email Subject Lines That Make People Open Your Emails,” the number “2” could indicate that there are two steps or tips for writing great subject lines, or simply that this article is part of series with other articles on the same topic.

The best numbers to use are odd numbers because they are perceived as being more important than even numbers (e.g., “Three Things” vs “Four Things”). The best way to get started with this is by adding a colon at the end of your title and then typing out either “1” or “2”.

Use A Sense Of Humor

Use humor sparingly. You don’t want to make your email subject line so funny that it distracts from the content of the email, or worse, becomes a joke in itself.

If you’re not funny, don’t try to be funny (unless it’s a job requirement). If you can’t come up with something humorous on your own, then find some way else to stand out or pique curiosity. There are plenty of ways for an email subject line alone to attract attention without having a single joke in it!

If you are funny and think that using it in this way would be useful for getting more open from people who share your sense of humor go for it! Just be sure not to overdo it because this is still an important business communication tool and shouldn’t be taken lightly by any means.

Your subject line should be simple, direct, and show what’s in it for the reader if they open your email. Your subject line should be simple, direct, and show what’s in it for the reader if they open your email. For example: “How to write an awesome email subject line” vs. “How to write a great email.”

The first is simple, direct, and tells the reader exactly what they’re going to get from you an awesome subject line. The second is too vague and general to entice anyone into opening it.

Are you aspiring to be a successful freelance email marketer? Dive into the wisdom of the industry with our guide to The 22 Commandments of Freelance Email Marketer, where you’ll find valuable strategies and tips to excel in the field.

Ask Questions

Asking a question is a great way to get your audience to open your email. Why? Simple: People like to know things. They want answers, and they want to solve problems. There’s been some research done on this exact topic that shows that the more questions you ask in a sales email subject line, the better chance you have of selling your product or service!

Keep in mind that these should be genuine questions; if you sound like an advertisement rather than someone looking for answers, people will probably ignore what you have to say (or worse mark it as spam). And if they do open one of these emails from time to time just because they can’t figure out what else they’d do with their life besides reading all of them (like me), then hey that’s great too!

Keep Your Subject Lines Short And Sweet

There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to your subject line:

Keep it short. Your recipients’ inboxes are filled with dozens of emails per day, and they only have so much time to spend on each one. Make sure your subject line is concise and easy for them to read quickly.

Use power words that will interest your readers, such as “free” or “limited time.”

Don’t get too creative with formatting options like bolding or capitalization unless you’re using an innovative way of informing readers about something important (like an offer for free shipping).

Use Contractions To Sound More Casual

Contractions are a great way to sound friendly and conversational, which will make you seem like an authority rather than a robot. Try “I’m” instead of “I am,” or “we’re” instead of “we are.” People expect emails from brands to be formal, so using contractions can help you stand out among all the other robotic emails in their inboxes.

Try Including A Number, Stat, Or Fact In Your Subject Line

Your subject line can be the deciding factor in whether or not people open your emails. To make sure that it’s effective, try including a number, stat, or fact in your subject line. This can help you make your email more valuable and credible to potential readers. For example: Introducing A New Product That Will Change The Way You Do Business In 2019.

Be Clear And Use Powerful Words

If you’re a marketer, you know that getting people to open your emails and click through to your website is the key to getting sales. A good subject line can increase the likelihood of someone opening an email by 20%, so it’s important to make sure you have headlines that tell readers exactly what they’re about to receive in the message.

Power words are phrases or words that have been proven time and time again to be attention-grabbers in subject lines. There are many different categories of power words, but here are some examples: “free,” “you will learn how…,” “this is why….,” and “the only way….

Write Like You Talk And Talk Like You Write

It’s no secret that writing as you talk is essential for creating a personal connection with your audience. But this doesn’t mean you should write like you’re texting your best friend or sending an email to your mom. You can still convey the same tone in an email that you would in conversation, but it requires more thought than the average text message (and certainly more than what we’ve come to expect from our friends). Here are some tips: Write short sentences and use contractions; Use slang and informal language.

Trust Your Instincts And Ask People You Know What They Think Of Your Subject Line

The best way to get feedback on a subject line is by asking people who know you. Co-workers, family members, and friends are all good places to start. The key here is to find someone who knows you well enough that they can give you an honest opinion about your work. If your mom doesn’t work in marketing and doesn’t know much about email subject lines, she probably won’t be able to tell if yours is great or not.

If none of these people seem like they’d give you a useful answer, talk with your manager or teacher (if it’s school). Ask them what they think of the subject line and why they think it works – or why it doesn’t work. You might learn something new.

Consider Adding A GIF To Your Subject Line

When it comes to subject lines, imagery is key. It’s the first thing your readers will see when they open their inboxes and it can help convey emotion or humor in ways that words alone can’t.

So if you have a GIF that perfectly captures the tone of your message, use it! It’s worth trying out at least once. If you write epic email subject lines, people will read your emails. So, what are you waiting for? Get writing!

If you’re new to this and don’t consider yourself an expert writer, don’t stress. Just write like you talk: say what your email is about in plain language that makes sense to the reader. If it can be funny or quirky, even better! Just make sure it’s relevant the main point should be clear within the first few words.

Your goal isn’t just to get people to open your emails (though that’s important); it’s also to answer their questions and provide value in a way they find useful. That’s why it’s essential that every subject line is written with an eye toward its audience and that means knowing who they are.

To help get started on this process of identifying your target audience, we recommend asking yourself one question: What does my ideal customer want most? If there were anything else she could have from me besides what I already provide (which is pretty much everything), what would it be?

Transitioning into a full-time income as a freelance email marketer requires strategy and dedication. Explore our insights on How to Make a Full-Time Income Freelancing as an Email Marketer and uncover the path to building a successful freelance career in email marketing.

Final Thoughts 

Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas for crafting your next email subject line. Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different formats until you find one that works for you. Good luck!

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources to further enhance your understanding of crafting compelling email subject lines:

10 Email Subject Lines to Catch Customers’ Eyes: Discover ten attention-grabbing email subject lines that can captivate your audience and boost your email open rates.

How to Improve Your Email Subject Line: HubSpot provides actionable tips to help you enhance your email subject lines and increase the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns.

Writing Email Subject Lines That Get Opened: LinkedIn offers insights into crafting subject lines that prompt recipients to open your emails, along with strategies to optimize your email marketing efforts.

People Also Ask

What Are Email Subject Lines?

They’re those little bits of text at the top of an email that says something like “Hey” or “Hi there!” or “Check out this amazing thing!” or “Come join my club!” or “Did you hear about my new book?”

Why Should I Care About Them?

Because they’re one of the most important pieces of an email they make up the first impression someone has when they see your email. If they don’t click on your subject line, you don’t get a chance to convince them that clicking through is worth their time.

How Do I Write An Epic Email Subject Line?

It’s all about the word choices you make. Here are some tips:

Use words that are active and specific. The more specific your word choice is, the more likely it will be of interest to the reader! For example, instead of writing “this weekend,” try something like “this weekend’s events in your area.”

Use numbers to your advantage! If you have a number in your subject line, people are more likely to open it because they’re curious about what the number means. So if you’re hosting a sale and want to get people in the door, try something like “3 days left!”

How Can I Make My Email Subject Lines More Engaging?

Think about what you want your reader to do when they read your email. Are you asking them to buy something? To RSVP for an event? To read a blog post you wrote? 

If so, then the first thing to do is to stop looking at your email subject line as “just” a subject line. It’s a sales pitch. Just like when you’re selling something on eBay or Amazon, people are going to look at the title of your item and decide whether or not they’re interested in it and if they aren’t, then they’ll just keep looking at other things. The same goes for email: people will skim through their inboxes, and if your subject line doesn’t grab them immediately, then they’ll move on.

How Long Should My Email Subject Line Be?

The ideal length is 1-2 sentences, but it depends on your industry and product/service. For example, if you’re sending an email about a new product launch or product update, a longer subject line could be more effective because it gives people more information upfront before they open the email (and then they’re more likely to read).