11 effective email marketing subjects
As we wrote in a post about the composition of effective messages for email marketing, the title or subject of every email is what first draws the attention of the recipient, so it influences significantly in the increase or decline of the opening rate.
We will show you 11 characteristics that effective subjects have with examples of each one:
1.- The subject needs to be the primary call to action, and its objective is to encourage the reader to open it
If you are clear that a campaign of email marketing wants your user to do something specific, why not telling him or her since the beginning? The most important of every email is the call to action. If you manage to expose it in the title, you will be closer to convert your user. Some examples are:
“Car wash for 15,95 euros!
“Seasonal fruits and vegetables: fruit mix, basic vegetables, apples, and pears.”
2.- Create a feeling of urgency
It is important to avoid that the user decides to open the email later. Because, if so, he or she will never open it. That is why you need to generate the necessity of acting now after receiving the email. Some examples are:
“Sign up today and obtain a 30% discount.”
“Just the first 50 will win unlimited free access.”
3.- Include numbers
All the statistics indicate that the use of numbers in the lines of the subject of the email leads to the increase of the opening rate. The numbers help to fix the scan we do when we read the headlines. In addition to some of the previous titles, other examples could be:
“You have 300 days left to be in shape.”
“Travel to Italy only for 99 euros.”
4.- Customize the email taking in count that who receives it is a person (Use solutions like MDirector to customize the emails)
Many times, we forget that we do not write to a customer number but to a flesh and blood person. Customizing the subject with the name of the receiver or with one of their interests is a good way to decide to continue reading what we have sent him or her. Some good examples are:
“We invite you to try the new TT” (for lovers and possibly, buyers of this type of car)
“Iñaki, you will not stop licking your fingers.”
5.- A title needs to be brief and specific
All the studies agree that a good subject line needs to be short. There is no coincidence in the ideal quantity of characters. It looks like the maximum must be 50 characters, but only the first 20 characters are the ones that make the difference. Also, you need to communicate with simple words the central message. Some examples are:
“We welcome you to Thermomix World.”
“Your daily summary of the news.”
6.- Tell what others have already done or bought
We tend to work in groups, and for that reason, it draws our attention what others have tried. That’s why, if you have information of this kind, use them in the title. Also, if it is about first-person details, those testimonies will increase the opening rate exponentially. Some examples are:
“Learn how 96 of out 100 business obtain benefits.”
“3,000 people have already found a job with our offers.”
7.- Compose the subject thinking in its viralization in social media
Social networks are making messages more condensed. The most obvious example is Twitter which allows a maximum of 140 characters per message. What about writing a title as if it were a tweet? The users are more likely not just to open it, but to share it in their social spaces. Some examples are:
“List of advice to improve your salary.”
“5 places that you can’t miss this spring.”
8.- Inform the reader what he or she will find in the message
To generate expectations of what can be seen by the user if he or she decides to open the email is an excellent way to provoke his or her reaction. However, you need to be careful with generating expectations that you won’t fulfill.
“Reminder of renewal.”
“Your digital formation – Recommended courses.”
9.- Take advantage of the novelty factor
Everything that is new will attract your users. To the extent possible, it is interesting to write an innovative subject line that, at least, includes a novelty to the subscriber. Some examples are:
“The last novelties of your friends on Pinterest.”
“Do not sign up with us… If you don’t want to find out about everything that is happening in the world.”
10.- Compose a headline that continues in the email message
An excellent technique to write a compelling subject line is to begin the message in the title and connect it with the rest of the message to complete it. The ellipsis is an appropriate resource to write an inconclusive title. Some examples are:
“A few days ago, I had the opportunity to…”
“The perfect escape…”
11.- Generate a brand, and the user will know you
Even though it is an element that can be worked out with other aspects like, the issuer email, including your brand in the subject, is a right way for the user to recognize you. If you are trustworthy, he or she will undoubtedly continue reading your emails. For example:
“Oferplan: register of new user.”
“Your daily Scoop.it summary.”
