You’ve spent days in collecting all those email addresses and finally, you’ve got hundreds of impatient prospects sticking to their computers, tablets, laptops and cell phones, just to go through the “Golden Message” from you. If that’s what you think, we’re living on Mars.
Perhaps, you’re properly awake by now, wondering what you should send to the people who’ve thrown their addresses at you. But before they go to the real message of your email, you have to come up with a subject line that will make them so uncomfortable and confused that they have no choice but to read it.
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Before we move on, let’s take a quick look at this great video from Volusion on email marketing and subject lines.
Creating a Subject Line of Your Promotional Email
That’s hard and the problem is two-fold:
- Perhaps your prospects don’t know the importance of your email or perhaps they’re smart enough to know what’s inside and don’t want to open it.
- The subject line of your email is either too good to be true or it is so bad that even your best friend won’t read.
Maybe, the root of the problem IS the subject line of your email. Maybe, the people are right to avoid it. But that doesn’t make you uncreative either. It’s simple a problem businesses face these days.
People have social media channels, messaging apps, mobile games, and awesome videos to pay attention to. Plus, they already have their inboxes full of sales promotion emails from several different brands, especially those similar to yours.
Why should they waste their time opening an email that talks about your product? They won’t unless they’re tempted to do so. And that’s the trickiest part of all.
As the title suggests, we’re going to share some of the best Subject Line Ideas that will make prospective customers open your email. Speaking of which, there’s something really important you should know before jumping to those ideas.
Email Open Rate
There are many factors that determine average open rate:
- Your subscriber didn’t have any motive to buy from you. He became your subscriber because of the free gift you were giving away in exchange for email address.
- You’ve not segmented your list properly. The subscribers you’re sending an introductory email to have already purchased from you in the past.
Anyways, let’s see what average email open rate actually is and where you stand.
SmartInsights analyzed billions of emails sent via Mailchimp, and they found out that the average email open rate lies between 15% and 25% depending upon the niche or industry. This is a difference of just 10% but it says a lot about different industries and how people see their emails. For instance, the restaurant industry has the highest email open rate of 24%, followed by health and fitness (23.4%).
And if your average open rate is between these two extremes, you’re safe! Even if it’s lower than the lowest, you’ll soon learn the art of making a huge impact. But before that, you need to know why it’s important to monitor open rates.
Your autoresponder dashboard has quite a few numbers, like:
- Bounce rate
- Open rates
- Click-through rates
- Complaints, and more
These numbers are significant, but the reality is, your email needs to be opened before you can gather any other information. And another truth is, you need to make your email count because your sale from the list is totally dependent on it. Apart from the brand name mentioned in the “From” line, the subject line is the strongest factor that encourages your subscriber to open your email.
Why Subject Line?
Now, going back to where we started, what makes your subject lines so tempting that people stop, click and read the message? Here’s what experts suggest:
- Your subject line should “Provide succinct summary” within 40 characters – roughly 5 to 10 words.
- The subject line should “Develop a sense of urgency” so that the reader will open your email then and there.
- Your email’s subject line should “Match your content” because readers get easily annoyed with contradicting content.
- The subject line should “Arouse curiosity” in your subscriber and inspire him or her to immediately open it.
- The subject line of your email must “Convey clear and strong benefits” to the reader. The benefit can be a 50% limited time discount offer or free eBook.
Here is a comparison of two subject lines to let you decide which one’s more appealing.
- “Do my wicked email ways work in B2B?”
- “Major elements of B2B marketing – Summer 2017 Kit”
The first subject line may seem weird but it’s worth an open, isn’t it? It has almost everything we discussed above.
Subject lines are the point of contact between your subscriber and your message. So, make them count. The problem is you have to generate emails on regular basis.
For each of the messages, you have to create a unique subject line right from scratch. This is the reason why we have come up with 50+ subject line formulas to help you create an impressive subject line throughout the year.
Subject-Line Ideas to Increase Your Conversion Rate Five Times
1. The “Urgency” Email
Formula: [Action] Now
Example: Open this right now
2. The “Last Call” Email
Formula: Last call: [Name Of Product] closes in [#] hours
Example: Last call: The Weight Loss Program closes in 3 hours
3. The “List” Email
Formula: The [#] way to [Benefit]
Example: The top 3 ways to lose weight
4. The “Don’t Buy This” Email
Formula: Don’t buy [Product Name] until you read this
Example: Don’t buy The Rabbit Story until you read this
5. The “Welcome” Email
Formula: Welcome to [Business/Brand Name]!
Example: Welcome to DevriX!
6. The “Case Study” Email
Formula: [Case Study] [Result of Case Study]
Example: [Case Study] Girls earns first $50,000 online
7. The “How To” Email
Formula: How To [Achieve the Desired Result]
Example: How To Get 5X Your Conversion
8. The “Do This” Email
Formula: Do THIS [Benefit]
Example: Do THIS if you want to win your customers
9. The “School Of” Email
Formula: [Insert Celebrity] School Of [Topic]
Example: Jackie Chan’s School Of Martial Arts
10. The “Branded Newsletter” Email
Formula: [Name of Newsletter] [Issue #]
Example: The WordPress Best Practices Newsletter #25
11. The “New Post” Email
Formula: [New Post] [Blog Post Headline]
Example: New Post: How to fix your Tablet
12. The “Versus” Email
Formula: [Subject] vs [Subject]
Example: Fake SEO vs Real SEO
13. The “What If” Email
Formula: What if [Negative Result]
Example: What if Facebook shut down
14. The “We’re Hiring” Email
Formula: [Brand] is hiring!
Example: Business Insider is hiring!
15. The “Product Q&A” Email
Formula: [Number] [Topic] FAQ’s You Should Know
Example: 21 Subject Line FAQ’s You Should Know
16. The “Mistakes” Email
Formula: [Number] [Topic] Mistakes You’re Making
Example: 21 Subject Line Mistakes You’re Making
17. The “Roundup” Email
Formula: [Number] experts [Topic]
Example: 50 Content Marketing Experts Share their Favorite Marketing Tools
18. The “Flash Sale” Email
Formula: [Flash Sale] [Name of Product] [Discount]
Example: Flash Sale: Ogilvy on Advertising 50% Off
19. The “Authority” Email
Formula: [Authority’s Name] [Topic + Secret/Tips]
Example: Jeff Bullas’ Content Marketing Secret
20. The “Avoid” Email
Formula: Avoid These [Number] [Topic] [Pitfalls/Mistakes]
Example: Avoid these 5 copywriting mistakes
21. The “Death Of” Email
Formula: The Death Of [Topic]
Example: The Death of Content
22. The “What I Learned” Email
Formula: What I Learned After [Accomplishment]
Example: What I learned after spending $100,000 on FB ads
23. The “Command” Email
Formula: Stop [Action]!
Example: Stop eating hamburgers!
24. The “Quick Announcement” Email
Formula: Quick Announcement: [Topic]
Example: Quick announcement: The complete web developer course is here
25. The “180 Contrast” Email
Formula: [Opposite vs Opposite]
Example: A lean man decimates 300lb attacker
26. The “Call Out” Email
Formula: [Audience] [Topic]
Example: SaaS owners! Here’s how to reduce your churn rate
27. The “Social Proof” Email
Formula: Proof That [Product] Works
Example: Proof that 5 weeks to dieting works
28. The “Question” Email
Formula: [Question]
Example: Am I the only one with a million questions?
29. The “Results” Email
Formula: How We [Result] In [Timeframe]
Example: How we got 100k followers on Twitter in 6 months
30. The “You” Email
Formula: You, A/The [Desired Result]?
Example: You, the best WordPress Developer?
31. The “Little Known” Email
Formula: [Number] Little Known Ways To [Action]
Example: 3 little-known ways to build your email list
32. The “Imagine” Email
Formula: Imagine [Desired Result]
Example: Imagine being able to travel around the world
33. The “Hack” Email
Formula: [Number] Hacks To [Desired Result]
Example: 15 hacks to work faster
34. The “National Inquirer” Email
Formula: Man/Woman/Kid [Weird Action/Thing]
Example: Man writes sales letter with straws
35. The “New York Shocker” Email
Formula: [Subject] Shocked By [Unusual Thing/Person]
Example: Gary Vaynerchuk shocked by weird FB ads
36. The “Three-Point” Email
Formula: [Topic 1], [Topic 2], and [Main Topic]
Example: UFC, sore thumbs, and email copy
37. The “I Love” Email
Formula: I [Adjective] Love Topic]
Example: I freaking love copywriting
38. The “Seasonal Discount” Email
Formula: Save [Discount] [Items] This [Season]!
Example: Save 25% on shoes this spring!
39. The “Advice” Email
Formula: [Topic] Advice To all [target market]
Example: Fashion advice to all millennials
40. The “Tao Of” Email
Formula: The Tao Of [Topic]
Example: The Tao of email marketing
41. The “Real Reason” Email
Formula: The Real Reason [Target Market] [Attracted To Product/Topic]
Example: The real reason men want to learn to pick up
42. The “Lessons” Email
Formula: [Topic] Lessons From A [Weird Source]
Example: Programming lessons from a real-life ninja
43. The “Nazi” Email
Formula: The [Topic] nazi
Example: The wine nazi
44. The “Possibly” Email
Formula: Possibly The [Smartest/Dumbest] Way To [Action]
Example: Possibly the dumbest way to train a dog
45. The “Never Met” Email
Formula: The Most [Hated/Loved] [Person] You’ve Never Met
Example: The most loved salon stylist you’ve never met.
46. The “Truth” Email
Formula: The Truth About [Topic/Person]
Example: The truth about abs
47. The “Big Mistake” Email
Formula: My Big [Topic] Mistake
Example: My big self-defense mistake
48. The “Problem” Email
Formula: The Problem With [Insert Problem]
Example: The problem with pricing too low
49. The “% Rule” Email
Formula: The [Percentage] Rule Of [Topic]
Example: The 47% rule of building a business
50. The “Art Of” Email
Formula: The Art Of [Topic]
Example: The art of gaming
51. The “Most Interesting” Email
Formula: The Most Interesting [Person] In The World
Example: The most interesting shoe shiner in the world
52. The “Most Common Mistakes” Email
Formula: The Most Common [Topic] Mistakes [Target Market] Make
Example: The most common health mistakes seniors make
53. The “Best Of” Email
Formula: The Best Of [Brand]
Example: The best of Sumo
54. The “Can’t Believe” Email
Formula: Can’t believe how much you’ll love this [product]
Example: Can’t believe how much you’ll love this app
55. The “Can’t Be Wrong” Email
Formula: [Number] People Can’t Be Wrong
Example: 5,000 people can’t be wrong
56. The “Normally” Email
Formula: Normally We [Do Something]. You Get It [New Way]
Example: Normally we charge $500 for this advice. You get it free.
57. The “Rags To Riches” Email
Formula: From [Rags] To [Riches]
Example: From homeless to Fortune 500 CEO
58. The “Use This” Email
Formula: Use This [Thing]
Example: Use this marketing plan
59. The “Try Out” Email
Formula: Try Out [Product] For Yourself
Example: Try out DevriX for yourself
60. The “War” Email
Formula: The War Against [Enemy]
Example: The war against the health industry
61. The “He/She Lost/Gained” Email
Formula: He/She lost/gained [Result]…and [blank] me!
Example: She gained $5,000 a week…and thanked me!
62. The “Great Hoax” Email
Formula: The Great [Topic] Hoax [Optional Time/Place]!
Example: The great content marketing hoax of 2016!
Do These Subject Lines Work?
Gary Bencivenga is the world’s greatest living copywriter. He came up with the following equation after analyzing some of the best headlines ever used in direct mail:
Interest = Benefit + Curiosity
In other words, I should be able to read your email subject line, feel like I’m going to get something out of it and wonder what the rest of the email is going to say.
And this is why these email subject line formulas above work.
Team DevriX
This article is crafted by DevriX's seasoned marketing team, boasting over four decades of collective expertise in crafting sophisticated marketing funnels, devising comprehensive content frameworks and pillars, implementing engaging email campaigns, and creating impactful social media content designed for scalability.
Our marketing experts specialize in the complete spectrum of inbound marketing strategies. As an accredited HubSpot Agency Partner and a Semrush Partner, we engage in meticulous research, blending our extensive experience with the unique insights of our highly skilled team.
We set benchmarks in content creation by incorporating cutting-edge marketing trends, leveraging in-depth industry research, and utilizing state-of-the-art AI tools for data segmentation and captivating content hooks. Our proficiency extends across a diverse range of sectors, including working with SMEs, Fortune 1000 companies, global B2B brands, major publishing entities, WooCommerce platforms, business directories, and affiliate networks.
