Cracking the Code: Better Email Subject Lines

What do email subject lines and blind dates have in common? You rarely recover from a bad first impression.

Like a blind date, much starts with the expectations of your recipients. If they've opted in for a newsletter or educational content, chances are they won't be thrilled with pure "Last-Chance Savings!!" promotions - and vice versa. Customers expecting special offers and discounts may not be amenable to sifting through your latest company news or an industry trend report, no matter how informative.

Segmenting for success
Obviously, knowing your customers - or giving them the choice of what types of information they receive - is a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to boosting open rates with a snappy subject line. But if you're not able to mount that level of sophistication in your marketing, all is not lost. There are some general best practices for crafting subject lines that can increase the likelihood of your email marketing success. Here's a rundown of things to keep in mind:

Tell it like it is. A good subject line should describe what's actually in the email. This may sound obvious, but take an informal survey and you'll see that lots of emailers break this fundamental rule.

Give 'em what they want. Make sure readers know up front that the email contains information they've requested, expressed an interest in, or subscribed to.

Think like the recipient. What would entice you to open an email? Chances are some of the same things would appeal to your audience.

Bowl them over with benefits. Answer the big question, "What's in it for me?" by stating a compelling product benefit in the subject line. For example, if you've developed a tool to help businesses get online fast, you might try a bold statement like this: "Build and launch your web site in under an hour."

Keep it short. Just because you've got 50 characters in a subject line, that doesn't mean you should use them all. If it's possible to state your case faster, then do it - your window of opportunity is only seconds. Conversely, don't be terse if your message warrants chattiness. Again, it's all about the expectations of your particular audience - not some hard-and-fast rule.

Be a tease. If you're sending an email newsletter that contains multiple stories, be sure whatever article mentioned in your subject line appears toward the bottom of your message. That way, recipients must scan the whole newsletter, increasing your chances that something else will catch their eye.

No empty promises. If your subject line is successful and a reader actually opens your email, nothing will turn them off faster then realizing that they've just fallen for a come-on. So make sure you can deliver on whatever your subject line promises.

As you can no doubt personally attest, email in-boxes fill up fast. That's why it's so important to come up with a subject line that says "Pick me!" With a little diligence and some trial and error, you'll get to the point where your prospects are opening more of your messages than ever before - putting you one step closer to a closed deal.

About the Author
NJ copywriter Lisa Fahoury, a Certified Business Communicator and principal at Fahoury Ink in West Orange, is the editor of Creative Compost: Where Great Marketing Ideas Grow, a marketing newsletter focusing on offbeat promotion strategies. She is also the creator of the Think Like a Fish seminar series on creative thinking. Reach her at 973-324-2100 or info@fahouryink.com

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