7 Guidelines to Dramatically Improve Email Subject Lines That Your Prospects Will Open

7 Guidelines to Dramatically Improve Email Subject Lines That Your Prospects Will Open

Keep Emails Out of The Junk Folder

Remember the dream you had when you started your own business? Perhaps it was visions of clients running toward you from all directions in slow motion. To prevent your emails from landing in each client’s junk folder, you recognized the need to improve email subject lines. You had what they wanted, but to grow your business, it wasn’t simply a matter of meeting the demand of your faithful followers. You went to work on making this dream a reality and quickly realized clients won’t be knocking on your door until they know you exist and are willing to read your emails. With a heart full of passion, you penned your first email and braced yourself for the flood of responses from eager clients worldwide. Radio silence!

You asked yourself, “How do I improve email subject lines, so that the trajectory of my message is not a straight shot into each client’s spam folder?”

Here are some basic guidelines to improve email subject lines:

  1. Write the email first and subject line last. The subject line must reflect the actual topic, so readers do not feel tricked.

  2. Consider asking your client a direct question in the subject line.

  3. Use vivid, relevant, and concrete language. For example: ‘Do you eat dark chocolate?’

  4. Make it feel human. Instead of sending mail from strictly your company name, try adding personal name.

  5. Avoid negativity. Subject lines should not threaten the reader. An example of what NOT to write: ‘AVOID DEFAULT! RESPONSE REQUIRED WITHIN 24 HOURS TO CLAIM PRIZE!’

  6. Create a community in which the user belongs. For example: ’SPACE AVAILABLE! Join us Saturday for Hoola Hoops & Hops!

  7. If you run an eCommerce site, offer free samples or coupons.

Email, in general, is a convenience and so is deleting an email. Your subject line (as well as the body of the email) should communicate a real purpose. Be sincere. Emails sent just to keep in touch are reserved for friends and family, so don’t confuse those relationships with those of your clients. Clients value their time. When you improve email subject lines, your clients will pause to consider whether to keep or discard the emails you send them.

Increase Client Loyalty

Give clients a reason to be loyal. Cultivate a sense of trust and personalization by listening to what clients expect from you and deliver on your promises. There is an old saying in business that remains a timeless truth despite the speed of today’s communication. Under-promise and Over-deliver. This may seem tricky when relying upon an email subject line to grab your client’s attention, but it is not impossible.

By following the basic guidelines of how to improve email subject lines, you will gain the trust of your clients. Wouldn’t it be great if customers look forward to your emails? Ultimately, wouldn’t it be even greater if clients forwarded your emails to other prospective clients because they like what you have to say? Reading emails from your business should not be a chore. They should be enjoyable, entertaining, and enlightening!

Now it’s your turn! Practice writing five email subject lines for a specific topic. Enlist your friends and colleagues as market testers to vote for the most enticing subject line. Think of your email subject line as a billboard that needs to grab each reader’s attention and spark curiosity. If your clients are buzzing down the freeway at 80 miles per hour, they will only see what is most colorful and intriguing. Make a positive impression.

For more information on effective email marketing campaigns, check out ‘SPAM Is DEAD: Moved to Qualified Email Lists‘!

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