Branching off our blog from the other day on “Why you should be using email marketing” let’s jump into grabbing your audience’s attention. If you’ve been utilizing emails as your usual marketing campaign, are you using the right subject lines? An email subject line can be tricky. It should be representative of the topic you’re discussing but you also need to ensure it doesn’t blend in with the rest or look “spammy”. This is one of the biggest factors to consider when looking at your click rate in previous email campaigns. For some, the subject line can be the most daunting task, racking your brain to find the best fit and hope that it causes your intending audience to want to open it. It can be extremely disappointing when you put effort into a great email and it doesn’t even get opened!
Let’s talk about the types of subject lines you can take into consideration for your next email.
Urgency
If your goal is to bring attention to a sale, a last call, one last reminder… put that in the subject. In our daily email interactions, we almost become programmed to skip through the promotional or ad type emails unless we have a spare minute to do a little browsing. In order to reduce the clutter, we can quickly do a mass delete since we know we’ll likely get another email tomorrow, or even by the end of the day on the same matter. But, there’s something to it when we see those “last chance” reminders that create a sense of urgency that we need to take a look to ensure we aren’t missing out on a great opportunity.
“LAST DAY to sign up for our live webinar”
“2 DAYS left to receive half off our marketing services”
“24 HOURS until registration is over”
How-Tos
Let them know you are about to give them useful advice. If they don’t open it right away, they are more likely to save it and come back to it later. Knowing there’s informative content inside will create a level of interest, especially if it’s a topic they’ve been inquiring about.
“How to Create a Successful Youtube Channel”
“How Social Media Can Give Your SEO a Competitive Edge”
“How to Increase Website Traffic From Blog Comments”
Questions
Ask a question that can be answered in the content you are providing. By asking a question it creates curiosity, but also presents opportunity for the viewer to relate. They may find they’ve asked that question before and need the answer. They may know someone who would benefit from the answer and forward it along.
“Are you using the right email subject lines?”
“Why is my site not showing up in the search engines?”
“Why you need to be mobile responsive”
Numbers
Break apart from the standard subject lines of words and more words. Draw attention to your email by adding a number, creating a visual distraction. Numbers can mean a cost value, a few easy steps towards achieving a goal, a countdown. These all provide a call to action in the subject line that can pull your audience in.
“5 Step Method for Best Website Design”
“360-degree Videos Boost Video Engagement”
“8 Ways to Find Keywords for Your Blog Posts and Web Pages”
Personalized
Would your target audience appreciate that personal touch? Depending on the material, a subject line addressing each individual could make the difference in an open or a delete. When scrolling through the endless emails your eyes can’t help but focus on the one that actually has your name in it. If you want to reach your customers on an individual basis by allowing them to trust you are creating what’s inside to be perfect for them, then address the subject line accordingly.
“Sue, have you looked at your site rankings lately?”
“John, it’s time to consider updating your website”
“Bob, are you still trying to figure out your social media?”
Too curious to not click
Create a cliffhanger with your subject line. Start a sentence but don’t finish it. Begin an interesting conversation that they would have to open the email if they want to hear the rest. Provide an interesting “did you know” fact that they can only get answered if they continue to read the email. Humans are curious creatures and there’s something to that drive that we can benefit from in marketing. We have a need for information, whether useful or not.
“Why You Need Good Images On Your Site”
“So That’s Social Media”
“Pinterest might be the next step in your marketing plan”
“The Recipe For A Perfect Logo”
Let us help guide you in the right direction to make the most of your email campaigns. Make sure you are reaching your intended audience. Avoid the “did not open” metrics and increase your sales potential.