Create professional emails with tips from Constant Contact
In a social scenario, this phrase usually leads to an abrupt end to the beginning of a conversation. The same thing happens when you get an email from someone you don't know with a subject line that sounds like something you've heard before or, even worse, like SPAM.
A great "Subject" line will keep you from getting denied and keep your email from getting deleted?
The adage is true: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is why a good subject line can be the difference between a rousingly successful email campaign and a dismal failure.
The secret is to write a subject line that grabs your recipients' attention and piques their interest enough to open your email without being so blatantly promotional that it sounds like SPAM. When writing a subject line, think in terms of your offer and your audience and what few words would most likely get them to open your email.
Keep it short and simple
The recipient will either open or delete your email in 3 seconds or less. And, you only have between 30 and 40 characters including spaces to play with - that's only 5-8 words total. Convey your biggest benefit or in the case of a newsletter, your most interesting statement, into those first few words and you're off to a great start.
Try to incorporate a specific benefit
My company started with a general benefit statement "Grow Holiday Sales" for a disappointing 11% open rate, as compared to our subject line "Free 60-day trial - Repeat Visits, Repeat Customers," which garnered a significantly more respectable 51% open rate.
Use capitalization judiciously
When you use all capital letters, there is no differentiation in your words making them harder to read plus, IT COMES ACROSS LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING! While I'm at it, avoid gratuitous exclamation points!!!!!!!!! Because unless you're Gilbert Godfreid, or the late Sam Kinison, neither of these techniques will work well for you.
Test, test, test!
The importance of testing your subject line is illustrated by Constant Contact's experience above. Although there are many other variables (e.g., the list, the email copy, the offer, and more), testing the subject line both the logical first step and, conveniently, the easiest variable to test. You may be as surprised as we were to see what a difference a small variation can make in those 5-8 little words.
Finally, steer clear of anything remotely like the following:
- Change your life in 10 minutes!
- Earn $10,000 per month!!
- Lose Fat!! No exercise!!
- BIG Money Maker!
These are all telltale spam subject lines from my own spam archives located in, you guessed it, my deleted mail folder. At least they were good for something.
In the next issue, look for hints and tips on writing the words on the inside of the email, or email copy.
