Amy Olivieri, Constant Contact
Regional Development Director
So, you’ve crafted the perfect email and sent it out to your list of subscribers. Now it all comes down to one thing, the subject line. Those less than ten-word phrases are the key to getting your email opened, and can make or break an email campaign.
And while there is no exact “formula” to create the perfect subject line, there are best practices that will greatly improve the chance of your email getting read.
- Include a clear call-to-action
Before sending your newsletter, stop and ask yourself: What action do I want the recipient to take?
That action won’t always be one that has an immediate impact on your business (buy now!) but it should be the first step in some path toward driving real results from your email marketing. Keep in mind your subject line will be the first impression your email has on your reader. Making it your first call-to-action will improve the likelihood of that action being taken.
- Remember, people are naturally skeptical
The best way to overcome this skepticism is by thinking about why your subscribers signed up to receive your emails in the first place. (If you don’t know, then you may want to consider sending out a survey to your customers asking what content they want to see more, or even start sending a survey as part of your initial “welcome” email.) Once you’ve figured that out, you can alter your subject lines to better suit their interests.
- Get to the point
I don’t need to tell you how much people value their time. When it comes to your emails, you have, at most, only a few minutes to get your message across. When it comes to your subject line, you have only a few seconds to capture their attention. Keep in mind the typical inbox preview pane will only show 30 to 40 characters (the typical mobile device shows around 15 characters). If possible, shoot for 25 to 40 characters or 5 to 8 words.
- Create a sense of urgency
Do not take this as a call to add “ACT NOW!” or “LIMITED TIME OFFER!” to every one of your subject lines. Instead, take it as a call to consider using urgency to invigorate your customer base. This is especially true if you’re running a promotion, having a sale, or trying to drive attendance to an upcoming event.
- Reputability of the sender is key
While the content of your email and the design of your subject line are important, nothing is more important than the relationship the recipient has with the sender (that’s you!) Want the best results? Tell people who the email is from in the subject line.
- Don’t mislead
Even the most honest businesses can sometimes be guilty of unintentionally misleading their customers. It may not be your intention, but if your subject lines aren’t telling the whole truth or are structured in a way your customers may misunderstand, then you could be putting your reputation at risk.
- Personalize—but not too much!
There is a right way and a wrong way to personalize your subject lines. The right way is to add a more personal touch by using words like “you” or “your”. It lets people know there’s an actual person sending the email and that they understand the interests of the reader. The wrong way to personalize your emails is by including the recipient’s name in the subject line. This is a practice that is most typically used by spammers. (Check your spam or junk folder for plenty of examples of these.)
- Share your expertise
Likely, your customers view you as an expert in your field and many of them signed up for your newsletter just for that reason. So don’t just tell them what you’ve read or what you’ve heard – tell them what you know. Inject words like “my” or “our” into subject lines that share your expertise.
- NO CAPITAL LETTERS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!
“WE’RE HAVING A SALE!!!” doesn’t convey excitement; it conveys a feeling you’re trying too hard to get your customers attention. That’s not to say capitalization and exclamation points should never be used. If you hit a milestone for your business, are having your biggest sale of the year, or are opening a brand new location, then by all means, show your excitement, just don’t abuse it.
- Take social shareability into consideration
Businesses aren’t the only ones looking for inspiration for content to share on Facebook or ideas for things to tweet about – your customers are, too. If you have a socially-savvy audience, thinking of your subject line as status update on Facebook or a tweet, can improve your emails shareability.
- Use the subject line to tease the content
There’s a reason why people hate commercials but love movie trailers. Commercials are all about promotion; trailers are all about getting people’s attention and leaving them wanting more.
- Consider your audience’s needs
Think about your audience’s needs or the type of questions that might be on their mind when they’re going through their inbox. If month after month you’re answering those questions, your content will always be relevant.
- Don’t do the hard sell
If you want to drive real business results from your email marketing, you’re going to need to learn how to sell, without selling. That starts with your subject line. Using an overly “salesy” subject line is like hiring an overly aggressive salesperson; they may get results sometimes, but for every one sale they make, they’ve chased ten others out the door.
Follow these 13 tips and you’ll be well on your way to an increase in open rates, bypassing that delete button and getting your content in front of your customers.
__________________________________________________________________
Amy E. Olivieri is Regional Development Director at Constant Contact
Reach her at: aolivieri@constantcontact.com , (713) 401-2841
www.constantcontact.com/amy-olivieri
