6 Email Subject Line Tricks that Actually Work

The email subject line is your gate-keeper.

Your inbox is growing even as you read this. When we’re constantly sending and receiving emails, it’s easy to overlook the importance of email subject lines, especially after spending time carefully crafting the body messaging. But here at Predictable Revenue, Aaron always says that the email subject line is your gate-keeper. Fifty percent of cold email work is just crafting and testing different versions.

inbox If your subject line doesn’t immediately inform the reader what the email is about and why it’s important, your email will likely end up in the trash—unopened.

Help make sure your your emails get opened with these tricks:

1. Keep It Brief.
Short, descriptive email subject lines generate more click-throughs than longer ones. Don’t use more words than necessary, making sure the subject line provides a hint of what’s to come when they open the email. To note: most people read email on their phones, which generally cuts off longer email subject lines.

2. Be Descriptive.
Your subject line should directly relate to the information in the email, keeping communication clear and focused. Using misleading subject lines or ones that aren’t relevant to the body of your email is can decrease the open rate of your emails in the future. Nothing’s more frustrating than not getting what you paid for.

3. Personalize It.
Personalization improves the customer experience and help you connect with your audience. Address recipients with words like “you” and “your.” If you can, include first names in the subject line to increase open rates. This strategy helps creates the illusion of a personal email instead of a cold email blast.

4. Avoid Marketing Jargon.
Buzzwords and acronyms can quickly turn off readers who feel like they are being sold something, so avoid marketing and salesy words. Don’t use exclamation points, all caps, or words like “free”, “reminder”, “sale”, or “buy”. These words usually trigger a spam filter and make your emails sound promotional even if they’re not.

5. Test Variations.
It’s hard to know which email subject line works best for your specific target audience , so split the groups into two and send the same email with different subject lines. By A/B testing, comparing the subject lines and gauging their performance in real time, you’ll get a better idea of what works and what doesn’t for future campaigns.

6. Use Tools.
A good way to kickstart an email campaign is by hiring a third party or use Pipeline Automation Software to help benchmark performance and optimize subject lines and messaging. so.Take time to track key metrics to learn from your successes (or mistakes).

While the body of the email is critical, half of outbound work is testing different versions of your subject line for optimum response rate. Keep it short and use language that resonates with your Ideal Customer Profile to drive engagement and increase your click-through rate.