10 TIPS FOR GREAT EMAIL SUBJECT LINES

I’ve run countless email programs throughout my career and these ten tried and true tips have consistently delivered results. These can be applied to all industries, from retail, media, non-profit, SaaS and more.

Be Clear and Concise

Keep your subject lines short and to the point. Aim for 5-6 impactful words.

Create Curiosity

Use intriguing, on brand language to tease what’s inside the email and pique your audience’s interest. Create some excitement, and even a bit of FOMO. But…

Be truthful

Avoid misleading subject lines. Keep words like “urgent” and “action required” for when it’s actually the case. Though they may get clicks, you will lose your audience’s trust and they will unsubscribe.

Use Emojis Sparingly

Emojis can catch attention, but use them appropriately and sparingly to avoid looking too spammy.

Avoid Spam Triggers

Speaking of spam, stay away from spammy words like “free,” “buy now,” or excessive exclamation marks.

Use the right tone

Every communication is an extension of your brand. Make sure to let your brand’s personality come through in your subject lines and keep it consistent with your other touchpoints.

Solve problems

Address a common problem your audience is experiencing and offer a solution in the subject line. Just make sure the content in the email delivers!

Time it right

Best practices are a great place to start, but you know your audience best. Are they morning people? Or do they do their reading after dinner. Not sure?

Test, learn, repeat

Run A/B tests, review your metrics, get curious about your results. When something works well, repeat and build on it. When it doesn’t, try it one more time before tossing that tactic away.

Personalize and segment

This is by far the most effective way to get engagement and foster loyalty: give the right client, the right content, at the right time. The more tailored the subject line to the person and their needs, the better the results.

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