Today, let’s talk about one of the most important aspect of email marketing: getting that subject line right. You may wonder why this is necessary, given that we live in the world of digital media. The truth is emails are nearly 40 times better at getting new customers than social media alone!1
For example, did you know that 9 out of 10 B2B marketing professionals prefer to use email to reach their customers?2 Or that the total number of email users worldwide stands at nearly 4 billion?3 All these only go to show that email marketing isn’t going anywhere soon.
But with all of us receiving anywhere from 25 (it’ll be that low if you’re lucky!) to over 100 new emails each day, it can be rather difficult to stand out in a client’s inbox. That’s why subject lines are the perfect way to grab their attention. So, how do you get that perfect subject line?
It’s not rocket science – not if you follow these 4 simple tips.
1. Keep it short and simple
Being clear and concise is key. The shorter your subject line is, the easier it is to grab the reader’s attention. If you are emailing a customer or a client, it’s way more convenient to get straight to the point in your subject line. Humour works, but don’t go crazy with it, or you risk alienating your client.
2. Personalise your subject line
No, personalisation doesn’t mean you should use your client’s name in the subject line. That gets irritating very quickly. Instead, talk to them directly about WHY they should open your email. What are they going to get out of it? Never use dull subject lines (‘Our company brochure’, ‘Digital marketing services for SMEs’, etc.). research proves that personalised emails have a 50% better open rate than unpersonalised ones.4
3. Write the subject line first
If you write the subject line as an afterthought, right before you click ‘send’, you’re doing it wrong. Always write down the subject line before you start the actual email. This helps you sum up the email as well, making it concise and to the point. Even better? Write 5 subject lines for each email, and then re-read your final email and choose the best subject line. Pick the one that makes you immediately want to open that email.
4. Get the wording right
An email with a CTA (call to action) always works – it asks the reader to perform some action, even if that is to open your email. That’s why using verbs at the start is a good idea (‘Want to reach your audience more effectively?’ is better than ‘Audience targeting ideas’).
Remember to not use ALLCAPS or overuse exclamation points!!!
BONUS TIP: A/B test the subject lines
The tips above are great ways to start building an effective subject line, but what works for one client might not work for others. So, spend some time A/B testing your email subject lines so you can figure out what works best for you and your brand.
Test the subject lines that you will be using more often, tweak the words according to your results, and narrow down what works best for each segment of your audience. And then, you’re on your way to conversions and success!
Want more tips? Get in touch with us today and we’ll help you craft campaigns that guarantee results!
