email subject lines that get opened

Your subject line is the gatekeeper. No matter how good your email content is, it's worthless if nobody opens it. A great subject line can double or triple your open rates.

what makes people open emails

• Curiosity (what's inside?)
• Relevance (this is for me)
• Urgency (I need to act now)
• Value (this will help me)
• Personalization (they know me)

length matters

Keep subject lines under 50 characters: - Mobile devices truncate around 30-40 characters - Shorter subject lines tend to have higher open rates - Front-load the most important words

formulas that work

The question: "Still struggling with [problem]?" The number: "5 ways to [achieve outcome]" The how-to: "How to [do something] in [timeframe]" The curiosity gap: "The [topic] mistake everyone makes" The personal: "[Name], quick question"

power words for subject lines

• Free, new, exclusive
• Quick, easy, simple
• Proven, secret, revealed
• Now, today, urgent
• You, your

personalization beyond names

Using the recipient's name is table stakes. Better personalization: - Reference their company - Mention their location - Reference recent behavior - Note their industry

a/b testing subject lines

Always test when possible: - Test one element at a time - Send to small segments first - Wait for statistical significance - Roll out the winner to the full list

what kills open rates

• ALL CAPS (looks like spam)
• Excessive punctuation!!!
• Spam trigger words (free money, act now)
• Clickbait that doesn't deliver
• Boring, generic subjects

subject lines by email type

Newsletter: "[Topic]: [specific value inside]" Promotional: "[Benefit] — [time limit]" Transactional: "Your [product/service] is [status]" Cold email: "Quick question about [their company]" Follow-up: "Re: [original subject]" or "Following up on [topic]"

preview text optimization

The preview text (preheader) is your second chance: - Extends your subject line - Adds context or urgency - Should not repeat the subject line

examples by open rate

Low performing: - "Newsletter #47" - "Company Update" - "Check this out"

High performing: - "The 3-minute fix that saved our launch" - "[Name], your competitor is doing this" - "I was wrong about [topic]"

mobile optimization

Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile: - Test how your subject line looks on phones - Front-load key information - Use emojis sparingly (test first)

Your subject line is a skill. Track your open rates, test continuously, and build a swipe file of subject lines that work in your industry.