Email remains an effective means of marketing and communication between businesses and consumers. However, it’s becoming harder and harder to send out an email that actually gets opened, let alone read.

How do you stand out from the crowd and write a subject line people will open?

Subject Lines That Boost Opens

First, you should consider what you want to achieve with your subject line and email as a whole. What type of theme or content are you trying to promote? Who are you targeting with these emails? Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be able to determine the type of subject line to use.

Humorous

Funny subject lines are light, informal, and will entertain the reader. Many marketers rely on this tactic to boost open rates.

• Groupon: “Deals that make us proud (unlike our nephew, Steve).”
• The Muse: “We like being used.”
• Thrillest: “Try to avoid these 27 people on New Year’s Eve.”
• OpenTable: “Licking your phone never tasted so good.”

 

Personal

Personal subject lines instill a sense of familiarity and humanness within a company. Like a real person is reaching out to specifically speak to one consumer.

• Guess: “[FirstName], check out these hand-picked looks.”
• Rent the Runway: “Happy Birthday [FirstName] — Surprise Inside!
• Revolution Tea: “Thanks for helping us”
• Influitive: “So I’ll pick you up at 7?”

 

Pain Points

Pain points target an issue or problem the consumer is facing, and then proposes a worthwhile solution. If you truly understand your target audience, you should already know their biggest paint points.

• HP: “Stop wasting money on ink.”
• Pizza Hut: “Feed your guests without breaking the bank.”
• Duolingo: “Learn a language with only 5 minutes per day.”
• IKEA: “Get more kitchen space with these easy fixes.”

 

Fear of Missing Out

Consumers as a whole are afraid of missing out–on the best deals, new products, etc. Creating a sense of urgency with a timeline – time is running out! – can have a great impact on open rates.

• Jersey Mike’s Subs: “[FirstName], earn double points today only.”
• Jet Blue: “You’re missing out on points.”
• Digital Marketer: “Your 7-figure plan goes bye-bye at midnight.”
• Warby Parker: “Uh-oh, your prescription is expiring.”

 

Retargeting

Retargeting emails are sent when a consumer fails to complete an action and is no longer moving along the sales funnel. These emails is meant to loop the consumer back into the process.

• Bonobos: “Hey, forget something? Here’s 20% off.”
• Target: “The price dropped for something in your cart.”
• Animoto: “Did you miss out on some of these new features?”
• Ugmonk: “Offering you my personal email.”

 

Crafting the Perfect Subject Line

Now that you’ve seen examples of some great subject lines, it’s time to start writing your own! Think about your consumers and what you would like them to do–then go from there. Tired of writing your own subject lines? When your partner with an agency like mXtr Automation, we craft a holistic marketing strategy that’s tailor-made for your business. From subject lines to drip campaigns, we’ve got you covered.

Contact Mxtr Automation today to schedule your free consultation.

 

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