Most email marketing messages are meant to inspire people to take action, ie. make a purchase, register for an event, call today, etc. The writers put a lot of thought, effort and time into those messages, often without considering the most important aspect of email marketing - the subject line. The truth is, if your subject line doesn't motivate people to open the email, even the world's best marketing message isn't going to be successful. Here are 5 tips for creating subject lines that will have people begging to read more:
1) Know your target audience! What are the topics they are buzzing about today? People are more likely to open emails that are relevant to their needs or interests. So grab their attention by writing about your audience's "hot topics" and create subject lines that include these buzz words (How? See number 2 below).
2) Think like a reporter. Magazines and newspapers spend a lot of time and money to know exactly who their target audience is and what they want to read about . So take a lesson from them and create strong, attention-getting subject lines suited to your business. Or, if you are really struggling to identify relevant content for your audience, review magazines in your industry. You can learn a lot - without investing all the resources.
3) Use numbers when possible. Today's consumers are busy. An email subject line that lists "5 Quick Tips" or "Top 10 Reasons to..." suggests a quick read and lets the reader know exactly what to expect.
4) Avoid bait-and-switch tactics. Honesty is the key to building trust. If you are sending out a monthly e-newsletter, it may be perfectly appropriate to simply title it as "XYZ Corp. January News" - or you may wish to incorporate buzz words from one of your news articles. Just make sure your subject line always accurately reflects the content of your email, lest you be known as the company who cried wolf.
5) Test your subject lines to find what works. Segment your contacts into two or more groups and send each group the same email using different subject lines. Using your email provider's analysis tools, compare the open rates. Did one subject line have a greater influence than another? Use the information you gather to help you create future subject lines. Are you unhappy with the analysis tools provided by your email provider? Contact us to learn how easy creating and analyzing your email campaigns can be with ACT! E-marketing.
Do you have a tip you'd like to add? We'd love to hear it! Comment below.
1) Know your target audience! What are the topics they are buzzing about today? People are more likely to open emails that are relevant to their needs or interests. So grab their attention by writing about your audience's "hot topics" and create subject lines that include these buzz words (How? See number 2 below).
2) Think like a reporter. Magazines and newspapers spend a lot of time and money to know exactly who their target audience is and what they want to read about . So take a lesson from them and create strong, attention-getting subject lines suited to your business. Or, if you are really struggling to identify relevant content for your audience, review magazines in your industry. You can learn a lot - without investing all the resources.
3) Use numbers when possible. Today's consumers are busy. An email subject line that lists "5 Quick Tips" or "Top 10 Reasons to..." suggests a quick read and lets the reader know exactly what to expect.
4) Avoid bait-and-switch tactics. Honesty is the key to building trust. If you are sending out a monthly e-newsletter, it may be perfectly appropriate to simply title it as "XYZ Corp. January News" - or you may wish to incorporate buzz words from one of your news articles. Just make sure your subject line always accurately reflects the content of your email, lest you be known as the company who cried wolf.
5) Test your subject lines to find what works. Segment your contacts into two or more groups and send each group the same email using different subject lines. Using your email provider's analysis tools, compare the open rates. Did one subject line have a greater influence than another? Use the information you gather to help you create future subject lines. Are you unhappy with the analysis tools provided by your email provider? Contact us to learn how easy creating and analyzing your email campaigns can be with ACT! E-marketing.
Do you have a tip you'd like to add? We'd love to hear it! Comment below.
