A great email subject line is critical for increasing your email open rate. We all know this, but sometimes we are rushed to get an email sent and don’t do the basic subject line checks to make sure we are meeting our email goals.
Remember humans receive and open emails and just like you, the recipient reviews subject lines too. After quickly glancing at the subject line, they will determine (1) is the email from someone I know, (2) is the email spam/junk, (3) will this email take more time than I have, and (4) shall I open the email.
Here are some quick tips for getting your emails opened:
Avoid Subject Lines that:
- Are too vague
- Ask for meetings or time
- Are overly specific
- Sound too familiar
- Too long (more than 6 words)
Think about how you review email subject lines, you would open the email if
- It was something you were expecting
- You were intrigued by it
- You were scared by it
- It is personal
Create Subject Lines that are:
- Appealing
- Useful and relevant
- Personal
- Provocative yet credible
- As short as possible (2 to 4 words ideally)
Final tip: Always review your subject line before you send it. Ask yourself would I open this email? Remember, it takes only a few seconds, but this review could make all the difference between someone opening and deleting your email. Why waste the effort creating an email if you won’t spend a few seconds reviewing the subject line.