Blog

An email’s subject line can make or break a campaign—inspiring people to click even when their inbox is full and a dozen other things are demanding their attention. But how do you craft subject lines that effective?

Here are a few elements of highly effective subject lines.

A sense of urgency.

People are a lot more likely to take action—even if it’s just clicking on an email—if you immediately convey a sense of urgency.

Are you offering a webinar with signups available for only a limited time—or to a limited number of people? Are you offering consultations on buying insurance on the healthcare exchanges ahead of the deadline?

Brainstorm some ways you can inject a sense of urgency into your subject lines.

A sense of intrigue.

Sometimes, the best email subject lines spark the reader’s curiosity. If you can maintain an aura of mystery, sometimes you’ll get more people opening your emails.

This is a hard line to walk, and takes some practice. If you make your subject lines too weird, people will just skate right by them.

But if you can write subject lines that are both intriguing and mysterious, while also making sense in terms of your brand and offer, you may be able to hit a sweet spot.

A sense of benefits.

What does your audience really want?

Do they want the peace of mind that comes with knowing they’re well covered in case of disaster? Do they want to keep their jobs and not screw up this big corporate insurance decision? Do they want to keep their car legal for the cheapest possible price?

All of those audience members have their hot-button issues—whether that’s price, security, or an expert guiding hand. Knowing exactly what your audience wants will help you craft an email campaign aligned with that—and subject lines that immediately communicate the benefit of opening.

A sense of personalization.

Studies show that people are 26% more likely to open your emails if the subject line is personalized. When people see their names in the subject line, they may believe the email is more relevant to them—and that means they’re more likely to click.

If your subject lines aren’t drawing the open rates you’d like, there are many different strategies you can adopt to make them more effective. Consider putting the benefits right out front, or leading with a sense of intrigue. Try communicating urgency, and personalize each subject line.

If you try some of these strategies, no doubt you’ll be able to improve your email marketing success.