Open Me! The All-Critical Email Subject Line

If you are an email marketer, or manage a list for your small company, you would probably like to make sure that a maximum number of emails get opened on any given email blast.  Choosing the right words for the subject line is basic and most important to increase your open rate.  We'll discuss some of the common ways you can increase your success in this area.


First, Sensor swab basic testing from a major email company has shown that a straightforward description of the content of the email versus a sales pitch or value proposition is much more effective in it's open rate.  Now, this doesn't seem to make sense, but put yourself in the recipient's position - the straightforward approach makes the email seem more legit, the sales pitch makes the email seem, well, more like a sales pitch.


Personalizing your email also tends to increase the open rate, a first name or first, last combination is good, this can dramatically improve the results you see.  I makes that connection to the customer that much quicker.  "Steve, Get Great Prices on Auto Parts"


Verb first - putting the verb first is a call to action to open the email.  "Buy Auto Parts At Low Prices"  All the while we are telling the recipient the benefits of opening the email without being over the top.


I personally like to integrate humor or a question into my subject line, but this should be done with the context of your subject, company's perception to the consumer, and your recipient's demographics in mind. 


Something you should always do is segment a large list and try multiple subject lines so that you can learn what words, styles and calls to action work for your customers.  Most email marketing solutions have features that allow this, and you can easily try new techniques this way. 


The subject line wording is certainly something that is worth putting some thought into.  If done properly it can mean the difference between a successful campaign and a failure - which would your boss or client prefer?  Get your message in front of as many people as possible!

Steve Morse is a professional internet marketing and search engine professional in Omaha, Nebraska. For valuable reviews on [/email-marketing-solutions-reviews]email marketing solutions, visit his blog.