I am Only Getting a 10% Open Rate with My 6-Pack Abs/Weight Loss Email Subject Lines

22 replies
Anyone have any ideas for good weight loss/6 pack subject lines. I feel like I am fairly creative but I am just not getting the opens I want.

1. The #1 Reason and You'll Never Look Good in a Bikini
2. The 3 Shocking Truths About Getting Sexy Abs
3. If You Miss This Step You'll Be 30% More Likely to Be Overweight.


Those are example that I am using. Maybe they really are that bad.

I am converting my list at around 2.5% for a cheap product but I was hoping for at least a 5% conversion of my list.

I thought about using a different approach where I would start a story in the subject line and continue it in the email.

For example-

Subject line- "I Was Walking Down The Beach with My Nice Abs When 3 Girls Approached Me"

Then continue the story in the email. I haven't really seen something like this used so I assume it's not very effective. However, I feel like I would be hitting on a big desire for men that want nice abs and hitting one of their major hot buttons.

What say ye?

Please help.
#10% #6pack #abs or weight #email #lines #loss #open #rate #subject
  • I think you already crafted those headlines pretty well (though exchange the "and" from the first headline with "why" since that would make more sense?). Maybe the traffic on your list just isn't targeted or consists of too many freebie seekers and tire-kickers? But I'll let the copywriting pros chime in here.
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    • Profile picture of the author ZerosToHero
      Originally Posted by BacklinkExcellence View Post

      I think you already crafted those headlines pretty well (though exchange the "and" from the first headline with "why" since that would make more sense?). Maybe the traffic on your list just isn't targeted or consists of too many freebie seekers and tire-kickers? But I'll let the copywriting pros chime in here.
      Since you're talking about traffic, 95% comes from article directories and a probably 5% from Google.
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      • Originally Posted by JamesAggie View Post

        Since you're talking about traffic, 95% comes from article directories and a probably 5% from Google.
        That should be targeted enough then since your articles obviously must be about weightloss/6 pack abs. What do you do to get them on your list? What is your from name in the emails? What service do you use to send emails (do you inbox?)
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        • Profile picture of the author ZerosToHero
          They sign up for a 7-page report.
          Then I am taking them through a 7-day ecourse. However, I only have 4 days finished so far.
          I put my website name in the From instead of the name I am using for the site.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bill Jeffels
      Go to Truthaboutabs dot com. Sign up for Mike Geary's free report.

      Then you'll be on his e-mail list. I've been on his list for a while. He's got some really great subject lines. I'm not saying copy his but you'll get a good education from someone who is doing very well for himself in this market.

      Best,



      Bill Jeffels



      .
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  • Profile picture of the author Jay White
    Try phrasing some of your subject lines in question format. Something like:

    Is this the REAL reason you don't wear a bikini?
    Sexy Abs can't be THIS easy...can they?
    Did you miss this crucial weight loss tip?

    I've found that my question type subject lines tend to get more opens than the non-questions. Something about the human condition and people being taught from an early age to answer a question if asked. Sort of ingrained.

    Another quick tip: scroll through the email copy and see if there's a different subject line in there. A phrase, a sentence that stands out from the rest and grabs attention. Sometimes it'll almost "jump out" at you while you read. If it does, there's a good chance it'll jump out at the prospect as well.
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    • Profile picture of the author ZerosToHero
      Originally Posted by Jay White View Post

      Try phrasing some of your subject lines in question format. Something like:

      Is this the REAL reason you don't wear a bikini?
      Sexy Abs can't be THIS easy...can they?
      Did you miss this crucial weight loss tip?

      I've found that my question type subject lines tend to get more opens than the non-questions. Something about the human condition and people being taught from an early age to answer a question if asked. Sort of ingrained.

      Another quick tip: scroll through the email copy and see if there's a different subject line in there. A phrase, a sentence that stands out from the rest and grabs attention. Sometimes it'll almost "jump out" at you while you read. If it does, there's a good chance it'll jump out at the prospect as well.
      Those 3 subject lines look great. It's weird how much more powerful they are than my original headlines.

      Jay,

      If you don't mind me asking, what do you think of my example about writing a story copy email subject line. I know you like to use story copy in your emails.

      What if I started the story in the subject line like I suggested in the op. Do you have any experience with that?
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      • Profile picture of the author Jay White
        Originally Posted by JamesAggie View Post

        Those 3 subject lines look great. It's weird how much more powerful they are than my original headlines.

        Jay,

        If you don't mind me asking, what do you think of my example about writing a story copy email subject line. I know you like to use story copy in your emails.

        What if I started the story in the subject line like I suggested in the op. Do you have any experience with that?
        Test it man. See how it pulls compared to all the others. There's no "bad" ideas when it comes to subject lines--just ones that never got tested. You'd be surprised at what resonates and what doesn't.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Halbert
    Through who were you running this campaign? I'm willing to bet I can answer this question if you tell me that.
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    • Profile picture of the author ZerosToHero
      Originally Posted by Don Halbert View Post

      Through who were you running this campaign? I'm willing to bet I can answer this question if you tell me that.
      I am using aweber. Is that what you were asking?
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      • Profile picture of the author sethczerepak
        I'm curious as to why we're all advising under the assumption that 10% is somehow much lower than normal. It's actually not bad at all...the real question is: how are your conversions?

        I suspect that it's all these bloody...

        "AMAZING NEW COPYWRITING SECRETS TAP INTO SUBCONSCIOUS OF PROSPECTS AND FORCE THEM TO OPEN YOUR EMAILS...99.9% OPEN RATE OR YOUR MONEY BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

        ...messages that put the idea into people's heads that you "should" be getting these outrageous open rates. All the BS aside, my experience working with customers who own their own lists and who aren't trying to sell me something but are instead seeking my help to see if they can improve their open rates tells me that 10% is much higher than average.

        Just be careful about what you believe and where you read it. The real picture is quite different.

        PS: Your headlines are fine, if I were you I'd work on landing page conversions and your consumption strategy to increase profits with existing customers.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Halbert
    I'm siding with Seth...but firstly...yes aweber answered my question.

    You see the calculation of 'open rates' can vary from autoresponder to autoresponder. But overall a 10% open rate is still pretty good. Worth noting is that the figure is not entirely accurate. If people have HTML messaging turned off you wont register a plain text open. A few other contributing factors are whether or not they have images turned on in their client and also whether or not they have actually clicked on a link within that email. So as you can see the open rate can not possibly be measured with anykind of accuracy. But I just did a blast of over 11k with a 11.1% open rate which I am quite happy with considering the conversions are substantial compared to past blasts I've done.

    Pura vida!
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Halbert
    I feel ya on that one Jay cause most of the time you just never know what will take off and what wont. I've written some of, what I thought were, great pieces, yet then they dont take off but the ones that I bang out...they seem to rock. For example I just did a Dominical Surf Camp PR that got run on CBS Moneywatch. WTH?
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  • Profile picture of the author Zero
    There is a way to boost your open rate. If you're using aweber - you can segment your list based on who didn't open the previous message that you sent - so you can resend it again with the same subject line or a new one, and then see if that one performs any better.

    Just go to subscribers > search > select field "message not opened" click on the field next to it to select the message you want to segment.

    Click the search button. Then save the segment by giving it a name you'll recognise. When you then send another email to that particular list - at the bottom of the page - there is an option to send your email to a segment of your list, just select the segment name....

    Thats with aweber though.
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    • Profile picture of the author sethczerepak
      Originally Posted by Zero View Post

      There is a way to boost your open rate. If you're using aweber - you can segment your list based on who didn't open the previous message that you sent - so you can resend it again with the same subject line or a new one, and then see if that one performs any better.

      Just go to subscribers > search > select field "message not opened" click on the field next to it to select the message you want to segment.

      Click the search button. Then save the segment by giving it a name you'll recognise. When you then send another email to that particular list - at the bottom of the page - there is an option to send your email to a segment of your list, just select the segment name....

      Thats with aweber though.
      Great idea...for testing that is. It doesn't assure that you'll get a better open rate though.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Halbert
    Anyone remember when Gary said...and repeatedly I might add...that using autoresponders like Aweber, Mail Chimp, Constant Contact etc...is not such a smart decision? I know I personally have an offline "special" list that will never be sent using an email services like the above mentioned.

    PS: I just ran a short short email campaign through iContact and although the response was record breaking for my client...I wasn't satisfied. I didnt want the iContact opt-out footer etc. in there when I was going for a personal touch email. Next time it will be sent via normal ISP accounts @ 300/day. Might take awhile but I bet the response will even be greater.
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  • Profile picture of the author Reuben Gene
    Of course they aren't going to work. This market is saturated with claims like this. When this happens, you have to move past featuring the claim in your headline, and feature the mechanism in WHICH you get them results. They don't believe any of your claims anymore.

    eg. "New xx Machine Gets You Those 6-pack Abs"... "6-Pack Ab Pills Get You Compliments Galore"

    They've lost hope. Make them say "wow, maybe THIS new method will get me the results!". Give them some new hope.

    You get it
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  • Profile picture of the author D111
    Have you tried anything that's an everyday type of subject
    you would get from a friend? Or anything vague?

    One email that I know is trying to sell me something,
    but still want to open out of curiosity has the subject line below:

    Please do not share
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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Carl Kelly
    Originally Posted by JamesAggie View Post

    1. The #1 Reason and You'll Never Look Good in a Bikini
    2. The 3 Shocking Truths About Getting Sexy Abs
    3. If You Miss This Step You'll Be 30% More Likely to Be Overweight.
    Maybe its just me, but all of those subject lines seem negative. If I'll NEVER look good in a bikini, why should I bother reading your message? Shocking truth about sexy abs sounds to me like I'm going to get bad news if I read the message. Don't tell me about missing steps, tell me about NEW steps -- and 30% more likely to be overweight doesn't really sound ominous enough to compel me to open the e-mail.

    Others may have a different take on it, but that's my first reaction.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
      Originally Posted by Steven Carl Kelly View Post

      Maybe its just me, but all of those subject lines seem negative. If I'll NEVER look good in a bikini, why should I bother reading your message? Shocking truth about sexy abs sounds to me like I'm going to get bad news if I read the message. Don't tell me about missing steps, tell me about NEW steps -- and 30% more likely to be overweight doesn't really sound ominous enough to compel me to open the e-mail.

      Others may have a different take on it, but that's my first reaction.
      Hi Steve,

      I have to agree with you hear. Particularly in a negative market - it can help to be positive.

      On a side note - Frank Kern is hardly ever negative and it doesn't seem to do him much harm.
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  • hi there

    They are all playing on the curiousity card which is really powerful

    i think thats why they work well
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  • Profile picture of the author lconsult
    Have you thought about testing negative subject lines like:

    Bad news inside
    Wish you had sexy abs like your friends?
    It's too bad you are overweight...

    With the proper transition copy (very important or you will lose the reader), you can take advantage of people's natural curiosity of bad events.

    It sounds harsh but there is a reason why news programs show so many tragic stories.
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