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The power of a good subject line...

by Kay King
14 replies
After all these years it's rare that I see a subject line that truly catches my interest. I was reminded yesterday how powerful targeted subject lines can be.

I received an email from a pet supply company that immediately caught my attention. I opened it with a smile....and the offer itself resulted in a $50+ purchase of pet items I didn't know I needed.

The subject line:

We Left Nose Prints on the Window....
First line of the email:
watching for you to come back.
After the first line - really cute puppy photo plus 20% off for 24 hrs and free shipping, too.

What a fantastic email campaign targeting the right audience. Any dog owner understands 'nose prints on the window'.
#good #line #power #subject
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    I used to have dogs as a kid and a former landlady (who I am visiting today) has 3 adorable dogs who I have to play with for 10 mins the moment I get in the door or they won't calm down. I understand the nose comment as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jessica Ambos
    Now that's a good "pick up" line! That's what people in the Philippines call sentences and phrases that capture the attention of other people. It's sole intent is to pique up your interest. The advertiser of that company really knows their craft. Putting in a photo of a cute puppy to reinforce your likelihood of buying their products, coupled with the discounts is great advertising. They sure know how to hit the bull's eye with their target market.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zacison
    Great example! Anything with family or pets usually crushes it when it comes to marketing
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  • Profile picture of the author ronnierokk
    hahaha, I have several pics of my dogs doing that a lot as I leave in the truck. lol

    Yes, when you make someone feel something it envokes a response much better than a benefit ever would.

    In this case, as many can relate to that subject line if they own dogs, it brings back a memory of their own pets doing that very same thing and makes them recall that moment with a smile.

    And believe it or not, one of the most opened email subject lines of all time is the word "Hey".



    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    After all these years it's rare that I see a subject line that truly catches my interest. I was reminded yesterday how powerful targeted subject lines can be.

    I received an email from a pet supply company that immediately caught my attention. I opened it with a smile....and the offer itself resulted in a $50+ purchase of pet items I didn't know I needed.

    The subject line:

    First line of the email:
    After the first line - really cute puppy photo plus 20% off for 24 hrs and free shipping, too.

    What a fantastic email campaign targeting the right audience. Any dog owner understands 'nose prints on the window'.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Simple, clear, clever, humorous and marketed to the perfect customer based on your sig
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    Ryan Biddulph inspires you to be a successful blogger with his courses, 100 plus eBooks, audio books and blog at Blogging From Paradise
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  • Profile picture of the author Ian5
    Simple but effective method to pay your attention to.The best way to pay your attention to the advertasing is to eveoke positive emotions.
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  • Profile picture of the author crackhouse
    Yeah that's cute. but i'm not so easily duped, especially by cute pet things... i prefer more personalised subject lines and items i'm already looking for.

    Buuuut. that's good copywriting, yes it is
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  • Profile picture of the author The Beginner's Friend
    As much as I think that the key is the relationship you have with your list - we all have people whose emails we actively look for and open - it is true to say to get that relationship you need to get people to open and read your emails in the first place.

    So a bit of a chicken and egg situation.

    And this is where the subject line is SO important. It is the equivalent of the 'shop front'; if the shop looks shabby, drab and unappealing you are very unlikely to go inside. So no matter how good or well priced the content is, you will never even see it.

    In the same way a boring or overly hype-y subject line will not make you want to open a mail, and therefore no matter how well written the content is inside it will never be viewed.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pete
    Trust Trust Trust

    There's one thing I can never stress enough. It's that email is not a marketing medium; it's a relationship building medium. Probably one of the only real one that exists today.

    So if you're intention is to approach it like a marketer, you're already fighting an uphill battle.

    I want to build a list of people who buy more than one product from me. And the only way to do that is to build a relationship with your prospects and customers. This is why I never use gimmicky stuff in my emails.

    Write with personality, confidence and enthusiasm.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shubho C
    That's a very nice and intriguing subject line..

    and with the continuation and the picture within the email they have nailed it.

    Yes, subject lines are an awesomely powerful tool for driving open rates (and click rates too sometimes..)

    Within my own emails which I send, I notice vast differences based on the level of engagement that my subject line drives.

    It's also important to have a Google compliant subject line, because another major purpose of the subjec line is to help your email pass the client side filters and make its way to your customers inbox.

    True that, it's not wrong to say that subject lines form 70% of the entire game. It's very important that we always focus on the subjec line and try to make it the best possible!



    Shubho
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  • Profile picture of the author zinakalna
    Simple, clear, clever, humorous and really cute puppy photo would do the job
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  • Profile picture of the author Rob Whisonant
    I 100% agree it's that a great subject line is extremely important. Most don't put any thought into the headline. They just expect the recipient to open the email.

    The email headlines I find that are clicked on the most is something the recipient was looking for or expecting.

    What I do that works extremely well is to let them know what the subject line will be in the next email I send them. Basically I leave a cliffhanger in the previous email and tell them to watch for the next email. I then give them the subject line that will be used. This puts it in their mind and even if they forget, the memory of it sparks an interest when they read it again.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Silvester
    I got the exact same email...Only difference mine came from an ex-girlfriend!
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  • Profile picture of the author Sid Owsley
    Yeah, that is a really good subject line and first line of the email. It created the image of a puppy waiting for it's owner to come back which is what a good subject line should do, create an image, emotion, or feeling that hooks you in and causes you to take an action you maybe hadn't even though about doing.
    Thanks for sharing this.
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