4 Email Subject Line Tips To Increase Open Rates

14 years ago

Good examples!

My biggest surprise email subject line that had a huge open and click through rate:

Contact Us

It is a simple email meant to tell new readers about how to contact us if they need anything. I thought it was a routine email that would be mostly ignored unless or until they needed it.

But 19.64% of those I sent it to opened it and clicked through within 24 hours of the time I send it. It is in third place by click through rate in my entire list of email subject lines.

Thanks

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jazbo

14 years ago

I'm beginning to see why my clickthrough rates are so low:

OMG!!!! You **MUST*** see this ITS THE NUTS, come on I want your cash NOW!!!!!

;-)

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KristiDaniels

14 years ago

Umm... yeah.

I guess you could use subject lines like that too.

I hear the following is pretty good...

F'r33 V1agr@

Thanks
1 reply

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CMCarlin 14 years ago

make sure the sender says 'me' and subject line is:

'are these real?'

This works out really well too :p
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Zeus66

14 years ago

You could always use the Rich Jerk approach:

"You're Too Stupid To Read This"
"If You Don't Read This, You're A Moron"
"Go Ahead And Read This If You Want, But I'll Always Be Better Than You"

I bet a newbie or two actually does this now. <snicker>

Thanks

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Phil Ayres

14 years ago

There are definitely others:

Being "Newsworthy" is good. (E.g., "Announcing...)
Creating curiosity is VERY important.
But, the most important thing is "self-interest". I see way too many subject lines without that.
And, placing a short-term time constraint is good, too. (e.g., make 5 bazillion $$$ in 3 days or less).

Thanks

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Jay White

14 years ago

I always like to ask a question. Questions hit the subconscious at a different level. We're programmed from birth to answer questions--from parents, schoolteachers, etc. So if you toss a question in a subject line, the typical human reaction is to "answer" it. I know it sounds simple but it works.

The more intriguing the question, the better. But don't stop there--use questions in your email copy too, especially right before a link. Set the question up so the link holds the answer. You'll be amazed by your click through rates.

Thanks

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MarkAse

14 years ago

I think constant contact has some good information that they provide for free in regards to email marketing. Stuff like the # of characters in the subject line(40-49 if I remember correctly) as well as days/times with the highest open rates.

I like your list and I think #1 is the least used marketing plan out there right now. If you can make people laugh it usually works pretty well. For example I have a Don't Click Here Banner with a smaller inscription stating that they will never need to read another wine review again.

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fredjr1978

14 years ago

Thank you very much for those great points. I am really fine tuning my email marketing and I will add these ideas to the pile.

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Gee S

14 years ago

How about...

"I'm sorry I have bad news"

I believe one of the Guru's used this and said it increased their open rate.

Gurpreet

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Daniel E Taylor

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Kelvin Chan

Hi Warriors,

3) Don't assume the reader's position

Examples:
- You're poor ... and here's why ...

I was with you up until this. This is actually
100% false.

Here's why.

The point of meticulously studying your market
is so you CAN accurately assume their position.

That's the point of market research, surveying,
studying buying patterns, response rates, etc...

You SHOULD know if your subcribers are mostly poor
or mostly rich. That way you can speak directly to them.

If i'm in the golf niche I better know if my list has mostly
new golfers that suck or damn near pro golfers.

Say if you have golfers that suck don't you think
the head line,

"Here's why you're golf swing sucks"

Will probably get more than a broad headline like,

"Increase your golf swing"

Otherwise good post, but that was just something
I didn't agree with after being in marketing for this longl

Daniel

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Kelvin Chan

14 years ago

Hi Daniel,

Thank you for sharing your perspective.

I fully appreciate your point of view and do not disagree with it.

Of course as marketers, it makes all the sense for us to be accurate about our market and yet at the very same time, we don't want to assume or take on a position that "everyone within that niche or industry is like that (in my example i used, poor)".

Personally, each time I see marketers assume something that's inaccurate, I opt out (and that's just me).

Cheers!

Thanks

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GlengarryLeads

14 years ago

I like it but what's up with the #3 example? Sounds like you are assuming the readers position

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greff

14 years ago

Kelvin,

Creative stuff!

The subject line is as important as the content. How about "If you don't open this I will kill myself!"

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Michael Kohler

14 years ago

It seems that whatever is different, that causes an interrupt, makes us click. It is off from the norm and therefore we are curious. Novelty seems to be the key.

Thanks
2 replies

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montyhar2 14 years ago

Hey dude,
This was a very helpful and informative post.

Thanks a lot.
- Thanks
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Wage Mills

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Michael Kohler

It seems that whatever is different, that causes an interrupt, makes us click. It is off from the norm and therefore we are curious. Novelty seems to be the key.

It has to be different. You need something unique.
Most marketers use the same types of e-mails and they just look like spam.

Thanks

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Big Al

14 years ago

I've opened emails titled "Why I'm Quitting...." until I realised that they never are and there's some random twist.

The Guru one mentioned was Frank Kern's 'Bad News' that stacks of crazy folk decided to copy. Might (not) give it a go... : )

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Trieu

14 years ago

really good examples there. Thanks

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scarob2

14 years ago

There are some great ideas on this thread. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Kelvin Chan

Hi Warriors,

Just wanted to share these with you ...

1) State something unexpected

Examples:
- Don't Buy ........ (my product, etc)

2) State something believable and TELL THE TRUTH

Examples:
- I spent $7.20 on a burger and bought my mum a rose yesterday

3) Don't assume the reader's position

Examples:
- You're poor ... and here's why ...

4) Simple to grasp benefit statements

Examples:
- 3 New Traffic Methods In 8 Minutes

Laters!

I like number 2. As someone else mentioned (I'm sorry, I can't remember who), create curiosity. If I saw that subject line, my first response would be, "What does that have to do with ANYTHING??" And of course, I would open it just to find out.

Here's something that I noticed myself doing, too. In the "from" box, actual email addresses get my attention more that a name. I can only guess that because most of my personal friends send emails that way, I think that this is from a personal friend, but can't remember who's address that is. So I open it to find out who I forgot. Just an interesting sidenote.

Thanks

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The GoTo Team

14 years ago

Are you saying lie in the subject line?

For example are you saying to put DONT BUY! in the subject line then try and sell it once opened?

Just trying to get where youre at.

Thanks

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Zeus66

14 years ago

My "real" answer (as opposed to my joke response earlier) is not something for those just looking for the quick buck from "tricking" people into opening their emails.

Make a name for yourself. I know, boring, right? But it occurs to me that there are certain names that I see in my inbox who I always read. Always. Most of the time I don't even look at the subject lines. I see their name and I open it.

Names like Tony Shepherd, Brad Callen, Tiffany Down, Big Mike, several others.

I realize there's a chicken-and-egg aspect to this, but the point is to serve up real quality in your messages and your products. Once a lot of people associate just your name with ideas and products worth paying attention to, your email subject lines matter less and less. In my humble opinion.

Thanks

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William Gilreath

14 years ago

Great post Kelvin. I would like to see more examples of your subject lines.

Thanks,
William

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edhan

14 years ago

Well, I have tried ...

Bad news ...

And it did get the attention of many subscribers and they responded ...

That was one of the nice tips for subject line from my mentor ...

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4 Email Subject Line Tips To Increase Open Rates

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