Understanding the Importance of Subject Lines

The subject line is your first impression. It is what your recipient is going to see first and therefore is the largest factor in if they are going to open your email. In cold emailing especially, your subject line needs to be strong and convey a message that gets your recipient to open.

Keep It Short and Sweet

Brevity is your friend in cold email subject lines. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 5-7 words or 30-40 characters. By using this length rules you are making sure that your subject lines are visible on any device. Because people often are looking at emails on their phones, long subject lines can get cut-off. A concise subject line is more likely to be read in full.

Personalization is Key

A great way to get someone to read anything, let alone a subject line, is to use something personal to them. An easy way to do this is use their first name or company name. For example, "Trevor, here's how we can help Opps.ai" is more engaging than a generic "Exciting Opportunity for You."

Use Action-Oriented Language

Urgency is your friend when making cold email subject lines. A sense of urgency makes the recipient feel that the email is important. A great way to create urgency is by using action-oriented language. Phrases like "Don't miss out," "Discover how," or "Learn the secret" can prompt quick action. Be clear about the benefit or value the recipient will gain by opening your email.

Pose a Question

Another great way to gain interest is to spark curiosity. A simple question as a subject line is a great way to do so. It can prompt the reader to open the email in order to find the answer. For instance, "Are you struggling with low open rates?" targets a specific pain point and offers a potential solution.

Highlight a Benefit

Another great cold email subject line tip is to convey a clear benefit to the reader. Before you begin crafting the subject line think, what will the reader gain from this email? Then try and convey that within the subject line. An example could be "Boost Your Sales with Our New Tool."

Avoid Spammy Words

Now here is a cold email subject line tip of what not to do. Don’t use spam-like words. While it may seem like a good idea to gain attention and interest, it will only hurt you in the long-run. Avoid using all caps, excessive punctuation, and phrases like "free," "urgent," or "act now." Instead, focus on creating a genuine and valuable proposition that resonates with your recipient.

Test and Analyze

Now we can get into the science behind the art. A/B testing is a valuable tool that you should always use before committing to one subject line. The way it works is you write multiple subject lines (and even whole email scripts if you want) and test them on a small amount of people. Then analyze the results and go with the best. You should always be testing your subject lines to make sure that you are getting the best results from them.

Be Clear and Specific

Another cold email subject line tip that makes sure you don’t make the recipient mad is by being clear and specific. Don’t confuse the reader, don’t make them figure out what you are trying to say. Be clear with what you are emailing them about. For example, "Exclusive Webinar on AI Marketing Strategies."

Leverage Social Proof

This cold email subject line tip can even be used outside of subject lines, but for this blog we’ll discuss it in subject lines. If you have proof of your product working then use it to your advantage. Show the reader that you know what your doing and you have done it before. Subject lines like "Recommended by John Smith" or "Trusted by Industry Leaders" can pique interest and build trust.

Incorporate Numbers and Statistics

Numbers are a great cold email subject line tip that will catch people’s eyes. Numbers are easy to digest. By including them in your subject lines you are making it easier for the recipient to understand the benefits that you are supplying to them. For example, "Increase Your ROI by 50% with Our Solution."

Use Humor (When Appropriate)

Humor can be a good cold email subject line tip or it can be a bad one. It all depends on the audience. Before you begin writing, think about your audience. Are they the type that will enjoy humor or will it turn them off of reading your email. Sometimes humor can be a great icebreaker and sometimes it can end the prospect right then and there. Some examples include: "Our SEO tips are better than a morning coffee" and "Is your marketing strategy feeling a bit... under the weather?"

Incorporate Emojis Sparingly

Similar to numbers, emojis are a great cold email subject line tip to catch the reader’s eyes. In a crowded inbox an emoji can be something that looks different. The hard part with emojis, like with humor, is that at times they can seem unprofessional and lose a potential sale. Some good examples include: "Ready for a boost in sales? 🚀" or “Need a break? 🌴 Tips for your next vacation"

Be Direct

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As mentioned earlier, being direct is one of the best cold email subject line tips there is. Don’t write like a Shakespearean. Write directly, be clear in what you are trying to say. This will let the reader easily understand the email contents and not be confused.

The Final Tip

Out of all the cold email subject line tips that have been mentioned in the blog post, the last one I give is that subject lines are science just as much as they are an art. You want to be creative in your crafting, but also you want to make sure that you are getting results. A happy medium between the both is the last cold email subject line tip of this blog post.

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