Most of us get hundreds of emails every day. That’s a lot of stuff vying for our attention including things like newsletters, special offers and social media notifications. Similarly, we also send hundreds of emails as a business, yet we don’t focus on ensuring that we have a strong subject line that actual gets opened or even better, drives sales.
So, how can you make sure your business’s email gets read? A strong subject line goes a long way in keeping your message out of the virtual trash. Here are a few tools you can add to your arsenal when creating a subject line that is sure to get opened:
- Brevity. Don’t try to cram the summary of the email into the subject line. Keep it short and simple. Just a couple words to let them know what’s waiting for them inside if they open it. You also don’t need to tell them it’s a newsletter in the subject. Chances are they already know, and studies have shown that seeing the word “newsletter” in the subject makes people 18.7% LESS likely to open it.
- Personalize it. Having “newsletter” may be a proven way to have people delete your message without reading it, but putting the reader’s name in the email has been proven to increase click-through rates (CTRs). It makes your consumer feel less like “just a number” and more like a customer you care enough about to speak to directly.
- Use a personal email account. Just like we don’t want to feel like we’re getting a generic email message, we don’t want to be bombarded by a generic email address. Make sure your “sent” line doesn’t say [email protected], but rather your name. Joe, CEO of your company sounds way better and seems more personal.
- Keep it casual. Even if it’s a business-to-business email, you don’t want to sound stuffy and out of touch. Keep the tone of your subject line casual and friendly. A robotic sounding email subject line is a major turnoff.
- Be specific. Is your email about a special offer? Is it only available for a certain time? Be specific about the numbers. Instead of “Special Offer Inside”, why not “Save 10%”, or “24 Hour Sale”. If consumers have a better idea of exactly what kind of offer they might be getting, they will be more likely to open it.
- Leave off punctuation. Obviously you want to have your email communicate in complete, punctuated sentences. However, the subject line doesn’t have to, and even shouldn’t. It goes back to the friendly tone. You want to sound like you’re helping the reader, not trying to up-sell them. Interestingly enough, the period at the end of a sentence can make it seem like a stuffy sales call.
- Make it Timely. If you can, have your email hit your consumer’s inbox at a time that makes sense with what you’re offering or talking about. You wouldn’t try to sell someone a sweater in the summer, right? And if you can remind them about their ending subscription a week or two before it happens, it will be a helpful way to keep them aboard.
- DO NOT — USE ALL CAPS. In the world of social media and instant messaging, ALL CAPS has become synonymous with yelling. It’s never a good idea to yell at your clients.
Your consumer has an infinite number of choices of what to read and what to ignore, and even trash. Using these tips can help not only with your click-through-rate, but also with the way in which you connect with your consumers. Sending out emails with extremely low or non-existent open rates tells you almost nothing about your audience.
Pet Business Solutions can help you find ways to inspire your audience and create interest in your content. Then, you’ll have a better chance of relating to your target market in ways that could influence and even benefit your marketing and business plans. Contact us today for more ideas on how to improve your subject lines and make your emails stand out.
