Email Marketing: Top Tips to Write Compelling Subject Lines

Subject lines are a critical part of email marketing. Read this guide for some top tips on how to craft emotionally responsive subject lines.

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Ramzi Chamat / 8 Ways Media
2015-06-29 08:09:00

Email marketing is effectively about getting your readers to respond to your call to action. Simply put, you want to pull them in through the subject line, keep them engaged throughout the email and of course, inspire them to take action. But of course, this is easier said than done.

The first way to entice your readers and get them to respond to your email marketing campaigns is to write compelling subject lines. Through a compelling subject line you can rest assured that readers will want to open up your email straight away. To contrast, with a flat, meaningless subject line, you can almost guarantee that your email will end up being deleted, or worse still, categorised as junk.

Read on for our top tips on how to write compelling subject lines that entice readers in for more…

Make it Emotionally Responsive

Although common consensus says that a practical subject line is highly effective, there’s no harm in stepping away from the traditional approach and opting for something that will pull at your readers’ heartstrings.

Emotionally responsive subject lines can be either positive or negative, but either way are designed to strike a chord with the reader and make them feel something. Although negative subject lines are used more frequently, both have the power to resonate with the reader on an emotional level and persuade them to take action.

Negative Subject Lines

Subject lines such as: ‘Get it or regret it’ are emotionally responsive, making the reader feel as if they have everything to lose by not taking action. Likewise, something like: ‘Ignore this offer at your peril’ might ignite a sense of fear into the reader, enticing them to click through and respond to the call to action before it’s too late.

Positive Subject Lines

Emphasising too heavily on the negative is never recommended; it’s nice to focus on the positives in life and this is also very true with regard to email marketing subject lines.

A subject line such as: Want an irresistible winter coat? 10 items that wow’ evokes a positive feeling that makes the reader want to take immediate action; in taking action they will have the ability to look and feel irresistible.

Writing compelling subject lines is the first step towards a successful email marketing campaign, and including the occasional emotionally responsive subject line is a great way to induce a response. As such, it's imperative to think long and hard about every single aspect of your campaign.

 

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