{"id":1240,"date":"2014-07-01T15:34:29","date_gmt":"2014-07-01T15:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/139.59.23.56\/predictive3\/?page_id=1240"},"modified":"2019-01-23T13:04:29","modified_gmt":"2019-01-23T13:04:29","slug":"tips-email-subject-lines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/?page_id=1240","title":{"rendered":"Best Practices: Email Subject Lines"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you’re like most professionals, you probably write dozens of emails a day but barely think about the subject line. It’s an afterthought that you add just before you hit send.<\/p>\n

That may work for your day-to-day emails, but you might be making a big mistake if you do the same thing when creating your campaign emails. The subject line often determines whether an email is opened and how the recipient responds.<\/p>\n

Here are some ideas to review about creating subject lines:<\/p>\n

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  1. Write the subject line first<\/strong>: One of the top mistakes people make on email is forgetting to write a subject line. An email with a blank subject line will likely go unread or get lost in a cluttered inbox. Write the subject line before the email so you know it\u2019s taken care of.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Keep it short:<\/strong> A typical inbox reveals about 60 characters of an email\u2019s subject line, while a mobile phone shows just 25 to 30 characters. Get right to the point in about six to eight words.<\/li>\n
  3. Place the most important words at the beginning<\/strong>: More and more people read their emails\u00a0 on mobile phones. Since you don\u2019t know how much of the subject line will be viewable from a smartphone, it\u2019s important to put the most important information at the beginning. Otherwise, compelling details could get cut off.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Eliminate filler words<\/strong>: With such precious space, don\u2019t waste it with\u00a0unnecessary words\u00a0like \u201chello,\u201d \u201cnice to meet you,\u201d and \u201cthanks,\u201d which can easily be included in the email\u2019s body.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Be clear and specific about the email topic:<\/strong> The subject line should communicate exactly what the email is about so that the recipient can prioritize the email\u2019s importance without having to open it.<\/li>\n
  6. Keep it simple and focused<\/strong>: Your email should be focused on one action, which should be communicated in the subject line. Offer one takeaway, indicate how the reader can make use of it, and specify how you will deliver it.<\/li>\n
  7. Use logical keywords for search and filtering<\/strong>: Most professionals have filters and folders set up to manage their email and probably won\u2019t focus on your message when they first see it. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to include keywords related to the topic of the email that will make it searchable later.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. Indicate if you need a response<\/strong>: Don’t surprise the reader and ask them to take action in the body of the email – be upfront. If you need a response, make it clear in the subject line by saying \u201cplease reply\u201d or \u201cthoughts needed on X topic.\u201d If not, simply start the line with \u201cPlease read,\u201d or tack on \u201cno response needed\u201d or \u201cFYI\u201d to the end.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  9. Set a deadline in the subject line<\/strong>: Especially if you have a lot of information to convey in the email itself, including a deadline right in the subject line exponentially increases the odds that readers will respond. For example, after the email\u2019s topic, you could say: \u201cPlease reply by EOD Friday.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  10. If someone referred you, be sure to use their name<\/strong>: If you\u2019ve been referred by a mutual acquaintance, put it in the subject line to grab the reader\u2019s attention right away. Moreover, begin the subject line with the full name of the person who referred you.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  11. Highlight the value you have to offer<\/strong>: If sending a cold email to someone you don\u2019t know, you need a clear statement in the subject line that indicates value and communicates what they\u2019re going to get. Pique the reader\u2019s interest by offering them something that\u2019s helpful. Whether you\u2019re providing a speaking opportunity, a discount, or a service, make it clear in the subject line what\u2019s in it for them.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  12. Personalize it with the recipient\u2019s or company name<\/strong>: You have to know who you’re sending the email to, and they have to recognize that it\u2019s about them or a subject interesting to them. Using their name or company name is one of the best ways to do that, he says, and makes the recipient much more likely to open the email. For example, you might write, \u201cIncrease Company.com\u2019s<\/span> traffic by 25%,\u201d or \u201cJohn, see how you compare to competitors.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  13. Don\u2019t start a sentence that you finish in the email\u2019s body<\/strong>: If you begin a thought or question that ends in the email, then the reader is forced to open the email. It\u2019s annoying, and since clarity and being respectful of the recipient\u2019s time is the goal, it\u2019s not very helpful. Consider whether instant message, a call, or an in-person chat might be a better medium for your question.<\/li>\n
  14. Don\u2019t put words in ALL CAPS<\/strong>: Using all caps may get someone\u2019s attention, but in the wrong way. It\u2019s the digital equivalent of yelling, and your job is to make the email as easy as possible for the recipient to read rather than giving them anxiety. Instead, use dashes or colons to separate thoughts, and avoid caps and special characters like exclamation points.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Excerpted from http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Read more: http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/how-to-write-an-excellent-email-subject-line-2014-3#ixzz36EP3Dwkk<\/a><\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you’re like most professionals, you probably write dozens of emails a day but barely think about the subject line. It’s an afterthought that you add just before you hit send. That may work for your day-to-day emails, but you might be making a big mistake if you do the same thing when creating your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1260,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1240"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1240"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6269,"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1240\/revisions\/6269"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/help.predictiveresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}