Creating Compelling Subject Lines
Multiple studies have shown that the subject line is the most important factor in driving digital marketing results.
If a house has curb appeal, chances are good that potential buyers will want to go inside and have a look around. Without curb appeal, they’ll drive past and go to the next house. It’s the same with subject lines. If the subject line is compelling, people will want to click to the message to find out more. If it’s not, they’ll erase the message without a second thought and move on.
You can spend hours composing a truly informative email or post for clients and prospects, but it’s a waste of time if no one reads it. The bottom line is that you have about 50 characters to create clickable interest. It’s not much, but research shows there’s a formula for writing compelling subject lines. Here’s how.
You Actually Have Two Lines - Not One
In addition to the subject line, you also have the “From” line, which you can configure however you want. Most companies use the From line to clearly identify the sender – opting for either the company name or the sender’s given name.
Research shows that people are more likely to open emails that have a personal name, but only if it’s a name they recognize. If you’re sending out an email to a large number of prospects, many won’t be familiar with your personal name. However if you only include the company name on the From line, the open rate will be lower.
One way to solve this problem is to put your name first – without a title - followed by the company name. But you’ll only have about 20-21 visible characters to do this. So include your full first name, use only the initial of your last name and abbreviate the company name where possible by eliminating spaces and shortening or eliminating common words. For example:
Jean Van Rensselar – Smart PR Communications (38 characters)
Becomes
Jean VR–SmartPRCommun (21 characters)
I know what you’re thinking, “I could use the From Line for something a little more interesting.” In a word, don’t. If your clients and prospects are other businesses, you can bet they aren’t in the mood for clever or cute. Busy people look through From and Subject lines to decide what they need to open, not what they’d like to open.
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