​The first thing you need to get right when it comes to email marketing is the subject line. If you can’t get your subscribers to open your emails, it doesn’t matter how good the actual email is.

​It’s easy to spend a lot of time crafting a great message and then just slap a subject line on it at the end. Spend some time writing them and see what type of headline gets you good open rates. Here are five tips to get you started.

It’s easy to spend a lot of time crafting a great message and then just slap a subject line on it at the end. Spend some time writing them and see what type of headline gets you good open rates. Here are five tips to get you started.
The first thing you need to get right when it comes to email marketing is the subject line. If you can’t get your subscribers to open your emails, it doesn’t matter how good the actual email is.

​Keep It Short

​You want your readers to see the entire subject line before they click it. You also want to make it easy for people to scan through their emails. Try to get your point across in 50 characters or less. Pay attention to how your subject lines look on your own devices.

You want your readers to see the entire subject line before they click it. You also want to make it easy for people to scan through their emails. Try to get your point across in 50 characters or less. Pay attention to how your subject lines look on your own devices.

​Another great idea is to keep a swipe file of subject lines that grabbed your attention. Even if the emails are on a very different topic, you can adapt them to your own needs.

Another great idea is to keep a swipe file of subject lines that grabbed your attention. Even if the emails are on a very different topic, you can adapt them to your own needs.

​Avoid "Spammy" Words

​Stay away from using any words we all associate with spam emails. Words like “sale,” “discount,” “coupon,” “free,” “limited time offer” and even “reminder” are overused, and even if they don’t trigger a spam filter and make it to your reader’s inbox, chances are high they’ll get ignored.

Stay away from using any words we all associate with spam emails. Words like “sale,” “discount,” “coupon,” “free,” “limited time offer” and even “reminder” are overused, and even if they don’t trigger a spam filter and make it to your reader’s inbox, chances are high they’ll get ignored.

​Instead, start by using the emails you’re saving in your swipe file. Chances are they have already been tested and proven to pass spam filters. Most reputable email marketing services have built in spam checkers so be sure to check each email before you send it. Prefer to write your own subject lines? Be sure to check your statistics for each broadcast and ​see what subject lines got the best open rates. Try to analyze why they worked well for your market. Not everything will work well in every niche. Find the types of subject lines that get your readers to open your emails and tweak from there.

Instead, start by using the emails you’re saving in your swipe file and then go back and see what subject lines got the best open rates. Try to analyze why they worked well for your market. Not everything will work well in every niche. Find the types of subject lines that get your readers to open your emails and tweak from there.

​Personalize It

​While personalizing emails with someone’s first name has been overused in some markets, it still works well for many of us. Give it a try and see if it works for you. Don’t overdo it, but use it when you need them to open the email.

While personalizing emails with someone’s first name has been overused in some markets, it still works well for many of us. Give it a try and see if it works for you. Don’t overdo it, but use it when you need them to open the email.

​Depending on what data you collect when your readers sign up, you can personalize other things like their location for example. Seeing the name of your state or even city in an email subject line is sure to get your attention.

Depending on what data you collect when your readers sign up, you can personalize other things like their location for example. Seeing the name of your state or even city in an email subject line is sure to get your attention.

​Pique Their Curiosity

​We are all nosy, and it’s hard to ignore subject lines that sound intriguing or only tell part of the story. Using “…” at the end of your subject line will also work.

We are all nosy, and it’s hard to ignore subject lines that sound intriguing or only tell part of the story. Using “…” at the end of your subject line will also work.

​The idea here is simple. You want subscribers to click and open the email to find out what the heck you’re talking about or how the story ends.

The idea here is simple. You want subscribers to click and open the email to find out what the heck you’re talking about or how the story ends.

​Feeling overwhelmed? Start with only one of the five tips above. The best advice when it comes to crafting compelling subject lines is to keep a swipe file of examples that got you to open the email.

Feeling overwhelmed? Start with only one of the five tips above. The best advice when it comes to crafting compelling subject lines is to keep a swipe file of examples that got you to open the email.