| The first place I look at when I check my email is | | | | percent higher than those with 50 or more |
| the From line to see who it's from. If its from | | | | characters. Click-through rates for subject lines with |
| someone I know then I open it up immediately. | | | | 49 or fewer characters were 75 percent higher than |
| Unless its from someone I know but don't want to | | | | those with 50 or more characters. |
| deal with and then I let it wait. I'm not looking to get | | | | The subject line is your hook and should draw |
| rich quick, buy prescription drugs, or to be pressured | | | | enough interest from your subscriber to get them to |
| into buying something I do not need or want. | | | | open your mailing without appearing too aggressive. |
| I'm sufficiently paranoid of email forgeries that | | | | This is a "soft sell" as opposed to a "hard sell." |
| pretend to be from someone they are not so if I | | | | Newsletters are about establishing a relationship with |
| don't remember subscribing to you I will either delete | | | | your subscribers. You are making them feel |
| or report you as spam. Over the winter I began | | | | comfortable with your brand while letting them know |
| receiving some emails reporting breaking stories from | | | | what you have to offer. |
| CNN and because I was never subscribed to | | | | Email is a very intrusive form of communication |
| newsletters from CNN I reported them as spam. | | | | unless it comes from someone you know and trust. |
| Admittedly I'm a bit of a news junky so when I | | | | Does your email address a need your subscriber has? |
| looked at the subject line I knew the emails were | | | | If it doesn't then its possible that your subscriber |
| bunk. My gmail account makes it easy to click on a | | | | shouldn't be subscribed to your newsletter in the first |
| Report Spam button whenever anything gets past | | | | place. Your subject line should be non threatening |
| their spam filter, which happens rarely, and dealing | | | | enough for your subscriber to feel comfortable |
| with spam never seems to be a concern for me | | | | enough to open up your mailing and unsubscribe. An |
| which is why I keep using it. | | | | unsubscribe is your subscriber politely telling you |
| Sure, I have other email accounts with other | | | | thanks but no thanks. When we refer to a "soft sell" |
| providers but I had to stop using them. Too much | | | | we are talking about softening your subscriber up |
| spam was getting through their filter so I simply quit | | | | enough so that they are willing to listen to what you |
| using them. I'm not advertising one email service over | | | | have to offer. If they unsubscribe after hearing what |
| another. A lot of my friends use yahoo mail without | | | | you say then they are saving you from wasting your |
| experiencing the same problem I did. My Dad still uses | | | | time. |
| hotmail and will not use anything else. He's never | | | | The more direct your subject line is the more likely |
| experienced the same problems with hotmail as I | | | | your subscriber is to open your mailing. You can be |
| have. Everyone uses whatever email service works | | | | direct and still write an engaging subject line that gets |
| best for them and far be it from me to judge which | | | | your subscriber's attention. You just have to let the |
| one is better than the other. | | | | substance inside your mailing be your guide. For this |
| After I've decided whether or not I want to delete | | | | reason it may be wise to write your subject line last. |
| or mark a mailing as spam I move over to the | | | | Ask yourself what's in it for your subscriber. If you |
| subject line. There are many newsletters that I am | | | | do not have anything interesting to offer your |
| subscribed to that I mark as read without opening if | | | | subscriber by opening your mailing then you shouldn't |
| I decide that opening them is not worth my time. If I | | | | be sending it to them. Its better to hold off on |
| find myself having to do that a lot for a particular | | | | mailing to them until you can offer them something |
| From address then I will unsubscribe from their list. | | | | that would interest them. That way you do not lose |
| The From Line | | | | them as a subscriber. |
| Your From address tells your subscribers who you | | | | What you do not want to do with your subject line |
| are and if you do not get this right then your mailing | | | | is make it sound too much like a sales pitch. Every |
| will be either deleted or reported as spam. | | | | possible cliche for trying to grab someone's attention |
| Do not use an email address as your From line. This | | | | has already been exploited by spammers. People |
| does not look good because most readers are use | | | | prefer authenticity over spin. If you make your |
| to seeing a name in that column. But be forwarded, | | | | subject line sound too much like a sales pitch or |
| there may be some email clients where this is a mute | | | | come off as being too needy they will assume you |
| point as they are configured to display the From | | | | are being misleading. Avoid using $ signs, all caps, |
| address. When this happens you should relate your | | | | excessive punctuation, exclamation points, % off, |
| email address to the purpose of your mailing. Some | | | | reminder, free, and help. Stay away from anything |
| examples include '', '', '', and ' | | | | that resembles anything in your spam box. |
| If you use a person's name follow this with a comma | | | | Even though you want to get your subscriber's |
| and then the organization you are from. You only | | | | attention its better to be a little boring than too |
| have 16 characters to work with so you should test | | | | pushy. If the subject line even resembles something |
| this to see if this is enough space to reasonably allow | | | | your subscriber has seen in spam then this will turn |
| a reader to make out who it is from. Using just a | | | | them off and they will never open your mailing. |
| person's name should be avoided unless you are sure | | | | Worse they will report you as spam and this will |
| that this is someone that your reader will know. | | | | jeopardize your ability to even deliver your mailings in |
| Simply displaying your company or brand name should | | | | the future. Be simple, direct, and modest in your |
| be sufficient for your subscribers to recognize you. If | | | | approach. If the substance in your newsletter makes |
| you choose to use to use a department name be | | | | it worth opening then the subject line should write |
| sure to also include your company or brand name so | | | | itself. |
| that your subscribers recognize you. | | | | You may wonder if its a good idea to personalize |
| Also, keeping a consistent From address will keep | | | | your subject line with a person's name. This is a |
| consistency in your subscriber's email clients and help | | | | terrible idea. Spammers like to put your name in the |
| avoid your message from being placed in junk mail | | | | subject line. Furthermore, there are findings that |
| folders. | | | | show that using a person's first name or last name |
| The Subject Line | | | | does not significantly improve open rates. |
| Keep the subject line consistent and familiar so that | | | | Finally, keep in mind this is not an exact science. Test |
| your subscribers recognize you. One way to | | | | and retest until you find out what works best with |
| accomplish this is to start out with the same words. | | | | your subscribers. If you have two strong subject |
| For example, "Your Company Newsletter: Name of | | | | lines use a/b split testing to divide your list in half and |
| the Newsletter." Most email clients can display 50 | | | | send each group different subject lines to see which |
| characters or less. According to Return Path subject | | | | one works best. |
| lines with 49 or fewer characters had open rates 12.5 | | | | |