For Effective Sales E-mails, Write Subject Lines That Pop
E-mail marketing—it’s easy, right? With the click of a button you can reach an infinite number of prospects. The crux, of course, is not getting information out there: it is making sure your stuff is read and acted upon.
Eight out of ten sales e-mails are never read. So how do you make your e-mails stand out? Create effective subject lines!
What makes an effective subject line?
It’s really quite simple. A good subject line grabs your readers’ attention, making sure they read the rest of your message. Here’s what to remember if you want to write subject lines with impact:
Include one or several of the following:
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Personalization. Think about how you can connect with the reader. Does your product or service serve a generic need such as insurance? Show your prospects you understand their needs as specifically as possible.
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A short question. Intrigue your audience by asking a simple, relevant question. This is a great way to engage your readers. For example: Is your CRM system slowing you down?
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A relevant business issue. Your readers likely have a crucial business concern. Figure out what it is and address it in your subject line. For example: How Humanoid Inc. meets your recruitment and retention needs.
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Statistics. Our brains like to process things in numbers. They make a message concrete and easy to understand and therefore have more impact. That’s why “Increase your website visits by 80%” is a lot more effective as a headline than “Increasing web site traffic.”
Avoid these big mistakes:
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Too much focus on you. Remember, you want to establish a connection with your readers, so your focus should be on them. Don’t bore new customers with details about your company. Put yourself in their shoes: your headline should show what’s in it for them.
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Sales-y language and capital letters. Nobody wants to see empty promises dressed in all caps, such as “LIMITED TIME ONLY” or “VOTED NUMBER ONE!” Your customers are likely to be turned off by the sales-y tone. Besides, bombastic statements are rarely credible.
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Overpromising. If your headline promises something you can’t deliver, you’ll lose customers’ trust. You may have grabbed your readers’ attention, but if your claim turns out to be misleading, your reputation will be tarnished. Don’t risk it.
With these tips in mind, go forth and use those subject lines to your advantage! A lot of e-mail messages go straight to trash. Make yours sound so intriguing your readers wouldn’t dream of hitting the delete button.
