Do’s and Don’ts of Subject Lines

Email remains one of the most efficient means of communication when reaching potential customers. Drafting and distributing mass emails is relatively easy; getting potential customers to open those emails is not.

 For a potential customer to open an email, they must be interested in it. You have one shot to cultivate this interest—through the email subject line. Craft a great subject line, and the number of clicks it receives will rise. In contrast, if that subject line is not attention-grabbing, it will end up in most people’s trash folder.
Here are some do’s and don’ts when formulating those tricky subject lines:

• Do limit the number of words used.
Studies show that subject lines ranging from three to seven words have the highest engagement rates. These short lines give people a small taste of what the email is about, but leaves them curious enough to want more.

• Don’t use special characters or all caps.
Use of special characters (!, #, @) and all caps lettering can increase an email’s risk to end up in a SPAM folder. They can also delegitimize your message.

• Do be clear and concise.
People stay pretty busy. If a message doesn’t get to the point quickly and clearly, it’s likely to be sent to a person’s trash folder without a second thought. Make your subject line and email worth their time.

• Don’t use industry jargon.
Unless you are sending an email to fellow industry workers, the likelihood of them knowing what your jargon words mean is slim to none.

• Do include a call to action.
Is there a next step you’re wanting your potential customer to take? Including a call to action in the subject line will help them understand there is action required on their end.

• Don’t craft deceptive subject lines.
Do not use a subject line that does not correlate with your email’s message. Those who receive it will likely feel deceived and that their time was wasted. Nothing will make a recipient delete an email or send complaints faster.

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