I recently received an email with the subject line “Do Not Open.” I’ve got to admit, it triggered my interest (in an infuriating way) and, despite the fact I knew that any email with such a gimmicky subject line would not be of interest to me, I opened it — with the sole purpose of unsubscribing. I didn’t even read the thing. If it takes a gimmick to make me open an email, I know the actual content cannot be up to much.
It’s amazing how many emails reach my inbox that can best be described as dead on arrival (DOA). This is a real shame because with a little thought, a bit of testing and some careful targeting, they would not only have a better chance of survival (being opened and consumed), they might actually thrive and generate some income.
I’m going to do something I’ve never done before on this blog: open up my own personal email account and start dissecting some of the lost causes that have hit my inbox in the last 24 hours.
Four DOA Email Subject Lines
- Re: Any email that starts with Re:, suggesting that the sender is replying to a message I have previously sent, when I know that I have never engaged in such a conversation, is dead to me.
- Newsletter: I’m not a big fan of the monthly newsletter. I’m even less impressed when a specialist marketing publication sends me an email message with the subject line “Your March Newsletter.” To stand any chance of me opening your newsletter, you better tell me what’s in it first.
- Wow: When a campaign is sent from an individual (and not a recognizable name) and the subject line simply states “Wow,” I will not be taking the relationship any further. Remind me again, who are you?
- We Tried to Call You: Well, seeing as there is no record of your call on my telephone, you clearly didn’t try very hard. Do you even have my telephone number? A lie isn’t a great way to build a relationship.
What Makes a Great Subject Line?
Great subject lines SCREAM benefits. They give you a real reason to open a campaign and engage with it. A subject line shouldn’t be intriguing, it should be obvious and leave your subscriber in absolutely no doubt what your email contains.
Remember, email marketing is not dead, and your subject lines should never be found DOA. For more advice, check out these resources on writing killer subject lines.