Subject Line Brainstorming Jam Session

Your subject line is your email’s first impression and often determines whether your email gets opened or deleted. If you’ve only got a few minutes, open up a document or grab a piece of paper and let your ideas flow for 10 minutes. Write down everything that comes to mind (no editing, just flow!) You can come back later when you have more time to add finesse.

When you’re read to edit from your brainstorm session, how do you craft a subject line that invites attention? Let’s explore.

Crafting Invitational Subject Lines

Here are some tips to help you create subject lines that stand out:

• Be clear and concise: Clearly state the email’s purpose.
• Create urgency when needed: Use words like “now,” “limited time,” or “exclusive.” This is not to manipulate, but to allow your readers to understand there is something that needs their attention within a specific time frame.
• Personalize: Use the recipient’s name or reference their interests to help reinforce your personal connection.
• Ask a question: Spark curiosity and encourage clicks.
• Use numbers: People love lists and statistics! It also helps set expectations for what they’ll see when they click through.
• Leverage emojis: Use them sparingly but effectively to add personality.
• Test, test, test: Experiment with different subject lines to see what works best.

Subject Line Inspiration

Need some inspiration? Here are a few examples to get your creative juices flowing:

• Service or Product-focused: “New course alert: You won’t believe what we’ve created!”
• Sale-focused: “50% off your favorite classes – don’t miss out!”
• Informational: “How to (solve a problem) in (timeframe)”
• Engaging: “Quiz: Which (product/service) are you?”
• Exclusive: “Secret offer inside: For VIP customers only”

Tools and Resources

There are several tools that can help you brainstorm and test subject lines:

• Email marketing platforms: Most email marketing platforms offer A/B testing features and AI suggestions. A/B testing allows you to create two different versions which your email platform disperses randomly. This will allow you to see which email got more opens and click-throughs.
• Subject line testing tools: Specialized tools can provide insights into subject line performance. Here are a couple: https://www.omnisend.com/subject-line-tester/ and http://emailsubjectlinegrader.com/. Want to see what AI suggests? Try this one: https://subjectline.com/.
• Competitor analysis: See what other providers in your space are doing. Maybe they’ll inspire you OR help guide to you do something different to stand out.

Most of all, remember the key to writing effective subject lines is to understand your audience and what motivates them.