Posted by Ray White on November 15, 2009 Comments (1)

You spend an awful lot of time and effort in building your email marketing list. You then pour your heart and soul into your email messages. You don’t want to disappoint all of your readers who granted you the privilege of sending messages to their best email address. But even though they signed up for your list, that does not guarantee that they will open your email message. Email inboxes are crowded. You need to capture their attention with your subject line.

Your subject line must be short and concise. It should provide a summary for the content of the e-mail so that the recipient will have basic knowledge of the content. You also want your subject to instantly grab the attention of your subscriber and get them to open up your mail. Most people scan the subject lines of their email and open only what looks interesting or important. A certain emotion must be ignited to get them to open the mail. It is essential to use specific words to get the reaction you need.

There are many forms you can use for your subject line. You can provide a subject that says your e-mail contains content that teaches them tips and methods on certain topics. Examples of this is using keywords and keyword phrases such as, “How to,” “Tips for,” “A Guide to,” and “Methods in.”

You can also phrase your subject line in the form of a question. Questions such as, “Are you sick and tired of your job?” or “Is your boss always on your case?” beg for interaction. When the recipient reads the question on your subject, their mind starts answering the question on autopilot. They may then want to compare their answer to yours.

You can also use a subject line that makes a call to action to your reader. Statements such as “Act now for a once in a lifetime opportunity” or “Time-limited offer” puts a sense of urgency on your email message. They believe that they might miss out on something great if they don’t open your message right away.

Piggy-back on some breaking news event to intrigue your subscriber. For example, if you deal with car engine parts you can try to work into your subject line a reference to recent developments in new types of fuel. This creates curiosity within the reader; they will want to open the message and read on.

These are just a few suggestions on how to pique a reader’s interest with your subject line. I’m sure you have a few ideas of your own. Post them in a comment, if you don’t mind giving away your email marketing secrets.