In last week’s issue of Hints & Tips, we told you the story of Monogram Lane, an online retail business that specializes in personalized items like jewelry, car accessories, cell phone cases, and more. Barbara Watkins and Cheryl Headley explained that one of the secrets to their success was effective use of email marketing, and subject lines that grab subscribers’ attention and compel them to open the message.
“We use catchy subject lines, but do not tell people in the subject line what is in the email. If they already know, then they won’t need to open it,” Barbara explained. “We once used the subject line ‘You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby!’ for our new technology Monogram Decals, and in the email we showed a picture of an antique typewriter and then a laptop and cell phone with the product we were selling.”
Barbara knows an important truth about email marketing: Many people decide whether or not to open an email based purely on the subject line. Yes, it’s true: You could have the most engaging content ever, a special offer for readers that will blow their minds, or the secret to world peace, but if your subject line isn’t a compelling one, then chances are good your subscribers will choose to ignore your message.
(Of course, it’s also true that a recognizable From line is equally important. If your subscribers don’t know who an email is from, they are more likely to hit Delete and never see what you’ve sent.)
So here are four tips for writing better subject lines that will capture your subscribers’ attention and get your emails opened ...
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