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In the recent how-to guide All About Email Creative, published by DirectMarketingIQ, a chapter is devoted to the best practices in writing subject lines. The author of that chapter, direct response copywriter Ivan Levison, says the success of an entire e-mail campaign rests on whether or not the subject line works.
Levison mentions these three ways, among many others, to perfect the subject line.
1. Communicate fast, just like on an outer envelope
As Levison says, getting someone to open a paper envelope is a heck of a lot easier than getting past the subject line. Why? Because with a paper envelope you have plenty of space to write teaser copy and add photography or illustration if it's appropriate. You can create something unique that stands out from all the other mail in the pile and screams out benefits that will get the prospect to read the letter within.
Meanwhile, subject lines all look the same and have to be kept short. This means that every subject line must communicate extremely quickly. According to Levison, that means 40 characters or less.
2. Test those lines!
Just as you don't go on stage without rehearsing your lines a ton, subject lines deserve the same treatment if you want a decent showing. According to e-mail list broker/manager Robert Mendez, if you have at least 5,000 names, then you have enough names for an e-mail test cell.
Why is it worth testing? "A strong subject line can double the response," Mendez says. In other words, a 4 percent response rate can turn into an 8 percent response rate just by using the right subject line.
3. Does your subject line mention the benefit?
Levison says that a startling high number of subject lines don't give a compelling enough reason to open that e-mail. He gives the example of a subject line from a major marketer that targeted small and growing businesses: "Who's minding the store?"
The message below provided valuable information that small business owners would want to know:
Small businesses are more vulnerable to crime than is generally realized, yet the risks to them are not publicized and too few take steps to protect themselves, says a new study. Don't wait until you are a victim of a crime—take steps now to thwart the bad guys.
Here are a few tips ...
Levison says the subject line doesn't work because the writer went for a "teaser" approach: "Who's minding the store?"
While that might work in an advertisement or flier, it loses as a subject line because no benefit is mentioned.
Levison gives five potential replacements that do:
SUBJECT: Five ways to prevent store theft
SUBJECT: How to improve store security
SUBJECT: Stop store thieves in their tracks
SUBJECT: Don't let thieves steal you blind
SUBJECT: Crime prevention basics
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