Boring Subject Lines Outpull Hype
In email marketing, the subject line is often seen as the single most important element. Afterall, if your subject line isn't persuasive, no one will open your email and your message won't get read. The subject line is generally equated with the headline of a display ad.
As email in boxes are getting more and more crowded, marketers are getting more and more flamboyant with their subject lines. You've probably been the recipient of subject lines such as:
"%$firstname$% they told you no, but we're saying YES"
"re: Did you see this %$firstname$%?"
"%$firstname$% This is Your Last Chance to Get In on This Incredible Offer"
On the surface, it would seem that these extremely vague subject lines are a great way to entice your readers into opening your email message. Afterall, arousing curiosity is one of the proven tactics of direct mail.
However, studies show that straightforward, "boring" subject lines actually generate better results. A study of over 40 million email messages proved that subject lines receiving the highest open rates were:
[Your Company] Sales & Marketing Newsletter
Upcoming Events at [Your Company]
Invitation from [Your Business]
Today's readers are suffering from email overload and if they can't immediately determine the value of your message, they won't even bother taking the time out to investigate. A straightforward subject line is less likely to be seen as spam, and when they see your name in the subject line (or at least in the From field, as I generally recommend), your readers know they are already interested in what you have to say (assuming your emails are always full of valuable content!).
As a quick aside, using "re:" in a subject line to make it appear as if you are replying to a previous message has been determined to be against the CAN-Spam act. To ensure that your email messages are totally above board, download a copy of my free CAN-Spam checklist right here: http://www.modernimage.com/freereports/canspam.htm
