21 SUBJECT LINES THAT ALWAYS GET OPENED
Before I reveal my best subject lines of 2021, a quick warning:
Open rates are (kind of) overrated.
They’re only half the battle.
The best subject line in the world isn’t selling a thing if your email isn’t any good. In fact, you might stir some people up for stealing their time with a lame message.
But, hey, that subject line is your foot in the door. I can’t deny that.
And on the flipside, the world’s greatest email isn’t selling a thing if people don’t open it.
Make sense?
Don’t live and die by your subject lines. But do make an effort to get ‘em right. If your average open rate is below 20%, these should get you above that threshold.
Here’s my 21 best subject lines of 2021, yours to steal...
21 Subject Lines That Almost Always Get Opened:
1 - Ends tonight
2 - Last call
3 - [Urgent]
4 - Warning
5 - Quick question...
6 - You see this?
7 - Last chance...
8 - Good news and bad news
9 - True story...
10 - This is embarrassing
11 - [Sneak Peek]
12 - [Early Access]
13 - Disconnection Notice
14 - My condolences...
15 - My dirty little secret
16 - Help
17 - Jackpot!
18 - Change of plans
19 - We need to talk
20 - Text me
21 - Check this out
3 Crucial Elements Of Irresistible Subject Lines
There’s a few common threads that stand out amongst all of these subject lines.
I’ve boiled ‘em down to 3 so you know exactly what does (and doesn’t work). Use these tips as guidelines to craft your own irresistible subject lines.
1. They’re urgent.
Everything from “Ends tonight” to “Last chance” encourages your audience to open up the second they see the email. That’s exactly what you want.
2. They light a match of curiosity.
Marketers call curiosity-based subject lines “blind” subject lines. Meaning, the subject line doesn’t reveal all of the details inside the email...
“My dirty little secret” and “We need to talk” are fantastic examples of blind subject lines — and 2 of my favorites.
(BTW, one of my clients is Mormon: As you can imagine, “My Dirty Little Secret” is an all-time subject line for him. Depending on who you are, it could be pure gold for you too)
3. They’re short.
They hook your audience fast by saying more with less. You can certainly add to them before sending (and with many of these, I suggest you do), but keeping it short is one of several savvy moves to boost your open rates.
—Clay
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