Does This Subject Line Work?
Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 07:36AM
Since I spent the summer talking about strategy and the big picture, I'm going to spend the next few newsletters looking closely at the tactics of communicating with email.
And, what better place to start talking about email than at the start of the email: the subject line?
As with most things in life, the thing that is probably the most important usually winds up getting the least amount of attention. Which is unfortunate, because after all the time that you've put into crafting your message, it'd be a shame if it went unread for the want of a few interesting words.
So, what to do? Well, here are some basic guidelines that are worth keeping in mind and will help you avoid some common mistakes.
The most important takeaway? Cut to the chase. You can tell people exactly what's inside the email, or you can tease them a little; just make sure your subject line provides a clear and unambiguous reason to click.
But remember, these are only guidelines -they can't tell you what works with your customers.
To really get results, you need to find out what works (and what doesn't) for your audience. The best way to do that is simple enough; look at the numbers. Check previous emails to see what kinds of subject lines got responses and use those to narrow down the types of subject lines that you're going to try in the future.
Going forward, test out different subject lines and track the results.
This should help you clear the first hurdle of successful marketing -getting people to listen.
But don't think that a clever subject line will solve all of your problems. Establishing trust and developing a positive reputation are still essential if you ever want your email to be more than spam in the eyes of customers.
Next month we'll take a look at the 'Call to Action'.
I hope you've enjoyed this month's newsletter and are busy getting back to business.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
Bradford Nicoll
Bradford H. Nicoll -Marketing Communications
516.652.6530
bradfordhnicoll@gmail.com
And, what better place to start talking about email than at the start of the email: the subject line?
As with most things in life, the thing that is probably the most important usually winds up getting the least amount of attention. Which is unfortunate, because after all the time that you've put into crafting your message, it'd be a shame if it went unread for the want of a few interesting words.
So, what to do? Well, here are some basic guidelines that are worth keeping in mind and will help you avoid some common mistakes.
The most important takeaway? Cut to the chase. You can tell people exactly what's inside the email, or you can tease them a little; just make sure your subject line provides a clear and unambiguous reason to click.
But remember, these are only guidelines -they can't tell you what works with your customers.
To really get results, you need to find out what works (and what doesn't) for your audience. The best way to do that is simple enough; look at the numbers. Check previous emails to see what kinds of subject lines got responses and use those to narrow down the types of subject lines that you're going to try in the future.
Going forward, test out different subject lines and track the results.
This should help you clear the first hurdle of successful marketing -getting people to listen.
But don't think that a clever subject line will solve all of your problems. Establishing trust and developing a positive reputation are still essential if you ever want your email to be more than spam in the eyes of customers.
Next month we'll take a look at the 'Call to Action'.
I hope you've enjoyed this month's newsletter and are busy getting back to business.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
Bradford Nicoll
Bradford H. Nicoll -Marketing Communications
516.652.6530
bradfordhnicoll@gmail.com
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