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Powerful Subject Lines, Headlines Increase E-mail Readership

If you're not satisfied with the response rates to your e-mail marketing efforts, one of the quickest ways to improve those rates is to improve your subject lines. Jim Sinkinson, publisher of Infocom Group, has developed a list of eight rules for powerful e-mail subject lines. They are:

1. Overall, your subject line should be about 50 characters or 7-10 words.
2. Your first three to four words are the most critical: Choose them with extreme care to achieve as many of the objectives listed in the next six rules as possible.
3. Your subject line should promise (a) a large, intriguing benefit; (b) a solution; and/or (c) big news.
4. Your audience should be implicitly (or explicitly) telegraphed by your use of "hot button" industry words (such as drugs, real estate, taxes, media, AIDS, etc.).
5. Use emotionally evocative words that speak to your prospect's known problems or hot interests (e.g., penalties, new cure, lawsuits, new survey, save money, etc.).
6. Make your proposition specific (if your promise is effete, they will delete).
7. Use provocative language — stir things up. Magic words: 5 Ways to, Amazing, Announcing, Astounding, How to, Introducing, New, Secrets. Intriguing words: Art of, Danger, Exposing, Extraordinary, Fight, Fraud, Negligence, Product safety, Protect, Reveal, Save, Stop, Threat, Uncovering, Waste.
8. Use time (especially deadlines) to heighten interest.

Once you've improved your subject lines, Sinkinson lists 11 qualities of riveting e-mail headlines:

1. Ties to the subject line;
2. Offers a benefit/makes a big promise;
3. Identifies the solution;
4. Implies who the audience is;
5. Uses a strong verb;
6. Creates drama, provokes interest;
7. Injects news;
8. Uses "magic words;"
9. Lures the reader to read on;
10. Is easily understood; and
11. Eschews negatives.