It’s OK to borrow email marketing subject lines when they’re good
The average Internet user is bombarded with dozens if not hundreds of email subject lines every day. Most of us have developed an anti-headline defense and tune out when we sense an email subject line is trying to sell us something.
However, since we are marketers, we have an advantage over the average consumer to be able to identify which subject lines stand out to us amongst the clutter of our own email inboxes.
Do you keep a personal file of great email subject lines? I sure do. When I’m struggling for one to use that I’m not sure is catchy enough, I dig into my “great subject lines” folder and do what every professional copywriter does — make it my own.
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For this article, I thought I’d dig into that very folder and share with you a few of my favorite email subject lines:
Bring [Insert Name] to your office
This was an email sent from Ragan Communications. Was it for consulting or some kind of in-person workshop? Nope, it was an email promotion for their member ship website, Ragan Select. How did they tie in the name of the person to the membership website? By offering a free CD of this person’s keynote at an upcoming Ragan event.
Early Bird Rate Expires at Midnight Tonight
This email was sent by FOLIO: for one of their magazine publisher events. The reason why this email subject line works is because it gives you a rush to the finish line. When you say “midnight” to a business person, what you mean is “by the time you get out of work”. This subject line really lights a fire under anyone who’s been waiting to sign up for an event.
The offensive video sent to you
This email was sent by Early to Rise and I’ve already written a little about it here on the blog. This email subject line leads you to believe there is some kind of juicy video you might be able to catch if it’s not too late, but it’s actually a promotion that sends you to a video landing page for a product. Brilliant.
So, do you have any favorite email subject lines you’d like to share?
