Email subject lines are the most important piece of real estate in your entire email marketing and communication. It is the gatekeeper: If it fails to grab attention in a crowded inbox, the most compelling, well-crafted email body in the world will never be seen.
You stand a much better chance of having your EDM opened if your subject line works. In order to create great subject lines we have compiled out top tips to help.
Before we get into the specific tips let’s consider some advice that, despite being over 90 years old, is more relevant today in the noise of online, digital marketing than ever before.
‘People will not be bored in print. They may listen politely at a dinner table to boasts and personalities, life history, etc. But in print they choose their own companions, their own subjects. They want to be amused or benefited. They want economy, beauty, labor savings, good things to eat and wear’
– Claude Hopkins, Scientific Advertising (1923)
With that in mind, With that timeless wisdom in mind, let’s talk about creating email subject lines that get noticed and drive action—especially when your overall messaging relies on a strong brand strategy that connects with your audience’s true needs.
1. Focus on relevance in your email subject lines
Email direct marketing of today can be customised to relevancy, generated based on Internet browsing history. If you know what your audience are interested in, your email subject lines can be targeted specific to their current interests and needs.
Consider viewers that have been searching for the terms local branding specialist:
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2. Practice simplicity for better open rates
Many email readers don’t read who the email is from so by including your business’ name in the subject line you have made it easy for them to tell exactly who is contacting them. From there include your offer in the subject line too.
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3. Introduce novelty to prevent audience fatigue
Again, people will get bored so don’t use the same style of subject line over and over. Consider using different angles such as personalised, seasonal, and product-specific hooks to keep your audience engaged—much like crafting dynamic campaigns across your social media branding touchpoints.
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4. Improve comprehension with ongoing value
Great email marketing campaigns and by extension, email subject lines, are those that both remember and forget. If someone was looking for a specific product six months ago chances are they have already found it, however, if your product or service is something ongoing then you have an opportunity to use subject lines to remember them.
This works best when you have a clear understanding of the buying habits of your customers and your target audience.
5. Offer Problem-Solving Solutions in your Email Subject Lines
You’re busy – so are your customers. You can utilise this by offering email subject lines that provide solutions to their problems. Father’s Day is coming up – remind them and provide an offer that will help them to get it sorted.
Turn every inbox arrival into an opportunity
Writing a high-performing email comes down to a fine balance: keeping it short, identifying who it’s from instantly and promising clear, upfront value. When your email subject lines do the heavy lifting, your entire direct marketing campaign performs better.
If your subscriber lists are feeling a little quiet or your open rates need a lift, crafting the right hook is only the beginning. Explore our brand marketing services to see how we help businesses build cohesive, high-converting outreach campaigns from the inbox out.
Ready to sharpen your communications? Get in touch with Liquid Creativity today. As a branding agency Melbourne businesses have trusted for over 30 years, we are here to help your messages get opened, read, and acted upon.
