Episode 144
Crafting Effective Subject Lines
The pivotal focus of our discourse centers on the paramount importance of crafting compelling email subject lines, which serve as the initial digital impression we impart to our audience. We elucidate that the efficacy of our communication is contingent upon the recipient's decision to engage with our message, as an unopened email signifies a missed opportunity for connection and, consequently, revenue. By mastering the art of subject line creation, we can significantly enhance open rates, which, in turn, can have a direct and beneficial impact on our bottom line. We present three essential strategies for optimizing subject lines: brevity and specificity, the cultivation of curiosity without inciting suspicion, and the implementation of systematic testing to refine our approach. Ultimately, we underscore that each subject line should authentically reflect our unique voice and brand identity, thereby fostering trust and engagement with our audience.
The discussion revolves around the imperative of mastering email subject lines as a fundamental aspect of effective communication in the digital age. As we navigate a landscape where the average individual is inundated with approximately 121 emails daily, our messages must compete vigorously for attention. The host emphasizes that the subject line constitutes the initial impression, serving as the gateway to engagement. Consequently, this pivotal element bears significant weight in determining whether our carefully crafted messages are even perceived by the intended audience. In this context, the speaker articulates that every unopened email symbolizes a lost opportunity, thereby underscoring the financial implications of ineffective subject lines for entrepreneurs and small business owners. The episode delineates three critical strategies for enhancing subject line efficacy: brevity and specificity, curiosity induction, and continual testing and measurement. Each of these strategies is meticulously explored, providing listeners with actionable insights to refine their marketing efforts and, ultimately, to augment their revenue streams.
Takeaways:
- The significance of the subject line cannot be overstated, as it serves as the initial digital impression one makes.
- Crafting subject lines that are concise and specific is crucial for enhancing email open rates and engagement.
- Creating a sense of urgency and fear of missing out can compel recipients to open emails more readily.
- It is essential to personalize subject lines by addressing the recipient directly, thereby fostering a connection.
- Frequent testing of subject lines through A/B testing is vital for understanding audience preferences and improving performance.
- Trust is paramount in email marketing; hence, one must avoid deceptive tactics that could jeopardize credibility.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
This is Market YOU First, it's time to learn to sell what you bring to the table, not what
Speaker:you're selling.
Speaker:This is Market YOU First.
Speaker:This is your host, Wes Wyatt.
Speaker:Hey everybody, this is Wes Wyatt and this is the Market YOU First podcast.
Speaker:Have you ever crafted what you thought was the perfect email only to see a pathetic,
Speaker:very, very small percentage of open rates?
Speaker:That email that you spent an hour writing might as well dropped into a black hole.
Speaker:And here's the truth.
Speaker:Your brilliant message means nothing if no one opens the email in the first place.
Speaker:So those few words in your subject line are the most important words that you're ever
Speaker:going to write.
Speaker:And why does this matter?
Speaker:Your subject line is going to be the first digital impression that you make.
Speaker:Okay?
Speaker:So in a world where the average person receives 121 emails per day, and by the way, I know
Speaker:that that could be a lot different for you if you're not in business, but your message
Speaker:is competing with dozens of others for attention.
Speaker:So for side hustlers and small business owners, this isn't just about communication, it's
Speaker:about revenue.
Speaker:So every unopened email represents a lost opportunity.
Speaker:So when you master subject lines, you're not just improving your open rates, you're directly
Speaker:boosting your bottom line.
Speaker:So whether you're sending a proposal, a newsletter, or a followup, the difference between a 20%
Speaker:and a 40% open rate could mean doubling your results without doing any additional work.
Speaker:And unlike other marketing tactics that require special skills or big budgets, this is something
Speaker:that you can implement immediately at zero cost.
Speaker:And here are three key takeaways that are going to help you with it.
Speaker:Number one, you want to keep it short and specific, okay?
Speaker:Subject lines with under 30 characters, and I say 30 characters, not 30 words, are going
Speaker:to consistently outperform longer ones.
Speaker:Don't try to say everything, just say one thing clearly.
Speaker:Instead of monthly newsletter with updates and special offers inside, try your April discount
Speaker:code inside, and be specific about what's inside, and then create a sense to the reader
Speaker:that they're going to miss something valuable if they don't open it, okay?
Speaker:Kind of like a FOMO, a fear of missing out.
Speaker:Number two, you want to trigger curiosity, not suspicion.
Speaker:So the best subject lines are going to create an information gap.
Speaker:They tell you that something is going to be enough to spark your interest and require opening
Speaker:the email to complete the story.
Speaker:As an example, these three client questions surprised me.
Speaker:It's going to work because it's specific enough to create a open-ended question and also curiosity.
Speaker:Now avoid clickbait techniques that are going to over-promise and under-deliver.
Speaker:They might work once, but they're going to destroy your trust.
Speaker:And just, if you haven't followed this podcast, know this.
Speaker:Trust is one of those things that can take years, decades, if nothing else, to go through
Speaker:and create and seconds to destroy.
Speaker:So don't do that.
Speaker:Number three, test, measure, and repeat.
Speaker:The subject line that's going to work for someone else might flop for you because your
Speaker:audience is different or unique.
Speaker:So split test two subject lines with every important email you send.
Speaker:And the most email platforms are going to make this easy, okay?
Speaker:So after 10 or 15 tests, patterns are going to emerge of what specific audience responds
Speaker:to what kind of email.
Speaker:And this personalized data is going to be worth its weight in gold for you.
Speaker:So how do you Market YOU First and make this personal?
Speaker:All right.
Speaker:Your email subject lines should reflect your unique voice and personality.
Speaker:After all, again, this is Market YOU First.
Speaker:If you're known for your direct approach, don't suddenly write fluffy, okay?
Speaker:You want to make sure that your brand is playful.
Speaker:Don't shift the formal corporate speak in your subject lines.
Speaker:Just know that consistency is going to build trust, especially if you are one of those
Speaker:people that have that direct approach.
Speaker:Now, the next thing is the most effective way to make subject lines personal is to write
Speaker:as if you're emailing one person, okay?
Speaker:So you really want to come up with that personal avatar, okay?
Speaker:That person that you're talking to, you might want to give them a name, a face, an occupation,
Speaker:how many kids they have, all that kind of stuff.
Speaker:And the reason why is because if you can picture that ideal client and then write directly to
Speaker:them, you're going to use you instead of everyone or all clients.
Speaker:And as an example, if your photography session is confirmed, it's going to feel more personal
Speaker:than photography session confirmation, okay?
Speaker:So again, instead of photography session confirmation, you say your photography session is confirmed,
Speaker:okay?
Speaker:So it is just another way to kind of think about that avatar that you have and talking
Speaker:directly to them, even though that one avatar is going to represent a entire group of people
Speaker:that you're talking to.
Speaker:And remember, your subject line is an extension of your personal brand.
Speaker:Make it authentic to who you are while still applying the principles that we just discussed.
Speaker:So here is your call to action, all right?
Speaker:Very simply for your next email, create two different subject lines and use your email
Speaker:platforms, AB testing feature to see which one performs better.
Speaker:If you don't have an AB testing feature, get one that does, okay?
Speaker:And then regardless of which one wins, try to understand why it won, okay?
Speaker:Was it shorter?
Speaker:Was it more specific?
Speaker:Did it create curiosity?
Speaker:This simple test is going to teach you more about your audience than reading a dozen articles
Speaker:on subject line best practices.
Speaker:And if any of this has been helpful to you, don't forget to like, share, comment, and
Speaker:subscribe.
Speaker:And after listening to the podcast, go to weswyatt.com, scroll down to where you can
Speaker:put in your name and your email address and get on our insider emails.
Speaker:I'll get you all the tips and tricks and nuggets that I find.
Speaker:If you have questions, stay on weswyatt.com, go to the bottom right to the thought bubble.
Speaker:That is my chat feature.
Speaker:I don't monitor that live, but I'll get back to you very promptly.
Speaker:And last but certainly not least, go to weswyatt.com/disclaimer for important context
Speaker:regarding this and all podcasts, posts, and info I provide.
Speaker:And I can't thank you enough for being part of another episode of the market.
Speaker:You first podcast until we talk next time.
Speaker:have a DYNAMITE day!
Speaker:You've been listening to the market.
Speaker:You first podcast.
Speaker:You are the most important thing you can sell.
Speaker:We hope you've gotten some useful and practical information from the show.
Speaker:Make sure to like rate and review the show and we'll be back soon.
Speaker:But to find the show notes and everything about the market, you first podcast,
Speaker:visit Market YOU First.com on behalf of your host,
Speaker:Wes Wyatt and the whole market.
Speaker:You first team have a DYNAMITE day!
