You have spent time and energy writing great copy and having a very pretty email template designed for your next campaign. You are now ready to send your email. Wait a minute, what about the subject line? The bit that is the first thing your subscriber will see in their inbox and decide whether to read or delete.

The subject line is the most important aspect of your email. Without giving it great consideration, the email won’t get opened and may just hit the spam box. The best way to find out if your idea of a subject line will work is to test it out on a small element of your database first. Think of two separate lines and send your email to two small separate test lists. Compare the open rates and use the most opened line for the rest of your campaign.

The following is a checklist of things to avoid when composing your next subject line:

1. Avoid the word “Free” or any use of £££ signs

This will find its way straight into the junk folder or worst be intercepted before it gets as far as that by a spam filter.  It also looks like spam and will be avoided like the plague.

3. Make it enticing and intriguing

Invite the reader to find out what you are offering and make sure the content of the email delivers on the promises of the subject line. Email marketing is all about engaging with your subscribers and providing them with great offers and information that they want to receive.  Make sure your subject line conveys this message.

4. Avoid using “newsletter”

This is a very common subject line when email marketing and really won’t get anyone’s mouse clicking excitedly. Try to capture the nature of the email content in the subject line rather than naming it too generally.

5. Don’t deceive

Try to stay away from “your enquiry” or “reply to your message” as a subject line. These will encourage an open but will just as quickly lead to the delete button as the reader soon realises the email is not related to the subject line.

Keep any emails that you receive with really good subject lines. Inspiration is always useful when composing an email and tried and tested methods are a good place to start.

For more information on creating the perfect subject line visit the knowledge base or our tips pages or our video. To start email marketing to your subscribers call us on 0845 263 7266.