Online shopping hit an all-time high in 2020 due to COVID19, and in 2021 we may encounter the same, if not more, online shoppers as delivery delays begin. Consequently, merchants and marketers are already finalizing their holiday content calendars — gearing up for the race to the inbox.
Do your email marketing goals include, audience growth, higher open rates, click-through improvement, and customer retention? A brand’s first interaction with subscribers takes place in the inbox, so here are 6 ways you can make a powerful first impression with these tips, tricks, and ideas.
6 Tips to make a great first impression with your subject lines
1. Think It Out
Promotional planning and creative execution can often push subject line creation to the back burner. Don’t miss out on the crucial opportunity to create the perfect subject line.
2. K.I.S.S. – Keep it Simple Silly
Less is more when it comes to subject lines—5 elements to consider.
- 9 words or less
- 1; or on rare occasions 2 emojis
- 60 characters or less
- 3 or fewer punctuation marks
- Limit capitalization
3. Say No
to SPAMMY words. Spammy words and phrases can be different or change depending on the brand/business. Here are a few of the top words and phrases to avoid in the subject line.
- Price
- $$$
- Marketing
- Get it now
- Offer Expires
- Limited time
- Unbelievable
- Wonderful
- Fantastic
- Today
- Last Day
- Free
- 100% off
- Gift Included
4. Personalize It
Go beyond the First/Last Name in the subject line. Include preferences, email engagement, and list segmentation to populate products, topics, seasons, interests, or locations that are dynamic to each subscriber.
5. Be Authentic
Write with an authentic tone by understanding the subscriber’s needs, share facts or social proof, avoid unnecessary urgency or pressure, and avoid manipulative language.
6. Test It
Create an A/B test, also known as a “Split Test”, with two different subject lines, then review the top-performing email to send as the winning campaign. Use metrics like clicks, sales, and conversions to determine a winning email.
Subject lines can communicate deals, discounts, celebrations, and announcements, and drive a sense of urgency. Subject lines should be unique to your brand and the products or services provided; however, they should not be too detailed. They should be short, but not too vague. Find the middle ground that works effectively and increases email engagement.
Which tip are you most excited about implementing? Which tip are you most hesitant about?
At The Brandon Agency, our fully integrated marketing firm boasts a team of marketing specialists who can cover all the bases in one place — including brand strategy, web design, creative, media, e-commerce, analytics, social media, SEO, conversion rate optimization and more. To get started with a strategy tailored to boost the performance of your email marketing campaigns, contact us today.
Kelly Whaley
Email Marketing Specialist
Kelly is an Email Marketing Specialist at Brandon. Originally from Myrtle Beach, Kelly has over 7 years of marketing experience, developing strong brand awareness through traditional and non-traditional marketing tactics. When not in the office, she enjoys boating on the lake and watching True Crime documentaries.