Do you think before you hit “send?” Do you proof your emails carefully? Do you check the spelling, tone and clarity of your emails? Most of us do. But are your emails being read? If not, it could be because of what you put in your subject-line.
Consider the emails you receive—which ones do you pay attention to and which ones go in the trash bin? When you receive an email from an unfamiliar address, isn’t it the subject-line that influences you to open it or not? Emails introduced by generic phrases such as, “Good day,” “Please respond,” “Hi,” “Invitation,” or Check this out,” may appear to be SPAM. And if it is from someone you don’t know and have never heard of, seeing the person’s name in the subject-line won’t influence you to open the email, either.
So what does capture the recipient’s attention? Certainly not a hard-sell opening such as, “Discounted Books,” or “Buy Today.”
I recommend thinking about your recipient when sending out an email. If it is someone you know well and email often, anything goes. “Congratulations, girl,” “Let me explain something…” “A night at the movies—booorrrring,” etc. If you are addressing customers or clients who definitely know who you are, you might attract their attention by using your name in the subject-line—“A note from Patricia Fry” or “Patricia Fry announces new cozy mystery book,” for example. But if I’m contacting potential readers who do not know me, I might use something like, “There’s a new cat-related cozy mystery on the block.” If I’m contacting a reviewer of cozies, I might use, “Please review Catnapped, a cozy with cats.”
When you are addressing a potential reader or client, try to touch their emotions through your subject-line: “FREE manuscript evaluation this week only,” or “FREE hair-styling workshop.”
When I hear from potential clients, I may overlook an email with a subject-line saying, “Help me,” “Question,” or, worst of all, a blank subject-line. I am most interested in those that say, “Need an editor,” “Please review my manuscript,” or “Consulting request.”
This week, I’d like to suggest that you pay close attention to your subject-line. Create them to suit the circumstances and the individual. I can almost guarantee you’ll have greater success in generating a response.
On Countdown
We’re reaching a huge milestone in this blog Friday—day after tomorrow. Stay tuned. Have you sent your guess as to which milestone this is? I still have prizes to give away. Check the list of prizes at the February 18th blog post.