Here’s how to ensure your email subject lines are concise and informative.
A colleague recently sent me a series of emails on different topics, none of which had a subject line. I had no way to tell which email related to which topic. Moreover, I was miffed that he had not taken the time to give me a heads-up about what the emails were about. The fact that he had not taken a moment to create a subject line meant that I had to read each email over again to determine its topic. In my Worktalk email training, people often tell me that they routinely delete emails sans subject lines or feel confused — even annoyed — by the lack of this basic email element.
Your subject line is your opportunity to hook the reader’s attention. If you are a marketer, you are forcefully aware of the subject line’s power. According to HubSpot Research, 65 percent of surveyed marketers say that subject lines have the greatest impact on open rates. But of course, we send out many emails other than those to drum up business.
We may dash off a quick email to a teammate or send instructions to someone whose engagement matters. Failure to include a subject line can have a surprising impact on some people. The long-time receptionist for an accounting firm told me that the managing director never included a subject line in his emails to her — she said it made her feel subtly disrespected, as though she wasn’t worth the effort it would have taken him to write a few words.
For morale’s sake, for courtesy’s sake, and for the practical benefits that come from including a subject line in every email — not just the ones whose open rates we are measuring — it pays to always include a subject line.
Subject Lines Create Clarity
Imagine that you are staring at an inbox containing 100 emails (which probably happens every day!). On what basis do you decide which ones to open? First, you look at the sender. We all have people in our lives whose emails we will open regardless of the subject line or lack thereof.
For countless other emails, however, the subject line determines whether we open the email. We rely on it because it tells us what the email is about and how it relates to us.
Because of its importance in helping your reader decide whether to open the email, a vague or general subject line doesn’t buy you much. Avoid anodyne phrases like “Following up” or its pallid cousin, “Checking in.” Following up on what? If you must write “Following up,” then write, “Following up on last week’s conversation regarding our product.”
Instead of generalities, share the essence of your message. Then your readers will determine whether they deem your email worth opening. Creating a specific, action-oriented subject line gives your reader the clarity and motivation to read your message. According to research on millions of emails from Get Response, longer, more specific subject lines yield higher open rates than short, generic ones because they are more likely to show the reader “what’s in it for them.”
Subject Lines Create Opportunities
The subject line is the precious real estate that increases your chances of reaching your target audience. Without a strong subject line, your reader may zip past your email without a second thought. Then your message will go unread. The time you spent writing it will have been wasted. Your chance to influence the reader will be lost.
To write a solid subject line, keep it as brief as necessary in order to convey the essential idea. If you can, include a call to action such as “Please respond” or “Action required.” Or use it to encapsulate your message into a brief phrase such as “Q2 KPIs due Friday” Think haiku: Keep it terse but specific.
Just Do It
I know you’re in a hurry. I know it takes another minute to write a subject line for every email. But consider the possible consequences of hitting send without a subject: Your readers might delete your email without reading it. They might feel confused. They might feel annoyed. If any of these things happen, is it worth saving the minute it would have taken to quickly sum up your email’s message?
I don’t think so.