When you look in your personal inbox, how many promotional emails are you gettting? For most, this number exceeds 20 a day. If you want your business to get noticed, you must make that email subject line enticing, imaginative, and something that fits your brand.

Finding the right way to address your audience in the email subject line will get your business noticed and increase those open rates. Below are some ideas to get you started.

What is Email Marketing?

So, what is email marketing? If you aren’t already on the email marketing bandwagon, you need to join now. The research on retaining customers and increasing sales speaks for itself. Unlike having a social media account, emails can be directed straight to new and loyal customers and are more personalized than a standard Facebook or Instagram post. You need to know everything there is about setting up an email marketing scheme for your business, however new or small before you get started.

The Dos and Don’ts of Email Subject Lines

Before we get started on ideas, you must understand the rules and etiquette regarding email subject lines so you make a good impression and improve open rates.

• Do – Make your email subject lines 50 characters or less. If you go over this benchmark, you are at risk of your sentence being cut off. People scroll through their emails relatively fast, so a good guideline to catch their attention is to limit yourself to 50 characters.
• Do – Understand your audience! The best way to improve open rates is to make your email subject line appeal to your audience. If your brand is fun, make the subject line fun too. If you have an important message to tell, ensure your subject line represents this.
• Don’t – Go crazy with capital letters. Caps are there for emphasis, not to make your email stand out from the rest. This can look unprofessional (and some say, a little shouty or “needy” at times!).
• Do – Brainstorm several ideas before choosing one. Write between 5 and 10 ideas, then come back to them after an hour and see which one stands out most.
• Don’t – Send out your emails before you have carried out A/B testing, even for the subject line – especially for an important mailer which is
• Do – Make it personal. Using the words “you” or “your” will make readers instantly more involved with the brand and it will feel as though you are speaking directly to them.

The Different Types of Email Subject Lines

Now that you understand a little more about the art of email subject line writing, you can get into the nitty-gritty and begin the thought process. Below are some great email subject line ideas to get your business noticed in 2020:

1. Funny Subject Lines: Humor is a big sell on the internet and many of the biggest brands use humor as a way to engage with the reader, making their brand seem relatable and down-to-earth. A younger audience will relish in a funny subject line and if you can make them laugh, you will likely pique their interests enough to delve deeper into the email. This is also a great way to stand out, rather than going straight into the real reason for your email.
2. Numbers and Lists: If your business is a blog or contains a blog, you may want to incorporate the title of the blog into your subject line. People are more drawn to numbers and lists, take this article for example.
3. Minimalism: In the modern-day, there is a lot to be said about brands that stick to minimalistic approaches. If your brand is more professional and your target audience consists of the older generation and businesspeople, getting straight to the point may be enough to get your email noticed. Some audiences don’t want to be looking for the hidden meaning in a subject line and some don’t have the time.
4. The Single-Word: Sometimes all you need to stand out is one word. Finding the right word is enough to get the right people to notice. If all the email subject lines surrounding yours are filled with information, one that can catch your eye with the use of a single word is more likely to succeed. For example, you may want to use a postcode to attract customers in that area as will be interested in what is going on around them, and a postcode is more personalized.

For more open rates and better customer engagement, follow this guide to create the best email subject lines and get your business noticed in 2020.