Well crafted subject lines tease the reader to click and read more

An email subject line should not try to explain the entire email. Instead, it should tell enough to 'tease' the reader to click and open.

Psychologically, readers put email into one of two buckets. They make an impulsive decision to either:

1. Read the email later and possibly forget to open it.
2. Open it immediately because is interesting and/or important.

When crafting a subject line, imagine the recipient's inbox, jam packed with mail. Begin by taking a screen grab of your own inbox and paste this image into Microsoft Word or an image application.

 

The next is a matter of opinion.

1. Teasing / slightly ambiguous subject lines yield higher open rates.
2. A less commercial subject line can make the email appear more credible, and increase open rates.
3. Use 'activation' words. With only 50 characters to express your subject line, choose your words carefully. Like writing an SMS, it has to be short and not necessarily in proper English.
4. Avoid using words like 'newsletter'. These words may 'deactivate' the reader.
5. The name of your organisation should be apparent from the send email address, so avoiding using it the subject line.
6. Keep trying different permutations, and shave off unnecessary fat.