Does Your Subject Line Do the Job?

It's proven that the FROM field of your emails is the MOST important factor in getting your messages opened. But after that, it's surely the subject line.

Many ezine (email newsletter) publishers seem to consider their subject lines as afterthoughts, which is a bad idea.

Example: Suppose you get an e-mail with the subject line, "Get Rid of Your Debt Today."

I don't know about you, but my right pinkie is already poised over the delete key!

However, this could be an e-zine I've subscribed to that just isn't announcing itself properly.

Now, what if the subject line instead read:

"[Frank's Financial Tips] Get Rid of Your Debt Today"

See the difference? By listing the title of your e-zine, it reinforces your brand, it allows your readers to filter your e-zine into a separate folder in their e-mail inbox, and most important, it lets your recipient knows your message is NOT spam.

Now I do see some e-zines that ONLY list the e-zine name. For the example above it could just say, "Frank's Financial Tips." That's okay, but it doesn't tell me what's in the issue or why I should open it. Remember you're competing with dozens of other e-mail subject lines in your readers' inboxes, so give them a reason to open yours.

Studies show that also using the reader's NAME in the subject line can dramatically increase open rates, but I reserve this tactic for special promotions I send out that are time-sensitive and I want great response to (such as announcing an upcoming teleseminar). Example: "Jennifer, join me next Tuesday?"

This helps get the reader's attention and builds curiosity so she opens it right away. If you want to use this tactic, you'll need a list service that supports "personalization."

No matter what subject line you write, keep it short and sweet, because many e-mail programs cut off long subject lines. Here are the maximum subject line lengths (including spaces) in some popular e-mail programs:

AOL: 52 characters
Hotmail: 45 characters
Outlook Express: 64 characters
Yahoo: 80 characters

Don't go crazy counting spaces, but just keep in mind that shorter is better. (This sentence here contains 60 characters, including spaces.)

[EDITOR'S NOTE: For my list of 87 proven subject lines that you're welcome to outright *STEAL* and use for yourself, see my program, "Email Promotions That Really Rack up Sales"!]

© 2004-2005 Alexandria K. Brown

Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the award-winning 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit http://www.EzineQueen.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Internet Marketing Strategy: 9 Pragmatic Ways Increase Your E-zines Subscription

It is possible to increase the subscription to your e-zine... Read More

7 Ways to Self-Promote Within Your E-zine

We all know that an e-zine won't attract and keep... Read More

Increase Your Website Popularity with 500 Words

Are you looking to increase your relevancy in the search... Read More

Plagiarism on the High Seas

More and more companies are finding the value in informational... Read More

3 Things You Need to Do to Turn Net Information into Cash

Although we are in the information age, very few people... Read More

Why I Started My Ezine

Why I started this E- ZineSit back, and travel with... Read More

The Nitty-Gritty Of Ezine Publishing

I sat here this morning, and decided to work out... Read More

Start Your Own Ezine Newsletter & Profit!

The information listed here is worth more than gold. if... Read More

8 Killer Mistakes For Ezine Failure You Must Avoid

It is true that sometimes in life there is a... Read More

Ezines and Newsletter Software - How to Drive Traffic and Improve Your Business Cashflow

So how do smaller businesses use the internet to drive... Read More

Newsletters ? Keeping Your Customers Informed

Many businesses use email newsletters to introduce themselves to new... Read More

Understanding Ezine Publishing!

I can remember my first reaction to word "ezine". What... Read More

10 Tips On Offering A Free Ecourse

1. Make your ecourse short like 5 - 7 days.... Read More

Email Newsletter Software

Should I create my newsletter in a word processor or... Read More

A Newsletter Publishers Main Task: Packaging Value Content

The main task of a newsletter publisher is to select... Read More

Publishing Special Reports And Ebooks At No Cost

So you'd like to start publishing special reports and ebooks... Read More

Your First Newsletter: 5 Sure-Fire Ways to Annoy People

I read a lot of newsletters. Some are great and... Read More

Three E-zine Alternatives You May Not Have Considered

During the free e-zine publishing teleclasses I offer every month,... Read More

How to Choose a Good Newsletter Name

Good newsletter names are usually 2-4 words. If shorter, they... Read More

Who Should Offer an Ezine?

If you are a professional, consultant, coach, speaker, seminar leader,... Read More

How to Build Your List ? 7 Powerful Strategies

If you have been an internet marketer, or had any... Read More

Ezine Publishing Donts

When I teach ezine classes, I ask the students what... Read More

Three Breathing Techniques For Any Ezine Article

I subscribed myself to many ezines. I'd love to read... Read More

How to Format Your Email Newsletter

When subscribers' email readers (programs) receive your text newsletter, they... Read More

Coping With Those Dreaded Ezine Publishing Deadlines

Time, of course, doesn't stand still and never did, and... Read More

10 Newsletter Ideas to Write Articles for Your Newsletter

Since you publish your newsletter on a regular basis, sometimes... Read More

What Ive Learned From My Subscribers

As editor/publisher of Book Promotion Newsletter, I am fortunate in... Read More

The Plain Truth About Branding for Newsletter Publishers and Web Designers

Branding, or brand marketing as some now call it, is... Read More

10 Tips For Ezine Publishers

1. Many Ezine Publishers use too many styles of separatorin... Read More

3 Money-Making Reasons for Displaying Your Newsletters on Your Website

Seeing is believing. Unless your website visitors can experience your... Read More

The Biggest Mistakes That Can Spell Doom For You As A Newsletter Publisher And How To Avoid Them

A lot of newsletter publishers spend a great deal of... Read More

Newsletter Name Ideas - Creative Ideas to Choose A Good Name for Your Newsletter

When you want to choose a name for your newsletter,... Read More

10 Valuable Tips For Ezine Publishers

1. Write your own articles.Your articles will give you an... Read More