By Rhonda Campbell

If you’re like me, you receive hundreds of emails daily, many of the emails coming from other entrepreneurs. Where you and I might differ is how we view and consider subject lines in the emails we receive.

Why Some Email Subject Lines Scream “Open Me!”

As a professional freelance writer I regularly scan and ponder email subject lines, not because it’s my job. I do it because I’m curious as to which subject lines, which play on words, grab my attention . . . enough to cause me to click several (admittedly, some days it’s only a few) of the many emails I receive.

One thing I’ve noticed about email subject lines is that, when written for effect, they follow a business’ intent and provide clear clues as to what the body of the email is about. What do I mean by this?

If an email is sent to inform recipients about a company policy change recipients may not want (but that honest business owners need to alert recipients about), subject lines in these emails use few, if any, action verbs. For example, one such subject line might read “Information about our discount rates.” That’s a less than “punchy” subject line. It’s written to soften a blow. Open the email and you might discover that the discount rates you received when you became a first time customer of a cable company have expired.

On the other hand, when seeking action from readers, email subject lines might read “Purchase Your Laptop Now; 50% Off Sale Ends in 12 Hours” or “Get Free Shipping on Books Thru Midnight”. Those subject lines pack more punch than the email subject line about discount rates. They’re meant to. After all, the intent (e.g. to inform, to inspire immediate action) of the emails is different.

It’s these and other nuances that people often over look that I pay attention to. I can’t blame it all on years of writing. The fact that I majored in psychology comes into play as well.  I’m curious about what motivates people to take certain actions, choose one option over another.

After all, each of us could just hit the delete button on all the emails in our in-bin, but we don’t.  And we don’t for a reason. Good, effective writing is a huge part of that reason.

Contact me to start fulfilling your writing and project management needs.  I look forward to hearing from you!