7 of the best cold email subject line tips to get more opens

Subject lines: a key element of cold emails

You might think a subject line is just a small part of an email and underestimate its value when compared to the rest of the content.

The truth is that the subject line and the first sentence of your email are the most important factors influencing your open rates. In this blog post, we will share guidelines to write effective subject lines. Here are our favorite tips.

The fundamentals of cold email subject lines

Here are some things you should always bear in mind when crafting a subject line for a cold email:

Tip #1: Don’t be salesy.

The ultimate goal of a sales email is to start a conversation. You should sound professional and trustworthy. Avoid salesy expressions like “CLICK HERE TO GET A DISCOUNT” or ‘“BEST OFFER” as they might send you directly to the spam folder.

Tip #2: Personalize.

Personalization is very important, it will differentiate you from your competitors. A subject line with your name always catches your attention, so using your prospect’s name and other company information will show the recipient that you know who they are, what they do and why they might need your product. Put yourself in their shoes and write something you would like to read.

Tip #3: Keep it short and concise.

Be upfront, don’t deceive or overpromise because it will hurt your credibility. Choose simple words, your subject line should be short and concise.

How do you write the best cold email subject lines?

What do the best subject lines have in common? Here are some expert tips to make your stand out in your prospect's inbox:

Tip #4: Be coherent and upfront.

Your subject line should reflect the content of your email. Write your email first and then create a coherent subject line. If you are selling, asking for feedback, or offering a free trial, say it clearly on the subject line so the prospects don’t feel like you’re tricking them. Don’t overpromise or use vague wording.

Tip #5: Use your creativity.

It is a common behavior to search the web for good subject lines and end-up using the same as everyone else. If you receive 10 emails a day with the same subject line, would you open them? Neither will your prospects. Be creative and original. You can use humor or famous quotes that relate to the content of your email.

Tip #6: Arouse their curiosity.

Creating a little suspense won’t hurt. Arouse your prospect's curiosity and interest and make them want to open your email and read it. Asking questions usually works well.

Tip #7: Choose action verbs

A cold email should have a call to action. That action can be a simple reply, scheduling a call or a sign up. Build that idea in the prospect’s mind from the first moment.

 Examples of good subject lines:   (Consider you are John from Amplemarket reaching out to Ben from XYZ)    

 
• Ben, greetings from John
 
• John (Amplemarket) for Ben (XYZ)
 
• Amplemarket, the AI sales assistant for XYZ
 
• Ben, is XYZ in need of an AI sales assistant?

Testing and optimization: refining your cold email subject lines

Invest time and effort into testing different subject lines to determine what resonates best with your audience. Conduct A/B tests to compare the performance of various subject lines and optimize for maximum engagement.

The most important takeaway is that you can have the best email campaign but if you use the wrong subject line you won’t get your email opened. So invest some time into it and keep testing to find what works for you!