Emails have now become the number one choice for communication among professionals. This is because emails are easy to send, receive, and organize. However, to ensure the emails we send are opened, read, and well-received, they must have an interesting subject line. If the subject line doesn’t catch the attention of the reader, there’s a high chance that they won’t open the email. So, this article will explore the art of writing compelling subject lines for cold emails.
A Complete Guide To Writing The Best Email Subject Lines
Here are some actionable tips for creating subject lines that help increase open rates.
The Power Of Personalization
Personalization is essential in cold emails because it makes the recipient feel valued and heard. A personalized email can immediately capture the interest of prospects and help your business prosper. Here’s how you can personalize for compelling subject lines:
Examples:
- “[recipient’s name] boost your sales with XYZ SaaS.”
- “[client company’s name]: We’ve tailored some solutions for your growth.”
Creating A Sense Of Urgency
It’s human nature to always respond to urgency. If you learn to use this to your advantage, you’ll notice better reception of your emails. Create a sense of FOMO in your subject lines to place the right triggers in the subject line. Here’s how you can achieve this.
Examples:
- “Don’t miss out on our SaaS solutions for 30% less than the original price.”
- “Early birds get early access to our premium solutions: act now!”
Add A Healthy Dose Of Curiosity
Compelling subject lines often have ingredients to make readers curious. No one ever recommends making unfair claims. However, putting intriguing phrases that promise something valuable in your email subject lines can help close deals. Here’s an example of this.
“Discover what top SaaS companies don’t tell you.”
Highlight Product’s Benefits
This one’s a no-brainer. Highlighting the benefits of the product you’re selling helps close deals faster. This is simply because people like to know how the product will add to their life and provide value. So, as a general rule, an email highlighting a product benefit is preferable. Here’s how you can include benefits in your compelling subject lines.
Examples:
- “Double your efficiency with our SaaS solutions.”
- “We have a product that can buy you more time.”
Also Read: Optimising Cold Email Templates for Maximum Engagement
Incorporate Social Proof
Social proof is the currency of the B2B SaaS world. Hence, leverage social proof as much as necessary to establish yourself as a credible provider. Include customer success statistics or testimonials and use them as marketing tools. You can write compelling subject lines with social proof like this:
Examples:
- “Ready to join 20k+ happy customers?”
- “Rated 2nd most reliable provider by XYZ scale.”
Ask A Question
Asking a question is one of the most underrated ways to grab the attention of prospects. If your question is engaging, it can easily increase the response rate of your cold emails. The question should be related to the customers’ pain points or hint at a trendy topic in the industry. Here’s an example of this:
Examples:
- “Struggling to grow? Let us help.”
- “Are you looking to regain past clients?”
Keep It Short And Sweet
Brevity is almost charming in an email subject line. Concise emails save time and encourage the reader to read on. Lengthy emails never get a response and lengthy subject lines tank open rates. Let’s understand its importance using the following example:
Don’t: “Ready to revolutionize your sales process with our newly-launched XYZ tool?”
Do: “Revolutionize your sales process with our XYZ tool.”
Always A/B Test
A/B tests ensure you always remain in the safe zone. While learning is a continuous process, some campaigns are crucial for the company. Hence, A/B testing is the way to go. It will help you create compelling subject lines specific to your campaign. Try out different subject lines for your email and look at the open rates. Adjust accordingly, and you’ll have better-suited subject lines for your emails.
Segmentation Also Applies To Subject Lines
While sending emails, along with personalization, you do segmentation. This is because changes in criteria like location, company size, or pain points will require different approaches altogether. There’s no reason why segmentation shouldn’t apply to your subject lines. Make them relevant to your target audience, and use industry terminology carefully. Compelling subject lines for each segment will enhance relevance and resonate better with the audience.
Strictly Avoid Spammy Words
Considering that subject lines are responsible for increasing open rates and spammy words contradict that, you must avoid them. Stay away from words like “free,” “urgent,” “click,” etc. Some email providers may flag such emails. If your email ends up in the spam folder of your prospect, you lose out on chances of closing a deal.
If you wish to use those words, try including alternate, less intrusive versions. You can replace urgent with limited and so on.
Conclusion
Writing compelling subject lines is half strategy and half observation in the B2B SaaS industry. Use all the tips we’ve detailed here to refine your subject lines and capture your prospects’ attention. Always opt for A/B testing to be confident of your email strategy. Avoiding spammy or triggering words requires some practice. With continuous trial and error, you’ll have a clearer idea of the art of writing great subject lines for emails. Once you master this, you’ll observe higher open rates, better engagement, and more leads for your B2B SaaS business.
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