The Subject Line Is Your First Sale
Before you sell your product, you sell the open. If your subject line does not earn a click, the most brilliant email in the world goes unread. Subject lines are the highest leverage words you write, and most agents spend the least time on them.
Keep Them Short
Subject lines with six to ten words consistently outperform longer ones, especially on mobile where longer lines get truncated. "Quick question about [company name]" fits perfectly. "I wanted to reach out and introduce myself and discuss some opportunities" does not.
Personalisation Wins
Including the recipient's company name or a specific reference in the subject line increases open rates. "[Company] + [your company]: quick question" feels personal. "Great opportunity for growing businesses" feels like spam. Even small touches of personalisation make a measurable difference.
Curiosity Without Clickbait
Good subject lines create curiosity that the email body satisfies. Bad subject lines promise something the email does not deliver. "Noticed something about your website" creates curiosity. "You will not believe this incredible offer" is clickbait that damages trust even if it gets opened.
Question Based Subject Lines
Questions work because they create an open loop in the reader's mind. "How is your team handling [specific challenge]?" or "Still looking for a solution to [problem]?" These feel conversational and relevant, which increases opens.
Avoid Spam Triggers
Words like "free," "guarantee," "act now," "limited time," and excessive capitalisation or punctuation trigger spam filters and buyer suspicion equally. Write subject lines that sound like a human colleague sent them, not a marketing department.
Test Everything
The only way to know what works for your specific audience is to test. Send the same email to two groups with different subject lines and measure which one gets more opens. Over time, you will develop an instinct for what your audience responds to, backed by data rather than guesswork.
Examples That Work
"Saw your post about [topic]" works because it is personal. "Question about [their industry]" works because it is relevant. "Idea for [their company]" works because it promises value. "Following up from [event name]" works because it provides context. Notice the pattern: short, specific, and relevant to the recipient.