the 111 best email subject lines for open rates in 2015
TRANSCRIPT
The Click-Bait Reserve:
112 Email Subject Lines that Sell (Well, They Get Opened and will Get the Click, at least…)
Each email subject line in this list is followed by the 3 core element(s) that likely caused
higher open rates. These elements are:
1. Benefit
2. Logic
3. Threat
Now, let’s cover the different types of each that make them effective…
“BenefitDriven” Email Subject Lines
1) SelfInterest The most straight forward and clear method for writing an email subject line is to
communicate how opening the email will benefit the reader.
● How will the content of your email get them something they want?
● Or, how will it protect them against something they don't want?
2) News You can pull great open rates by communicating that your email contains something that is
new to the reader.
Combining a News based subject line with Curiosity or Self Interest can work well.
3) Story An email subject line that tells the beginning of a story can be effective. The subject line will
need to create curiosity to get opened.
● How can your email be wrapped in a story?
“LogicBased” Email Subject Lines
4) Curiosity A wellcrafted, curiositydriven email subject line will often get outstanding open rates. That
said, a curiosity based email subject line will often fail miserably. Where possible, combine
one of these other elements (e.g., News or Self Interest tactics) with curiosity.
5) Social Proof People make decisions, in part, by observing the decisions other people have made. Effective
email subject lines often provide proof that other people have made the choice you would like
your reader to make.
● Have an impressive number of people who’ve already made the same choice you'd
like the reader to make?
6) Humanity In the end... people do business with people. Remember to mix some humanity in with your
promotional and content email.
● How can you connect person to person with your reader?
“ThreatBased” Email Subject Lines
7) Fear of Loss A powerful element to add to any email subject line is a legitimate reason to act NOW.
The best way to move someone to action is to communicate that the resource you're
promising in the email is finite in some way.
● Can you use, for example, deadlines, limited quantities or seating limitations to
communicate urgency or scarcity in your email subject line?
OPTION #1: SHORTAGE
● Yep, this is pretty much your last chance to get [insert tripwire name] at this price:
OPTION #2: NO SHORTAGE This is it…I’m done talking to you about this:
112 Examples of Email Subject Lines that Sell
(by Type)
BenefitDriven Subject Lines 1. “Borrow” all my checklists…
2. [SWIPE] My Facebook “templates” (13 of them)
3. My new book! (and a big mistake)
4. Check out new “man cave” [PICS]
5. Did you see this?
6. Yep, this actually works
7. BOOM! That just happened…
8. Have you seen this yet?
9. Where [desired result] Is And How To Get It
10. Discover The [desired result] Secret
11. [blank] Your Way To A [desired result] You
12. To People That Want To [desired result] But Can’t Get Started
13. You, a [desired result]
14. Stop [undesired result]
15. You Too Can [desired result] in [time period] with [blank]
16. How To Become [desired result] When You [something challenging]
17. There’s Big [desired result] In [blank]
18. You Don’t Have to Be [something challenging] to be [desired result]
19. Little Known Ways to [blank]
20. How to turn [blank] into [desired result]
21. How To Build a [blank] You Can Be Proud Of
22. Get [desired result] Without [undesired result]
23. Get Rid of [problem] Once and For All
24. Improve/Increase Your [desired result] In [time period]
25. Imagine [desired result] And Loving Every Minute Of It
26. Here’s a Quick Way to [solve a problem]
27. Get [desired result] Without Losing [blank]
28. The Lazy [blank’s] Way to [desired result]
29. How To Make People Line Up And Beg To [blank]
30. How To Get [desired result] Out Of [blank]
31. How To [desired result] When You’re Not [blank]
32. No [undesired result] Just [desired result] Everyday
33. Never Suffer From [undesired result] Again
34. The Quickest & Easiest Way To [desired result]
35. If You Can [blank] You Can [desired result]
36. How You Can [desired result] Almost Instantly
37. How To Become [desired result] When You [something challenging]
38. How To Use [blank] To [desired result]
39. How To Turn Your [blank] Into [desired result]
40. See How Easily You Can [desirable result]
41. Now You Can Have [something desirable] Without [something challenging]
42. How To Take The Headache Out Of [blank]
43. X Questions Answered About [blank]
44. Give Me [short time period] and I’ll Give You [desired result]
45. Answered: Your Most Burning Questions About [blank]
46. Take X minutes to get started with [blank]... you'll be happy you did!
47. Who Else Wants [desired result]?
48. How to fasttrack your [desirable result]
49. How [impressive number] Got [desired result] Without [undesired result]
50. [DOWNLOAD] Ultimate Facebook Ad Template
51. [SWIPE] Our best email subject lines of 2014
52. [TEMPLATE] Cold email anyone and get a response
53. [TEMPLATE] Create engaging Facebook images
54. 212 blog post ideas
LogicBased Subject Lines 1. Do NOT sell on Amazon without this $10 tool…
2. Steal these email templates…
3. THIS is the hottest trend in digital marketing…
4. The 8figure template… (swipe this)
5. Call me crazy, but…
6. Really…really!!
7. Frankly I’m a little surprised
8. Subject: How to get paid [Literally]
9. A simple sales copy formula
10. It’s landing page magic…
11. How to write a promotional email
12. The ideal length of everything online
13. 21 Landing Page Mistakes
14. 2015 will be a land grab (Get Yours)
15. Spooky discount 75% off Conversion conference
16. Survey Results (sort of…)
17. [Niche / Tactic / Objective] Hacks
ThreatBased Subject Lines 1. WARNING Only 178 T&C Tickets left…
2. The Facebook Slap is coming…
3. Last Chance?
4. Bad News
5. You’re About to Miss Out
6. I’m Done Talking to You About This
7. Copy and paste these 72 headlines [Last Chance]
8. Do You Recognize the [number] Early Warning Signs of [blank]?
9. If You Don’t [blank] Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later
10. I've Lied to You for [time period] Now
11. The Biggest Lie In [your industry]
12. X Shocking Mistakes Killing Your [blank]
13. Don’t Try [blank] Without [desired action] First
14. [blank] May Be Dangerous To [something precious]
15. [blank] May Be Causing You To Lose Out On [desired result]
16. At Last, The Secret To [desired result] Is Revealed
17. The [blank] Risk Hiding In Your [blank]
18. Why you shouldn’t [do what I desire them to do]
19. Why [blank] Fails and [blank] Succeeds
20. Do Not Try Another [blank] Until You [take desired action]
21. The Ugly Truth About [blank]
22. What Your [blank] Won’t Tell You And How It Can Save You [blank]
23. What Everybody Ought to Know About [blank]
24. Your [blank] Doesn’t Want You To Read This [blank]
25. The Sooner You Know [blank] The Better
Social Proof Subject Lines 1. Here is a Method That is Helping [world class example] to [blank]
2. [blank] Hacking With [world class example]
3. Savvy|Smart|Sexy People Do XYZ
4. Why I [blank] (And Maybe You Should Too)
5. [Do something] like [worldclass example]
6. The [desired result] That [world class example] Is Talking About
7. Join [impressive number] of Your Peers that [take desired action]
8. [desired result] Like A [desired group or person]
9. How [impressive number] Got [desired result] in [time period]
10. Like [world class example] You Can [desired result]
11. [world class example] Reveals Ways To [desired result]
12. Why [impressive number] of People are [taking desired action]
13. A Simple Way To [desired result] That Works For [desired group/person]
14. How to [desired result] Like [world class example]
15. eCommerce Lessons from the Big Boys