Every month, my bank sends me an email with the same subject line:
Your next newsletter is here!
Every month, I trash that email unread.
Do my bank’s newsletters contain information that might interest me? Maybe. I wouldn’t know. I’ve never opened one.
The attempt at user-friendliness in the use of “your” does not change the fact that the subject line is boring. Adding the exclamation point makes it boring with an exclamation point.
If the bank wanted me to read its monthly newsletter, it could use a subject line like this:
How to save money with kitten memes
This subject line is superior because it:
- Is specific
- Promises information I might actually want
- Is surprising and engaging
The disadvantage, obviously, is that the email would have to talk about saving money with kitten memes. That probably will never happen.
But bank newsletters probably do talk about how to save money. (I wouldn’t know; I’ve never read one.) So one email could use a subject like this:
How to save money
I might open that. The subject line is somewhat specific and promises information I might want.
Then again, I think I know what the bank is going to say about how to save money – set aside savings first, skip vanilla lattes, yada yada. The element of surprise is missing.
If the bank really wants me to open its newsletter, it will try something unexpected:
How to save 10% more every month
How to save money without giving up vanilla lattes
9 ways to save more money
A specific, engaging subject line that promises something the recipient wants is the second-best enticement you can offer to get people to open your email.
What’s the best?
Tune in next time.