Posted on Friday, May 2, 2008
by Brett
So I had one of those nights the other night. You know, you're staring at the ceiling, wide awake. Brain moving like a freight train. You look at the clock 10 or 15 times only to realize an entire four minutes have passed. Argh. The best thing to do in those situations is to get up, read, think, walk around, get something done. So after eating foods I shouldn't have, I sat on the couch and tried to induce REM sleep. My 3 a.m. attention deficit brain wouldn't have it. My eyes glanced down to the coffee table and I found myself scanning the covers of all the magazines for no real reason other than I had nothing better to do.
Disclaimer: Some of these magazines are not mine and I am not a metrosexual. :)
Was God trying to get through to me? Each one of these headlines peaked my interest and got me to move my butt and grab one of the magazines, open it up and find the article. It immediately dawned on me. I had just responded to a headline rather quickly (and emotionally). Maybe because I live in my inbox most of my working hours, but the feeling was strangely familiar. I felt like I just responded to a subject line. Or was it a magazine's headline? Or was it a subject line? I began to think, a magazine's headline when written well needs to accomplish exactly the same goal as an email's subject line. Think about your inbox for a minute. How many headlines...I mean subject lines...are competing for you to take a look at what's inside? Now think about your company's email campaigns. Are they lost on the magazine cover (inbox)? Do they stand out/jump off the page? Are your recipients motivated to explore the content that follows?
Take a look at the headlines again:
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Flat Belly Foods - OK, way too relevant. It's on my mind. I admit it. Summer is coming. Bad food choices still exist. Ugh. I want a flat belly like everyone else. I want to choose foods that will get me there. Talk to me.
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101 Photography Tips - I'm not much of a photographer, but if I were, I would think I'd like to take a peek.
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Feel Great Naked - Need I say more? (Though I don't recommend this for a subject line for obvious reasons)
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How to wake up rested - How timely was this one? It was 3:45 in the morning. It was still dark out. I need sleep, not more cucumbers on my eyes.
How this applies to your email marketing - the quick summary
1) Be relevant - the headlines on waking up rested, flat belly foods and feeling great in the buff were relevant to me for sure.
2) Be timely - Deliver content that speaks to someone at that point in their job, career or life and you will get a new reader.
3) Deliver on the goods - you got 'em with the subject line. Now write content that satisfies and lives up to its' headline's promise.
4) Deliver emotion - Each one of those headlines hit home emotionally. No reason your subject lines can't do that. Remember, you're competing with others headlines in the inbox.
Your challenge
Think about your past subject lines. Think about the ones coming up. Don't rush a subject line. Too many marketers whip one up at the last second. What a waste of an opportunity. Line item Subject Line Creation and get your copywriter billing your clients for it if you're an agency. Explain that it is as important to the success of their email marketing dollars as a headline is to an ad you write and place for them. Be creative. Be relevant. Deliver on the goods and deliver emotion.
If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take a nap.