Here at VerticalResponse we're always being asked things like, "What is the best day to send email?", "What are the real email marketing secrets?" and "What are great subject lines?". I decided to focus this post on that last one, and offer some really great and proven-to-work subject lines that you can test out for your email marketing campaigns.
First of all, I'm assuming at this point that your recipients will recognize you from your "From Label". I've written why your From Label is very important in your email marketing campaigns. If they are familiar with who the email is coming from, you'll have better luck getting your email opened with a catchy subject line.
As a retailer your email marketing campaigns are probably all about selling. If you sell your own products or products from other manufacturers, you'll be trying to announce new products, new seasons or discounts and sales. You'll want your recipients to act fast, so you may want to try expiration dates in your subject line. We even see businesses using hours in the day in their expiration time periods.
You'll see that some of these subject lines are a bit vague like "An Exclusive Offer for You", however sometimes that might get more opens than if you talk about a specific product. That's something that you need to test for yourself in your own campaigns.
Offer, Offer, Offer
Enjoy this Special Offer at Our New Location
25-40% off - Email-Only Offer – Today Only
Invitation-Only 2 Hour Event Starts 11:30 AM CT
Ends Today! 20% Off Friends & Family
Top 10 under $10
Free shipping - offer ends in 3 days
Free product with purchase of [product name]
[New Product] has arrived. Order now before we run out.
Earn double points for [insert product or action].
Last Chance: Get up to $25 now
Save 10% on your next order
Enjoy [season] with rates from $65
Service Notice: Exciting new changes at [your company]
An Exclusive Offer for You
[Your company] October Specials
Last minute deals, special offers, and new [product name]
Act Now to renew your [subscription name]
Online only: 25% off friends and family
Introducing our latest…[product/feature here]
[Product name] Promotion week. Save 25%
Extended for a day! Get Free shipping through Friday
Stock up and save 15%
Limited Supply: Limit 2 [product name] per customer
Ho-ho-ho: The [your company] holiday catalog is here!
Email subscriber exclusive: [Product name] sale is here
Ends Today: Take 20% off your entire order
Private Sale Ends Today
Your choice of amazing items $50 + under
Great gifts for [Dad, Mom, etc]
Best Sellers every [girl, boy, man, woman, dog, etc.]
Everything you need when the temperatures [rise, fall]
Free Shipping--Limited Time Offer
Catchy & Creative
Sometimes all you need is a little vase lift (retailer selling vase's)
We've got you covered from head to toe (retailer selling hats, shirts, pants and boots)
How La Perla got its name (retailer selling lingerie, telling a story inside the email)
Temperatures Fall, Style Rises (retailer selling coats)
Celebrity Favorites (selling accessories that Hollywood is wearing)
Did you remember to get a gift? It's ok, we did. (retailer wanting to get people to register for gift reminders)
10 Gift Ideas for your little ones (retailer listing top 10 suggestions for kids)
Manhattan View for a Song in the Shower (retailer selling shower curtain with Manhattan skyline on it)
Take your pick: Our 9 Favorite Dresses (retailer suggesting by popularity)
Coolest modern desk on the job...for $149 (retailer including price in the subject line)
Score Great Savings on Game-Time Gear: HDTVs, Furniture & More (retailer selling TV's with a sports slant)
Party Like it's 1999 Aged Cabernet Special (wine retailer)
In our store: Last minute Mother's Day combo ready to go (retailer getting the last minute shoppers with a catch "combo to go".)
Adorn Your Home Now & Through the Holidays (Home decor retailer)
Mind-Blowing Grenache (wine retailer)
Bring this email to a Gap store and win! (retailer trying to get store traffic)
I hope this gets your creative juices flowing. You can also find some great holiday-specific subject lines here. If you've got some great subject lines that have worked for your business, comment and let us know.
Wow, this great subject line thanks you for this to us.
Posted by: fioricet online | November 13, 2009 at 12:19 AM
Well, I'd have to side with the majority of the comments here...while these are great subject lines, I could really use a few selections for non-profit email, both for those soliciting donations and those focusing on mission awareness. Thanks!
Posted by: Scott Warnke | November 08, 2009 at 05:11 AM
Yes, I would love some great non-profit subject lines as well, especially for holiday donation catalogs or newsletters.
Posted by: Anna | November 04, 2009 at 03:06 PM
I agree with Brooke and others- these are great when you have retail oriented emails to send but what about sharing information and raising brand and mission awareness.
Running a psychotherapy practice many of my emails are not about buying something and I find that it gets tough to be creative with the subject line. would love to see a list of 50 best subject lines of health services or a similar category too.
Posted by: Esther Boykin, LMFT | November 04, 2009 at 02:37 PM
You left out the best one:
50 All-Time Great Retail Subject Lines
Posted by: don laskin | November 04, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Interesting subject lines for selling products. What do you suggest for selling B to B services?
Lanny Feder
Posted by: Lanny Feder | November 03, 2009 at 06:43 PM
Those are all great "Calls to Action" for a retail store, I have even used some of them in the past. But right now I am with Brook, I need nonprofit fundraiser and mission awareness subject lines. Any suggestions would be great, I would settle for 10 good ones.
Posted by: Michael Klasno | November 03, 2009 at 03:37 PM
Some great subject line examples!
Posted by: M.McKenzie | November 03, 2009 at 02:19 PM
I actually plan to try some of these, but doesn't having the word "free" in your subject line, or even the body of the email it seems lately, get you filtered out as spam?
I have noticed that this is especially a problem when a client has a yahoo address, whether or not they have our email in their address book.
Free is really powerful, but only when you can use it.
Posted by: VK | November 03, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Janine,
This was a great list. I am always looking for catchy subject lines and these are great!
Posted by: Handyman Business Guy | November 03, 2009 at 10:43 AM
I agree with Brooke. As a non-profit community group, what subject lines will get people to open the email?
Posted by: Machlis | November 03, 2009 at 09:50 AM
How about the best 50 "pickup lines" for cold calling new prospects?
Posted by: John C. Young | November 03, 2009 at 09:09 AM
It's so clear that call to action & active subject lines seem to always win.
But when you're writing a subject for a nonprofit email that is NOT about soliciting donations, then calls to action get trickier.
I'd love to see 50 of the best nonprofit subject lines (that aren't all fundraising).
Posted by: twitter.com/NCIBrooke | November 02, 2009 at 07:21 AM