Let’s just be straight up about it. There’s nothing worse than writing a great email to your list and then getting stuck on the subject line.

But if you throw away the subject line or don’t spend time uncovering the tricks and tips to increase your open rates, then enough people don’t read your great email.

If you don’t have a list yet or are ready to grow your list, check out these free webinars to help you get started:

• Get Your First 1,000 Subscribers – Beginner
• Earn Your First Dollar – Beginner/Intermediate
• Email Copy-writing Tips – Beginner/Intermediate
• Make More Sales With Funnels – Expert

Or this course to learn how to go from 0-14K subscribers in one year without paid ads.

How To Write Better Subject Lines (With Examples)

Why Subject Lines Matter

Forbes says, “Email marketing is still the top way to generate leads.”

And just like “media headlines grab your attention and get you to listen longer or read further. A meaningful subject line for an email offers the same punch.”

This means it’s worth spending some time on subject lines.

But first, let me ask you this…

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Practice, practice, practice.

This is my corny way (I love that joke, always will) of telling you to practice your subject lines if you want to increase your open rates. And you have to email your list more than once a month to find out what works.

Here are a few subject line ideas to get you started…

1. Bold Subject Lines

Here are some examples of super bold subject lines that work:

• $10,000 on my first webinar? (Amy Porterfield is a genius)
• Do this or you’ll die (Laura Belgray is my idol)
• no list? Do this today.
• 389 new customer referrals? Here’s how. (Mara Glazer is the nicest)
• that time I got naked for Shakespeare (I think I’m pretty cool, too)
• sign your name like this if you want people to like you

2. Straight Up Subject Lines

You know exactly what you’re going to get with these and I’m into it:

• 3 strategic ways to get your next email read
• how to not gain weight this Christmas
• the 4 must-haves for the perfect morning
• make sure your website has these 4 things.
• calling you early bird! [$250 off!]
• my best energy tips

3. Inspiring Subject Lines 

Help your list see that you can make it doable for them to reach their goals:

• Imagine a year without Facebook Ads
• You. A calmer parent.
• Where do you want to be 6 months from now?
• You’re normal. I swear
• from frumpy to fabulous (for free!)
• the moment you’ll finally lose weight (for good!)

Now, I see you sitting there thinking, “Ok, but this is what you do for a living. It’s not that easy for me to just whip up subject lines.” I get you.

Steal them. Well, swipe them…

You’re not just going to take someone’s subject line verbatim but use it to figure out where you can substitute your brand/business, idea or course.

Magazines Are Your Subject Line Best Friend

One of my favorite ways to do this is head on over to Medium.

They have some of the best headlines that grab your attention and leave you wanting to read more!

Take 3 minutes and write down all the ones that catch your eye. Now, take another 4 minutes and turn them into a subject line you can use.

Let me show you…

• When to question your intuition  → when to question your subject lines
• Never walk out on a job → leave the room next time you get this email
• Everything you need to know about digital humans → everything you need to know about FB Ad copy.

Another great place for subject lines is Cosmo, of course!

Consider this magazine your Ph.D. in direct response copywriting (fancy for copy that gets clicks and clients). It’s designed to keep you curious, engaged, and to keep you reading.

Google Cosmo covers and start browsing all the enticing headlines:

• Sex tips so hot → copy tips so hot
• Score a job you’ll really love → score an email you’ll want to make out with.
• 5 no-fail pickup lines → 3 no-fail email openers

What I want you to take away from this is that writing emails should be fun. Step outside the stiff biz box and use your personality to help you create copy and subject lines that sound like you.

Then, get out there and send emails and see which ones work. Don’t be afraid to tweak or change up your subject lines and resend to un opens.

Why Email Marketing is Still The Top Way To Convert Clients

Sumo says, “email marketing has an ROI of 3800%, making it the #1 most profitable marketing channel for 10 years in a row.”

So…yeah…we should ALL be putting more attention emails and less on nailing the perfect Instagram selfie.

Start collecting your favorite subject lines in a Google or Word document.

Refer back to it when you’re writing your next email and use the tips from above to transform the subject line to perfectly fit your niche.

What’s the best subject line you’ve ever seen come through your inbox?

Let me know in the comments below and let’s see how we can quickly transform it for your business or niche!

Marisa Corcoran is a direct response copywriter who has helped 100+ service-based businesses craft compelling copy that attracts clients and makes money without sounding like a 90s infomercial. When not click-clacking on her laptop, you can find Marisa analyzing a Real Housewives episode like it’s government policy and consuming inappropriate amounts of Nutrageous bars.