Do's and Don'ts of Writing a Killer Subject Line

The subject line is what motivates readers to open your newsletter and give it a look. If you don't have a high-quality one, chances are your newsletter will be ignored. Studies have shown that you've only got about 45 characters to make an impression, so it is important to spend some time developing and testing your subject line.

Here are a few easy dos and don'ts for you to keep in mind as you begin to work on your subject line.

DO

• Keep It Short (preferably between 40-60 characters)
  
• Deliver a clear, direct message
  
  • "Three things you need to know about RSS"
    
• State a specific benefit
  
  • "How to develop a solid business plan"
    
• Include a call to action
  
  • "Your feedback is needed for the 2006 DMA survey"
    
• Create a sense of urgency to drive action
  
  • "Last day to ensure Xmas delivery"
    
• Personalize it (begin with reader's name)
  
• "Chris, here is your monthly CD selection"
  
• Make sure it reflects the content in the newsletter
  
• Run it through our content checker to identify spammy words
  
• Test different subject lines

DON'T

• Write your subject lines like advertisements
  
• Include any punctuation (particularly exclamation points and questions marks)
  
• Use the word "Free"
  
  • Instead, say "Gift with subscription."
    
• Capitalize whole words
  
• Use too many commands, such as "Get," "Open," "Buy," "Save," or "Respond."

The following table identifies how many spaces each email client reserves for the subject line:

In short, the best subject lines tell what is inside, while the worst subject lines sell what is inside.

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