Not every subject line is a homerun – you spend all of this time crafting the perfect email, but when you’re asked to come up with a subject line, your mind goes completely blank. Believe me, we’ve been there. Here are 9 awesome subject line examples you can replicate if you find yourself in a similar situation.

Promotions 

1. ⚡️(code inside) Free Shipping + 2x Points – Shop Now ⚡️

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 20.8%
  • Click Rate: 2.6%

• What’s Great About It?

  • Readers can quickly understand the value of the email while skimming their overcrowded inbox- free shipping AND 2x points? Score!

• How to Replicate: 
  • Run A/B tests to figure out what promotions  (% off, $$ off, free shipping, VIP points, etc.) increase open rates and use accordingly in your subject lines.

2. EXPIRES TODAY! Last Chance to Save BIG on our Best Sellers!

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 44.8%
  • Click Rate: 3.9%

• What’s Great About It?

  • Readers immediately know this is a limited time offer

• How to Replicate: 
  • If you have time-bound promotions, make sure to include a re-send to remind customers that time is running out.
  • Don’t forget to include dynamic product recommendations in the email copy.

3. Sale On Now, Men’s Graphic Tees Promotion

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 26.5% 
  • Click Rate: 7.3%

• What’s Great About It?
  • This subject line specifically calls out the product that’s on sale, making it even easier for interested parties to access the email and find the perfect tee. 
• How to Replicate: 
  • Segment customers based on:
    • Purchased from category or purchased product
    • Purchased similar category or product
    • Browsed product or category but did not make a purchase
    • Note: make sure to exclude customers who made a purchase right before or during the sale

Customer Love

4. ⭐️VIPs Only (promo code inside) – Ends Monday ⭐️

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 36.5%
  • Click Rate: 4%

• What’s Great About It?
  • Explicitly calls out this is for VIPs making readers feel extra special
  • Call out that the code is inside, enticing readers to open the email

• How to Replicate: 
  • Segment out your best customers – spent over X amount, RFM scoring, biggest spenders, made Y number of purchases, etc.

5. Customer Appreciation Day!

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 25.6%
  • Click Rate: 1%

• What’s Great About It?
  • Great use of geo-segmentation. This email was sent to a segment of customers located near the brick and mortar store with a call to action to come into the store.
  • People love to feel appreciated, this subject line calls this out specifically.

• How to Replicate: 
  • If you have a brick and mortar presence and want to drive in-store traffic, create a segment of customers near the store – use postal code and/or city and state information.
  • Hold an online customer appreciation day – pick a few items, perhaps some of your best sellers or gateway products, and create a special promotion.

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Holiday/Event Specific 

6.  Make His Day! Give Dad the Gift of Comfort and Style

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 29.2%
  • Click Rate: 4.7%

• What’s Great About It?
  • Event specific subject line that calls directly to stumped consumers trying to buy something for Father’s Day

• How to Replicate: 
  • You can use this tactic for many different types of holidays – Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Graduation, Mother’s Day, etc.
    • Create a segment of customers who have not made a purchase in the few weeks leading up to the holiday in question

7. Last Minute Gifts

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 33.1% 
  • Click Rate: 3.2%

• What’s Great About It?
  • Seemingly simple, this subject line, when timed, correctly is a boon for those procrastinating shoppers – great for the holiday season!

• How to Replicate: 
  • Particularly useful for holidays, such as Christmas, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s Day –  you can target customers who have not made a purchase in a few weeks leading up to the holiday in question.
    • Make sure to highlight products that can be delivered on time or printed out, such as gift cards.
    • Remember you may need to create different versions for different locations i.e. something that will ship in time for delivery on the East Coast may take longer to reach the West Coast, etc.

8. Show Mom Some Love for under $60

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 20.9%
  • Click Rate: 1.4%

• What’s Great About It?
  • Helpful email for consumers looking to stay under a particular price point. This is a great tactic to employ during the holiday season.

• How to Replicate: 
  • Create variations for different thresholds and segment using AOV ($50, $60, $100, $150, etc.) to create extremely relevant gift guides.

Product Specific 

9. Flip Flops You Can Live in All Summer Long

• Stats: 
  • Open Rate: 25.4%
  • Click Rate: 7%

• What’s Great About It?
  • Calls out a specific pain point – hello blisters – and why their product is better

• How to Replicate: 
  • Once you’ve decided on the products you want to push, create segments, such as:
    • Subscribers who have never made a purchase
    • Browsers who have viewed product / category in past X days/weeks
    • Purchasers of similar product / category in past X days/weeks/years
  • If you are selling a gendered product, use predictive gender or known gender to segment further

 

Increasing open rates is the first step in increasing revenue via email marketing. The more eyeballs on your email, the more opportunities you have to drive conversions. While these 9 subject lines are a great place to start to help you think through promotions and ways to engage your customers, it’s important to remember that creating a relevant experience is key to increasing engagement. When planning your marketing calendar and brainstorming subject lines, think about how you can use data to boost your chances of creating a personalized experience.

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