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When analyzing the data to determine the success of an outbound email campaign, the number one data point you look at is the amount of new business that came in. While focusing on the end goal is great, in order to get new deals, you have to first make sure people are opening your emails. The more people opening your emails, the better chance you are in converting those leads.

A lot has changed in B2B email marketing over the past 10 years. Marketers and SDR’s have been facing bigger challenges to get in front of decision makers. Some people think that means it’s time to lower the bar as far as what to expect. I couldn’t disagree more, especially given the results of our last email campaign:

Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, that is a 90% open rate and 53% reply rate. The subject to this email campaign? “I loved your work at {{market}}!”

1. {{first_name}}, I can help you with {{relevant}}

This is powerful in two ways, It shows that you care and that you know something about them. Beware, there’s nothing more off putting than offering help in the subject line and then not making it clear how you can help them right away. If you use an email subject like this, you need to have a clear message, or else you will disappoint your potential leads.

2. I can help / I can help {{company}}

Decision makers always need an extra set of hands so a subject like this one will come as both a relief and wonder. “How can they help?” or “What can they help with?” are things the recipient might think. Anytime your subject line can make the reader think and wonder, it usually has a good chance of being opened.

3. How can I help?

This is much more passive than most subject lines, but it shows you care and that you want to help them. Offering help is a great way to get in the door of a new opportunity. Look at the hire rate of interns as a prime example of this: https://universe.byu.edu/2017/02/22/interns-more-likely-to-be-hired-as-full-time-employees/

A little free help or advice goes a long way.

4. How are you {{relevant}}?

Makers and artists love to talk about how their process works. So do a lot of business professionals. Obviously they won’t react kindly if you try to ask them about proprietary information, but a general inquiry usually works great to start a conversation. Some examples include:

How are you deploying your Node.js apps?

How are you handling the latest WordPress update?

How are the responses to version 2.0 of your app so far?

How are you managing your payroll?

5. Something that will make them smile

This is more advice than an actual subject line formula. Put yourself in their shoes and think about some that is relevant to their workday, but will also put a smile on their face. This will show your are indeed human, and also have a sense of humor. Humor is big in content marketing (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/09/10/comedy-in-content-marketing) and it has its place in email marketing as well.

6. I loved your blog post/article about {{relevant}}

People love to hear compliments and a lot of hard work goes into writing so to have someone reach out beyond the comments to compliment your post will brighten anyone’s day. Some may think “Wouldn’t it be better to put the blog post title in the subject?”. The answer is no because that looks too suspicious. Any automated email program could scrap blog titles, and then email the authors. It’s a good idea to reference the exact blog post in the body so they know what post you’re writing about, but it’s better to be vague in the subject line so you’re not mistaken for a robot.

7. I noticed {{relevant}}

This subject line shows you’ve been looking at what they have been doing, and have done your research to know something relevant about them. Anyone can say “I noticed something about your website”, but the below examples will show you’re keeping your eye on them:

I noticed {{company}} didn’t attend {{conference}}

I noticed you recently got promoted to {{title}}

I loved {{company}}’s booth at {{conference}}

I saw {{company}} was mentioned in {{publication}}

8. Quick question about {{relevant}}

5 years ago, this would have been on the top of my list. It’s become overused in a lot of industries and a lot of people can see it as a cold email from a mile away. Why did I include it here if it doesn’t work as well as it once did? Because it still works in some industries and under some circumstances so it’s work A/B testing. This is especially true if you make the relevant variable SUPER personalized. The days of “Quick question about your software development strategy” getting opened are long gone. You’re more likely to get a response about “Quick question about Version 2.42 of {{App}}” or “Jane, quick question about your latest blog post”

This list is by no means supposed to be an exhaustive “end all/be all” list. Some subject lines will work for some campaigns and industries better than others. We always recommend you A/B test subject lines and email copy.

If you’re too busy to manage your email campaign, we are here to help! We will source your leads, write and manage your email campaign, and only send you the leads that say “Yes I’m interested!”

And that’s what works in 2019!

Targeted, personal, content for your outbound emails. If you are using a warm list OR a purchased email list, these are the subject lines to get results.