It can feel like a fine line to walk between writing email subject lines that stand out in inboxes and writing clickbait. But writing subject lines that get your emails opened is a matter of knowing how to appeal to your ideal clients. Once you master that, not only will you write better email subject lines, you will pick more appealing topics for your writing. In this article, we will cover how to write email subject lines that your clients want to open and give you 50 email subject lines to use for your coaching business.
Email Subject Line Requirements
You can put all your effort into writing a compelling email subject line, but if it doesn’t meet the requirements, then it is all for nothing.
The subject line offers limited space for your message. This varies between email providers, but 60 characters (including spaces) will ensure your subject line displays on mobile devices. If you go over this character limit, the end of your subject line will be cut off.
In addition to that, spam filters work to filter out messages that may be scams, unwanted sales messages, or junk mail. Certain words can trigger spam filters, whether they are used in the subject line or in the email. Anything to do with payment will trigger spam filters.
How to Write Open-Worthy Email Subject Lines
Writing an email that gets opened is all about writing a subject line that grabs the reader’s attention. You can do this by appealing to general human psychology or appealing to your ideal client specifically. Here are some techniques copywriters use to write emails that get opened.
Problem-Focused Email Subject Line
A great way to get people to open your email is to write a subject line that addresses a common problem for your ideal clients. This problem may not even be related to your business; it just needs to be a problem that most of your ideal clients experience. There are two approaches you could take with this method:
- Write an email subject line that expresses that you deal with this problem (people love to know they are not alone)
- Write an email subject line that offers a solution to this problem (people will want to read advice that could solve their problem)
Let’s say you are a business owner and a mum, and your ideal customers are other business-owning mums. You want to write about your struggles with your teens not listening to you. There are two possible subject lines: I’m a motivational speaker, but my kids don’t listen to me, or I applied sales techniques to get my kids to listen to me.
The first subject line offers a chance for readers to connect with you. Sure, it doesn’t solve their problem, but it shows them that other people experience that problem too. They want to click on it to commiserate and hear someone else’s war stories too.
The second subject line offers a solution to the problem. It shows that you have been there, done that, and come through the other side. People will want to click on it so they can learn the sales techniques that will make their kids listen.
Both subject lines also offer intrigue, which we will talk about later. The first one, because we would expect motivational speakers to be able to inspire action in their kids. If they can’t do it, we feel a little bit better about ourselves. The second, because we wouldn’t expect sales techniques to help with unruly kids. The surprising word or concept hooks us.
Email Subject Lines that Warn of Disaster
Rather than helping the reader solve a problem, these emails help a reader avoid problems. Just like the problem-focused email subject lines, you need to identify worries or risks your ideal customer faces. Some great examples of these are:
- The biggest biz-killer
- Are you undercharging?
- Algorithm changes don’t have to tank your biz
These subject lines tell the reader that they don’t have to wait until a problem exists to solve it; they can avoid it in the first place.
Email Subject Lines that Spark Curiosity
These email subject lines play on curiosity to get people to open emails. There are a few ways you can use this email subject line technique:
- Combine two things that usually don’t go together
- Hook the reader with the unexpected
- Introduce a juicy story
These three techniques will make the email recipients want to know more. Think of the common clickbait ads you used to see on Facebook; they all used novelty. Let’s look at some examples:
- I have the worst luck (introduces a juicy story)
- Don’t open this email (unexpected email subject line)
- Taxes made fun (don’t usually go together)
- Taking 6 months off was the best business decision I made (don’t usually go together)
- I hate sales (unexpected email subject line and introduces a juicy story)
If you use these techniques, you need to make sure your email follows through on the subject line’s promise. This is what stops your emails from becoming clickbait. The minute you fail to deliver on your promise, this email writing technique stops working for you.
Email Subject Lines that Introduce Novelty
Another great way to make your emails stand out is to introduce novelty into your email subject lines. Your emails will seem more fun, interesting, and relatable as a result. This is particularly effective for an otherwise dry topic.
You can introduce novelty in the following ways:
- Use emojis to brighten up your subject line
- Sprinkle in the odd swear (use sparingly and be aware of your target audience)
- Use pop culture references
- Crack a joke
A lot of brands are focused on their professionalism, so introducing novelty can make you stand out from other brands in your niche. Pay attention to your brand voice and overall branding when using novelty. If you have an otherwise corporate brand, your readers may worry they signed up to the wrong company’s mailing list.
How to Track the Effectiveness of Your Email Subject Lines
The best way to track if your email subject lines are effective is to look at the open-rate metrics on your email platform. The average email open rate is 21%, but this varies depending on the industry.
Excellent email subject lines can increase the chances of your email being opened, but you also need to write emails that provide value to your ideal customers. If your email recipients receive discount codes, good advice, or tips from your emails, then they will be more likely to open your emails, regardless of the subject line. If they know your email is probably trying to sell them something or will be a long, irrelevant personal story, then they will be less likely to open your email, even if you write the most compelling subject line.
50 Click-Worthy Email Subject Lines You Can Steal
Yeah, yeah, yeah, give me the pre-written email subject lines, right? Here are 50 email subject lines you can go ahead and use for your emails.
Email Subject Lines to Sell Your Coaching Services
Your email list is your warmest leads. They have actively signed up for your email list because they want to learn more from you. They like the tips and value that you give out on social media, and they want more. That is what makes them most likely to buy your coaching services or coaching courses. Here are 10 email subject lines that will get your email subscribers excited to open the emails selling your coaching services:
- Want me on your team, {first name}?
- Ready to take X to the next level?
- Time to fix X?
- {first name} have you been overthinking things?
- It’s about damn time you X
- Sick of X?
- {first name} you don’t have to do this alone
- Ready to change your life?
- Is this you, {first name}?
- RESULT without PAIN POINT (save money without living on ramen)
Email Subject Lines for Free Resources
Continue to nurture your email list with freebies. These don’t have to be complex freebies, it could be 10 tips, a list of your favourite tools or products, or even your favourite playlists.
- A new way to X
- Get the productivity tools that saved my sanity
- I couldn’t keep this to myself
- Open for increased X (Open for increased profit, open for more clients, open for better finances)
- Let us throw you a bone
- How to X that Y (How to write emails that get you paid, how to run masterclasses that sell out your coaching courses, how to make freebies that make you ££££)
- Should I send you these RESOURCES?
- Start here
- Just because
- A gift from us to you
Email Subject Lines for Nurture Emails
Use the good old-fashioned art of storytelling to deepen the relationship with your email subscribers. Make sure nurture emails either entertain, add value, or inspire your email subscribers. A lot of coaches like their story to culminate in a lesson that can be applied to their niche.
- You have to see it to believe it
- X got me good, {first name}
- Are you a procrastinator like me?
- Beware of X
- How do you use your lunchbreak?
- The biggest mistake I ever made
- X + Y = FEELING (bank holiday + deadlines = URGH, Funnel + ideal clients = ££££) – feel free to use emojis
- My favourite part of the day
- The best advice I’ve ever received
- Do you like to read/listen to podcasts/watch movies, {first name}?
Email Subject Lines for Masterclasses
Masterclasses are great ways to raise money by selling a short workshop that solves a specific problem. They are a great way to get your email subscribers to take the next step to work with you if they’re still a little hesitant to purchase your high-ticket offer.
- Become a X in TIME (Become a social media expert in 30 minutes flat, become a QuickBooks expert in an hour)
- Solve PROBLEM in TIME (Solve
- Got an hour to RESULT, {first name}?
- Need RESULT?
- X Check-in Time (Fitness check-in time, Marketing check-in time, Budget check-in time)
- Secrets to RESULTS
- It shouldn’t be this hard
- How I built RESULT with LITLLE EFFORT (How I built a 6-figure business working 4 hours a day, How I built my abs working out 1 hour per day, How I found peace in 10 minutes a day)
- Wondering if X is for you?
- What is the 1 thing you can do that will make a difference to PROBLEM?
Email Subject Lines for Value Emails
Value emails are emails that directly teach your email subscribers something. (As opposed to nurture emails that teach a single lesson through storytelling).
- The math behind DESIRED RESULT (the math behind early retirement, the math behind your dream body, the math behind PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION)
- 3 ways to X
- Hello X my old friend (Hello data my old friend, Hello TikTok my old friend, Hello Canva my old friend)
- This advice sucks
- Where will you be in TIME?
- Dropping 👏 Facts 👏
- Got a million X ideas?
- Marketing moves you can make in
- You too can have this superpower
- An un-rude awakening
What’s Next?
Remember to use emojis to help your email subject lines stand out in inboxes. We like to use Emojipedia to add emojis to our content.
Want help with emails for your coaching business? There are 2 ways we can help you.
- Pick Our Brain Call and we’ll look over the emails you wrote to give you pointers on how to strengthen your copy. These calls are £199 per hour, and you can use the time however you wish. We can strategise the next 3 months of emails and subject lines, plan your launch emails, or proofread your emails.
- Head over here to learn more about our email writing packages.
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