Subject Line Science: 11 “Made You Look” Secretes to Get Emails Opened and Read.
Seems like everyone’s been asking for this.
It’s a quick read, but it dives deep into my process for creating impossible-to-ignore subject lines.
When you devour the lessons in this book, you (or your marketing team) will have the tools to write must-open subject lines that win attention, make subscribers excited to read and open the door for big sales.
You’ll also get some of the AI prompts I’m playing around with to give you even more fresh subject line options.
One of the 11 “made you look” secrets revealed in the book is what I call the “Tootsie Roll center of persuasion.” Here’s an example:
You’ll get a whole lot more insight about this in the book.
Subject Line Science will be officially released on November 17.
But when you preorder the book now for just $9.99, you’ll also get access to 3 exclusive bonuses for free:
The audiobook (also on November 17)
104 Steal these Subject Lines templates
Big Ideas for Unforgettable Emails video training
If you take action, this information can transform your email marketing results AND your business as a whole.
It’s also going to make some people a pile of money.
You get to decide which group you’re in.
(Hypothetically, you can be in both groups. Be angry and sin not.)
I’m going to share one surprising statistic (which you may have heard by now)…
One high-impact implication of that statistic…
And two action steps to leverage the current state of things into that pile of money I mentioned a second ago.
Here’s the startling statistic:
TikTok is now the #1 website on the planet in terms of traffic.
Maybe you aren’t surprised. I was straight-up flabbergasted.
But I shouldn’t have been.
Because, this lines up precisely with one of the lessons I’m constantly promoting:
Entertainment (which is so much more than just humor) is increasingly essential if you want to get and keep people’s attention.
And you can’t get anyone’s money legally without getting and keeping their attention.
Next point.
Google has FELT unbeatable as the world’s top website. People need to know stuff or find stuff, and Big G dominates as a provider of answers and information.
I’m no TikTok expert, but it doesn’t seem particularly search-based (that’s standard for social media).
The platform intentionally and aggressively serves you novel content… and although your interactions inform what the algorithm delivers…
The masses – probably including your should-be buyers – are making time in their schedules for this content… at the same time as complaining there aren’t enough hours in the day.
Think about it.
That doesn’t mean you need to start a TikTok account. That’s up to you to decide.
If you go that route, just watch the ROI on the time you spend there and make the right decision for you.
(Entertainment/enjoyment IS value, so you gotta factor that in, too.)
Here Are Your Action Steps
1. Your potential clients crave entertainment. And they’re going to get it somewhere. Might as well get it from YOU.
Again, that doesn’t just mean humor. It definitely doesn’t mean you have to dance on camera.
Don’t expect people to pay attention to you for long when there are more entertaining options out there. You can be more qualified, more intelligent, more honest… and still lose.
2. Millions of people open TikTok every day… to see videos from people they don’t even follow. The algorithm FORCES videos on users.
So when people say they only want one email a week from you…
Don’t just believe them.
Most of your readers will likely consume your content (email or otherwise) every single day… as long as you’re sending them stuff crave as much as their next TikTok binge.
Shoot, you could even send them an email linking to your latest Tiktok video.
It’s not time to be shy.
It’s time to step up to the plate and consistently deliver valuable marketing and content in packaging your people will devour.
A smart entrepreneur asked me a question you might be wondering about right now:
“What are some subject lines to use for my Black Friday emails?”
I had some ideas and examples to share. I thought I’d share them with you.
(What can I say? I’m thoughtful like that.)
Depending on your offer, here are a few ways you can approach your Black Friday subject lines (that’s plural because I hope you’re sending multiple emails):
1) Only 3 hours left for [offer]
Lead with strong urgency. A screaming deadline is a great motivator.
I usually prefer more intrigue in a subject line, but for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, people are actively looking to spend money. So I have no reservations.
Don’t offer a discount on a product/service — offer a discount on that transformation.
The distinction is huge, even for e-commerce store owners.
Example:
Oh So Silky Smooth Hair: 40% Off thru Friday
“Goat Herder to Royalty” Blueprint: special discount
#1 Secret for Meeting Good, Good Clean Girls (and save 50%)
3) Lead with guarantee
If you’re feeling enthusiastic, maybe you come up with a unique Black Friday guarantee. If not, you can use your regular risk reversal as a unique way to grab attention for your offer.
Example:
Find Love in 40 Days, Guaranteed (ends at midnight)
30-Days Risk Free: Mop Stick Self-Defense Mastery
Special Guarantee: 200% Money-Back until 11/24
4) Specific amount dollar savings
It’s easy to forget this one.
The truth is, most people can’t instantly do percentages in their heads. And they’re probably not pulling out calculators.
Make it plain for them, especially if your discount is less than 50%.
Example:
$10 off Cleo’s Delicious Pigs in a Blanket
Save $400 on tickets to Zamunda
5) Testimonial subject line and email body copy
If you can find a one-liner from a customer success story or review, you can probably make a strong subject line.
Then use that testimonial to tell a story demonstrating the value of your Black Friday offer. Let your buyers do the bragging for you.
I recommend using quotation marks catch the reader’s eye and signify there’s a story inside.
Example:
“To be loved… Oh, what a feeling!”
“That’s when the BIG bucks start rolling in.”
Success Story: “My son works!”
6) Announce video demonstration plus special offer
Or they’re not clear on exactly what they’re getting.
Can you answer those questions and erase those doubts with a video demonstration.
Example:
[Video] Finding Queen’s Common Parts – plus a special offer
LIVE: Marrying an African Prince (and a limited-time discount)
— — —
I know, that was a lot.
Hopefully there’s something helpful in there.
Again, you should be sending several emails, so you can try a few different angles.
If you have time, I encourage you to A/B test, so you can try 2 version for each email touch. Send them to 20 or 25% of your list and let the winner go out to everyone else.
Interested in seeing my best, most swipeable subject lines? Check out my Subject Line of the Day videos. Here’s the latest addition:
What’s a subject line that works to get people to sign up for a webinar?
What are the best subject lines to sell high-ticket coaching?
What’s a good subject line I can use to invite people to my nephew’s bar mitzvah?
There’s rarely one clear-cut winner that works in every situation, but I can usually share a handful of suggestions based on my experience.
But since entrepreneurs and other copywriters are constantly asking me that question…
I came up with an easy way to share some of the best subject lines I’ve written… and some of the best I’ve read from other top marketers.
Sharing My Top “Subject Line of the Day” Candidates
… as Youtube Shorts.
I’ve committed to uploading a video every day for the next 100 days… so this is going to become a valuable resource over time.
This has been the most popular one so far:
I want to point out another one I think deserves special attention.
Everyone’s heard of “fearof missing out,” right? This subject line example flips FOMO on its head and addresses the lesser-known “fear of holding on too long.”
Check it out:
Get a bunch of email marketing ideas, inspiration and insights in a flurry of 1-minute videos.
If you take my suggestions, you’ll have more than 3 months worth of subject lines — and that’s if you email your list daily. If you’re mailing weekly, that’s 2 YEARS of subject line templates.
Email less than once a week… shame on you.
I encourage you to subscribe to my channel to decrease the chance that you’ll miss any of these copywriting nuggets.
Full disclosure: I may not share any good bar mitzvah subject lines in the first 100 days.
This will also be a great opportunity for you to see every shirt I have in my wardrobe. You know, if you’re into that sort of thing.
**Update: Here are all the subject lines in swipeable format**
I decided to do 101 videos — and a few of them highlighted 2 or 3 subject lines.
Several people have shown me their open rates shooting through the roof…
… and one brother told me he’s ADDICTED now.
But I know it takes a long time to watch 101 videos — and it’s impossible to quickly scan through and see if one fits for the email you’re sending out today.
So I’ma hook y’all up…
Here are all 101 subject lines from my Subject Line of the Day series:
A tour of my $200k office
Is THIS the missing piece of your [BLANK]
The Rise & Fall of [BLANK]
Since you didn’t watch the video
Steal these Subject Lines
[Name], here’s your private invitation
5.99… SERIOUSLY, [NAME]
Real estate ISN’T the best investment right now
Have you given up on this, [NAME]
Getting revenge in marriage
Your advisor would NEVER show you this chart
3,000-year old tonic melts 33 lbs in 28 days
A six-figure shortcut for rookies
The “more sex” shortcut for horny husbands
I made a grown man cry on Christmas Eve
… and they left the cocaine
Are you on Facebook, [NAME]?
Know, Like & Trust is a LIE
The $7 Biden Survival Blueprint
3 Email Secrets from My $17M Year
My #1 Rule: Don’t Buy Options
[NAME], did you mean to miss this?
Homeless folks need Netflix, too
Another Pawnshop Christmas
The Truth About [Well-Known Person]
The Stupidity of Going Vegan
Copy-Paste JPMorgan’s 99.52% Winning Trades
Cooking video goes BAD
It took lots of wine to make this happen
Grant Cardone is an idiot
This is why your cold emails get ignored
He earns $500 a Day from YouTube
don’t EVER do this
The most dangerous idea in finance right now
A Nice Guy’s Guide to Manipulating Others
Breaking: 4 shampoo brands cause Alzheimer’s
Thank God for Russian hackers
10X More Valuable Than the Internet?
Final hours to save 27%
Get Drunk and Make 4X Your Money
Reverse Engineering a ??? Real Estate Biz
If I could only buy one book this year
Top 10 Stocks for 2022
Do Not Take Vitamin D (unless…)
The Almost-Perfect Sales Call Script
10 Reasons to Stop Picking Stocks
Oops! (I can’t believe I let this happen)
Urgent: Don’t file your taxes just yet
5 Reasons Your Man Is Tired of You
Email Copy Secrets that Are Better than Sex
Do you make these mistakes with cold calling?
[NAME], You’ve Been Upgraded
Thank You, [NAME]
“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out, Kid”
Time Flies When You’re Having Rum
This family has 6 billionaires. Here’s how they did it
Are you coming, [NAME]? // See you tonight, [NAME]
Scam of the century, Paris 1925
How the richest get richer every single day
Nearly Triple Your Profits… Automatically
“The Best Strategy I’ve Ever Seen”
Your First Profits from Stock Options
Airline CEO confesses… the end is near
Being broke on Mother’s Day sucks
Freedom First. Safety third
Tired? Stop overdosing on coffee
[Name] Get Your Free Book Today // Should I Give Your Copy to Someone Else? // Where Should I Send This? ($0 Shipping)
The 1 Reason Why I Make 300 Times More Money Than Most Kindle Publishers (Just This 1 Thing)
The “top secret” Google-military play
Dept. of Energy calls this a game-changer
Bill Gates Wants to Nuke the World
Sell These Stocks By 9:30am ET Monday // Sell These Stocks Right Now // Dump These Stocks ASAP
Almost anyone can “cash in” on real estate now
WARNING: This New Tech Could Be Hidden on Your Phone
The noise. It’s not going away
Free Ticket for [NAME]
Ooh, you’re expensive [NAME]
Why So Many Women Cheat on their Husbands
You’re Taking Viagra and Don’t Even Know It
“Bazooka Jay” breaks all the rules
Leaked Game of Thrones Episode Reveals Controversial Marketing Truth
This is SO screwed up, [NAME]
The Lies that Hold You Back
Death by Lottery Win
The George Costanza School of Client Attraction // Clark Kent Guide to Sneakily Strong Copy
1000s of companies are BEGGING for this tech
President’s Secret to Protecting his Prostate
10 Commandments of [BLANK] // 7 Deadly Sins of [BLANK]
They’re Spying on Your Children
Alert: West Nile Virus Reported
My Life As a Psychopath
How Often Should You Email Your List
My boldest prediction yet // 7 Shocking Predictions for [Event]
How to murder your perfectionism
5 tips to get over your fear of writing
I Sent This to the Vatican 10 Minutes Ago
Bitcoin isn’t the bubble. It’s the pin!
This should change in your marriage every 90 days
You have $20 in your account
Why most people are constantly REBUILDING their business
What if the open rate on your next email hit 67% within minutes of sending it to your list?
Seems like a reason to get excited.
You might start thinking about all the orders that are about to start pouring in.
Guess what. There’s a good chance you’ll start seeing numbers like that in the near future. But it’s not because two-thirds of your subscribers are opening your emails…
This is one of the immediately apparent effects of Apple’s soon-to-release iOS 15 update.
Every one of your readers who checks email from Apple Mail (even if they have non-Apple emails like Gmail or Yahoo) could have their emails marked as open…
The most recent data I’ve seen indicates that could be almost 50% of your list!
Source: Litmus’ Email Client Market Share in July 2021
Here’s What You Need to Know
I recorded a video about iOS 15 back in June. It reveals some insights and actionable tips to help you navigate the coming changes.
Here’s the gist of it: starting as soon as mid-September, you won’t be able to trust open rates AT ALL…
And any marketing efforts you’re doing based on open rates will have to go back to the proverbial drawing board:
split testing subject lines…
segmenting engaged vs. unengaged (a ton of E-com store owners live by this one)…
resending to non-openers…
triggered emails…
…and more.
One of the shifts email marketers will have to make is focusing on clicks rather than open rates.
And one of the skills you (or your copy team) will need to is the ability to write emails that get clicked.
This has ALWAYS been important to drive sales.
But post-iOS 15… clickthroughs will be essential for testing, tracking and segmenting.
Otherwise, you’re sending emails in the dark.
For the unprepared, it’s about to be pandemonium out here.
If email makes up any percentage of your revenue, you have to start getting ready NOW.
On September 6, 2021, I’ll gave a live training on Zoom to show you how I write click-magnet emails. We even wrote one live during the training! Watch the recording here.
In recent emails, 19.3%… 26.1%… even 33.6% of my readers have clicked through.
(That’s a lot of sales opportunities, and it gives me a lot of engagement data I can use for testing, tracking and segmenting.)
I’ll also walk you through 4 more critical steps you need to take to navigate the new reality.
If you struggle getting clicks, this training will be good for you.
If you rely on 30-day or 60-opens to segment your emails list, this training will be good for you.
If you’re a copywriter or marketing strategist whose clients or potential clients depend on email to make sales, this training will be good for you — and could really make you stand out from your competitors who know nothing about this topic.
“I haven’t consistently emailed my list for a long time. What can I do to revive folks who’ve gone cold?”
The question came up again in mastermind I do copy coaching for. A mastermind member asked how to reengage subscribers who hadn’t opened an email in 180 days or more.
I thought you might get value from the response I shared.
One note before I get to that.
As you know, most of those inactive subscribers are probably out of the picture. Make sure you’re using your best ideas on the engaged portion of your list, where you have the greatest chance of success.
That said, how do you save the small percentage of inactives you may still have a shot with?
Here’s how I normally play it:
1) Come up with the most enticing offer you can make.
Plan to send a short (2 or 3 message) sequence to the unengaged segment. I’d consider subs unengaged after 90 days.
2) Communicate the crazy offer with crazy subject lines.
As we’ve discussed around here someplace, subject lines like the following tend to get noticed and opened at a high rate:
I’m sorry
DANG! I messed up
I can’t believe I let this happen
You can also try more direct, emotional subject lines like:
Did I do something wrong?
Do you hate me?
Or more aggressive challenge-type subject lines like:
FirstName, should I give your spot to someone else?
Should I take you off my list?
I’m kicking you off my list in 48 hours
These can work like a charm. They make people mad, so you may have some blowback from that, but at least the angry folks will make a choice to reengage or get lost.
Also, specific subject lines about the offer itself, mentioning super low cost, free offer, etc. can generate lots of interest.
A recent example that worked incredibly well was
“5.99…SERIOUSLY, FirstName?!” (It also worked with $497 as the price point.)
3) Again, I’d make this a 2 or 3 message sequence.
Mix up the subject lines to hit them from multiple angles: (ex. Email 1: I’m sorry; Email 2: offer-based; Email 3: you’re toast in 48 hours)
4) I’d probably ignore them after that.
I usually delete super old people from the list, but clients sometimes keep them on an inactive file for ad targeting purposes.
5) Going forward, treat people as unengaged after 60 days (90 days worst case).
Because anyone who’s ignored 2 months of consistent communication is unlikely to suddenly get re-engaged without switching up tactics (like we’re talking about in this thread).
Now…
There are a couple other tricky moves you can use, but some of them are more likely to get people’s attention for the wrong reason.
1) Try an unexpected FROM name instead of what you usually use.
There are differing opinions on this tactic. I don’t think you want to change it up all that often. It’s a solid tactic when used in moderation.
You can put the offer in the From line. A client of mine used “Your Free Book” as the From line (sending to the regular list, not unengaged) and found it boosted opens and total sales.
I’ve used the Easter Bunny…Santa Claus… my son’s name… just weird stuff to catch people off guard and generate curiosity.
Or you can try something like “Support” or “Customer Service” generically. The subscriber may think it’s more of a transactional email and pay attention as a result.
Which leads me to…
2) Use a transactional-sounding subject line.
The kind of subject lines you get from a service you subscribe to, or from your credit card company or bank.
“About Your Account” has gotten huge open rates — but if the subscriber feels like you’ve tricked him, he may not be in the buying mood.
This is a bit of a dirty trick. Use your discretion when considering rolling it out.
3) One of my best parting subject lines…
I used this one many times and it consistently performs well.
“Have you given up on this?” is a great subject line when you’re getting ready to end a promo… or the relationship with an unengaged subscriber.
It’s a bit of an ego challenge and definitely a FOMO reminder.
Stole that one from Chris Voss’ book, Never Split the Difference.
— — —
That’s it.
If these subject lines suggestions and email ideas were helpful and you’d like more content like this, check out Inbox X-Factor.
In addition to subject line templates and a weekly email calendar to save you time and effort having to come up with topics to write about…
You get video trainings to help you make your emails even more profitable.
I’m working on a brand-new video outlining my Consumption Maximization sequence, which I recently used double total click-throughs and nearly 5X total consumption of the content I wanted my list to see… with almost no additional effort.
(If you’ve been on my list since March, you were part of the experience and didn’t even know it.)
You’ll get all that and more inside Inbox X-Factor.
I could talk about email all day. But I know you have things to do, so I’ll leave you to it.
When people say “email is dead” you can pretty much always ignore them.
They’re probably selling a new shiny object (or they’re just mad they haven’t figured it out).
Recently, you may have heard a bunch of conversations with a similar apocalyptic tone.
Many entrepreneurs and marketers are freaking out about how Apple’s coming iOS 15 update will affect your email marketing.
If you haven’t heard these conversations yet, you soon will. Because the impact will be big.
I recorded a video explaining what iOS 15 and Mail Privacy Protection are, along with insights and actionable tips to help you navigate the coming changes.
If email makes up any percentage of your revenue, you have to prepare NOW
Because soon, the split tests you’ve been doing won’t work.
Most of the segments you’re building for your email list will be scrambled.
Your re-engagement campaigns will be pointless.
The iOS 15 update will turn the email world upside down — and it looks like the changes could go live as early as mid-September.
I’m revealing 5 steps you need to take to protect your profits on Monday, September 6th.
None of the email experts I’ve seen are talking about the most important adjustment you need to make. I’ll show you what it is AND how to do it on during this training.
build a deep & lasting connection with your readers…
make more sales without feeling salesy (unless you’re into that sort of thing).
I can’t think of a single industry where these strategies won’t work.
By the way, these tips work outside of email, too.
f that’s you, here’s a super quick overview of the superhero strategies you can use to make your copy more powerful
1) Never underestimate the value of a compelling villain.
Bad guys are what make the superheroes both necessary and interesting.
In your copy, spend some time talking about the person or thing that’s making life harder for your reader. What’s keeping him from living the life he dreams of?
Make the source of that blockage into a villain. Someone or something that can be demonized… then defeated.
E.g., “The reason you can’t rid of belly fat isn’t because you’re lazy. It’s because of a hormone called cortisol.”
2) Focus on saving the world
Superheroes don’t use their powers to enrich themselves. They spend their time helping other people.
And they generally take on big threats.
Your copy should be about your reader, not yourself. And don’t waste anyone’s time making small promises. Talk about the massive transformative benefits you can deliver for people who work with you.
3) Identity is unspeakably important
Superheroes have carefully crafted secret identities. As a marketer, it’s useful to invest the time into crafting the identity you present to your reader.
Make yourself into the best possible individual/business to make the case for your product or service to your target audience.
That means you have to intimately understand the identity of your target audience, too.
4) Run towards the danger
Take a stand, even if it’s controversial. Maybe especially if it’s controversial.
Pick a fight.
Be an advocate for a cause that’s meaningful to your reader.
This makes you a leader. Draws the right kind of people to you and forms emotional bonds. Then helps them see you’re the obvious choice to help them reach their goals.
Pretty much everyone else is running away from the danger. Your copy should put you right in the heat of battle.
