Email marketers know all about sales goals. For many, sales are the ultimate goal behind nearly all their email campaigns.
Emails can be used for communications, event updates, and even expressing gratitude or issuing apologies. However, some would say even these communications are supplementary to the ultimate objective of driving sales.
What’s the best email subject lines for sales?
Email marketing requires you to be creative, have the right approach, and know how to craft good copy. Yet there’s one part that is arguably more important than the rest: a good subject line.
What determines a good sales email subject line?
When crafting a good subject line, marketers may have many goals. Subject lines are important for boosting open rates. They’re also useful for building authority and gaining a better brand reputation.
Sales copy guidelines can teach us a lot about how to craft great subject lines. For instance, there’s a need to use power words. These words include invitation, introducing, we, a, you/your/you!, the current year or month, update, new, sale/sale!, events, and offer/offers.
Not all of these words will automatically drive up your metrics and skyrocket your sales numbers. However, they are proven to help grab people’s attention and show off the importance of your message. It is wise to use them, as it reduces the chance your email will be passed over.
Good sales emails are also focused on discussing benefits. What’s the best way to talk about benefits in a way that really shows them, rather than just mentioning them? By using numbers.
Source: Campaign Monitor
Numbers are good because they command attention and they’re a perfect fit in subject lines because space is limited. Percent symbols and abbreviated totals (1.2M, for example) say a lot without taking up much space.
Additional methods for driving sales include putting the customer at the center of the message. To do this properly, focus on how your product or service can benefit them. Features are great, but they shouldn’t be the focus. Benefits should always come first.
Consider opening by talking about a problem or, better yet, how it can be solved. This will be more likely to make the reader click and help drive sales.
Do sales email subject lines really matter?
Sales emails may be outfitted with great content. The design, copy, and call to action may all be top notch. Yet the subject line is almost always the determining factor, because it determines whether an email is opened or passed over.
47% of readers choose to open an email based on the subject.
Sender reputation plays a role as well. However, subjects can make or break an email. For sales emails, the subject matters more and could even affect ROI. It can determine whether an email facilitates sales. It can be the difference between a subscriber finding out about a deal or missing out.
Sales emails are sometimes viewed with more skepticism, so it is essential to make the email seem less like a pitch.
The subject line must also be crafted to be promotional without sounding too salesy.
What now?
Sales emails are still emails, so best practices still apply. Subject lines matter as much as they always have, and some would say they are even more critical here.
- Use power words when possible
- Use numbers if applicable
- Put the reader and the benefits as the focal point.
To master sales via email, don’t forget to use tracking software and integration to boost your chance of success.