Ever feel like some people simply just don’t open emails? If you regularly send out emails and get a poor response, then there’s a big problem – and it could be your email subject lines. The truth is that there’s no point in having the perfect email or sequence if nobody’s even opening it. So, if you have this problem, it’s something that you really, really, need to fix as soon as you can.

Now, one thing to mention is that a lot of this does depend on the quality of the leads on your email list. If they’re not interested, they’re not interested. Ideally, you want people who you can be around 90% sure (or higher) are interested in what you’ve got. This makes your life a lot easier. It’s well worth vetting your leads carefully rather than just signing up everyone because lists simply don’t work with audiences who aren’t interested in what you’ve got.

With that said, time to talk about four email subject line strategies that you can use to get people to bust open that email. Remember – they will work best on a list that is interested in what you have to offer. If they’re not interested, then very little is going to get them.

Throw Down Some Referral Emails (Real and Fake)

This is so easy, yet so effective. However, it all hinges on knowing someone that the target knows and leveraging that in the email subject line. Here’s an example:

Hey John, found you through Bob

It’s effortless, isn’t it? Now, OK, this isn’t going to work on a huge internet marketer’s list, but if you’re working on a more personal list – trying to get some carefully targeted business to buy your product or service, it can work wonders.

Of course, you can also get referrals from your current clients, which is another way to do it. Whichever way you create that referral email, it works because it feels personal. What happened? Did Bob…? It elicits curiosity, which is a huge, powerful emotion that makes the click a formality.

Just remember to make sure that your subject line is reflected in the content. Talk about it a bit more, don’t just jump into what you want to say. That’s misdirection, and it’s something that destroys your approach. So, tread softly, kitten.

Leverage the Power of Real Personalization

Of course, you’re not always going to be able to hit up the referral angle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t leverage that research. Mention something they’ve achieved and congratulate them, or take an approach that shows a real level of personalization. Here’s an example:

John, fantastic job with the merger!

Google is a great resource to find people or companies they’ve worked with, dig around their history a little, find interviews. The more you’ve got, the more convincing the header and your email content becomes.

Remember, the key to all this is simply to get them to open, and to keep them reading when they’re in the email. This line – and similar lines to it, work with what you find – work because it builds a connection. You know what John did, and John feels good. It was a great job, thanks! Keep in mind that once again, you must not launch straight into your spiel. Don’t lose them the second they see it was a ploy. Show that this is genuine, personal interest, and that it gave you an idea. Find an angle, work it, and you’ll both benefit.

Use Generic, But Customized Subject Lines

Now, this third approach is really more for those individuals where there’s nothing on Google. Your research is fruitless, and you’ve reached a brick wall. This is also a great subject header for anyone who wants to get a more effective mass mailing strategy set up because bulk sending is easy to set up. Here’s an example:

Hey John, about Your Company/Name and My Company

As you can see, this subject line is customized to a lesser extent than the previous ones, but it still has that eye-catching feel of personalization. Better yet, it’s not going to require in-depth Google research to put together a good email that feels personal to the reader.

One thing to check before sending out these in mass mail is the quality of the information in your Excel file. A lot of people don’t spend too much time filling these out, so you can end up with oddities like company names in all caps, gibberish, and worse. Obviously, this makes a mockery of this approach, so it’s really something you need to check and avoid. If it’s a large list, then outsource it – it’s mindnumbing work!

The Lazy Guy’s Option: Blast It

OK, so you want to be lazy. All the above sound like a lot of work, and you just don’t want to deal with it right now. I don’t really recommend this option, but it can be effective. Better yet, you can literally just blast this out to the world without having to do much at all.

So, what is it?

It’s a completely generic, completely boring, dull email subject line that will surprise you – but it does work, and it does get opened.

Hey John

Yep, that’s it. It’s painfully generic, provides no information, yet people still open because it still interests them. Who is writing? What do they have to say?

Remember, all we care about right now, in this article, is getting people to open the email with powerful email subject lines. We’re not playing around with fancy words and psychological tricks (much), just getting that open.

With that said, the reason I would never recommend this – or use it unless as a joke – is because it’s horribly misleading, and it will damage that lead’s trust in you. Honestly, unless you just don’t care or are flat out of options, don’t do this.

So, those are four email subject lines that you can start using from today to get your open rates going up. Try them and see how your next email blast or campaign goes!