Good cold email subject lines can be challenging to write. The reason is that you do not know your readers yet. 

Writing good cold email subject lines often frustrates marketers. The reason is that feedback is few and far between. There’s also the issue that the messages often wind up in the spam folder.

It is possible to anticipate up to 25% of your prospects opening your message. But only if it is customized, relevant, and delivered on time. 

When the messages sound robotic and without a personal touch, open rates may drop as low as 5%. If you are a marketer, you already know that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work. 

If you want to write emails, you should keep them as authentic as possible. This will yield more positive results for you.

Let’s review what good cold emails are before we begin writing to prospective customers. Here are some guidelines to follow.

Definition of Cold Email

A cold email, in short, initiates communication with an individual for a specific purpose. It paves the way for validating the quality of the lead you are after, either via discovery calls or through a string of follow-up emails.

Write your cold email subject lines in the field that says "Subject:", as you would in a regular email
Cold emails are unsolicited emails sent to prospects without prior contact

Salespeople aren’t the only ones who send cold emails. Almost everyone uses them. Cold emails are used if you need something from someone or if you want to contact someone, you don’t know. 

HR Managers, for example, receive cold emails from applicants regarding job opportunities.

The purpose of cold emails is usually to propose an agreement. A mutually beneficial agreement.

Whenever you send a cold email, there is always some uncertainty. People are generally reluctant to open messages from strangers. 

Your information on potential recipients may not give you all the insights you need to engage them.

What You Need To Do To Avoid Spam Filters For Cold Emails

Ideally, if you write a good, personalized copy, your email shouldn’t be blocked or flagged by spam filters. Is that right? It might be. 

Spam filters aren’t intelligent enough despite being advanced. A spam filter cannot comprehend the meaning of your email or the message you’re trying to convey. An email filter determines if you are likely to receive spam based on a series of signals.

The reasons for not publishing spam signals are obvious. Nonetheless, we can assume that spam folder algorithms are influenced by the following signals:

How Much of Your Email Goes to Junk

Messages that are moved to the junk folder by a lot of people are bad news. It is less likely for your emails to be labeled spam in the future if they’re moved from the junk folder to the inbox.

The Number of Times Your Messages Are Deleted

It indicates that you are likely a spammer when people delete your messages without opening them.

Open Rates 

It is a good sign if your open rates are high, and if many people are opening your messages. This suggests that you are not a spammer.

Tips for Preventing Spam Flags

You cannot control most of these factors. Some of them, however, are within your control. Here are some approaches you can take to avoid getting flagged as spam.

Use a Business Domain to Send Emails

A personal email account should not be used for mass mailings. Use your business domain to send emails. Here’s an example:

An example of using professional email address to send business proposals
Using your business domain to send emails can prevent spam flags

Use an Active Reply-to Address

When it comes to email marketing, it is important to avoid using no-reply addresses.

An example of using no-reply address for pitching an offer
Steer clear of using no-reply addresses as it can decrease your deliverability and hurt your email marketing campaign

These addresses imply one-way communication.

Those who are talking to you seem to think you are uninterested in what they have to say. You need a person to check the account regularly for replies.

List Segmentation

It is bad marketing to send one email to thousands of recipients. You may even end up getting your messages marked as spam. 

Consider segmenting your list by your customer’s profile or interest. You can limit the number of recipients for each email by segmenting your list.

How Do You Write a Good Cold Email Subject Lines

A subject line for emails that grabs the attention of a potential customer is essential. You could include the recipient’s name, a call to action, or an offer in the subject line.

55% of customers prefer marketing emails that are relevant to their interests. Therefore, personalization is a powerful marketing tool. 

To be successful in sales, you must understand your prospects. This means that, as a B2B marketer, you must understand the challenges your potential customers face. Also, be aware of the solutions they might find valuable.

Here are tips you can use that can help you come up with good cold email subject lines:

Send Relevant and Timely Messages

Sending them great offers might be the right thing to do, but it might not be the right time. Prior to making offers, B2B marketers need to understand their prospects’ buying cycles

You might have a great offer, for instance. Nevertheless, it may get ignored if the customer does not spend enough money yet.

Clarify What You Are Offering

Readers should know what to expect from the subject lines of your messages. Subject lines for email messages should be clear and concise.

Send Targeted Emails

The best way to increase your open rate is to craft tailored messages. A good way to catch the recipient’s attention is to include the recipient’s name in the subject. Don’t send the same cold email twice.

Instill a Sense of Urgency

Your aim is to ensure that your recipients open your messages as quickly as possible.

Examples of email subject lines that create a sense of urgency
Use your subject lines to create a sense of urgency and boost your open rates

You risk readers forgetting about your message if they see the subject line but decide to open it later. As soon as they return to their inbox, your message is probably buried under a mountain of other messages.

Entice Your Readers With an Intriguing Subject Line 

An email subject line’s primary purpose is to entice the reader to open it. The body copy is then responsible for encouraging further action. 

Your recipient will delete your message before reading its contents if your subject line does not pique their curiosity.

A catchy, concise, and relatable subject line for emails is the best. You should be able to give your reader a good sense of who you are by just skimming. Describe how you might be of interest to them.

How To Write Good Cold Email Subject Lines

When it comes to crafting cold email subject lines, there are many dos and don’ts. (add pic) Taking the time to follow the digital etiquette rules is imperative. 

You should be aware of legal requirements and best practices. Furthermore, you should consider the type of device your message will be read on. 

In writing a good cold email subject line, consider the following:

Tone and Language of the Message

A buzzword or industry jargon they may not understand is the fastest way to annoy your audience. Rather than speaking your own language, speak the language of your prospects.

Furthermore, even if the tone isn’t intended, a message can have a tone. Make sure you use ALL CAPS and exclamation points with caution. There is a risk of setting off an angry tone, which can lead to misunderstandings. 

Sending Emails at the Best Time 

Take into account your own workflow. When do you prefer to check your email? It is likely that prospects will not be interested in cold emails sent over the weekend. 

Also, it’s important to know the best time to post and send an email. It isn’t enough to send them at the right time for your campaign to succeed. It can, however, make a difference.

It’s important to remember that sending messages at the same time isn’t a one size fits all scenario. You should base your sending time on whom you want to send the message to. 

Consider this example. If you have nurses working the midnight shift as recipients, you wouldn’t want to send them emails at night or during their shift.

You Can Use Emojis in Your Subject Lines for Emails

When it comes to marketing, emojis are a contentious issue. If done right, it can make a strong impression on prospects. It gives your message some personality. 

Emojis in cold email subject lines can lead to higher open rates
Use emojis (where appropriate) in your cold email subject lines to boost response rates

Emojis set your subject line apart from the others. The message becomes more noticeable.  

However, emojis may not be well-received by all your audience members. Consider your audience carefully when choosing emojis.

No matter where or who receives your email, the subject line should be effective. Your subject line should be no more than 60 characters and no more than 10 words. Also, try not to exceed 55 characters for email previews.

Examples of Good Cold Email Subject Lines

Combined with a catchy subject line, personalized cold emails can increase your response rates.

Here are some good cold email subject lines examples. Here are some tested marketing strategies you can try:

Cold Email Subject Lines That Generate Curiosity

A subject line that appeals to emotions is highly effective. After all, emotions drive us to act. Creating curiosity is the best way to achieve this.

In what way? Don’t reveal everything in the subject line of your email. Give them a reason to open the message. Follow up by writing an engaging message.

Here are some examples:

“This article will excite you, [recipient’s name].”

This prompt is effective because it provides immediate value for the reader. Your actions demonstrate that you are familiar with and understand their business.

By demonstrating this level of engagement, you demonstrate your willingness to engage with them on a specific topic. Increasing click-through rates can be done by using the fact that many people enjoy sharing articles online.

“Are you having trouble? Here’s what you can do.”

Sender’s subject line omits specifics about the problems they are experiencing. How can the problems be resolved?

 With this subject line, there is a sense of mystery that draws you in.  Which is exactly what you want. In order to encourage them to take the next step and reply, make sure to write a highly effective and customized email.

Hey, [recipients name] you missed the opportunity

Fear of Missing Out is also called FOMO by millennials. When you don’t have the experiences you are supposed to be having, you feel unsatisfied. 

Basically, this subject line informs the reader that something has been missed. The reader can only find out what has been missed if they open and read the message.

Good Cold Email Subject Lines: Question-based

Humans develop the need to know the answer to a question when presented with one.

What results from this? Due to this, recipients feel compelled to open the email in order to find the answer.

“Are you available on [date]?”

It conveys a sense of urgency with the use of the date and time, without being overly dramatic. Prospects will be less likely to leave emails unread if they know they must respond within a certain time frame. 

You’re not required to stay within the time frame specified in your subject. Listed in the email body, you can indicate a range of times you’re available.

Are you familiar with [place name]?”

A slight cyberstalking is necessary for this tactic. If you know where the prospect works, consider searching for highly rated restaurants nearby.

This location is convenient for scheduling a meeting afterward. The prospect might even take you to his favorite restaurant if you’re lucky. It would be impossible to turn down that offer.

“Are you able to solve your problem yet?”

The subject line of this email should be used when you know for sure your prospect has not resolved the problem you’re discussing. If you simply fire your shot, there’s a chance that the reader is likely to simply say, “I’m with you”. 

Pain Points Addressed in Cold Email Subject Lines

Nothing triggers a working professional as much as addressing their daily pain point.

The goal of a subject line is to identify the prospect’s pain point. Get back to them with a solution in your email body, so you can get a reply.

“A better way to achieve your goals”

Everyone wishes they could achieve their goals faster and more effectively. Understanding the receiver’s most pressing business concerns is crucial to writing this cold email subject line. 

You are not asking him or her for anything; you are bringing solutions to the table. Surely everyone wants to hear about those solutions, right?

“Keep your daily activities stress-free”

One of the most common problems is stress. Customize your subject line based on your prospect’s concerns.

It creates a sense of urgency when you use the word “today.”. Why wait any longer when you can get rid of the stress today?

Good Cold Email Subject Lines That Grab Attention

Let’s say a friend approaches you and says, “Hey, I have important things to talk to you about”. The majority of the time, it catches your attention, and you become interested in what they have to say. 

In the same way, email works as well. 

“Let’s discuss this idea”

Knowing what your email recipient is interested in should be easy. As soon as your prospects see this email title at the top of their inbox, they should be curious. 

Everyone likes to discuss their favorite topics, so this subject line appeals to them. Depending on the tone you are going for, you may want to experiment with business and personal topics.

“I just have a quick question about this task”

You’re accomplishing two things with this. By giving the receiver the role of the expert, you’re empowering them. Also, you’re showing them that their time is valuable. 

If you assume that a prospect knows the answer to a key question, you make them feel confident. Many people are willing to help, especially if they can demonstrate some specialized knowledge.

An Effective Tool for Email Marketing

As a marketer, your instincts will ultimately guide you in crafting the best headlines. This does not mean that you should disregard objective advice.

The best way to test email subject lines is through A/B testing. Test a few subject lines on different audience segments to find out which ones convert best.

After that, you determine which subject line performs better by monitoring opening and conversion rates. Email marketing campaigns can be improved over time with A/B testing.

Aside from A/B Testing, you can also use an autoresponder. Email autoresponders aren’t designed to help you test subject lines for emails.

It is used to automate the sending time of your emails. Although a good subject line is important, if the email is not sent at the right time it loses its impact.

For example, you intended to send good cold email subject lines during Christmas, but since it’s a busy time you forgot. Instead, you sent the email in January. Get the idea?

Make your subject line effective by sending it at the right time using an autoresponder. We recommend Mailvio for this. 

Mailvio is an autoresponder with a built-in SMTP server. You can use it without any technical knowledge.

The features in Mailvio will enhance your ability to make money online. Some of its features are:

  • A/B Split testing
  • Email Segmentation
  • Detailed analytics
  • Automation
  • Drag and drop editor

And so much more. 

Final Thoughts

Good cold email subject lines combined with tailored content make for successful email marketing. Create your own subject lines by drawing inspiration from these examples. What you need to do is be unique and stand out from the crowd.

Use patterns and strategies that have been proven to work to generate new subject lines. You need to revise your subject line if prospects are not clicking on your emails.

It’s the messaging of your email that needs to be improved if prospects open your email and read it but don’t respond.

Test different subject lines to increase open rates, and try out new techniques.

Neil Napier

Neil Napier is the co-founder of Mailvio. Neil started his entrepreneurial journey in 2012 out of necessity to keep his visa in the UK, when he failed to keep his visa he moved to Finland and started his career as a serial entrepreneur and super affiliate. With over $10 million USD in revenue generated, he is a sought-after expert entrepreneur, copywriter & product creator.

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