32 Cold Email Subject Lines You Should Try to Get Opens

In the world of digital communication, cold email subject lines serve as gateways to capturing your recipient's attention. A well-crafted subject line can be the key to breaking through the noise and sparking interest, making it a crucial element of your email marketing strategy.

Now, let’s delve into the art of crafting captivating cold email subject lines that entice recipients to open, engage, and take action!

Your Email's Subject Line

When it comes to cold emails, the subject line serves as the first impression. About a third of recipients use the subject line as the basis for deciding whether or not they’ll open an email. About 65% of marketers also agree that subject lines have a highly significant impact on open rates.

Unlike warm emails sent to individuals who have already shown interest, cold emails are often met with skepticism. A powerful subject line can make the difference between your email being opened or ignored. Beyond securing opens, subject lines also influence engagement, clicks, and conversions.

Writing Subject Lines for Your Target Audience 

Crafting effective cold email subject lines requires striking a delicate balance between intrigue and relevance to create a convincing pull. To help you in mastering this art, here are seven best practices to keep in mind:

Be concise

A short and snappy subject line grabs attention quickly. Lengthy subject lines will get cropped, especially on mobile devices.

Personalize

Use the recipient's name or reference their interests to make it personal. Take it further and mention something they’re interested in, their brand, or even a specific pain point they may have voiced out in person or on the internet.

Create urgency

Invoke a sense of urgency to encourage immediate action. A fear of missing out on information or offers can get emails opened! Try something time-sensitive!

Offer value

Clearly convey the benefit or value of opening the email. If you have something truly great to offer, putting it in the forefront of your introduction should be a top choice.

Ask a question

Pose a thought-provoking question that prompts curiosity. Conduct research on what makes your target audience tick and try to ask them something that pulls them in for an answer!

Use humor

Clever and catchy subject lines can break the monotony and amuse the recipient. This can also effectively convey your brand’s values and give prospects a sneak peek of who you are.

Experiment with emojis

Emojis are a thing now in email marketing and can add a touch of visual appeal and convey emotions.

Email Marketing Subject Line Styles 

Cold email subject lines come in various styles, each with its own unique charm and purpose. Consider these styles as tools in your subject line toolbox:

Informational

Offer useful insights or information to pique curiosity.

Personal

Create a connection by referencing the recipient's interests or needs.

Urgent

Convey a time-sensitive offer or deadline.

Clever and Catchy

Use wordplay or a clever twist to stand out.

Short and Sweet

Keep it concise and attention-grabbing.

List

Highlight a list of benefits or solutions.

Question

Pose a question that intrigues the recipient.

How-To

Promise a solution or guide to a problem.

Scarcity or Fear-of-Missing-Out

Invoke urgency by implying limited availability.

Local

Mention a local event or connection.

Trendy

Reference current trends or buzzworthy topics.

Controversial

Pose a thought-provoking statement to spark interest.

Keyword-Focused

Use keywords relevant to the recipient's interests.

Command / Request

Encourage action with a direct command or request.

Statistical Data

Use numbers or data to emphasize value.

Sneak Peek

Offer a glimpse of what's inside the email.

Offers

Highlight a special offer, discount, or deal.

Types of Cold Email Outreach 

Cold email subject lines vary based on the type of outreach you're conducting. Whether it's a sales pitch, media outreach, networking connection, brand introduction, content promotion, or link-building request, your subject line should align with your goal.

Each type of cold email outreach requires a tailored approach to ensure your subject line resonates with the recipient's needs and interests. Aligning your subject line with the purpose of your outreach should increase your chances of grabbing the recipient's attention and achieving your goals.

Sales Outreach:

This type of cold email is focused on selling your product or service to potential customers. Your subject line should convey value and intrigue, highlighting how your offering can solve their pain points or enhance their business.

Media Pitch:

In media outreach, you're reaching out to journalists, bloggers, or influencers to pitch a story, article, or collaboration idea. Your subject line should be attention-grabbing, hinting at the unique angle or story you're proposing.

Networking Pitch:

When networking through cold emails, you're looking to establish connections or partnerships with individuals who can benefit your business. Your subject line should emphasize mutual benefits and shared interests.

Brand Pitch:

A brand pitch involves introducing your brand, product, or service to potential collaborators, partners, or affiliates. Your subject line should reflect your brand's uniqueness and the value it brings to the recipient.

Content Promotion:

In content promotion outreach, you're sharing your valuable content, such as blog posts, ebooks, or videos, with relevant audiences. Your subject line should highlight the specific content's relevance and benefits.

Link Building:

Link building cold emails aim to secure backlinks to your website from other reputable sites. Your subject line should focus on the mutual benefits of collaboration and how it aligns with the recipient's content.

32 Cold Email Subject Lines You Should Try 

Ready to experiment with captivating cold email subject lines? Here are 35 examples to get you started.

"Unlock New Opportunities with [Recipient's Company Name]"

• This method of personalization may take some time to execute, but it will definitely be rewarding. You can also try the shorter “ 2 Days Left to Unlock New Opportunities” for a psychological appeal for urgency and higher open rates.

"Quick Question: Are You [Specific Pain Point]?"

Presenting audience-specific pain-points will always come off as empathic and result in higher engagement. Keep it short and make sure your email’s content follows through with empathy for your audience.

"Exclusive Invitation: [Event] Attendee Special"

Got an upcoming event? Don’t miss out on inviting even your cold leads! We tried this as “48 hours left for The Leverage Summit Attendee special” and got astounding results from Moosend and Advanced Marketing Institute’s testers!

"Double Your Outreach Success with These Tips"

This one should be inviting enough as a cold email subject line, but some personalization would help. Want to be more specific? Try “3 Days Left to 2x Your Sales” and to get better results.

"Don't Miss Out: Limited-Time Offer Inside"

Urgency sells. Even to cold leads. Try different, more specific iterations like “3 Days Left for Designer Templates” and add emojis!

"Boost Your ROI Today with [Your Product]"

With the right words, a sales outreach headline line this can work to your benefit by immediately introducing your primary benefit to potential customers.

"Your Next Big Break: [Benefit] Awaits"

Promising recipients a significant or specific benefit positions your email as an opportunity for their next breakthrough, making it more likely to be opened.

"Revolutionize Your Strategy with [Your Solution]"

This subject line appeals to recipients seeking innovative solutions to their problems. In your email, clearly explain what your solution is to ensure a good click-through-rate.

"Unlock Secrets to [Specific Benefit] Now"

People are intrigued by secrets, and this subject line hints at valuable insights that recipients can gain by opening your email.

"Time-Sensitive: [Recipient's Name], Your [Offer] Expires Soon"

Emphasizing urgency by mentioning a time-sensitive offer and the recipient's name increases the likelihood of quick engagement.

"Grab the Spotlight: [Your Solution] for [Recipient's Company]"

By offering your solution as a way for the recipient's company to stand out, you pique their interest and encourage them to learn more. The touch of personalization can also increase your email’s chances of getting opened.

"Discover [Your Unique Value Proposition] Inside"

Highlighting your USP can intrigue recipients and encourage them to open the email to learn what really sets your offering apart.

"Quick Tips for [Common Pain Point] Relief"

Offering quick tips for addressing a common pain point demonstrates immediate value, making for an enticing cold email subject line.

"[Your Solution]: The Ultimate [Benefit] Tool"

Positioning your solution as the ultimate tool for a specific benefit makes the recipient curious about how it can fulfill their needs.

"Join Industry Experts at [Event Name] - Claim Your Spot"

Inviting recipients to an industry event featuring experts creates a sense of importance and encourages them to secure their spot.

"Elevate Your [Specific Goal] Game with [Your Solution]"

This subject line speaks directly to recipients looking to enhance a specific goal, making them more likely to open the email to discover how.

"[Recipient's Name], Let's Build Something Great Together"

Pitching the idea of a collaboration to a recipient invites them to open an email and discover exactly what you mean by working together. Adding a touch of personalization will also improve your open rates.

"Attention [Industry]: [Exciting Update] Just In"

Addressing the recipient's industry earns you a point at personalization and delivering the news of an interesting update will pique their curiosity.

"Enhance [Recipient's Goal] with [Your Product]"

Writing subject lines by directly relating your product to a recipient’s goal or service can encourage them to find out more about your message.

"Open for [Benefit]? Let's Chat, [Recipient's Name]"

Posing a question about a desired benefit and inviting a chat with the recipient's name encourages engagement and conversation. You can also use this subject line for collaborative link-building pitches.

"Your Secret Weapon for [Specific Benefit]"

Implying that your solution holds a special advantage appeals to recipients looking for ways to achieve a specific benefit. Knowing what benefit your recipients are aiming for should be accomplished before using this headline.

"Invitation: Join [Webinar Name] and Elevate Your Strategy"

Inviting recipients to a webinar and mentioning the primary benefit of attending creates a sense of opportunity and encourages them to participate. You can opt to specify your webinar’s benefits to your target audience to really hit the mark.

"Upgrade Your [Specific Process] with [Your Solution]"

Focusing on upgrading a specific process with your solution resonates with recipients seeking process improvement. Again, using subject lines like these require that you know more about your recipients pain points or even potential bottlenecks.

"[Recipient's Name], Your [Challenge] Solution Awaits"

Personalizing the subject line and presenting your solution as the remedy for a specific challenge generates curiosity and interest.

"Reaching New Heights: [Your Solution] for [Recipient's Goal]"

This subject line positions your solution as a way for recipients to achieve their goals, increasing the appeal among goal-oriented recipients.

"Claim Your [Exclusive Offer] Today"

Inviting recipients to claim a time-sensitive offer creates a sense of urgency and prompts them to take immediate action. Time-sensitive subject lines can impact your open-rates positively.

"Revolutionize Your [Specific Task] with [Your Product]"

Positioning your product as a revolutionary solution for a specific task captures the attention of those seeking efficiency.

"Game-Changing Insights for [Industry]: Let's Connect"

Offering game-changing insights relevant to the recipient's industry creates intrigue and encourages connection.

"Meet [Your Name]: Your [Industry] Expert Resource"

Introducing yourself or your tool as an industry expert resource establishes credibility and encourages recipients to engage with your email.

"Empower Your [Recipient's Goal] with [Your Solution]"

This subject line suggests that your solution has the power to empower recipients in achieving their specific goals.

"Accelerate Your [Specific Process] with [Your Solution]"

Promising to accelerate a specific process with your solution appeals to recipients seeking efficiency and optimization. This also shows that you’ve done your research to have an idea of where problems may exist for your prospects.

"Your [Recipient's Goal] Transformation Begins Now"

This subject line hints at a transformative journey, capturing the attention of recipients seeking change and improvement. Depending on your refinement, this subject line can present an opportunity for a sales pitch, networking, or even a media pitch.

Subject Line Testers for Your Next Campaign

Here are some free tools to help you craft cold email subject lines that compel prospects to open your very first email:

• Co-schedule
• Moosend
• Advanced Marketing Institute
• Omnisend

While these testers use different algorithms and criteria to rank submissions, using at least one of them to refine your subject lines should impact your open rates.

Beware: Words that Take Emails to Spam 

Before you hit send, be cautious of words and phrases that could trigger spam filters. Avoid using terms like "free," "urgent," "earn money," and excessive exclamation points. Keeping your subject lines relevant and authentic will help ensure your emails land in the recipient's inbox, not the spam folder.

Conclusion 

Crafting emails that lead to opens and engagement requires a mix of creativity, strategy, and understanding your audience. Incorporating these techniques and experimenting with various styles can increase your open rates and engagement. 

Remember, your subject line is your first impression – make it count and drive recipients to explore the valuable content within your emails. As you navigate the world of email marketing, continue to tailor your subject lines to your goals and audience. From informational to urgent, the right subject line can open doors and initiate meaningful connections.

Need help? You can fill out this form to consult one of our experts about how a marketing virtual assistant can help you with testing subject lines, crafting email campaigns, and meeting your other marketing needs.

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