You know that sinking feeling when you spend an hour crafting the perfect email, hit send to your entire list, and then watch it get the digital equivalent of crickets?
Meanwhile, your friend casually mentions that her “random Tuesday email” got a 65% open rate, and you’re over here celebrating when yours hits 18%. (It’s giving that 😬 feeling in your stomach)
What’s the difference? It’s probably not the content inside the email, but those few words that show up in the inbox preview.
Something I see all the time is founders who write incredible emails that convert sooooo well… when people actually open them. But getting past that inbox preview is where things get tricky.
And that’s exactly what we’re going to fix today with some email marketing subject line tips. By the end of this, you’ll know exactly how to write email subject lines that get opened instead of left on unread.
Email subject lines for small businesses are the gatekeepers to everything else. Your email is competing with work updates, family group chats, and seventeen different brands all screaming “SALE!” at the same time (Overwhelming much?).
Most subject lines sound like marketing. And people have gotten really, realllly good at spotting (and ignoring) anything that feels like they’re about to be sold to.
If you’re thinking, “Okay so how do I write subject lines that will get my emails opened?” The secret is writing subject lines that don’t sound like marketing. They can’t sound like they came from a brand. You have to give it vibes as if it came from a friend who has something genuinely interesting to share (Not the friend who only texts you about MLM schemes, obviously).
So how does that work, exactly?
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Why Your Brain Ignores Most Subject Lines
Your subscriber opens their inbox and sees 47 unread emails. Their brain does this lightning-fast calculation:
“Is this relevant to me? Is this worth my time? What happens if I just… don’t?”
All of this happens in about 0.3 seconds.
If the email subject line for small businesses sounds like every other promotional email, their brain files it under “deal with later” (which we all know means never).
People click when it sparks curiosity, promises specific value, or feels personal.
Understanding email subject line psychology is key to how to improve email open rates.
The emails that get opened tap into one of these psychological triggers:
- Curiosity gap: You hint at valuable information without giving it all away
- Personal benefit: You promise something that directly improves their life
- Insider access: You make them feel like they’re getting exclusive information
- Problem acknowledgment: You call out a frustration they currently have
None of these involve screaming “SALE!” or using seventeen exclamation points. There’s a reason for that.
What Makes People Hit Delete Immediately
Before we talk about subject lines that *work*, let’s talk about the subject lines that make people’s eyes glaze over faster than a PowerPoint about quarterly projections.
Some subject lines are basically asking to be ignored:
Generic promotional language like “Shop Now!” or “Don’t Miss Out!” sound like every other marketing email ever sent. (Yawn 🥱)
ALL CAPS or excessive punctuation screams spam filter. Even if it makes it to the inbox, it feels aggressive and desperate.
Vague promises like “Everything you need!” are too broad to be believable or interesting. Everything for what? My skincare routine? My existential crisis? Be specific.
Boring announcements like “Newsletter #47” give people zero reason to care. (Unless you’re tracking your newsletter consumption like a fitness goal, which… respect)
Bait and switch tactics might get opened once, but you’ll lose trust forever.
If your subject line feels like it came from a marketing robot trying to sound human, it’s probably going straight to the digital trash can.
The Subject Line Types That Work
After writing hundreds of subject lines (and seeing which ones consistently perform best), here are the patterns that work:
The “Behind the Scenes” angle
“Why I almost quit my business last month” “Our newest launch sold out in 3 hours (here’s how)”
These work because people love insider access. They want to know what’s really happening behind those polished Instagram posts. (We’re all nosy, and that’s okay 😉)
The “Personal Confession” approach
“My biggest business mistake (embarrassing but true)” “I was completely wrong about email marketing”
Personal admissions feel safe to open because they don’t feel salesy. Plus, everyone loves a good story with a plot twist.
The “Specific Problem” method
“Your abandoned carts are trying to tell you something” “Why your morning routine isn’t working”
These work because they acknowledge the frustrations people regularly have. When someone sees a problem they have, they want to know the solution. (It’s like having someone read your mind, but in a helpful way)
The “Curious Numbers” strategy
“The $3 tool that changed my life” “47% of people are doing this completely wrong”
Specific numbers grab attention because they promise concrete information rather than vague fluff. And this works for more than numbers, too! Leading with curiosity often performs the BEST.
The “Conversation Starter” vibe
“Can we talk about something awkward?” “I have a weird question for you”
These feel personal and intimate, like the start of a real conversation rather than a marketing blast.
The key with all of these is that they sound like something you’d text your bestie, not broadcast to thousands of strangers on TikTok.
Subject Line Formulas That Work
You’re probably thinking, “This all sounds great, but can you just give me a formula I can follow?”
Absolutely. As part of any solid email marketing strategy, the best subject line formulas that work follow this pattern: Specific + Benefit + Curiosity
Here’s what I mean:
- Instead of: “New skincare line available!”
Try: “The serum that finally cleared my hormonal acne” - Instead of: “Email marketing tips inside”
Try: “Why your welcome emails aren’t working (+ the 2-minute fix)” - Instead of: “Check out our sale”
Try: “Everything in my cart right now (and why I’m obsessing)”
See how the second versions make you want to know more? The first ones sound like announcements you’d scroll right past, while the second ones sound like secrets you need to know.
Don’t Forget About Your Preview Text
Preview text is the short line of copy that shows up right after your subject line in most inboxes, giving you a few extra words to add context or build curiosity.
While it’s not as crucial as nailing your subject line, it’s still worth optimizing so you can see the best results with your email marketing efforts. It’s like the extra attempt to gain your reader’s interest and get them to open your email.
Keep it short (around 35 characters) to complement your subject line without repeating it, and treat it as extra space to make people even more curious about what’s inside.
How to Figure Out What Works for Your People
Now for the part where I tell you something you probably don’t want to hear…
Your audience is unique, so what gets my clients’ email open rates up might flop for you. The only way to know for sure is to test through subject line testing. (I know, I know… testing feels like extra work, but it’s worth it)
A/B test subject lines on your important campaigns. Send the same email with two different subject lines to small segments of your list, then send the winner to everyone else. It’s like a mini competition where your subject lines compete for the top spot in your inbox.
Pay attention to which emotions and topics get the best response from your specific subscribers. Some audiences love behind-the-scenes content, others prefer practical tips, and some respond best to personal stories. Your people will tell you what they want; you just have to pay attention.
Track not just open rates, but click rates and conversions too. Sometimes a subject line gets opened but doesn’t lead to action, which tells you there’s a disconnect between expectation and content. (Basically, you promised one thing and delivered another. Oops)
Your Subject Line Is Making Promises (Whether You Realize It or Not)
Something most people don’t think about is that your subject line sets expectations for what people will find inside.
If your subject line promises a personal story but your email is a sales pitch, people will feel tricked. When your subject line hints at valuable advice but your email is just fluff, they’ll stop trusting your future subject lines.
The best subject lines create the perfect setup for the content inside. They get people excited to open AND deliver on that excitement once they do. It’s like recommending a serum that clears up your bestie’s acne. You want them to trust your judgment, not feel like you oversold them on something that left their skin worse than before.
When your subject lines consistently deliver on their promises, your audience starts to believe that opening your emails is worth their time. That’s when you stop competing with the 47 other unread messages and start feeling like the email they look forward to.
Your subject line is your email’s first impression and your last chance to grab attention in a crowded inbox. Make it count, be honest, and give it that spice that’s impossible to ignore.Learning how to write email subject lines that get opened for YOUR audience can be trickier than it sounds.
But that’s exactly what I help founders figure out. Book a free consultation, and we can chat about getting your emails the attention they deserve (instead of letting them collect digital dust).
Thanks so much for reading! And speaking of: let’s talk about how I can help you write emails that your community actually reads.
I’m Aireanna, and I’m here to help you turn subscribers into loyal customers. If you’re vibing with what I’m sharing, here’s how we can keep in touch:
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Have a question or just want to chat? Drop me a DM on IG @aireannaelanah or email me at hello@aireannaelanah.com. I’d love to connect!
