Cold email is an incredibly powerful marketing and sales tool for your business if you use it right. When executed strategically, a properly worded cold email has the potential to create relationships that other marketing methods would’ve missed out on.
Cold email campaigns offer a unique advantage – they let you communicate with your potential customers even if you have no prior relationship with them. However, you don’t want to be just another notification in their already crowded inbox.
You want your email to stand out and compel your recipient to read it. That’s where a well-drafted subject line comes into play.
The best cold email subject line is concise, compelling, and personalized. It piques curiosity, addresses a pain point or benefit, and creates a sense of urgency, ultimately increasing the chances that your recipient will open and read your email.
Not paying attention to your cold email subject line can negate your marketing efforts and result in abysmal conversion rates. It pays to put some thought into writing your email subject line instead of just winging it as an afterthought.
Throughout this article, we’ll explore proven strategies, best practices, and actionable tips to help you master the art (and yes, it is an art!) of writing subject lines that compel recipients to click, read, and take action.
So, let’s get going, shall we?
What makes a great cold email subject line?
The subject line of your cold email is your first chance to entice your reader and compel them to read through your email. And if you’re not careful, it could be your last chance!
The last thing you want is to write a bland or generic subject line that buries your email in the avalanche of emails your client’s inbox receives daily.
Crafting a successful cold email subject line involves careful consideration of the context of the email, your marketing strategy, and several other factors. An email subject line that might work in one context might not work in a different context.
For instance, if you are writing an email about the new services you just launched, the subject line should reflect the utility of the service to your potential client right away.
You want to be as direct as possible in your subject line. There is no reason to be enigmatic or coy when it comes to cold email subject lines.
Here is what makes a subject line more compelling for your readers:
Addresses a pain point
Nothing grabs your potential client’s attention like addressing a pain point they might be experiencing directly in the subject line itself. When you highlight or address a problem or challenge they might be facing, you immediately establish the relevance of your email.
Furthermore, when your subject line addresses a pain point, you are subtly positioning yourself as someone with the solution.
That said, you should avoid being too aggressive when providing a solution as part of your subject line to avoid coming off as too salesy.
For instance, here is a great subject line that perfectly addresses a pain point and hints at the possibility that the reader might find a solution if they read the email:
“Struggling to Increase Website Traffic? Here’s a Solution”
As you can see, the subject line is direct and comes off as genuine. If you were indeed struggling with your website traffic, wouldn’t you be intrigued by this subject line? We would be too!
Poses a question
Another virtue of a good subject line is that it poses a compelling question to the reader and compels them to find the answer by opening the email. The biggest challenge to crafting a subject line like this is finding the right question.
The question should resonate with your potential client’s interests or the challenges they might be facing. You should also pay close attention to the wording of the question itself. You want it to be as direct as possible.
Also, try to keep the questions as broad as possible that might apply to a high percentage of your recipients. If your question is too esoteric, it might not interest enough people to find the answer.
Creates a sense of urgency
A subject line for a cold email that elicits an emotional response from the recipient always results in high click rates.
One of the best emotions you can target to compel your recipients to open your email is the “fear of missing out” or FOMO.
You want to invoke the feeling that the reader will miss out on a great deal if they don’t take immediate action. Including words like “limited time,” “exclusive offer,” or “ending soon” in your cold email subject line can convey a sense of urgency.
Your reader might feel that if they don’t open the email immediately, they might miss out on an exclusive offer.
Now, it is a great strategy, but you need to back it up in your email as well.
If your subject line says that you have a limited-time offer and the email fails to deliver on this premise, the reader will be turned off, and you don’t want that.
So, if you are trying to invoke FOMO using a subject line, you’d better deliver on your promise in your email.
Generates curiosity
Another great emotion to invoke using your email subject line is curiosity. Humans are curious creatures, and we like when someone titillates our inquisitiveness.
If your subject line sparks curiosity in your potential reader, they might wonder what valuable information or opportunity lies within the email.
If your cold email subject line can bring out this feeling in your reader, you can rest assured that your email will be opened.
Like almost all other cold email subject line characteristics, you don’t want to overwork the curiosity angle. For example, if our cold email subject line reads “Unlock the Secret to Doubling Your Sales Overnight,” you better have a method to double the sales overnight!
Shows a mutual connection
People tend to trust what you have to say if they share a mutual connection or have a mutual interest with you. The cold email subject lines are no different. If you successfully connect with your recipient, they are more likely to give your email a shot.
Incorporating a direct reference works best. For example, a subject like saying, “Jack Smith recommended we should connect,” instantly establishes a mutual connection between you and the recipient.
You are no longer a random person but have some instant credibility as someone recommended by a mutual contact. It is the email version of an icebreaker and yields tremendous results.
Provides value
Perhaps the most crucial value of the best cold email subject line is the promise that the email will deliver value. Your potential clients are more likely to engage with your email if they feel that the email might add value to their day.
Whether it is a valuable resource, insider tips, or industry insights, your subject line should convey the value that awaits the recipient upon opening the email. An example could be “Free eBook: Master the Art of Social Media Marketing.”
By offering a valuable resource for free, you position yourself as a helpful and knowledgeable source, making the recipient eager to open the email and access the eBook.
While no universal cold emailing subject line will guarantee a high open rate, the best ones have a few things in common. Most successful cold email subject lines address a pain point and create curiosity, intrigue, and a sense of urgency in the reader’s mind.
Subject lines that resonate with your recipient’s interests or challenges that you are facing tend to perform much better.
Always remember to experiment with different subject lines for cold emails. You want to determine the subject line that best suits your audience and goes well with what you offer.
Best cold email subject lines for each use case
If you want your cold email subject line to be effective, you don’t want to take a cookie-cutter approach with them. Every situation is different, and while you may have a winning subject line that might work under certain circumstances, it might fail miserably in others.
So, it is essential that you have a very subjective approach to your cold call email subject lines ensuring that they are targeted and tweaked for different situations.
Let’s take a few examples of cold-calling email subject lines that work in different contexts and scenarios.
Cold email subject lines that address a pain point
Here are a few cold email subject line examples that hit the mark, addressing pain points directly to give you excellent results:
1. “Are your sales strategies falling flat? Try our game-changing approach.”
2. “Struggling with time management? Open for life-changing tips.”
3. “Rising marketing costs have you worried? Use our time-tested strategy.”
4. “Feeling stuck in your career? Break the shackles with our webinar.”
5. “A 5-step plan to make your workflow easy.”
As you can appreciate, all these subject lines address the potential customer’s pain point in direct words and offer a ready-made solution for them. These lines are also short and to the point, contributing to their success.
Cold email subject lines that pose a question
If you want to pose a question in your cold email subject line, here are a few examples for you to draw inspiration from:
6. “Are you leaving money on the table? Here’s how to maximize profits.”
7. “Why hire [Your Company]? And why now?”
8. “Do you make these mistakes in your marketing strategy?”
9. “Do you know about this latest paradigm shift in [Target Industry]”
10. “Do you face this challenge as well?”
Cold email subject lines that create a sense of urgency
Creating a sense of urgency is a sure-shot way of getting your cold email opened. However, you must word your subject line carefully for this approach to be successful.
Here are a few examples that have worked for many of our clients in the past:
11. “Take advantage of this offer before it expires today!”
12. “Book today; only a few seats are available.”
13. “Only two days to go for [Event Name], free for a call?
14. “21 hidden tips your competitors are using (but you are not).”
15. “Seats are filling up fast for [event name]. Reserve your seat today.”
Cold email subject lines that pique curiosity
If you can get your recipient curious about what your email holds with a carefully worded subject line, you are more likely to get it clicked. Here are a few great examples of cold email subject lines that will raise some curious eyebrows!
16. “Here is a gift for you from [Your Company].”
17. “Open this email for a surprise.”
18. “It’s your lucky day; open to see why.”
19. “Here’s what you have been waiting for.”
Cold email subject lines that establish a mutual connection
Establishing a mutual connection can work wonders in a cold email subject line. Here are a few examples to drive this point home:
20. ” Hey, [Mutual Contact] recommended we get in touch.”
21. “Hi [Recipient’s Name], we met at [Event name].”
22. “A friend of [Mutual Contact]”
23. “Saw your presentation at [Event Name].”
When your email provides value to your potential client, it is crucial to reflect that sentiment in your cold email subject line.
Cold email subject lines that provide value
Here are a few examples of the best subject lines for cold emails that perfectly complement the contents of the email in terms of providing value to the recipient.
24. “An easy-to-implement strategy to improve [Product or Service]”
25. “Free e-book on our brand-new HR strategy.”
26. “Remove the guesswork from [Activity] starting today.”
27. “Improve sales with these actionable tips.”
Cold email subject line examples
A well-crafted subject line significantly impacts open rates. It serves as a preview of the content inside the email and acts as a deciding factor for recipients to click and explore further.
A strong subject line can entice recipients to open the email, leading to higher open rates and improving overall campaign success.
Cold email subject lines when cold emailing recruiters
A cold email subject line to a recruiter should immediately grab their attention and convey your value as a candidate. To be effective, your cold email subject line to a recruiter must be to-the-point, professional, and personalized.
Compelling subject lines highlight your top skills, showcase relevant experience, and express enthusiasm for the opportunity. For instance, use subject lines like “Experienced marketing specialist with a proven track record” or “Passionate HR professional seeking new challenges.”
Cold email subject lines for jobs
When crafting subject lines for cold emails for job inquiries, making a strong impression and highlighting your value as a candidate is important.
Always include keywords from the job posting. Some example subject lines you might want to try out for sending cold emails for a job include “Sales professional with 10 years experience in the retail industry ” or “Full stack developer, previously with Microsoft.”
Your subject line should immediately convey to HR your potential importance to the organization.
Cold email subject lines for networking
Cold emails are a great way to build your professional network. When you write to connect with someone, the subject of a cold email must provide your value to the recipient.
Always bring up a mutual contact, reference a recent article or event, or highlight a potential opportunity for collaboration.
Examples of effective subject lines are “Loved your talk at [event name] – Free for a chat?” or “Hi, [Mutual Contact] suggested I reach out.”
Cold email subject lines for B2B communication
Your cold email subject lines must resonate with busy professionals when engaging in business communication. It must also convey the potential value you offer their business. Consider using subject lines highlighting a solution, offering industry insights, or proposing a collaboration opportunity.
Examples of the best B2B cold email subject lines could be “Streamline your operations with our innovative software solution” or “Unlocking growth strategies for [industry].”
Takeaway: Make a great first impression with a good cold email subject line that works
The subject line of your cold email serves as the initial impression and determining factor for the importance of your email to the recipient. A compelling subject line grabs their attention and entices them to explore further.
It also sets expectations for the content inside the email. A clear and relevant subject line ensures that the recipient understands the purpose and relevance of the email.
Moreover, a well-crafted subject line increases the open rates of cold emails, leading to more opportunities for engagement and conversion.
It pays to put effort into drafting good cold email subject lines. However, you should remember that the subject lines that work the best are tailored to your recipients and offer a unique value proposition that your competitor’s emails might not.
Once you have an enticing subject line, as we saw earlier, it’s time to write an engaging email. An effective cold email can’t afford to miss either a good subject line or an engaging email body. We have curated a list of 33 Unusual Cold Email Templates to Generate More Leads for you to check out!