Nobody reads your Newsletter if they don’t open it: 5 ways to write better subject lines

Nobody reads your Newsletter if they don’t open it:
5 ways to write better subject lines

By Kate Morris-Double, KMD Marketing

You’ve put hours of work into crafting your newsletter. Here’s how to make sure people open it.

If you send an email newsletter, I’d bet you spend about 30 seconds on the subject line, right at the end, once the “real” work is done. Most of us do.

But the subject line decides whether anyone reads the brilliant content inside. Here are five simple ways to improve yours.

1. Look at what’s already working

Before you change anything, do a quick audit. Open your email platform and look at your last ten newsletters. Which had the highest open rates? Look for patterns, such as topics or styles of subject line that spark curiosity and get more opens. Your audience is already telling you what they like.

2. Call out your reader directly

I don’t just mean adding someone’s first name. Make your reader feel the email was written for them. If your business is local, use that: “Wiltshire homeowners, this one’s for you.” If you serve a niche, name it: “What tired mums really need” or “For the small business owner who finds marketing hard.” The right person sees it and thinks, they’re talking to me.

3. Don’t give everything away

A subject line that tells the whole story gives people no reason to click. Leave a little curiosity on the table so they want to find out the rest.

4. Write the same subject line three different ways

Before you settle on one, write three versions and pick the strongest. For example:

• Direct: How to save for a holiday when you’re self-employed
• Personal and specific: How I saved for a safari on a self-employed income
• Question: Dreaming of a holiday? Struggling to save as a self-employed business owner?

Seeing them side by side makes the best one much easier to spot.

5. Try a subject line tester

My favourite is subjectline.com, a free tool that scores your subject line and suggests improvements. It’s well worth a go the next time you’re stuck.

A small change with a big payoff

You don’t need to overhaul your whole email strategy to see results. Giving your subject lines a few more minutes of attention can mean more opens, more readers and more people seeing the work you’ve put into your newsletter.

Kate Morris-Double is a friendly marketing mentor who helps business owners make marketing easier and more sustainable. She works 1:1 with clients and runs the Marketing Mind Membership, a monthly community where business owners learn, plan and take action on their marketing together. Next month’s session is all about growing your email list the easy way, including how to start from scratch. Find out more at: https://www.kmd-marketing.com/