Lesson 2 of 4 · 5 min
Emails that get opened
You can write a subject line and a body that agree with each other.
An email has two jobs and they are usually written by two different instincts. The subject line gets the open, the body earns the click, and a mismatch between them costs you both.
Steps
- Write the body first, then take the subject line from its strongest idea.
- Keep the subject specific rather than clever.
- Make the first line of the body continue the subject, not restate it.
- Have one call to action.
Why body first
Subject-first writing produces a promise the body cannot keep. Body first means the subject is a true summary of something you already wrote.
What to watch for
A subject line that overpromises gets a good open rate once and trains people to ignore you afterwards. Open rate is not the metric, it is a step toward one.