"Pizza pizzazz!" The snippet that supported this subject line said, "Take the takeout out of pizza." The headline went on to say "Nothing beats homemade!" The email featured variety in terms of crusts, sizes and toppings.
Philosophy: "who says you can't have it all?"
This skin care and fragrance company always stands out in my inbox. The company's From line is all lower case, as are its subject lines. That's a real differentiator. This subject line was part of an email campaign that featured a 20 percent off plus free shipping promotion. It didn't scream sale, however. I found the subject line intriguing. Some might argue that the recipient has to open the email to know what it's about, but I like that Philosophy doesn't use a heavy-handed approach.
"unravel the mystery." This subject line was part of an email promotion for a mystery gift with every order of $60 or more. This is another common promotional practices, but the subject line grabs attention. Philosophy did a nice job of supporting the promotional theme by using the promo code "Surprise."
National Geographic: "Expedition Granted: Win $50,000 for Your Dream Expedition!"
This email proclaimed, "We are excited to announce Expedition Granted, a nationwide competition to discover the next generation of explorers and award one person a $50,000 prize to fund the expedition of their dreams." It was a great way to grab attention and instill interest in National Geographic.
Nordstrom: "Summer Lovin’"
We started with a subject line that called out popular music and we'll end with that. This subject line harks back to the song from the musical "Grease." Nordstrom included a cute main picture with the headline, "It's Getting Hot!" Plus a fashion tip was included.
I've spoken with copywriters who say that 40 percent of the time spent on your email campaign should be focused on the subject line. That might be an exaggeration, but there's an important point here: Subject lines play a big role in driving open rates. The challenge is to stand out from the crowd. Perhaps you have an attitude. Maybe you ask a question. You want to be different and engaging.