Much like your homepage is the first impression for your dealership’s website, your subject line is the first impression for your email content. People decide on whether or not they even open an email just by reading the subject line. So, how do you make sure it is catching their attention and enticing them to read more?

Below are some tips for creating captivating subject lines for your email marketing campaigns that we think you should start applying.

1. Be Short. Research has shown that shorter subject lines have a higher open rate, so try keeping them under 50 characters. But do even better! In a study done by Rentention Science, subject lines that were 6-10 words long had the highest open rate, and those with less than 5 had the second highest!  This is especially becoming more true given the fact that viewing emails on mobile devices continues to rise.
2. Be Creative. Creativity can give your email a bit of an edge, helping them to stand out in a crowded inbox. And since your subject line is meant to capture attention, standing out means your emails have a higher likelihood of getting opened and read. Try these things: Use the words ‘Coming Soon’, which plays off of similar language for movie premieres or product releases, attach your email to holiday favorites, such as a play on words of a favorite holiday carol. For more inspiration, check out Exact Target’s 100 Inspiring Subject Lines SlideShare.
3. Be Personal. Personalized emails are unique to the recipient and have been found to be quite effective. In fact, emails with the recipient’s first name had a 16% higher open rate. Try mentioning the recipient’s name in the subject line or sending an email based on his/her past purchasing behavior or online forms they have filled out. People are more inclined to open an email that speaks to them directly, whether by name or by interest, and it also makes your emails seem more human-like and less robotic.
4. Be Friendly. Would you open an email that had a subject line like this: OPEN NOW FOR 20% OFF COUPON!!!!! Capital letters and exclamation points make it seem as if you are yelling your message, which isn’t very friendly. If people feel like they are being yelled at, it’s less likely that they will open your message and interact with your business. So avoid subject lines that use all capital letters and multiple exclamation points. If you feel like you need to create a sense of urgency, try only capitalizing one word and including one exclamation point. Don’t over do it!

Think about some of the emails you receive in your inbox. Which ones have subject lines that really stand out to you? What made them so intriguing that you actually opened the email to read more? There isn’t a perfect subject line, but the most important thing to do is test out subject lines to see which ones yield a higher open rate for your audience. Try applying some of our tips along with some things you know about  your own email-opening behavior to your next email marketing campaign.