As a B2B marketer, I was interested in reading the The 2013 Adestra Subject Line Analysis Report, which published the list of keywords used in email subject lines and its relative performance. The review of email subject lines was found after evaluating over 2 billion global emails.
Here’s the two prominent points for B2B Marketers:
# 1 Despite the comon notion, the word ‘alert’ and ‘breaking’ in the subject line resulted in higher response
#2 Customer has lost reaction to words like “reports,” “forecasts,” and “intelligence”
So, which words from the above list find a place in your B2B pitches? Let’s know your opinion in the comments box.
Come 2021, the rules of engagement have changed for good, through the fundamentals remain the same.
Before you think of emails that convert, you must focus on getting your emails clicked. The choice of words goes a long way in capturing the prospect’s attention and is an excellent way of getting noticed.
Source: Constant Contact
The choice of words in your email subject lines must be such that it creates intrigue when your prospect is dabbling through their inbox.
Let’s delve a bit deeper into what you need to do to enriching your B2B email subject lines with the right choice of words to make them your trusty-worthy conversion tool.
Time-Based Subject Lines
Every business entity has a different set of deliverables to address during different timelines spread out thought the year. In addition, there is a seasonality factor where businesses adopt different strategies to meet their business objectives – as with the weather.
Words like “Q2 Strategy”, “Financial Year Ending,” “month closing,” etc., in the subject lines give a perception that you are more closely understanding your prospects business concerns, and goals. Also, you sound more aware of the challenges that need to be addressed at a given point in time.
Choice of words around seasonality for subject lines and timing it while your prospects define their budgets is bound to improve your email open rates and conversions.
Creating Personalized Experiences
More personalized B2B email subject lines can help you evade being bulk marked for deletion from your target audience’s inbox. Personalization creates a refreshing experience to the reader and is for sure going to get clicked.
It is best to segment your prospects based on the different business activities that have been involved in the recent past. For example, it could be events attended, rewards received, or other appreciations.
Framing subject lines with the right choice of words such as “winner of,” “Achievement,” “Been Part of,” “Presence in Event,” etc., that highlights the contexts as mentioned above is sure to drive more personalized engagements.
Creating Subject Lines that Probe
Subject lines that probe your target audience are a great way to get your prospects talking rather than pushing forward with what you have got to offer them.
This way, you sound more concerning and open to address their pain points and business challenges. Probing your customers is a time-tested way of building solid and long-lasting relationships with your prospects.
Probing words like “How would you rate…”, “What do you think….” etc., when interspersed in your email subject lines, throws the spotlight on your prospects. This way, they are bound to open up to you for solutions to meet their business goal as you sound more approachable.
Being More Realistic with Your Subject Lines
As an astute marketer, you must be careful while crafting B2B email subject lines and not merely focus on making an impression with the play of words. For example, “Boost your sales 10X over in 3 days” is the wrong way of putting forth your marketing pitch.
“Boost” is an excellent marketing terminology, but being used in the wrong context can deeply dent your credibility.
So, it is best to tread carefully when it comes to the play of words. Also, your customers are keen to know more about how your product or service will benefit them rather than what the product is all about.
Your choice of words must be able to convey this crisply and concisely.
It is Not Just About Words
Last but not least, exciting subject liens are not just merely a play of words. Interspersing subject lines with numbers that depict time, percentage referring to a specific context, rate of progress or relative position is sure to drive more engagement.
It has been observed that in the B2B business ecosystem, there is a great fascination for numbers!
In Conclusion
You must understand that with an email, you are just about to start a new relationship with a new customer or delving into a deeper relationship with an existing customer.
As a matter of fact, these relationships cannot be built overnight. You have to keep the end objective in mind while you channelize them through a customer journey. Moreover, email subject lines create a lasting impact on your prospects; it behooves you to start with the right note with the right choice of words.
B2B email subject lines forms the very basis on how you connect with the target audience, and the choice of words will make or break a budding new relationship!