Most of us use email as our primary communication tool.  If we were the only ones sending emails, our messages would all be read with interest.   But, the rest of the worlds sends email too—a lot of email.

Whether we like it or not, our messages often get buried among other emails and sometimes get glossed over.  It’s the nature of email communication and cannot be avoided.

However, according to Dean Levitt, the email guru at Mad Mimi, there are some simple things you can do to get more of your emails read.  According to Dean, the number one factor whether or not your emails will be engaged is the subject line. 

What kind of subject lines cause people to engage?

After analyzing more than 60,000 email subject lines and applying a rigorous scientific method, Dean documented two patterns:

Shorter subject lines often drive higher engagement.  With all else being equal, shorter subject lines will cause people to engage at a higher rate.  Long subject lines are killers—keep them to less than 10 words if possible.

Personal-sounding subject lines often get above-average engagement.  Here are some examples of personal sounding subject lines: “A Warm Farewell,” “Sad News,” “A Lucky Break We Didn’t Expect.”

Notice these email subjects aren’t just personal; they leave us wanting to know the rest of the story.  This technique is a little subtler, but it can be mastered if you practice writing a few versions of the subject line before putting it in an email. A subject line makes the reader want to read the rest of the email.

Applications for better email subject lines.

Communicate more effectively with your team.   Most WorkPuzzle readers manage teams or organizations.  Even though your subordinates are required to read your emails, it doesn’t mean they are thoughtfully engaging the content (yes, the Tidemark employees are all laughing right now).

It’s a sign of respect to spend a little extra time making your emails engaging—especially those emails sent to large distribution lists. If the subject line of an email seems boring, it is more likely to get skimmed.

Communicate more effectively with your customers.  Most real estate companies are using drip emails, email newsletters, and email marketing pieces to communicate with their customers and prospects.   Unfortunately, most of this mail ends up getting discarded quickly.

According to Dean, crafting more engaging subject lines is one of the best ways to increase your readership.   With all other factors equal, a good subject line can increase readership by 15%.  Of course, you also have to deliver relevant and valuable content in the body of the email, otherwise, the bump in readership will be short lived.

Bottom line:  If you’re going to use email for large-scale communication (especially with your clients and prospects), become a student of email communication—it’s worth the effort.  If you’re just using email to communicate w/ your team, put some effort into making your emails engaging—those around you will show their appreciation by actually reading your emails.

Bonus:  If you want some help on becoming a student of email, read Dean Levitt’s blog. There are lots of great ideas there.

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