The 7 Deadly Sins of Sales Email Subject Lines (And How to Avoid Them)

As a salesperson, your email subject line is like a make-or-break first impression. Get it right, and you have a much better chance of engaging prospects and starting a sales conversation. Get it wrong, and your emails risk getting ignored or deleted without ever being read.

But with the average person receiving over 120 emails per day, how can you craft subject lines that stand out and get your messages opened? It starts with avoiding these 7 deadly subject line sins.

1. Being Too Long-Winded

When it comes to email subject lines, less is definitely more. Research by Marketo found that subject lines with 4-7 words had the highest open rates, with performance dropping off sharply for subject lines over 10 words.

Shorter subject lines are not only easier to read and process at a glance, they‘re also less likely to get cut off on mobile devices. Consider that 42% of all emails are now opened on mobile. If your subject line is too long, key information could get truncated.

For example, instead of a cumbersome subject line like:

Wanted to reach out regarding the conversation we had at the conference last week about your sales goals

Aim for something more concise, such as:

Quick follow-up on our conference chat

2. Writing Deceptive or Misleading Subject Lines

Using misleading tactics like fake "Re:" or "Fwd:" tags, "not a sales email" disclaimers, or bait-and-switch subject lines that don‘t match the content may boost your open rates in the short term. But this deceptive approach is not a winning long-term strategy.

Not only do misleading subject lines damage your credibility and trustworthiness, they‘re also illegal. Regulations like CAN-SPAM prohibit using deceptive subject lines to entice people to open emails. Violating these rules can lead to hefty fines.

The better approach is to write honest, straightforward subject lines that clearly communicate your reason for reaching out. Respect your prospects enough to avoid gimmicks and trickery.

3. Being Generic and Impersonal

If your subject line looks like it could have been copied-and-pasted to a thousand other prospects, you have a problem. Generic subject lines like "Checking In" or "Quick Question" do nothing to capture a busy prospect‘s attention or entice them to open your email.

Compare a generic subject line like:

Following up

With a personalized subject line like:

Joe, ideas for boosting Acme Co‘s sales 25%

That small bit of personalization signals that this email was crafted specifically for Joe and includes content relevant to his goals. Considering that personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened, this extra effort pays dividends.

To personalize your subject lines at scale:

• Use merge fields to dynamically insert prospect name, company, industry, etc.
• Segment your outreach by title, industry, or stage of the buyer‘s journey
• Reference a specific piece of content the prospect has engaged with

4. Making It All About You

Your prospects don‘t care about your company and product‘s amazing features – at least not right away. They care about how you can solve their pressing problems and help them achieve their goals.

That‘s why subject lines that lead with your company name or a generic product pitch tend to flop. For example:

Introducing SellingApp CRM – #1 Rated Sales Software

We help sales teams close more deals faster

Instead, flip the script to focus on the value you offer that‘s relevant to the prospect. An effective framework is Problem > Solution > Benefit.

For instance:

Struggling to meet sales quotas? Try this

3 ways Joe can spend less time on data entry and more time selling

Hi Joe, close 43% more deals with less hassle

Notice how these subject lines lead with a pain point or goal, hint at a solution, then state a clear benefit – all from the prospect‘s perspective.

5. Not Aligning with the Email Content

Have you ever opened an email based on an enticing subject line, only to find that the content has little or nothing to do with what was promised? It‘s frustrating as a recipient, and a quick way to get your emails deleted or marked as spam.

Your subject line sets expectations for what your email is about. Not delivering on that in the email body is a cardinal sin. For example, if your subject line is:

3 surefire strategies for increasing sales velocity

Then your email should provide those specific three strategies. Don‘t tease something in the subject line, then pivot to an unrelated ask or offer.

A good gut-check is to write your subject line after you‘ve drafted the email copy. That way, you can be sure it accurately summarizes the main point. Bonus points if you can naturally work the subject line promise into your call-to-action to reinforce the connection.

6. Broken Personalization

Personalization is a powerful tool for boosting email engagement – when it‘s done right. But when merge fields break and you end up with a subject line like "Hi [FirstName]" or "Improve [Company] sales by 30%", it‘s downright cringeworthy.

Broken personalization is the equivalent of a robocall addressing you by the wrong name. Not only does it make your email look lazy and impersonal, it also exposes the fact that you‘re likely blasting the same email to many people.

To avoid personalization misfires:

• Always include default values for merge fields (e.g. Hi there, Improve your sales)
• Double-check the right variables are in place before hitting send
• Proof your email in preview mode to verify personalizations are working
• When in doubt, leave out the personalization rather than risk getting it wrong

7. Not Personalizing At All

On the flip side, not including any personalization in your subject line is a big missed opportunity. Research shows that personalized subject lines can increase open rates by as much as 50%.

Even basic personalization like first name or company name can help your email stand out in a cluttered inbox. For example:

Joe, here‘s how Acme Co can hit Q4 sales goals

Hi Joe – saw you downloaded our sales ebook

More advanced personalization tactics might include referencing an action the prospect took, offering insights related to their industry, or teasing content specific to their role.

The key is showing that you‘ve done your research and tailored your outreach to what‘s relevant to them. Even if a prospect doesn‘t open your email, a personalized subject line reinforces that you view them as more than just another name on a lead list.

Best Practices for Writing Effective Sales Email Subject Lines

Now that you know the major subject line mistakes to avoid, here are some overarching guidelines to follow to consistently craft compelling subject lines:

• Aim for 4-7 words. Short and sweet wins the day.
• Get to the point about why you‘re reaching out.
• Put the focus on your prospect‘s world, not your own.
• Avoid sales-y promotional phrases. Let your value prop shine instead.
• Make it personal with snippets unique to the recipient.
• Write in a conversational, natural style. Read it aloud to check the tone.
• Capitalize the first letter of each word for scannability.
• Use numbers, questions, and action-oriented language to pique interest.
• Align the subject line with the email topic and CTA.
• Don‘t make promises or claims you can‘t deliver on.
• A/B test subject lines and measure performance to optimize over time.

Here are a few examples of top-notch sales email subject lines:

• [SharedEvent] follow-up – great meeting you, [FirstName]!
• Hi [FirstName] – [Referral] suggested I reach out
• [FirstName], [Statistic] for [Company] sales reps
• A [Benefit] for [FirstName] and [Company]
• Ideas for [Company] to [Goal]
• Quick question about [Company]‘s [RecentAnnouncement]
• 15 mins this week to discuss [Challenge]?

Key Takeaways

Mastering sales email subject lines is both an art and a science. While there are general principles to follow, you‘ll also need to test and iterate to find what works best for your specific audience and outreach.

By steering clear of these 7 deadly subject line sins and applying email writing best practices, you‘ll be well-equipped to get your foot in the door with more of your ideal prospects. Remember:

• Brevity and clarity beat cleverness every time
• Personalizing shows you‘ve done your homework
• Focusing on prospect goals/pain points grabs attention
• Matching subject line to email content builds trust
• Testing and analyzing subject line performance drives improvement

Above all, keep in mind that your subject line is just the first touch point. The real magic happens when you deliver on the promise of your subject line by providing relevant, valuable content that positions you as a trusted advisor.

Master the humble subject line, and you‘ll be primed to start more sales conversations and ultimately close more deals. Here‘s to keeping your emails out of the trash folder and at the top of your prospects‘ must-read list!