"A subject line … invites others into your email marketing open house," says Josh Nason in an article at MarketingProfs. "If you have something to sell or a message you want to get across, that subject line better be good—or else your prospects might head to a different neighborhood." Nason provides some practical advice by analyzing the "from" addresses and subject lines of various campaigns—some good, some not-so-good.

Here are two examples, each from a rock band with a loyal fan base:

From: donotreply@lists.pearljam.com. Subject: Two New Pearl Jam Tour Dates Added.  Nason dislikes the "from" address here. "I always like having a real sent-from/reply-to address in case… well… someone wants to reply!" he says. "Email is meant to be a two-way communication device." But he approves of the subject line because it is a straightforward statement with a little intrigue. "I immediately opened this up, hoping the band was playing around Boston. Alas, I'll have to wait," he reports.

From: Green Day Fans Newsletter. Subject: GREEN DAY UPDATE.  "There is intrigue," notes Nason, "and then there is ... saying absolutely nothing." This is a band embarking on a major tour, he argues, and the subject line contains zero excitement. "I also don’t understand why some think that capitalizing every word is a good thing."

The Po!nt: With subject lines, it's now or never. Nason argues for a simple Golden Rule: "Tell what's inside, don't sell what's inside."

Source: MarketingProfs. Click to read the article.

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