23 Examples of Catchy Email Subject Lines for Sales Success

Email subject lines have the most significant influence on open rates. In fact, almost 35% of the recipients will open the email because of the subject line alone.
You can expect your audience to get numerous emails a day, so your promotion has to prove more important than other marketers and dozens of urgent work-related tasks for them to view your emails.
Prospects are becoming more and more immune to marketing tactics over time, so you have to keep reinventing. That said, this article will highlight various catchy email subject lines for sales that drive success.

Write Brief Subject Lines

If the subject line gets too long (more than 60 characters on average), it will get cut off when viewed by your audience. The recommended subject line length is 41 characters. This should work well for viewing devices.
It's hard to deliver a message through a short subject line. However, you can take advantage of the email preheader, also called the snippet or email message preview. It should be around 40-50 characters in length. You can use it as a call-to-action or finish the subject line's message.
Example:
  • Subject Line: New Collection Released!
Snippet: Visit our store today. Get a 30% discount on cart.

Keep It Direct

Most recipients have busy schedules and can't handle unnecessary drama in their inboxes. They will appreciate a subject line that's clear about the marketer's intent.
This will also attract prospects who are genuinely interested in the product/service.
Examples:
  • We have a question about [recipient's business]
  • This how-to hit your monthly [views/ conversions/ subscriptions/…] goal
  • About [condition/ in sales/ material supply/ packaging delays/…] at [recipient's business]

Give It a Human Appearance

We all get irritated by automated emails. We're less likely to believe that they will address our needs. Below are some tips to make subject lines look like they're written by a human.

Use a Personal Email

Instead of using a generic email address (e.g., sales@companyname.com), use a personal email address from typical service providers.
You can also use your company's email if it includes your first name.

Make Minor Spelling Mistakes

Sounds weird, but intentional writing mistakes will catch the attention of your prospects. The error shouldn't tell you about your lack of language, though.
You can swap two adjacent letters on the keyboard. This should make it seem like you were in a hurry and compel the audience to click.
Example:
  • Summer Sale Ending Soon!

Use Small Caps

Capitalized subject lines look less human.
Example:
  • We'd like to schedule a meeting!

Use a Casual Tone

Think about the way you talk to a friend. "Quick questions" are a simple way to do it.
Example:
  • Have time for a chat over your sales target?

Mention Prospect’s Name

Research has shown that a prospect is 20% more likely to open an email when their name is mentioned in the subject line.
Examples:
  • Hi [name], we reviewed last month's stats
  • [Name], double your views double with this trick

Include Referrals

You can build trust if you mention that someone your prospect knows has referred you to them. If you have genuine referrals, add their name in the subject line.
Examples:
  • [Referral name] recommended these [products] to you!
  • We found you through [referral name]

Arouse Curiosity and Interest

The best subject lines draw curiosity but don't reveal the whole topic. This entices your audience to open the email. Ensure that the email's body delivers the promised message.

Mention What They Care About

First and foremost, you'll have to learn about your customers' lifestyles and behaviors. Creating buyer personas will help you know what your prospects care about.
We've listed some topics that your prospects will likely care about:
  • Recent industry statistics
  • Latest news in their industry
  • Asking about a project they're working
  • Events they attended/ will attend
Examples:
  • 2022 Market Trends in [their industry]
  • Visit our booth at [event]

Use Emojis

Emojis add color to the subject lines and allow you to communicate more with fewer characters. A study by Return Path has revealed that subject lines with emojis attracted more readers.
However, another study by Nielsen has stated that emojis make more readers negatively sentimental. Much depends on what you learn from trial and error. Just take care of the hidden meanings behind those emojis.
Examples:
  • Up to 70% ⬇️ on Winter Collection!
  • Our Best 🎁 to Loyal Customers

Offer Value

How do your customers make the most out of your products? What is the real reason they’re buying them? Include those benefits in your subject lines.
Examples:
  • Our winter sale will help you save for the holidays!
  • Reach your customers faster with our delivery services

Highlight Pain Points

Express genuine care for your prospects by showing that you understand their struggle. Think about the problems that your product solves.
Examples:
  • Many customers complain from [pain point]
  • We found a solution for [pain point]
  • Solve your [pain point] in [time]

Create Urgency

We naturally give priority to closer deadlines. You should expect your customers to give attention to the urgent call-to-actions in emails. However, don't overuse this tactic, or your audience won't take you seriously.
Examples:
  • [Offer] expires in [#] [hours/ days]
  • Only [#] [products] left in stock
  • Free [offer] for first [#] [registrations/ purchases/ subscriptions]

What to Avoid

Some subject lines can surely turn away your prospects or make them unsubscribe. Avoid the following issues in your subject lines to maintain your long-term gains.

Clickbait

Don't create subject lines that don’t reflect the content of the email.
You can permanently lose your prospects if you trick them into opening an email that doesn't fulfill the subject line's promise. They might even mark it as spam.

Spam Trigger Words

Email service providers will automatically mark some emails as spam if they track certain words in the subject lines.
Avoid words like:
  • As seen on
  • Buy
  • Buy direct
  • Buying judgments
  • Clearance
  • Order
  • Meet singles
  • Score with babes
  • XXX
  • Near you
  • Be your own boss
  • Earn $
  • Extra income
  • Make $
  • Online degree
  • $$$
  • Affordable
  • Bargain
  • Best price
  • Cash
  • Cash bonus
  • Cents on the dollar
  • Cheap
  • Check
  • Collect
  • Cost
  • Income
  • Insurance
  • Investment
  • No cost
  • No fees
  • Pennies a day
  • Why pay more?
  • Accept credit cards
  • Cards accepted
  • Credit card offers
  • Full refund
  • Stock alert
  • Stock pick
  • Avoid bankruptcy
  • Calling creditors
  • Eliminate debt
  • Get out of debt
  • Your income
  • Social security numberClick here
  • Month trial offer
  • Financial freedom
  • Cancel at any time
  • Print out and fax

Conclusion

Empathy is the key to successful marketing tactics. Think about your disappointment with sales emails and try to address your prospects' concerns.
We've listed the best tips from marketers' experiences. Tweak your list of catchy email subject lines for sales that never disappoint.