Your subject line is your first impression. Mess it up, and your email dies unopened.
This is Part 1 of our mini-series on boosting cold email open rates — what to avoid, what to copy, and how to write a subject line that has to be opened.
Avoid this
- “SalesPort x Microsoft” / company x company — overused and template-looking
- “Daniel from SalesPort” — too formal and impersonal
- “For Bill: about verified contact data” — screams mass outreach
Do this instead
- Write in all lower case — casual and approachable
- Keep it to a maximum of 3 words — open rates tank at 4+
- Make sure it relates to your email content — relevance wins
A/B test relentlessly
Come up with multiple subject lines and test what works for your ICP. Decide based on real data.
Target open rate: 50–90%
Short, punchy subject lines can boost open rates by up to 30%. Below 50%? Check deliverability next.
Subject line ideas
- [Referral name] shares / endorsed / recommended
- [Topic] tips / tactics / insights / trends
- [Problem] solved / fixed
- [Goal] achieved / unlocked
- [Your company] growth / progress / proposal
- [Product/service] upgrade / launch / release
- [Industry] news / insights
Next up: intro lines
Make sure the first sentence doesn’t kill your email after the open.