The subject line of your email serves as the initial point of contact for recipients, making it crucial to craft it effectively. A compelling subject line possesses the ability to capture the recipient's attention and pique their interest, motivating them to open your email.
Therefore, it's now more imperative than ever to compose subject lines that truly stand out in crowded inboxes. A good subject line can increase your open rates by up to 50%, which can lead to more leads and sales.
What are the benefits of writing effective B2B email subject lines?
Think of subject lines as the gatekeepers that determine whether your email will be opened or overlooked. They act as the first impression your message imparts. In today's fast-paced world, individuals are inundated with a constant stream of emails from various sources.
Effective email subject lines can increase your open and click-through rates, ultimately driving an increase in leads and sales. However, it is important to understand that not all emails are created equal, so your subject lines should be specific to your target audience and campaign goals.
Newsletter email campaigns
The benefits of writing effective email subject lines for newsletter email campaigns include:
Increased open rates: A well-written subject line can increase the chances of your email being opened by your subscribers. This is especially important for newsletter email campaigns, which are typically sent to a large list of subscribers.
Improved engagement: A well-written subject line can also help to improve engagement with your newsletter. If subscribers are interested in the topic of your email, they are more likely to click through to read more.
Stronger brand awareness: A well-written subject line can also help to increase brand awareness. When subscribers see your email in their inbox, they are more likely to remember your brand if the subject line is clear, concise, and relevant.
Cold email campaigns
The benefits of writing effective email subject lines for cold email campaigns include:
Increased open rates: A well-written subject line can increase the chances of your cold email being read. This is because a well-written subject line will grab the recipient's attention and make them curious to learn more.
Improved credibility: When recipients see that you have taken the time to write a personalized and relevant subject line, they are more likely to trust you and be open to what you have to say.
Higher conversion rates: Ultimately, effective subject lines can lead to higher conversion rates, because they will entice recipients to click through one or more of your cold emails and learn more about your product or services.
The cost of ineffective B2B email subject lines
Ineffective B2B email subject lines can cost you a lot of business. Email Marketing Benchmark 2023 found that 68% of people delete emails without opening them based on the subject line alone. That means that if you're writing ineffective subject lines, you're missing out on a lot of potential customers.
Writing effective B2B email subject lines is essential for success, but it can be tricky to know where to start. In this article, we'll cover the biggest mistakes to avoid when writing B2B email subject lines, so you can start writing subject lines that get your emails opened and clicked on.
The absolute biggest mistakes to avoid when writing B2B email subject lines
Now that you know the importance of writing effective email subject lines, let's talk about the biggest mistakes to avoid.
Mistake №1: Making your subject lines too long
B2B email recipients are busy people, so they're more likely to open emails with short, to-the-point subject lines. Aim for 50 characters or less, so that your entire subject line is visible on mobile devices.
Mistake №2: Using ALL CAPS, or excessive punctuation
This can make your subject lines look spammy and unprofessional. Avoid using ALL CAPS, excessive exclamation points, or other unnecessary punctuation.
Mistake №3: Making your subject lines irrelevant to the content of your email
This will only lead to disappointment and frustration for your recipients. Make sure your subject line accurately reflects the content of your email, so that your recipients know what to expect when they open it.
Mistake №4: Not using personalization
Well, this is more of a recommendation than a "mistake". Personalized subject lines are more likely to be opened than generic subject lines. You can personalize your subject lines by using your recipients' names, company names, job titles, or other relevant information. Those that are tailored to the recipient increase the likelihood of email opens by 26%, and segmented campaigns have resulted in a remarkable 760% boost in email revenue, as reported by marketers.
Mistake №5: Making false promises or using clickbait
This will only damage your reputation and make it less likely that your recipients will open your emails in the future. Be honest and transparent in your subject lines, and absolutely do not make promises that you can't keep.
Recent trends in B2B email subject lines for the life science industry
If B2B email marketing is an essential part of your S&M strategy, and you are about to launch a new email campaign, how do you make sure that your email stands out? One way to stand out is to use effective subject lines. As we said, subject lines are the first thing people see when they receive your email, so it's important to make a good impression.
Here are some recent trends in B2B email subject lines that healthcare and life science specialists can use:
Trend №1: Emojis in your Subject Line 🤔
Using emojis in email subject lines is a relatively new practice, and there is still some debate about their effectiveness. Some people believe that emojis can make your emails more visually appealing and engaging, while others believe that they can make your emails look unprofessional or spammy.
But I was surprised to find that there is no clear evidence that adding an emoji to the subject line of an email will trigger spam filters. I couldn't find a single reputable article from the last year with data to support this claim. However, Mailchimp and Remarkety, two major email marketing platforms, don't even mention emojis in their articles on avoiding spam filters. Campaign Monitor reports that emojis do not typically trigger spam filters, but some email platforms, such as Outlook, do not support them. This suggests that emojis are not a major concern for spam filters.
What speaks for using the emojis in your subject line? For example, a study by HubSpotnet found that in 60% of the tests conducted, subject lines featuring an emoji performed better than those without an emoji. And Experian found that, compared to text only subject lines, using emojis in email subject lines increased their open rates by 56%.
But, of course, it's always a good idea to be cautious when using emojis. It is also important to note that there is a difference between using emojis in newsletter subject lines and using emojis in cold email subject lines . When you send a newsletter to your subscribers, they are already familiar with your brand and have opted in to receive your emails. This means that you can be more creative and playful with your subject lines.
However, when you send a cold email to someone who has never heard of you before, you need to be more cautious. You want to make a good first impression and avoid coming across as unprofessional or spammy.
If you decide to use emojis in the subject line of your sales email campaign, there are several factors to keep in mind, especially if you are in an industry such as life science.
First, it is important to consider your target audience. Are they likely to be receptive to emojis? If you are unsure, it is always best to err on the side of caution and avoid using them.
Second, you need to choose emojis that are relevant to your email content and industry. For example, if you are sending a sales email to a healthcare professional, you might use a syringe emoji or a microscope emoji. However, you should avoid using emojis that are too playful or unprofessional.
Finally, you need to use emojis sparingly. One or two emojis is enough to make your subject line stand out without being overwhelming.
Here are a few examples of bad and good usage of emojis in sales email subject lines for the life science industry.
Bad:
New cancer drug cures all! 🎉
🤑 Make money selling our new medical devices! ⚕️
💉💉💉 Vaccinate your kids today!
These subject lines are unprofessional and spammy. They also use too many emojis and emojis that are not relevant to the content of the emails.
Good:
[Syringe emoji] New cancer drug shows promise - could it help your patients?
[Rocket emoji] Boost your research productivity with our new software platform!
[Handshake emoji] Let's partner to improve human health.
These subject lines are clear, concise, and relevant to the email content. They also use emojis sparingly and in a way that is appropriate for the audience.
Ultimately, the best way to determine whether or not to use emojis in your sales email subject lines is to test it out and see what works best for your audience. However, it is important to keep the factors mentioned above in mind, especially if you are in an industry such as life science.
Trend №2: Using personalization
Personalization is the act of tailoring a message to a specific individual or group of individuals. When used in email subject lines, personalization can be used to increase open and click-through rates, leading to more leads and sales. And here I want to note that when writing subject lines, it is important to keep your specific audience and campaign goals in mind.
For example, if you are sending a newsletter to subscribers, you might want to personalize your subject line with the subscriber's name or industry. If you are sending a sales cold email campaign, you might want to personalize your subject line with the recipient's job title or company name.
So, here are several important factors to consider while customising your subject line to your audience, either manually or using dynamic variables:
{{first_name}}: Using the recipient's name in the subject line is a simple but effective way to personalize your message. It shows the recipient that you are sending them an email that is specific to them, and it makes them more likely to open it.
{{title}}: You can also personalize your subject lines by using the recipient's job title. This shows that you understand their role and that you are sending them content that is relevant to their needs.
{{company}}: Personalizing your subject lines by using the recipient's company name can also be effective. This shows that you have taken the time to learn about their business and that you are sending them content that is relevant to their industry.
Past interactions: If you have had previous interactions with the recipient, you can use this information to personalize your subject lines. For example, if you attended a recent industry event together, you could mention that in your subject line.
And last but not least, always keep in mind of your campaign goals. Are you trying to generate leads? Drive sales? Increase brand awareness? For example, if you are trying to generate leads, you could use a subject line like "Learn how to increase your sales by 15% with our new product." If you are trying to increase brand awareness, you could use a subject line like "New article: The top 5 trends in the life science industry."
In addition to this , the way you personalize your subject lines may vary depending on the industry you are in. Since we talk about the life science industry, you can also personalize your subject lines by using industry-specific jargon or terminology. This shows the recipient that you understand their industry and that you are speaking their language. As always, be respectful of the recipient's time and expertise, avoid using spammy or clickbait-style subject lines and focus on writing subject lines that are clear and concise.
Here are some examples of effective personalized subject lines for the life science industry:
[Name], new research on [disease] that could impact your patients
[Name], learn how to improve your lab's efficiency with our new software
[Company], we're excited to announce our new partnership with [partner company]
[Name], we noticed you attended the recent [industry event]. Here's a follow-up on our conversation
Trend №3: Using urgency
Here we come to one of the most debatable point: should you use urgency in your subject lines for cold emails in the life science industry? The answer is: it depends. On the one hand, using urgency in your subject lines can be a great way to get people to open and read your emails. After all, who doesn't want to miss out on a good deal or a limited-time offer? On the other hand, if you use urgency in a way that is seen as misleading or deceptive, you could damage your reputation and lose potential customers.
It's also important to note that the life science industry is a broad one. What's appropriate for one company or segment of the industry may not be appropriate for another. So, tailor your subject lines to your specific audience and campaign goals. The way you approach a drug development company isn't the same as when you're dealing with a research-oriented organization. That means you've got to be on-point, including your email subject lines.
Here are some examples of effective subject lines that use urgency appropriately:
Only 2 days left to register for the free webinar on new cancer treatments
Limited-time offer: 30% off all lab supplies
Don't miss out! Early bird registration for the life science industry conference ends this week
Trend №4: Questions in Your Subject Line
Asking questions in subject lines can be a great way to increase open and click-through rates for cold emails in the life science industry. Questions can be a powerful way to grab the recipient's attention and pique their curiosity. However, it's important to be strategic and to ask the right kind of questions.
Here are some tips for asking questions in subject lines for cold emails in the life science industry:
Ask relevant questions: Make sure the questions you ask are relevant to the recipient's interests and needs. For example, if you're targeting a company that develops new drugs, you could ask a question about their drug development process.
Ask open-ended questions: Avoid asking yes/no questions. Instead, ask open-ended questions that encourage the recipient to think and respond in more detail.
Personalize your questions: If possible, personalize your subject lines by using the recipient's name or company name. This shows the recipient that you're sending them a targeted email and that you're not just blasting out a generic message.
Here are some examples of effective subject lines that ask questions appropriately:
[Name], what obstacles are you facing in meeting your drug development deadlines?
How can we help you improve your lab's QC, [Name]?
[Name], what aspects of our new target ID platform capture your interest?
Trend №5: Statistics and Numbers
Numbers and statistics can be a great way to grab attention and make your subject lines more attractive. However, it's important to use them carefully, and make sure they're accurate and relevant.
Use credible sources: When you use numbers and statistics in your subject lines, make sure they come from credible sources. This could include industry publications, government websites, or academic studies.
Be specific: Don't just use general statements like "increase your sales by 100%." Instead, be specific about how your product or service can help your recipients achieve their goals.
Be honest: Don't exaggerate or make false claims. If you're caught lying, it will damage your reputation and make it less likely that customers will trust you in the future. Make sure the numbers and statistics you use are accurate and verifiable.
Use relevant data: Make sure the numbers and statistics you use are relevant to your target audience and the content of your email. Be careful about the claims you make in your email subject lines. You don't want to make any claims that could be construed as medical advice or that could be seen as promoting your product or service for a specific medical condition.
Reputable sources where you can find data and statistics for the life science industry include major organizations (National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, World Health Organization etc.) and peer-reviewed journals (Nature, Science, Cell etc.).
Key takeaways
Remember, your subject line is the first impression your email makes, so make it count! By following the tips and trends outlined in this article, you can write effective subject lines that will increase your open rates and click-through rates. Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to writing email subject lines. The best way to determine what works best for your audience is to experiment and test different subject lines to see what works best for your audience.
If you need more help with writing effective B2B email subject lines, or with your overall email marketing strategy, please contact Outbound Pharma. Our consultants are experts in the life science industry and can help you create email campaigns that generate qualified leads and drive sales.