What to Write in Your Cold Email Subject Line (BAD vs. GOOD)

Lavender
16 Oct 202303:16

TLDRIn this passionate discourse, Will Aitken lambasts deceptive sales tactics used in cold emailing, particularly the misuse of subject lines like 'RE:', 'our meeting', or 'FWD' to simulate prior engagement. Aitken emphasizes how such strategies can infuriate prospects, leading to spam reports and lost sales opportunities. He critiques the short-sighted focus on high open rates, arguing it damages long-term client relationships and the sales profession's reputation. Advocating for honesty and simplicity, he suggests using straightforward, descriptive subject lines that accurately reflect the email's content, thus fostering trust and improving communication efficiency.

Takeaways

  • 🚫 Avoid using deceptive subject lines like 'RE:' or 'our meeting' in cold emails.
  • 💡 The goal is to balance吸引力 and honesty without resorting to trickery.
  • 😤 Deceptive tactics can damage your relationship with the prospect and harm deliverability.
  • 👎 Annoying and unethical practices can reinforce negative stereotypes of salespeople.
  • 📈 Instead of clickbait, try being descriptive and concise with subject lines.
  • 🔑 Use one or two-word subject lines that directly relate to the content of the email.
  • 📨 Test different subject lengths; shorter may perform better than longer ones.
  • 🛠️ Summarize the email content in two words to create a clear and straightforward subject line.
  • 🚫 Avoid adjectives and salesy language in subject lines to prevent being marked as spam.
  • 📈 Focus on the service or product you're offering with a simple and direct approach.
  • 💌 Tailor your subject line to the specific solution or benefit relevant to the recipient.

Q & A

  • Why is using deceptive subject lines in cold emails considered a bad practice?

    -Deceptive subject lines, such as using 'RE:', 'Our Meeting', or making an email appear as a forwarded message, can lead to a negative first impression and damage the potential relationship with the prospect. When the recipient realizes they have been tricked, they may feel angry, mark the email as spam, and be less likely to engage with the sender in the future.

  • What are the potential consequences of deceiving prospects with cold email subject lines?

    -Deceiving prospects can result in them feeling deceived and angry, which may lead them to report the email as spam, reducing the sender's deliverability. It can also harm the sender's reputation and chances of establishing a business relationship, as prospects may be less likely to trust or engage with the company in the future.

  • How can salespeople balance creating effective subject lines without being deceptive?

    -Salespeople can balance this by being honest and descriptive in their subject lines without using deceptive tactics. They should avoid using selling words or adjectives that make the email appear as a marketing or sales pitch. Instead, they should summarize the email content in a few words, making the subject line short and to the point.

  • What is the recommended length for cold email subject lines?

    -The best performing subject lines tend to be short, typically one or two words, as most subject lines are five or more words long. Keeping it concise helps avoid raising flags as a marketing or sales email, increasing the chances of the recipient opening it.

  • Why should salespeople avoid using flamboyant emojis or overly promotional language in their subject lines?

    -Using flamboyant emojis or overly promotional language can make the email stand out as a marketing or sales pitch, which can lead to recipients deleting the email without opening it. It's important to be subtle and descriptive to avoid triggering spam filters or causing the recipient to ignore the message.

  • What is an example of a deceptive subject line that salespeople should avoid?

    -An example of a deceptive subject line to avoid is 'Our Meeting', which implies a scheduled event or prior communication between the sender and the recipient, creating false expectations and potentially leading to disappointment or mistrust when the recipient opens the email.

  • How can salespeople create subject lines that accurately represent the content of their emails?

    -Salespeople can create accurate subject lines by summarizing the main topic of the email in one or two words, avoiding adjectives and selling words. This approach helps convey the purpose of the email without resorting to deceptive or overly promotional language.

  • What is the impact of a deceptive subject line on the sender's reputation?

    -A deceptive subject line can harm the sender's reputation by reinforcing negative stereotypes about salespeople as liars, manipulators, and deceivers. This can make it more difficult for the sender to establish trust and credibility with prospects in the future.

  • What is the recommended approach for writing subject lines for different types of products or services?

    -For different products or services, the recommended approach is to be straightforward and descriptive. For example, instead of using click-bait phrases, use simple, one- or two-word summaries that accurately reflect the content of the email, such as 'Low Clicks' for online advertising, 'Employee Pay Stubs' for payroll services, or 'Penetration Testing' for cybersecurity.

  • How can salespeople avoid their cold emails from being marked as spam?

    -To avoid having cold emails marked as spam, salespeople should avoid deceptive practices in their subject lines and content. They should be honest, use accurate and descriptive language, and avoid triggering spam filters with overly promotional language or unnecessary information.

  • What is the main takeaway from the script regarding cold email subject lines?

    -The main takeaway is that salespeople should avoid deceptive tactics in their cold email subject lines and instead focus on being honest, descriptive, and concise. This approach helps build trust and a better relationship with prospects, leading to improved open rates and potential engagement.

Outlines

00:00

🚫 Unethical Sales Tactics

The speaker expresses frustration with salespeople who use deceptive tactics in cold emailing, such as making subject lines seem like continuations of previous conversations with words like 'RE:' or 'our meeting'. They argue that these tactics not only irritate the recipient but also harm the sender's reputation and deliverability by increasing the likelihood of being marked as spam. The speaker emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency in sales, suggesting that being straightforward and descriptive in email subject lines is more effective than trying to trick recipients into opening emails.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cold Email

Cold Email refers to an unsolicited message sent to a potential customer or client with the intent of initiating a business relationship. In the context of the video, the speaker criticizes the practice of using deceptive tactics, such as misleading subject lines, to increase open rates. The speaker emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency in cold emailing to avoid damaging the potential relationship with the recipient.

💡Subject Line

The subject line is the title or heading of an email that gives the recipient a brief idea of the email's content. In the video, the speaker discusses how some salespeople misuse subject lines by making them seem like part of an ongoing conversation or a previously scheduled event to increase the likelihood of the email being opened. However, the speaker advises against this practice, as it can lead to mistrust and a negative response from the recipient.

💡Deception

Deception in the context of the video refers to the act of misleading or tricking potential customers through dishonest tactics, such as using manipulative subject lines in cold emails. The speaker argues that deceiving tactics not only harm the sender's reputation but also damage the trust between the salesperson and the recipient, which is crucial for establishing a successful business relationship.

💡Relationship Building

Relationship building is the process of establishing and nurturing connections with potential clients or customers to foster trust and loyalty. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of starting any business relationship on a positive note by being honest and transparent in communication, particularly in cold emails. The speaker suggests that using deceptive tactics in subject lines can undermine the relationship building process by creating a negative first impression.

💡Deliverability

Deliverability refers to the ability of an email to be successfully delivered to the recipient's inbox. In the context of the video, the speaker warns that using deceptive tactics in cold emails can lead to negative consequences, such as the recipient marking the email as spam. This can hurt the sender's deliverability, meaning future emails may be less likely to reach the intended recipients' inboxes, thus impacting the effectiveness of email marketing efforts.

💡Sales Tactics

Sales tactics are the strategies and methods used by salespeople to engage potential customers and persuade them to make a purchase. In the video, the speaker criticizes certain sales tactics, particularly those involving deceptive subject lines in cold emails, as they can harm the salesperson's reputation and the potential for successful sales. The speaker advocates for honest and straightforward sales tactics that prioritize building trust with the customer.

💡Email Open Rates

Email open rates are a metric used to measure the success of an email marketing campaign, indicating the percentage of recipients who open the email. In the video, the speaker acknowledges that while deceptive subject lines might increase open rates in the short term, the long-term consequences, such as damaging the sender's reputation and deliverability, are not worth the temporary boost.

💡Balancing Act

A balancing act in the context of the video refers to the careful consideration and strategic approach salespeople must take to effectively communicate with potential customers without being deceptive or overly promotional. The speaker suggests that salespeople must find a balance between creating engaging subject lines and maintaining honesty and integrity in their communication.

💡Reputation

Reputation in the video refers to the perception and standing of salespeople and their companies in the eyes of potential customers. The speaker argues that using deceptive tactics in cold emails can damage the reputation of salespeople, reinforcing negative stereotypes and making it more difficult to establish trust and successful business relationships.

💡Spam

Spam in the context of the video refers to unwanted or unsolicited emails, often associated with deceptive marketing practices. The speaker warns that if recipients feel deceived by the subject line of a cold email, they may mark it as spam, which can have negative consequences for the sender's future email deliverability and the recipient's perception of the sender.

💡Marketing

Marketing in the video refers to the process of promoting and selling products or services, which often involves communication strategies like email marketing. The speaker discusses the importance of effective marketing techniques that do not deceive or manipulate potential customers, emphasizing the need for honest and transparent communication to establish trust and build a positive relationship with the target audience.

Highlights

The speaker proposes a deceptive tactic of using 'our meeting' as a cold email subject line to trick prospects into thinking a meeting is scheduled.

Adding 'RE:' to the subject line is suggested to create a false impression of prior email correspondence.

The speaker expresses confidence that these tactics will increase email open rates.

The speaker then criticizes these tactics as annoying and potentially damaging to the relationship with the customer.

The rant is attributed to Will Aitken, who advises against using deceptive subject lines in cold emails.

The use of 'RE:', 'our meeting', and 'FWD' in subject lines is considered one of the worst moves in sales.

The negative emotional response of the prospect after realizing the deception is emphasized.

The potential for the prospect to report the deceptive email as spam is mentioned, affecting deliverability.

The deception is seen as a confirmation of the negative stereotypes of sales reps.

The speaker suggests an alternative approach to writing cold emails that avoids deception.

Being boring in subject lines is recommended, with examples provided for different products and services.

The importance of being descriptive and avoiding selling words in subject lines is highlighted.

Data is cited to show that shorter subject lines perform better, with one or two words being optimal.

The speaker advises against trying too hard in the subject line, as it can signal a sales or marketing email.

The risk of emails being deleted without being opened due to obvious sales tactics is discussed.

The speaker brings up a previous discussion about subscribing, possibly referring to a newsletter or service.

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