I’ve always told my small business readers to tie their marketing into the time of year or season. Well, with Valentine’s Day coming up on Tuesday, I had to share with you some creative email subject lines that I received in my inbox this past weekend:
Indianapolis Company: Ray Skillman Westside Mazda: Email Subject Line: “Pamper Your CX9 this Valentine’s Day.” I am on their list because I purchased a car from them. Now, I would never think to incorporate Valentine’s Day into an email if I were a car dealer, but they did so very creatively with the subject line. And it’s great that they’ve even customized the email with the exact model of car that I’ve purchased. Even the email inside was customized for the holiday with various offers, such as a “Sweetheart Special,” in which the body copy states: “Give your CX9 the special treatment it deserves.” And of course, they have a few other specials, a great call to action (click here to schedule your service appointment or call) and the service hours and address clearly listed below, and of course a link to their website. The design wasn’t perfect, but they did a great job overall.
National Companies: Some of the other email subject lines which I found intriguing were from national brands, but we can still learn from them because they find ways to connect with their targeted audience through the subject line to get them to open the email. These days, with information and email overload, the subject line just may be the most important component of the email campaign. Here are some good ones that caught my eye:
Bob Evans Farm: Email Subject Line: “Snow is Coming! Pick up a Warm Meal for Your Family this Weekend” What a great way to contrast the cold winter months with the warm, comfort food of Bob Evans. Inside, the email shows a snowy scene with a Bob Evans billboard reading “Snow Day! Meals for Under $20” and an offer for their 10 Family Meals to go for under $20, with convenient curbside service, along with a soup promotion and a few other promotions, and of course social media links. The copy also further enhances the concept, with words such as “Bad weather shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a great meal.”- Fisher Price Family: Email Subject Line:”Two Days Only: “KISS” Shipping Charges Goodbye!” This one is appealing to our wallets, of course, but also ties into the Valentine’s Day theme. Inside, they spell out the meaning of their subject line: “Let’s Keep It Sweet and Simple, Valentine…”, offering complimentary shipping on their site to entice people to shop on their website for Fisher Price toys.
- Dole Sunshine Times: Email Subject Line: “Find Your Winter Paradise with Dole!” Okay, so this one caught me because I could use a little paradise now in the middle of winter. Inside, the company features a tropical recipe, a link to their contest to win a Hawaiian vacation, and a link to print a coupon (my girls love their fruit cups).
- Uncommon Goods: Email Subject Line: “You Can Hurry Love!” This one, of course, appealing to the last-minute Valentine’s Day shoppers, who now realize that they had better hurry if they’re going to find a gift for their loved one online and have it arrive by Tuesday. Inside, the company gives selections for different gift recipients, and features an expedited shipping offer for an extra $3.
Now, to clarify, these emails were sent to my personal email account, which I use for most of my non-business email newsletter subscriptions. After scrolling through most of the B2B email marketing messages I received in my business inbox last week, I didn’t really see a ton which caught my eye. Most of the subject lines pertained to content inside, but weren’t completely compelling. The ones that were more likely for me to open answered a question or problem that I was having in my business, or a topic that interested me.
So the bottom line for creative email marketing subject lines: Be clever, entertaining or seasonal, and get personal. After all, you’re emailing to a real person, with true feelings and emotions — not just a business. Keep those things in mind the next time you create your email campaign, and I bet you’ll have a higher open rate.
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