# Email Subject Line Templates

Proven subject line patterns for different email types and goals.

---

## Open Rate Optimization Principles

1. **Length**: 30-50 characters (mobile-friendly)
2. **Preview text**: First 50-100 characters matter
3. **Personalization**: Use name, company, or behavior
4. **Urgency**: Use sparingly to avoid fatigue
5. **Curiosity**: Create information gap
6. **Clarity**: Don't sacrifice clarity for cleverness

---

## Welcome Sequence Subject Lines

### Email 1: Welcome
```
Welcome to [Company]!
You're in! Here's what's next
[Name], welcome aboard
Your [Product] account is ready
Thanks for joining — let's get started
```

### Email 2: Quick Win
```
Get your first [result] in 5 minutes
Quick win: [specific action]
Here's the fastest way to [goal]
[Name], try this first
Your first step to [outcome]
```

### Email 3: Value/Tips
```
3 things most [users] miss
The feature you'll use most
[Name], have you tried this?
Quick tip: [specific tip]
How [Customer] got [result]
```

### Email 4: Check-in
```
How's it going with [Product]?
Need help with anything?
[Name], any questions?
Stuck? We can help
Quick question for you
```

---

## Promotional Subject Lines

### Discount/Sale
```
[Percentage]% off [Product] — [timeframe] only
Your exclusive discount inside
Flash sale: [Offer details]
[Name], we saved you a spot
Private sale for [segment]
Last chance: [Offer] ends tonight
```

### New Feature/Product
```
Introducing [Feature]
New: [Feature] is here
You asked, we built it
[Feature] just launched
The wait is over: [Feature]
```

### Event/Webinar
```
You're invited: [Event name]
[Date]: [Topic] webinar
Save your spot: [Event]
[Speaker] on [Topic] — join us
Limited seats: [Event name]
```

---

## Nurture Sequence Subject Lines

### Educational
```
How to [achieve goal]
[Number] ways to [improve thing]
The [topic] guide you need
Why [common approach] doesn't work
What we learned from [data/research]
```

### Case Study
```
How [Company] [achieved result]
From [before] to [after]: [Company]'s story
[Company]: [Impressive stat]
What [Company] did differently
Steal this strategy from [Company]
```

### Social Proof
```
Why [number]+ [audience] chose [Product]
"[Short testimonial quote]"
[Customer] cut [metric] by [number]%
See what [Company] built with [Product]
```

---

## Re-engagement Subject Lines

### Soft Re-engagement
```
We miss you, [Name]
It's been a while
[Name], still interested in [benefit]?
Things have changed...
Quick update for you
```

### Incentive-Based
```
Come back for [offer]
[Name], here's [discount] to return
We want you back — [offer]
Special offer just for you
Your exclusive return bonus
```

### Last Chance
```
Should we close your account?
[Name], is this goodbye?
Last email from us (unless...)
We're cleaning up our list
Final: [Offer] expires today
```

---

## Transactional Subject Lines

### Order/Purchase
```
Order confirmed: [#]
Your [Product] is on the way
Receipt for your purchase
Thanks for your order, [Name]
Shipping update: [Status]
```

### Account
```
Reset your password
Verify your email
Your account has been updated
[Security/billing] alert
Action needed: [specific action]
```

---

## Curiosity-Driven Subject Lines

### Open Loop
```
I was wrong about [topic]
This changed everything
What nobody tells you about [topic]
The [unexpected thing] that works
Don't make this mistake
```

### Question-Based
```
Are you making this [area] mistake?
What's your [metric]?
Quick question about [topic]
Have you considered [approach]?
[Name], is [assumption] true?
```

---

## Personalization Patterns

### Name-Based
```
[Name], quick question
[Name], you left something behind
[Name], this is for you
Thought of you, [Name]
[Name], don't miss this
```

### Behavior-Based
```
About that [page/feature] you viewed
Following up on [action]
Since you [action], you might like...
You're [progress]% there
Finish what you started
```

### Segment-Based
```
For [role/industry] like you
[Company type] teams love this
Built for [segment]
As a [role], you'll want to see this
```

---

## Power Words by Emotion

### Urgency
```
Now, Today, Ends, Last, Final, Limited, Expires, Hurry
```

### Exclusivity
```
Exclusive, Private, VIP, Members-only, Invitation, Secret, Inside
```

### Value
```
Free, Save, Bonus, Extra, Gift, Complimentary
```

### Curiosity
```
Secret, Hidden, Revealed, Truth, Myth, Surprising, Unexpected
```

### Social
```
Join, Everyone, Popular, Trending, Recommended, Loved
```

---

## Subject Line Formulas

### The Number Formula
```
[Number] [things] to [goal]
[Number] ways to [improvement]
[Number] [audience] [did thing]
```

### The How-To Formula
```
How to [goal] in [timeframe]
How to [goal] without [pain]
How [audience] [achieved result]
```

### The Question Formula
```
What's your [metric]?
Are you [doing thing wrong]?
Want to [achieve goal]?
```

### The You Formula
```
You're invited
Your [thing] is ready
You might be making this mistake
```

---

## A/B Testing Priority

Test in this order:
1. Personalization vs. no personalization
2. Question vs. statement
3. Specific numbers vs. general claims
4. Urgency vs. no urgency
5. Short (< 30 chars) vs. medium (30-50)
6. Emoji vs. no emoji

---

## Subject Line Don'ts

Avoid:
- ALL CAPS
- Excessive punctuation!!!
- Misleading claims
- Spam trigger words (FREE!!!, Act now, Limited time)
- Too clever/vague
- Too long (> 60 characters)
- Same subject for every email
- Clickbait that doesn't deliver
