10 Tips for Catchy Subject Lines That Inspire Clients to Dive into Your Content
Do you want to write catchy subject lines for your emails?
Do you wish your blog, podcast, or video titles were more, well, *catchy* to your dream clients?
Of course, you do.
After all, a big part of why you’re your own boss is so you can make a positive impact on your clients’ lives or businesses, isn’t it?
Creating subject lines / titles that grab your audience’s attention is super important because your content is often the connection point between you and your dream clients.
Why? Because your content is like tiny, digital carrier pigeons. They’re out there, carrying your voice across the vast Internet ocean where future clients are searching for help. Many times, your content is how people who need you, discover you.
Not only that, you’ve slaved over crafting the perfect email, story, blog, or video, just for your people.
I know, you’ve poured your best problem-solving ideas, tips, and lessons into your content.
Now, your final task is to make sure that future clients click and read, watch, or listen to your creation, right?
After all your effort, you’ve STILL got to make sure your title piques their interest (curiosity) so they click.
No worries girl, I’ve got your back (and tips!).
What You Can Learn About Client Focus from JK Rowling
How can you take a page from JK Rowling’s playbook, to inspire you to craft catchy subjects and titles?
Like she did for Harry Potter, you can focus on ‘the one’. More on how you can focus on your “one” in a moment.
First, have I told you my most treasured JK Rowling story?
It’s a shining example of how focusing on ‘the one’ genuinely helps you connect with the exact clients you want. Stay with me here.
Now, you likely know about JK Rowling’s well-documented, humble beginnings.
She was a single mom, on government assistance, when she had a vision for the first Harry Potter story.
Fast forward, today JK Rowling’s legendary talent and passion have touched nearly every generation and culture. Harry Potter stories entertain millions of men and women, boys and girls.
And, for you, the detail of her story that can inspire you is this:
Do you know exactly who she wrote the first Harry Potter for?
In the beginning, JK Rowling had one, single ideal reader in mind: a 13-year-old boy. Yep!
And yet, it’s breathtaking how many age groups and cultures she’s ultimately enthralled with Harry’s stories, isn’t it?
So now over to you, who is your “13-year-old boy”?
Hint: it’s your ideal, perfect, dream client.
Here’s how you can do the same. Let’s dive into how you can come up with catchy subject lines.
10 Tips to Create Catchy Subject Lines
Tip1: Be bold.
In order to write an enticing subject line so you can appeal to future clients, your first step is to be choosy.
Yes, you must be bold. Be selective. Choose just one of your ideal clients to create for at a time.
Each time you create content to capture a prospect’s attention, you must decide which specific client it’s designed to help.
It’s true, you can serve and help several kinds of clients. You’re the best at what you do!
But the reality is, in order to stand out, you must limit each content piece and subject line, to focus on “the one”.
How else will you stop your clients’ scrolling thumbs as they fly through their inbox?
As you know, in a title or subject line, you have a few precious words to work with.
That means, when you write catchy titles, you must be ultra-specific.
Don’t worry about losing people by focusing on one ideal client at a time.
Keep in mind, JK Rowling reached millions because she wrote to entertain one 13-year-old boy.
As a result of her intense focus to delight one 13-year-old, Harry Potter books became so magical, they appealed to everyone.
Like JK Rowling, by focusing on one client you’ll find it easy-peasy to create educational, inspiring, valuable content.
Not only will your message resonate with ideal clients, you’ll pull in others in your audience.
And, bonus, your catchy subject lines, titles, and headlines will pop!
All because you took the time to be specific and clear for the ‘one’ ideal client you’re helping, in this moment.
What about your OTHER ideal clients?
No worries, next week you can whip up one-of-a-kind content for them. Does that work for you? Great!
Step #1 to Create Content That Converts: Start with Your Ideal Client
Grab The 5-Step Client Clarity Guide
Inside, you’ll discover:
Because your ideal client backstory can’t just be one line on a sticky note you keep on your desk.
Start calling in more dream clients with your expert content.
By signing up, you agree to this website’s privacy policy and terms and conditions. We promise we won’t send you spam. You’re welcome to unsubscribe at any time.
Tip 2: Continue to be choosy so your content is this.
You want your content to be irresistible to your dream clients, right? When you’re choosy about both the clients you want to fill your business, and the topics you create content around, you’ll set yourself up to be irresistible.
But, not to everybody who has the problems you solve, only to your perfect clients.
Before you choose content topics, refresh your memory about the precise challenges (or dreams) that are urgent to your audience.
If you’re stuck about the details of your clients’ dire situation, consider these questions:
- What pain point is constantly nagging at your clients?
- Which thorny problem is tearing into their consciousness?
- What single concern is eating away at their concentration, so badly, that it distracts them?
Notice how you’re now laser-focused on your clients’ viewpoint, like a puppy sniffing out his next sock to chew?
Talk about that in your content, and create your awesome title, subject line around that nagging problem.
Want more about getting clarity on your ideal clients? Here’s a blog to give you more awesome ideas about that very topic.
Why take time to refresh yourself about your people’s dilemmas?
Because, you want your emails, videos, blogs, podcasts to ‘pop out’ to your clients, don’t you? If so, you’ve got to be crystal clear that your topic is meaningful to them.
Tip 3: Answer these 4 questions to make your subject line catchy.
After all, you’ve worked hard to put together a yummy piece of content that’s going to make your clients’ day, haven’t you?
Of course you have! To make sure they dive into your work, you must put thought into your catchy subject lines!
What’s more, you want them to jump out when your prospects scan their inbox.
Wish I could tell you differently, but the relevance of your titles, headlines, or email subject lines are generally what causes people to click through. So, there you have it.
According to experts, you should spend at least as much effort into coming up with your title, as you’ve spent on the actual content.
Tell me, are you getting a headache now?
Maybe you’re thinking, “But I’m not a WRITER, for heaven’s sake.”
That’s okay. Keep in mind, creating content for your perfect clients isn’t so much about ‘writing’.
If you find writing about as fun as a day washing windows, try this.
What would you say during a real-live conversation with your future client?
Imagine, you’re sitting across the table from them sipping your fave blend of coffee or tea.
Stay with me here; she’s poured her heart out.
She’s been painfully honest and raw about her years-long problem.
She’s told you that, It. Is. Driving. Her. Crazy.
So, in that moment:
- What exactly do you ask her?
- What baby steps do you recommend that she take toward solving her challenge?
- How do you give her hope, so she can get through her urgent situation?
- What precise words do you use to inspire her?
Take a breath here, she’s just laid open her suffering to you.
Tell me, have you got that conversation flow now? Wonderful!
Now, put those words into your titles and subject lines.
What’s more, you can use this ‘imaginary’, juicy conversation to create all of your content.
Your blog, social post, email, article, or video will connect more, when you add your heartfelt words. It’s all good.
Are you still with me? That’s good, because we have more ideas for creating your catchy subject lines.
Tip 4: Brainstorm at least 12 attention-getting titles.
Quickly, write several draft subject lines or titles.
To be effective, continue to limit yourself to the single, pressing issue, challenge, or pain point this client wants to solve. Right now.
Another thing, be speedy when doing your brain dump.
Make your brain storming session easy and fun. Simply jot down whatever comes into your head.
I promise, you’ll be surprised at how accurately you’ll capture what’s going through your clients’ minds.
Tip 5: Ruthlessly review.
Later, go back at re-read the drafts of your catchy subject lines. Read them out loud. How do they sound?
Ask yourself:
- Does each subject line contain your clients’ own words?
- Do they sound like answers to questions your ideal client ask?
- Have you accidentally slipped in industry-speak, expert terms? If so, rip that jargon out and replace them with words your clients use.
- Are you talking about one of your clients’ urgent, nagging problems?
Extra credit: Dash off an email with your favorite 3-to-4 titles / subject lines to trusted friends, clients, who will give you honest feedback.
Tip 6. To be catchy, be short and to the point.
Vertical Response email provider reminds us that smartphones cut off anything longer than 49 characters. Including spaces, yikes!
Also consider, do your email subscribers use smartphones for checking email or reading blogs?
It’s going to depend on the age group and tech habits of your perfect clients.
Tip 7: Before hitting publish, do this.
Do yourself a favor, put your work away for a while.
This is a good time to shift your brain, walk your dog, take a run, or do an errand.
After looking at your drafts for hours, they’ll all sound the same. It happens to me all the time.
You must take a break. Come back and look at your drafts again later, with fresh eyes.
That way, you can decide which ones you like and which you detest.
Tip 8. Every word counts.
Reconsider each word of your title.
This is important, make sure each word you add to your title carries its weight.
Never forget, your clients are skimming their social feeds and inboxes. They are flooded with messages, right?
In addition to being catchy, your subject lines must be compelling and specific, to your audience.
Tip 9: Don’t be clever. Instead, be clear.
You want to be super clear in your titles, so your content has the best chance of getting opened.
Avoid using titles too brief to be understood at a quick glance by your people.
Also, check again to eliminate insider lingo and terms that you use because you’re an expert.
For example, if you’re a dog trainer and you help owners teach their furry family members to behave in public, you want your content to teach simple lessons.
This subject line is trying to be clever: Become a Dog Whisperer for Your New Puppy
What’s a dog whisperer anyway?
Instead, use a title that’s to-the-point: 5 Tips for Training Your New Puppy to Walk on a Leash
Tip 10. Make these your own.
I’m a giant fan of not reinventing the wheel, if you don’t have to! That’s why you want to adopt tried-and-true subject line styles, and make them your own.
Starting your email or blog post with the good old standby, “How to…” can be a lifesaver.
Use it this way, How to [enter something small that your ideal client wants to do, fix, or learn]
3 Basic ‘How to’ Catchy Subject Lines
How to Get in Shape in 20 Minutes a Day
How to Write Your Book in a Weekend
How to Build Your Website with Zero Tech Skills
The cool hipster sister to our trusty ‘How to’ subject line, is one that combines numbers and “Simple Steps”. When you think about it, who doesn’t love simple?
They say numbers in titles attract interest because we like to know what to expect when we click to read an email, blog post, or view a video.
I love combining numbers and Simple Steps.
Examples of Subject Lines Using Numbers and Simple Steps
7 Simple Steps to Have a Life Outside Your Business
5 Simple Steps to Dating for Divorced Women Over 40
3 Simple Steps to Hiring an Assistant for Your Coaching Business
3 Simple Steps You Can Follow to Be Financially Secure by Age 65
3 Benefits of catchy subject lines that build ‘know, like and trust’
Your credibility soars because your subject lines let clients know you’re talking about topics that desperately matter to them.
You’re putting your client’s problems first, instead of simply talking about how great your products and services are.
Unlike a gazillion other business owners and experts, you communicate to future clients that you have empathy for their struggles.
Your Next Steps for Catchy Subject Lines
Do you feel, at times, that creating content to lighten your clients’ load, give them hope, make them smile—to make their day—can be exhausting?
It can be! And then, after all of that, you’ve got to come up with a catchy subject line.
Please remember, when you commit to the hard work and creativity, it will pay off. Why?
Because future clients who don’t know you yet, will want to click through to read your articles, view your videos, and follow you.
All because you’ve taken your next best steps:
- You’ve done your homework about your clients’ urgent issues. You’re ‘singing their song’.
- Instead of touting your expertise, clients will see instantly from your catchy subject lines that you’re talking about how their lives will be better.
- You’ve adopted tried-and-true subject line, title styles, and made them your own.
I promise, if you apply these tips, you’ll create catchy subject lines that connect with more of the clients you started your business to help. That way, you can earn more and impact more people at the same time.
One more thought, your future clients need you. They’re out there, and you’re the best one who can help them. Don’t keep them waiting!
Be Unstoppable,
Cynthia
What if you could finally create content consistently?
If creating your marketing content has felt like a chore, a time-suck, or a massive mystery, you may have given up on content entirely.
But the truth is:
Content is key to attracting ideal clients and filling your programs. So don’t give up!
If your content ideas are buried in your beautiful brain, you want a process to help your words flow.
You want specific actions to implement so that the content you create stands out to your dream clients.
When you schedule a free Clarity Call, together, we’ll uncover your personalized marketing content actions. That way you can impact more clients. Click below to set up your FREE Clarity Call.