It is essential that you use the correct subject line when you are closing any matter. The subject line should be concise and clear, but still clearly state the purpose of the email. It should be concise and clear but still allow customers to reply. Your purpose should be stated clearly without being pushy or aggressive. This will increase your chances of closing the deal, sale, or job. Today, I am sharing my top-secret formula for writing follow-up email subject lines that get results. These are very simple tips, some of which may seem obvious but I will share them because they work.

Follow-up Email Subject Line Best Practices

These guidelines will help you ensure that your follow-up emails have the most effective subject lines.

Limit the length of your email subject to 40 characters.

Your subject line is an important part of your message and should be as helpful as possible. Because I want to be able to give actionable tips and not get too wordy, I recommend a blog post of only 40 characters. Although you can add more words (e.g., for example), keep the text to 40 characters or less.

Be specific in your email subject.

This is another important one I believe can be overlooked. However, a lot of people forget this when they send an email to customer service or sales. You want to keep the details short. Ask them what they need (and not how they will look) or how they would like it to be done without being pushy or aggressive.

When you ask someone about their needs, make sure to specify your purpose in the subject. Example:

“My name is *********, and I’m writing you to inquire about [the reason why you are contacting them]” You can use spammy words but don’t start it with “Dear” or anything too formal. This email should be casual and friendly. It will make it easier for someone to share their information. It is your job to discover what they need. Make sure you clearly state why in the Subject Line.

Use action verbs when you ask for details!

Use action words in your Subject Line to get people excited about your email and encourage them to read the rest. Your Subject Line is the most important part of your email.

Personalize it!

When you send an email to someone you don’t know (e.g. customer service representative) or a company, I suggest writing: “Hi ********* I am contacting [company] today about our account.” This establishes trust and shows sincerity, which will make them more likely to accept your request if you’re being truthful about your intentions.

Highlight achievements in every follow-up message

Highlight any positive things you shared with them in previous communications. This will reinforce the notion that they are a valued customer and not just another number to be shuffled through.

Please don’t ask personal questions in your subject line!

It is not necessary to ask someone their favorite color or how they like their coffee.

Although this seems obvious, I still see it happening quite often when people send me emails with these types of question-askers as the subject line. What do you think?

Please be specific about the deadline you have set for submitting this request

We will miss the completion of our project if we do not receive a reply by ____________. This is crucial because it sets out your deadline and makes the recipient feel obliged to act immediately. Unless you have good reasons not to, it is important to be as specific as possible. You don’t want to set unrealistic expectations for someone, which can make them feel unappreciated and frustrated. This will ultimately reduce your chances of them taking action.

Another way I communicate deadlines well is to give a reason why it is important.

Sounds natural and conversational

“Hey, _________. “How are you?”

“I am sorry to bother you, but I need information about my project.”

It is important to ask for feedback via email or phone. The person you speak with should sound friendly and open to discuss your concerns. You will feel more comfortable asking for feedback from them and they will be more likely to give it.

Follow up the email with a telephone call or in-person follow-up (if possible).

“Hey, _________. Thank you for your reply! I was wondering if it would be possible to schedule a time when I could show you how I want our logo to look. Or, “I wanted to get in touch with you again before we schedule our project so that we can finalize the spacing and ensure everything works out well.”

Schedule a meeting with someone to get feedback, especially if they are working on a large project or have time constraints. You will have no excuse to not meet with them because they don’t see an immediate need. Also, you want to receive their written response so there is no confusion about the discussion.

Ask them basic question open-ended questions

Asking simple, open-ended questions to prospects is a great way of getting the information you need when closing a deal.

“What are your top three most important needs?” “Can we discuss that more in detail later today?” Or “That sounds like something that I could help with.” These questions will allow for interpretation, and they can then decide if more detail is needed.

How long should the subject line of your follow-up email be?

Your email body length directly correlates with the time it takes to receive a reply. This is a personal choice, but these are examples.

If it’s short (1-2 sentences), it should be easy and quick.

I wanted to contact you about the survey that we discussed last Friday. If you’re okay, I’ll send my designer a few examples of how our logo might look.

Medium (3-5 sentences): If it will take half an hour or longer but not all day,

Example: “Hey Bill! Thanks for taking the time yesterday to talk with us!” We had an idea of where we wanted to go with our logo and I am ready to get started on some ideas. Could you please send me examples of your ideal logo, if that’s OK?

If it will take more than half an hour, you can make it longer (6-8 sentences).

For example, “Hey Bill! Thank you again for taking the time yesterday afternoon. Although it was very last minute, there were some things I wanted to discuss and I appreciate your giving me the opportunity.

I have been thinking about possible logo designs for the company and will be sharing them with you soon. You can see the first one below. However, two others might work well.

Your follow-up email subject line should not contain too much text (10+ sentences), it will be read by very few people. It will not be read by many people if it is too long (1-2 sentences). How can you tell which one is correct? The length of the text should be sufficient to allow your audience to get what they want from it, but not too long to make them bored or lose interest.

Your email will be read by fewer people if it contains more information in a shorter time. Less information means more people will see it.

Passive vs. Passive language in the Follow-Up Email Subject Line

A combination of Active language and passive language is the best way to send a follow-up email. A Passive sentence lets the receiver know what you are doing when it is happening, and how it will be done. An Active sentence doesn’t tell the reader how something is going to be done, but rather focuses on why it’s being done (e.g. because) and asks for action from your target audience.

Example: “I’m sending some logo concepts to you. Which do you prefer? Let me know what you think about the design.

vs

“Here are some logos that we’re looking at for our next marketing campaign. Would you be able to give me your feedback today?”

Not all emails ask for comments. However, the first email subject does inform my receiver that another message is waiting in their inbox. Passive language is less informative and more impactful.

While the initial message is useful, it is only one chance to communicate your point. Your follow-up subject line must grab their attention.

What words/phrases are best to avoid in your follow-up email subject lines?

Some words and phrases can hinder the effectiveness of your email in the CRO department. Here are some to avoid:

When writing an email subject, avoid using the word informational. This type of message is not intended to request action but to inform. Instead, say “I’m writing …” and let the reader fill in the blanks.

Urgent – These emails, which are similar to informational messages, ask people to complete tasks that they don’t have time for. To grab people’s attention and get their attention, you can use the phrase “I’m mailing you …” to get their attention. Then let them fill in any blanks as they read.

Soliciting – This word is used when you write your follow-up subject for a marketing email. It’s usually used for monetary requests or other services that involve money (i.e. asking for donations). You should not feel pressured to ask for feedback or information. Your email should be a “brain dump”, and readers can fill in the details themselves.

Catchy – Although catchy is often regarded as an incredible word, it can hinder your ability to increase conversions. Avoid using catchy in your follow-up subject lines to informational emails. Otherwise, you could lose half of your readers. Marketing emails should aim to grab people’s attention. Avoid being distracted by catchy phrases and words that don’t achieve your goals.

Exclusive – This word is used to stimulate curiosity. However, you should not use this in your follow-up subject lines. To make your email request action, write the title “I’m mailing …” so that your reader has no reason not to click it. Send this message in a short time frame if you want exclusivity.

Awe – Although it is an incredible word that people love to use, it can cause resistance when used as the headline for your follow-up subject line. Make sure you don’t ask for information or take any action. This will make it easier for your reader to see what they’ll get by clicking on yours.

Use catchy phrases and words that relate to your message. Avoid using words and phrases that are too specific. This will make it difficult for half of your readers to understand. When writing your Follow-Up email subject line, you should use a mixture of Active and Passive language. The Subject Line is the first thing your reader will see, so make sure it’s compelling and engaging to get them to open your email.