Why No-One Opens Your Emails

Hey there,

It is Nathan Schacherer with CreativeDTC.

Let's talk about the most underrated element of email marketing: subject lines.

These 6-8 words determine whether your carefully crafted email gets opened or ignored.

I've spent years testing thousands of subject lines across different industries, and I've discovered patterns that consistently drive higher open rates.

Here's what actually works (and what doesn't):

• Length matters more than you think. Subject lines with 6-8 words consistently outperform longer ones. When you're forced to be concise, you naturally focus on what matters most to the reader.

• Curiosity beats clarity—but only slightly. Subject lines that create a knowledge gap (like "This ingredient changed everything") outperform straightforward ones ("New moisturizer launch") by about 15%. But there's a fine line between curiosity and clickbait.

• Personalization works, but not how you'd expect. Adding the subscriber's first name only improves open rates by 3-4%. However, personalizing based on behavior ("We noticed you loved the serum...") can boost opens by 17%.

• Emojis are powerful when used strategically. Subject lines with 1-2 relevant emojis see a 15% lift in opens compared to text-only versions. But using more than two actually decreases performance.

• Questions outperform statements by around 22%. Especially questions that make subscribers mentally respond "yes" or make them curious about the answer.

• A/B testing reveals surprising winners. Often, the subject lines I think will win actually lose. This reinforces that regular testing is non-negotiable, your gut instinct is frequently wrong.

The biggest revelation?

Different segments respond to completely different approaches. New subscribers open curiosity-based subject lines more often, while loyal customers prefer straightforward benefit statements.

This is why creating segment-specific subject line formulas rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach is so effective.

What doesn't work?

Excessive urgency ("LAST CHANCE!!!"), misleading clickbait, and generic promotional language ("Special offer inside"). These not only perform poorly but also increase unsubscribe rates.

The most valuable lesson I've learned is that subject line optimization isn't a one-time task—it's an ongoing process of testing, learning, and refining based on your specific audience's behavior.

Remember, the best subject line isn't the one that gets the most opens, it's the one that sets the right expectations for the content inside, leading to engagement and conversions, not just opens.

Email Inspiration Of The Day

Brand: SOLAWAVE

Email Design: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13nCl3X5LZVbgU6SiVqAcNlZ5Qz_7hbUY/view?usp=sharing

Notes: This flowchart email nails it. Instead of generic anti-ageing fluff, they ask where your wrinkles actually show up - practical and straight to the point. Clean product shots, straightforward recommendations, and a decent 35% discount. Could use some real customer before/afters, but the no-nonsense approach is refreshing. Somehow I'm eyeing skincare tools I didn't know I needed five minutes ago. :P

Reply to this email if you have any questions or want further content covered.

Talk soon,

Nathan

PS » If you run an e-commerce brand above $30k/mo and you want to have a free email strategy consultation with me, book a call here »

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