Update 11/19 - The latest edition of BrontoFire was recorded live!
Chad White’s AM Inbox is a popular blog post on RetailEmail.Blogspot via the email experience council (EEC). Chad provides a daily scan of online retail subject lines under his “Subjectivity Scanner.” DJ and I decided to take Chad’s scanner a step further this week by adding a point counter point discussion around some of the highlighted subject lines.
Imagine Crossfire…Bronto style: DJ and I hunkered down in front of our laptops expounding on the strengths and weaknesses of each subject line. We were quickly immersed in a sparring dialogue, each Account Manager representing an opposite viewpoint. Here is a sample of the subject lines we scrutinized:
Harry & David, 10/23 — Scared? Don’t worry – there’s still time for Halloween gifts! Save 10% now!
DJ: “It asks a timely question for the season and answers the question – I like that it is different.”
Kimberly: “I don’t care for all the punctuation (someone likes their exclamation points). It is simply too long. The subject line was most likely truncated.”
KB Toys, 10/23 — Save on Halloween, Arts ‘N Crafts, and More
DJ: “It is timely, short and to the point and leaves something to the imagination”
Kimberly: “I would never know from this subject line that this company sold fun toys for kids. This subject line should scream fun by highlighting some seasonal toys.”
L.L. Bean, 10/23 — Free Shipping + “Wicked Good” Comfort
DJ: “Grabs my attention with a play on words for Halloween.”
Kimberly: “Would my father get this? Where is the comfort in the clothing, furniture? Hmmm I’m not sure my Dad would have even opened this message even though he has bought from L.L. Bean since I was a child.”
Victoria’s Secret, 10/23 — Swim 2008 Preview! Plus, Save Up to $150 Online.
DJ: “It works for me. I don’t need a discount or an offer, I just need to see the words ‘Swim Preview’ and I’m there.”
Kimberly: “As a female I wish it drew me in by bringing me to the beach, making me think summer in fall. They should customize the subject line based on gender.”
Throughout this showdown we laughed and we disagreed. However, in the end we both clearly agreed on one point - there is always room for improvement. Next time you’re deciding a subject line, try out this simple exercise with you and a coworker. It’s a fun exercise that helps you see a different viewpoint before deciding on that perfect subject line.
DJ Waldow and Kimberly Snyder
Account Managers at Bronto
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s really cool, DJ and Kimberly. Those are just the kinds of discussions that I hope people have after reading the Subjectivity Scanner–and you two certainly had some great insights.
Chad -
The BrontoFire blog post was just the starting point. Be on the lookout for further (creative, witty, funny?) analysis…maybe even in a different medium.
Stay tuned…
dj at bronto
Creative post! I wonder how some of these cutesy headlines translate for international shoppers or people who speak English as a second or third language. “Wicked good comfort?” LOL
Linda:
Thanks for your comment. Great point. What about regional differences? According to Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked - “wicked” is common in New England and Upstate NY.
Go figure.
dj at bronto
The only thing compelling in any of the subject lines was “free shipping” and Save $150 online”…assuming you already wanted the product.
What wasn’t looked at here was who the public was. Active repeat online buyers respond to different appeals than raw lists or inactive opt-ins.
The whole reason for a subject line is to compel the recepient to open the e-mail to find out more. To do that you have to either create a compelling mystery or create a desire for the product.
Peter -
You make an excellent point. Knowing your subscribers (”public”) is the key. Different subject lines appeal to different people at different times. The key if figuring out what works best and when. We always encourage all Bronto clients to think about the best ways to segment their subscriber lists…to think about what message (subject line, content, call to action, links, etc) will resonate best with what recipient.
I would challenge your comment - “To do that [compel the recipient to open the e-mail to find out more] you have to either create a compelling mystery or create a desire for the product.”
Going back to my earlier point (and yours), it depends on the audience. I have seen very high open rates with subject lines that are not mysterious or create a desire for the product. Sometimes a simple, yet consistent “New from ABC” works. Again…all depends on the targeted audience you are sending to.
I’d encourage you to speak with a member of the Bronto Client Service team to see how we can help you directly! That is what we do…
Thanks for your comments.
dj at bronto