Last week an “Email Players” subscriber sent me an email with a subject line that said:
“We don’t need you anymore”
He thought that a pretty cool subject line.
And, I likey it too.
But then, I read the email and think it would probably work against someone using it in the context it was used. It was too much of a disconnect — kind of like when space ads use a headline that says “Sex!” and then tries to sell you some mundane service or product that has nothing to do with sex, or talks about sex in a way that has nothing to do with what you were hoping it would.
(i.e. they just wanted your attention).
And so it was with the email I read.
They weren’t really saying they didn’t need them anymore.
What they were saying was, wouldn’t it suck if your employer told you they didn’t need you anymore, etc.
Meh.
Dirty pool.
And so it is with subject lines.
(Or ad headlines.)
Frankly, I think it’d be a perfect subject line if someone was doing an email using my repulsion marketing strategy.
Like, for example, if I was writing to freebie seekers.
That subject line would fit like a glove.
(Come to think of it, I might use it for that some day…)
Because then I really would be telling someone I didn’t need them anymore — and proceed to tell them exactly why (i.e. they waste time, whine about being sold to, aren’t really serious about bettering themselves, the list goes on).
The point of all this?
Context, baby.
It’s all about context.
Even a great subject line falls flat out of context.
It’s almost like “de-balling” them.
Speaking of which…
The August “Email Players” issue contains a subject line someone sent me recently that anyone can use and I would bet someone else’s kidney would get extremely high readership.
(And, even more importantly, generate lots of sales.)
It’s an absolutely brilliant subject line.
One of those “gotta open!” subject lines.
In other words:
If I HAD to get an email opened, I’d use this one.
It’s all ‘splained in the August issue.
She goes to the printer next week.
Subscriber here:
Ben Settle
