Let’s rap about subject lines.
Since it’s the second most important part of an email, I’ll sally forth with an analogy from one of my all time favorite TV shows — “Burn Notice” — to make it crystal clear. “Burn Notice”, by the way, is about a spy who is “burned” (i.e. blackballed) by the CIA and who goes around helping people in trouble with the mob, or who have been robbed, or need protection, etc, while trying to figure out who burned him and why.
It’s kinda like a cross between McGyver and The A-Team.
Anyway, back to subject lines…
In the pilot episode Michael Westen (the spy who was burned) wants to get the attention of someone he knows at the FBI, to get info about who burned him.
So, what does he do?
Sends the guy a pipe bomb, course.
(Well, a fake pipe bomb…)
Now THAT is getting attention.
But, not just any ol’ attention.
That’s *undivided* attention.
Just like, you know, great email subject lines get.
And if you want to learn a very simple and easy (very little thought has to go into it) way to write a “pipe bomb” subject line… one that is very hard for people to ignore (and resist wanting to open the email — even if competing with 100 other emails in their inbox) check ye out the May “Email Players” issue.
Frankly, this one works so well you gotta be careful with it.
Otherwise, it can work against you.
And, land you in trouble.
(Just like sending a fake pipe bomb to the FBI would.)
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Ben Settle
