“You are invited”

That subject line lives in infamy as the single greatest subject line ever written. Why? Did it generate the most opens? Did it generate the most sales or highest response rate?

The why is the most important part. A subject line is meant to do one thing. It’s meant to get people to open the email.

So what makes someone open an email? What makes “You are invited” such a great subject line?

1. It grabs attention
2. It stands out from all the other subject lines I see in my inbox
3. It makes me ask a question – what am I invited to?

Because it stands out and captures my attention, it already has a better chance than most emails do of being opened. But it really hooks me because of the information left out. I have to open it to find out what I am invited to.

So it’s a winner.

Does that mean it will be a winner for you?

Absolutely not. The idea of a universal subject line that will outperform all others is insane. Like so many other things, it depends on your company, your products, your offer, the content of the email, and the nature of your consumers.

The point is this, understanding what your subject line is there for is the first step in crafting the perfect subject line for every email you send out. Hook your readers, offer value, stand out from the crowd, and give them a reason to open your email and read it.

What’s your best subject line of all time?