Guest Post By Jeremy Reeves

Writing emails in autoresponders and broadcasts has become a HUGE sensation lately and a very profitable one as well.

However, if you don’t know how to write email headlines that get opened – you’re dead in the water. In my mind, the email headline (AKA the title or subject of an email) is actually MORE important than a headline for a regular piece of sales copy.

Why?

Well think about it. If your email headline sucks, it’s not going to get the attention of your reader and you won’t get your email opened.

With a headline in regular sales copy, at least they’ll have a chance to look at the pre-head, subhead, and deck copy to see if something sparks their attention.

With that said, let me give you 5 ways to write email headlines that get read:

1.Be Original – I see emails that come to me ALL THE TIME that are pretty much duplicates of something else I’ve read. This is especially true during product launches when people are promoting other products. And guess what – they don’t get read! If you want people to open your emails, do something a little different.

2. Get Crazy! – One thing that works nearly 100% of the time for me (resulting in 35-40% open rates) is saying something a little “crazy” as the email headline. People are attracted to “shocking” things because they’re entertaining and it leaves them curious as to what it is. And you shouldn’t let that curiosity go to waste should you?

3. Pretend Like The World’s Ending – You probably know that I hate being negative, but if you really need something to work, it works like a charm. In almost all cases, a negative subject will out-pull a positive subject. Make it seem like something horrible will happen if they don’t read the email and you’ll get incredibly high clickthrough rates.

4. Be Unpredictable – Their are a lot of “gurus” out there who simply don’t catch my attention for 1 reason – they’re too predictable. Every time I get an email from them, I know what it’s about before I even read the email. Why? Because the email headline gives it away! Being unpredictable makes people curious, and curiosity makes sales.

5. Make An Incomplete Gesture – This is a fun one to try in your email headlines. Have you ever been talking to someone and they started talking, but got interrupted in the middle of the story and couldn’t finish? It drives you insane doesn’t it? Well, use this same technique in your headlines and you’ll boost your open rates like CRAZY!

Stick to even 1 of these 5 techniques and put it into your autoresponder series and you can instantly boost your income.

Because after all, getting the email read is the first and most important step.

So take these tips and put them to use. Then check your email stats and watch your open rates go through the roof.

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For more tips on email copywriting and direct response copywriting tips, visit Jeremy’s blog at http://www.ControlBeatingCopy.com

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Interactive Agency:

• An agency offering a mix of Web design and development, Internet advertising and online marketing, or e-business/e-commerce consulting.

Speak of the devil, we finally come to a definition that describes my new company, New Edge Media!  We offer PPC, SEO, Affiliate Marketing, and Email Marketing.  Some stop by and take a look!

This actually concludes this series of glossary items!  Huge thanks to Alexandra Wharton for having written this article and to Lisa Picarille for allowing me to republish them!

Have a series you want to see?  Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know!

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Glossary Definition From ABC’s of Online Marketing by Alexandra Wharton, Issue 22, Revenue Magazine

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Happy Halloween!

This will be a short & sweet version since I know I have stuff to do to get ready for my Halloween Shenanigans this evening, and I’m sure you do too!

• Jamie Birch wrote a great article for affiliates on his blog titled Why Aren’t They Accepting My Application? I did nod, and I think this is a must read for any affiliate, whether they’re just starting out or have been around for a few years.
• I attended a Marketing Sherpa teleseminar on Email in a Downturn: Looking Ahead to 2009.  It was pretty insightful and I recommend checking out the slides for any  email marketer.
• Julie Vazquez has been named Blogmistress of Affiliate Summit West in Las Vegas.  She will be the liaison between the Summit staff and those of us hanging in the bloggers room.  Press pass people only, please.
• BlogRush is shutting down.  I’m so not surprised, as you’ll remember my break-up with them.  Viva la Entrecard!

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