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In real estate, the mantra is location, location, location—because where something sits can change everything about its value.
In email marketing, our “location” is the subject line.
Subject line, subject line, subject line.
What you say to your audience in the subject line can change everything. It can be the difference between whether they open your email or delete it, and it can lead to them reading and acting on what’s inside the email.
Let’s talk about subject lines
It’s the first thing people see.
It’s the gatekeeper to everything inside.
And it’s often the only thing they read before deciding if you're worth their time.
If they don’t open your email, nothing else matters.
Not the copy, the offer, the design, the call to action—none of it.
That’s why the subject line isn’t just important. It’s foundational.
Marketing is motion.
Your job isn’t to convince someone to go from stranger to buyer in one leap. It’s to get them to take the next step. And for email, that step is opening the thing.
When someone opens your email, you’re not just getting attention but building momentum. You're moving them forward in a journey:
Yes, I’ll open it
Yes, I’ll read it
Yes, I’ll click
Yes, I’ll act
But without that first "yes,” you’re stuck in inbox wasteland.
Seen. Scrolled. Ignored.
So, treat the subject line like a valuable piece of real estate.
What makes a good subject line?
Start with the outcome. What’s in it for them?
Keep it short. Under 50 characters is often best.
Create curiosity or clarity. Ideally both, though that’s not easy.
Avoid being spammy. No clickbait.
Test. A/B. Iterate. You learn by doing.
Try things like these:
“3 ways to fix your leaky sales funnel”
“Open this before your competitors do”
“This $0 marketing tactic just worked (again)”
Quite often, the best subject lines for you will depend on how well you understand your audience and what they find valuable. Try to think like them and what email they might open. What problems are you solving for them and how can your subject line help?
Brainstorm on that and let me know how it goes.
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-Mike
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Find me online: bio.link/mikeholden