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Effective Ways to Write Creative Email Subject Lines



In this day and age where emails are widely used for sales and SaaS promotion, it is important that your subject line stands out. The more creative your subject lines, the more clicks are generated. Coming up with creative email subject lines can be daunting, especially in a highly competitive world. Who knew just a small sentence can cause such a ruckus?! But worry not, we got you.





SaaS product promotion not only requires knowledge about the product but also a creative or slightly different perspective. B2C marketing is quite easy as there is a wide audience range and there is something for everyone, but the real problem arises when approaching potential B2B clients. The trick is to keep it creative and within the boundaries of corporate professionalism. The most important tip of all is to know what your audience requires whether they are B2C or B2B clients.


There are a lot of ways to write a subject line. Different categories and themes can be targeted at different types of businesses. With the proper technique and creative imagination, you will never find yourself cursing at your laptop screen at 2 AM. We will provide actual subject liners that people have received for you to get a better idea with a list of highly made mistakes for you to avoid.


But before that, let's see how to write your own subject lines and unlock all that potential. Let’s get those creative juices flowing!


Even though the subject lines are just one-liners, they need thorough preparation. Much like email writing, subject lines also follow an unspoken set of rules.


  • Offer

No one knows better about your product than you. Use that knowledge to not only craft a creative one-liner but also to bring value to the content you create.


  • Selling point

Knowing your audience significantly increases the rates of engagement on your email. Give the people what they want, and create a subject line that will suit their interests.


  • Goal

First and foremost, decide whether you are crafting emails to get more opens, replies, or conversions. Based on that, create a subject line that will get the result you desire.


  • Personal Contacts

It’s a great advantage advertising to the people you know. It’s easier to engage given that you’ve already established a rapport, nevertheless, you need to step up your game to keep them coming back for more. But if you are emailing a new contact, then making a lasting impression should be the priority.


  • Mutual Connections

The power of mutual connection is unlike any other. If you have a mutual connection, use them! This will not only generate higher opens but also can be beneficial in getting more reach. Have faith in the mutual power of mutual connection and you will be rewarded.


  • Do they want to open your email?

While crafting a subject line, it is important to retain the relevance value. After crafting the subject line, take a step back and ask yourself, if this is something you would engage in. Trust your gut and all will be fine.


  • What kind of subject line performs best?

Experimentation is the best way to find results. Dabble in all sorts of themes, funny, emotional, cryptic, and the likes. See what kind garners more results and clicks and keep improvising in that genre.


  • Create urgency

Creating a sense of urgency is the oldest trick in the book to get more engagement. When people see a time limit on things, it gets them curious about the offer. Even if they don’t necessarily purchase the product, they definitely open the mail to see what they might be missing out on.


  • Avoid clickbait and spam words

Nobody likes clickbait. One thing that people respect more than anything is authenticity. Creating a subject just to get clicks that have nothing to do with the email content or product can leave a bad impression in your prospect’s mind. These actions will eventually lead your email into the spam section. This brings me to my next point, while creating an email subject line, identify the words that certify your mail as spam and actively avoid them. Even if your mail is actually useful to your prospect, it might never reach them.


  • Include keywords

Implement SEO techniques for your mailer subjects. These sets of keywords will get your emails more clicks and responses. Try a set of keywords and see what works for your audience.

There is no set of rules to get you more engagement other than the simple trial and error technique. There are hundreds of sites online that will allow you to generate keywords based on your topic of interest.


  • Personalize it.

  • Keep it short and sweet. See to it that your word count doesn’t exceed.

  • Keep it real. There is nothing people relate to and respond to than authenticity. Using clickbait or false advertising will only create bad taste.

  • Use their name + cliffhanger to create a sense of mystery and to humanize your approach rather than it sounding like a corporate-generated message.

  • Keep it relevant. Make sure that your subject line matches the content in your email. Don’t beat around the bush, keep it to the point and let your consumers know what they can expect.

  • Keep it genuine. Make your recipient feel like you actually value their contribution. Sometimes, people are just looking for products that they can relate to. Build genuine rapport rather than a way to get more engagement.

  • Keep it casual. Being too formal can either throw people off or intimidate them. Make your prospects comfortable and get down to their level and keep it relatable. Keep it breezy but not too much that it loses its relevance.

  • Ask a question. Questions can spark interest and encourage someone to open an email. Whether you’re aiming to make them feel useful by asking for information or making them consider their own needs and wants, sales questions are the key.

  • Most importantly, keep it mobile-friendly. Hurried consumers will always do their work on the go. This means that using a laptop or a desktop isn’t travel-friendly hence a pocket-friendly device is preferred. But the only issue with this is you get a smaller word count than on a laptop. You need to craft your content in a way that mobile users can see the entire thing in one go.


  • Grammatical errors

This is where the detailing comes in. Most people make the mistake of ignoring the grammatical mistakes which can throw off your approach and lessen the value of your product. Professionalism can be seen through the way you craft your subject lines and even the smallest of mistakes can cost a big fortune.


  • The First Line of the Body

This is not directly connected to the email subject line but is as important as the subject line. Sometimes, no matter the efforts you put in for crafting a perfect subject line, sometimes you don’t get that engagement. That’s where this hack comes in. The first line of the email body is visible to your consumer. When the subject line fails to impress the consumer, the first line of the email body can grab their attention. Keep in mind that the word count for mobile viewing and laptop viewing differs, so frame them in a way where the first line gives a clear idea of what the email entails and be mindful of the word limit.


  • Be creative

Lastly, be creative! It’s always easier said than done, but don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Use the lamest of puns and dad jokes to add a touch of humor and/or emotional keywords. Relate your content to the ongoing relevant events and show off your witty work.


Here are some email subject lines that you can use for your reference.


Real SaaS Email Subject lines

  • Your churn is still rising, and so is your anxiety

  • Welcome! What's your business?

  • Become an Insider.

  • Record it, or it didn't happen...

  • 4 templates to make your workday better

  • I’ve got your back

  • Here to answer your FAQs

  • Important: Your trial expires in 4 days

  • Squash the “boring” business stigma with these storytelling tips 💥

  • Overcome your video production problems (on a budget) 💰

  • Things your boss wants to know

  • We want you back! (This one's on us)

  • But is this goodbye?

  • Ready to Test Drive New Features?

  • Are we still friends? 5 reasons to say yes

  • In case you missed this…

  • GoToMeeting is ready when you are.

  • Uh oh - you might be logged out.

  • New season, new you

  • 💡 Learn like an insider + a new app!

  • [NEW] We Cut Response Time by 50% Using This Feature

  • 💪 Stay motivated at home

  • Efficiently adapting a video strategy amidst COVID-19

  • [Webinar] Navigating COVID-19 as a Small Employer


Cryptic subject lines

  • There’s a new SaaS product in town!

  • A special surprise just for you!

  • This will take your breath away! (Pun Intended)

  • An offer so good, you cannot refuse!

  • Crazy idea?

  • Sshhh! Here’s the key to success

  • Sign up to get exciting rewards!

  • Let’s talk over coffee

  • Are you free this Friday? Let’s set up a meeting

  • Best tool for multitaskers!


Urgency creating subject lines

  • Once-in-a-lifetime offer limited only to tonight

  • Urgent! The offer ends tonight!

  • This offer is about to expire!

  • Avail special membership rewards, available only till tomorrow morning


Personalized subject lines

  • Hey, (Name of the person), We miss you down here at (SaaS Company name)

  • Have you changed your mind about (SaaS Product name)?

  • Hey (name of the person), It was nice seeing you at (event)!

  • Would you be open to discussing (SaaS Product name)?

  • Hey, don’t be a stranger! We haven’t seen you in a while

  • We’re here to help you!

  • Help us help you

  • Hey! (SaaS Product name) is best suited for you!

  • Have you tried (SaaS Product name) yet?


Generic subject lines

  • Introducing (SaaS Product name) for the first time ever

  • GRAND OPENING of (SaaS Product name) tonight!

  • We just made your life 10x easier

  • 5 tips to try for hassle-free work

  • Everything you need is right here!

  • Say goodbye to heavy tech downloads

  • Say hello to your new best friend

  • Here’s your chance to relax

  • Relieve your work stress with our (SaaS Product name)


In conclusion, sales really boils down to your knowledge of the product and your audience. Creativity is a long process and success takes time. The more you integrate these tips while you're working, the more you will understand the lay of the land. Most importantly, have fun with the process and the ideas will come to you.


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