Curious? If you’re reading this, the subject line worked. “The most important element.”

Just as a headline for a classic advertisement, the subject line of an email, tweet or any intro line for any social media has the job of gaining enough interest to capture it’s audience and lead them on to read what it promises.

I’m sure you can remember some subject lines lately that made you want to click to find out more info.

Here are a few examples of what we call in marketing as “come on” headline subject lines:

• A must read for business owners

• 10 top reasons to buy online

• History repeats itself

• VP chosen to lead us forward

• Women who wouldn’t go away

• Was it the truth about Marilyn?

• How will this generation get out of debt?

• The truth about leaders

• How long does food take to make you gain weight?

• The best thing about divorce

• Why do we spend so much on funerals?

• Why do banks go bad?

• The safest place to put your money

• Monkey picks winning lotto ticket!

• Man’s penis stolen in his sleep!

• Feel young forever.

• The top 10 places to live in America

• A promising leader emerges

• There’s no such thing as Global Warming

These are just a few of the ways marketers try to capture your imagination and lead you into their article, blog or Tweet.
It’s the first line of interest, literally, and probably the most important. If the subject line doesn’t make the reader click forward it’s not doing what it has to do.

The next time you find yourself clicking to open an email or look back at the television because you heard something interesting from a news caster, realize they are using a basic marketing technique to capture your attention. All successful TV , print and online ads have powerfully effective headlines.

The “less is more” technique used in this intro ad for the iPad is very effective because it makes you want to find out more about the product by giving you just a taste of what this new product promises. It’s revolutionary! Now, you will want to find out more about that…wouldn’t you? Millions have and are using them around the world. This is a mystery technique used for decades. You don’t need to say much to interest potential customers. Just enough to arouse their interest and then take them to the pay off.

There are lots of other interesting headlines out there today, drop me a line and let me know which ones you came across that peaked your interest and did it’s job.

Better yet, let us develop a campaign for your product or service using effective subject lines.