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- Break The Inbox: Emails So Powerful, They Should Be Illegal
Break The Inbox: Emails So Powerful, They Should Be Illegal
In partnership with
Ever wondered why some emails sit in your inbox ignored and forgotten while others practically scream to be opened?
It all comes down to one thing: the subject line.
If your subject line flops, your email will flop as well. But fear not! In this edition of InBoXer you'll get 7 high-impact formulas so powerful, they almost feel unfair.
Let’s dive in.
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The Formula to Irresistible Subject Lines
1. The Question: Curiosity’s Best Friend
A well-placed question stops readers in their tracks and makes them crave an answer.
Examples:
Can you relate to this?
Do you make the same mistake I do?
What do you think about this idea?
These subject lines create a pattern interrupt—breaking the reader’s autopilot mode and forcing engagement.
2. The How-To: Everyone Loves a Shortcut
People crave knowledge, especially when it makes life easier.
Examples:
How to quickly get 1,000 email subscribers
How to make 10 sales every single day
How to get that nasty stain out of your shirt
The key? Make it ultra-relevant. If your subject line speaks directly to their needs and desires, they won’t think twice before clicking.
3. Scarcity: The Power of FOMO
No one likes missing out. Urgency and scarcity trigger immediate action.
Examples:
Only 2 days left!
Almost out of stock! Get yours now!
Only 4 spots left for a consultation!
Make your reader feel like time is running out, and hesitation disappears.
4. The Announcement: Be the Bearer of Big News
People love staying in the loop. Make them feel like insiders.
Examples:
An important update to our app
New: A faster way to get paid
Introducing the new best way to create beautiful photos
Position your email as a must-know update, and your readers won’t want to be left out.
5. The Numbered List: Easy to Scan, Impossible to Ignore
We love lists because they promise clear, digestible information.
Examples:
The 4 best email marketing tools you need
7 ways to beat anxiety today
15 ways to quickly build your email list
Lists make it easy to scan and absorb information fast.
6. The Curiosity Gap: Tease the Brain
A little mystery makes readers have to open your email.
Examples:
A little-known trick to bust belly fat
He asked me a question I couldn’t answer
Most people get this completely wrong
Make your readers wonder: What is it? Am I missing out? And just like that, they’re hooked.
7. The Surprise Element
People love surprises. When a subject line is unexpected, it lights up the brain’s pleasure center and makes clicking feel irresistible.
Examples:
What Elvis Presley can teach you about email marketing
Unexpected lessons learned from a bout with the flu
Warning: This email will self-destruct in 5 minutes
Surprise shatters inbox monotony. And when you delight your audience, they’ll keep coming back for more.
Steal These: From the Swipe File
[Number] weird ways to [Get a Benefit]...
Example: 3 weird ways to get rid of belly fat...I’m pulling the plug [on some offer]...
Example: I’m pulling the plug on this early-bird offer tonight...Get the insider secrets to [some topic]...
Example: Get the insider secrets for profitable product launches...
Cheers
The InBoXer Team