8 Subject Lines That Will Get That Networking Email Opened
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There’s a right way – and a wrong way – to write subject lines for every kind of email. Some types, like networking emails, often get pushed aside in favor of something more ‘important’. But the fact is, sending an email to someone you met at a recent event can be just as crucial as a sales email. After all, networking opportunities can mean huge opportunity for your business.
The networking email is a great way to connect with experts in your field, colleagues, or simply individuals you would like to get to know better. A networking email strategy requires both an introduction and a follow-up email with subject lines that grab your recipient’s attention and keep it.
Just like a headline should sell a story, a subject line should inspire action. Around 35% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line alone, while 69% of email recipients report email as spam based on that same subject line. To keep your email out of your recipient’s spam folder or trash, it’s critical to perfect the art of the networking subject line. Here’s how.
The Key to Networking Subject Line Success: Personalization and Thoughtfulness
The majority of marketers say that targeted personalization increases customer engagement. Personalized emails improve click-through rates by an average of 14% and conversions by 10%, and emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened.
Even though the individual receiving your networking email might not be a customer, it will still have a positive impact. That’s because using the recipient’s name or mentioning an interest shows that time and effort were put into creating the email. Generic emails and responses can be sent to anyone, but personalized emails are unique and thoughtful. Remember, personalization drives connection.
To create this connection, you have to focus on learning more about others and discovering how to speak their language. Put simply, you have to put the recipient first.
Automate Your Outreach
Building a network via email outreach requires balancing personalization with volume.
“Spraying and praying” will come off as inauthentic, exactly the opposite of what you’re trying to do when you’re networking.
On the other hand, you realistically need to be connecting with enough people for your network to grow at a meaningful rate.
That’s why a platform like Mailshake is essential to creating an effective, scalable networking email outreach sequence.
With Mailshake, you can personalize your emails in bulk with powerful mail merge features, schedule follow-up emails that are paused or triggered based on whether a a recipient opens an email, clicks a link, or replies, and reply to leads straight from your Mailshake dashboard with Lead Catcher.
You can also set the amount of time between follow-ups (5 days between the first and second email, 7 days between the second and third, etc.), and the days and times you want them to send (for instance, between 8 am and 6 pm on weekdays).
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Optimize your copy and overall outreach strategy by AB testing different subject lines, body copy, and full campaign sequences. And with native integrations to your CRM, and third party integrations to hundreds of software tools via Zapier, you can automate your outreach even further by triggering campaigns when someone downloads an eBook, books a meeting, or signs up for a demo.
If social media and phone are a part of your outreach cadence, you can include those touchpoints in your outreach cadences as well with Mailshake Sales Engagement.
Bottom line: personalization and scale are both absolutely essential to an effective outreach strategy, but there’s no reason why you can’t automate it.
Best Practices for Writing an Eye-catching Email Subject Line
Here are some general rules to follow when crafting an email subject line. Follow these guidelines, and you’ll increase your chances of getting a quick response.
No time for careful crafting? Throw your subject line and email into our email copy analyzer to get a second pair of eyes on your message.
Keep Your Headline Short and Attention-Grabbing
The ideal length for subject lines should be around three to four words, or about 17 to 40 characters in length. This length both keeps people’s attention and keeps your subject line from getting cut off in the subject line preview. Although this length will vary by email application and device, it’s a good rule of thumb to follow.
Make It Personal
A recent study showed that subject lines with the recipient’s name increased the chances of the email being opened by nearly 50%. It’s an easy way to get the point across that this email is personal and relevant to them.
If you don’t feel comfortable using their name yet, try to add something personal and relevant to them in your subject line. For example, you could use the title of a recent publication they wrote for or mention a common interest you share.
When Following Up, Spark Their Memory
In your follow-up email subject lines, be sure to reference your past meeting or conversation. This helps your recipient remember who you are, and what steps you had hoped to take next.
Use the strategies above, and keep your email short and personal. If you didn’t feel comfortable using their name before, follow-up emails are a great opportunity to try it out.
And finally, avoid the words “invite,” “join,” and “confirm.” Ironically, these words have been shown to be highly ineffective in email subject lines.
Creativity comes from constraint, so try drafting out a few different versions. For a quick way to check that your subject line will be successful, give it a final review with our Email Copy Analyzer. Our tool works to improve deliverability, readability, and of course – to help get your email opened in the first place.
8 Subject Lines to Try
Introduction Email Subject Lines
What’s one of the first things you do when meeting someone new? Chances are, it involves a handshake. Consider your introduction email to be the handshake between you and the other person. You can’t look them in the eye, but you can deliver a first glance using a personalized intro email.
The intro email does more than just communicate your name. It sets the stage for future communication and helps the reader get to know you better. As the start of what could be a meaningful relationship, this email is important to nail. And it all starts with a compelling subject line.
Subject Line #1: Fellow [insert interest here] who would love to connect
Vague subject lines are often considered spammy. The first step is to create a subject line that states exactly what the goal of the email is, before the reader even opens it. The second step is to personalize to set your email apart. This subject line uses a common interest to drive connection and grab the reader’s attention.
It’s the perfect line for a warm lead or someone you already have some sort of connection with. Keep an eye on their social media to find common ground. Did your reader recently share a blog post about knitting? “Fellow knitting enthusiast here who would love to connect” is the perfect opening line.
Subject Line #2: Interested in learning more about your recent article on [insert publication]!
Everyone likes to be recognized for their accomplishments. The perfect way to warm up an email is to do a quick search or visit your reader’s LinkedIn page to find articles and blog posts they’ve written or were featured in. The key here is to find one you particularly enjoyed and want to know more about. This will ensure your email is genuine and doesn’t sound forced.
Reading their recent article, blog post or book shows that you’ve taken the time to learn more about them, prior to reaching out. It shows effort and gives them even more reason to return the favor.
Subject Line #3: Looking for advice from a [insert industry here] expert
Most individuals are more than happy to give advice and help others with their know-how. It’s empowering and builds confidence. Subject line #3 gets your email opened by piquing the recipient’s interest about what you’re going to ask. This email subject line is beneficial to you as well, as you’ll likely learn something new in addition to gaining a new networking relationship.
The best part? This subject line works for all industries, from marketing to the manufacturing industry. But before you hit send, make sure you’re asking a clear question that gives them something to respond to, and that you’re genuinely interested in the answer. Simply using this subject line to entice and not gain advice is a recipe for spam.
Subject Line #4: I totally admire the [insert thought, idea or opinion] you shared
Connecting with someone is easier when you share a common idea, thought or opinion. This subject line tells the reader that you follow them, agree with them and just want to give them a boost of confidence – even if the email asks for more. The key is to find like-minded individuals who share common ground.
Susan Ward of The Balance states, “Most business people are optimistic and positive. Regularly associating with such people can be a great morale boost, particularly in the difficult early phases of a new business. If you are not naturally outgoing, regularly meeting new people can also boost your confidence and on a personal basis you may form new friendships with like-minded people.”
Follow-Up Subject Lines
Did you know that 70% of unanswered email chains stop after just one message? That means that most senders give up after the first try. Whether you’re sending sales emails or a networking email, the key to success is the same: you must place priority on the follow-up. And like the initial email, your follow-up email should have a subject line that’s just as inspiring.
Subject Line #5: Loved our chat. Just following up from [insert place].
The follow-up email is also important to send after phone calls, meetups, in-person introductions and networking events. After a great conversation with someone, you don’t want to send an email that diminishes the initial conversation. Instead, use a follow-up email to emphasize it.
Start by reminding the reader how much you enjoyed your conversation. This is a great way to break the ice even further. It establishes gratefulness from the beginning and adds warmth to your email. Then, clue your reader in to who they’re receiving an email from by mentioning the event you spoke at or the coffee shop you met at.
Subject Line #6: Hey [insert recipient’s name], this is [insert your name]
It can’t get any simpler than this. This line gets straight to the point but adds a higher level of personalization by using both your name and the reader’s name. It takes the guesswork out of who sent the email, getting it opened instead of sent to the spam folder. It also adds a level of mystery, enticing your reader to click to discover what could be inside.
Subject Line #7: I enjoyed our meeting at [insert place]. I’d love to reconnect!
Just like the example above, this subject line helps differentiate who you are from the start by adding the location of your last communication. It also tells your reader that you enjoyed that connection and would love to do it again sometime. Plus, this follow-up states your goal from the beginning, before they even click to open.
Subject Line #8: Hey there, [insert name]!
We have seen the “hello again” email in our own inboxes before. To keep things fresh, this line is a spin-off of that subject line, adding a bit of personalization that looks less spammy and more intentional. It’s simple and effective, perfect for the busy lifestyle of a business owner.
Get the Conversation Going
Whether you’re sending an introduction email or you’re following up, the goal of a networking email is to get the conversation going. Using email personalization can do three key things:
- Make the subject line stand out as highly relevant and important
- Increase the likelihood of an email being opened
- Strengthen the reader’s experience
The perfect networking email subject line captures attention, speaks directly to your reader and inspires action. And the perfect networking subject line should include personalization. Using these examples will ensure your communication builds a new relationship instead of ending up in the trash.
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