I see you pouring your heart into crafting the perfect email. Every word, every sentence is carefully chosen, and you finally hit “send,” hoping for people to love it as much as you do, only to be met with crickets. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. 

In fact, only 21.33% of emails are opened, according to SuperOffice, leaving your brilliant message lost in inbox limbo. Frustrating, right? That means almost 80% of your emails may never see the light of day. Ouch. 

But don’t worry, there’s good news. You can change this by focusing on one small but mighty element: the subject line. And guess what? AI is here to help you do it faster and better.

In this blog I share three actionable steps you can do today to transform your email subject line writing game all with using AI as your teammate. Let’s get started. 

Step 1: Hook Them with Emotion

People don’t open emails because of logic; they open them because of emotion. A strong subject line stirs curiosity, excitement, or even FOMO (fear of missing out). AI tools like ChatGPT can help brainstorm emotionally charged phrases that resonate with your audience.

Here’s how you can make it work:

1. Understand Your Audience: What keeps your readers up at night? What delights them? If your ideal customer is a busy mompreneur, for example, your subject line could tap into her need for simplicity and time-saving tips.
2. Use AI for Inspiration: Let’s say you’re promoting a time-management webinar. You can ask your AI tool, “Generate 10 emotional subject lines for a webinar about saving time for busy entrepreneurs.” You might get ideas like:
   • “Stop the Hustle: How to Reclaim 10 Hours of Your Week”
   • “What Every Overwhelmed Founder Needs to Hear About Time Management”
   • “Your Key to Work-Life Balance Is Just One Click Away”
3. These subject lines evoke curiosity and speak directly to the reader’s pain points.

Pro Tip: According to OptinMonster, 47% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line alone. An emotionally compelling subject line increases your chances of making it into that 47%.

Step 2: Use Numbers and Specificity to Build Credibility

Generic subject lines feel, well, generic. Specific numbers and data points make your email stand out and promise tangible value. AI can analyze trends and provide you with examples or even calculate personalized insights for your audience.

Here’s how to make it happen:

1. Be Clear, Not Clever: Clever subject lines might be witty, but they can confuse readers. For instance, instead of “Revolutionize Your Business Today!” (which is vague), try “3 Simple Steps to Boost Your Revenue by 30% in 30 Days.”
2. Ask AI for Suggestions: Input something like, “Create subject lines for an email about increasing productivity by 50% in a month.” You might get results like:
   • “Cut Your To-Do List in Half with These 5 Proven Hacks”
   • “50% More Productivity, 50% Less Stress: Here’s How”
3. Combine Numbers with Curiosity: Example: “The 7-Word Email That Got Me 10 New Clients in a Week” — who wouldn’t want to know more?

Pro Tip: A study by Yesware found that emails with subject lines between 1-5 words had the highest open rates, but adding a number can increase your email’s chances of standing out in a crowded inbox.

Step 3: Test and Optimize Your Email Faster with AI Insights

Even the most well-crafted subject line needs testing to see what works best for your audience. This is where AI can truly shine. It’s not just about creating; it’s about learning and improving.

1. Split Testing Made Easy: Many email marketing platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit now integrate AI to help you split-test subject lines. Test variations to learn what resonates best. For example, you can test:
   • Version A: “5 Free Tools Every Founder Needs Today”
   • Version B: “These 5 Tools Can Save Your Business Hours”
2. Leverage AI Analytics: Use tools like Phrasee or Seventh Sense, which analyze subject line performance across industries and audiences. AI can identify patterns you might miss, like which words or tones perform best for your audience.
3. Optimize for Mobile: According to Campaign Monitor, 81% of people open emails on mobile devices. AI can predict how subject lines will display on smaller screens and suggest edits to make them more effective. For instance, it might suggest trimming “How to Launch Your First Course in 3 Simple Steps” to “Launch Your First Course: 3 Steps.”

Pro Tip: The optimal subject line length for mobile is 30-50 characters. Use AI to craft concise and compelling subject lines tailored for mobile readers.

Why Email Marketing Matters

Email is still one of the highest-converting marketing channels. A HubSpot study found that for every $1 spent on email marketing, the average ROI is $42. But none of that matters if your emails aren’t getting opened.

AI isn’t just a tool; it’s your co-writer, helping you:

• Save time so you can focus on your business.
• Tap into data-driven insights to craft better messages.
• Experiment faster to find what truly works for your audience.

Your Email List Is A Valuable Marketing Tool

For your email to serve your business, they need to get opened. By hooking your audience with emotion, using specificity to build credibility, and leveraging AI to test and optimize, you’ll be writing better email subject lines faster than ever.

Don’t let another brilliant email go unread. Open up your AI tool, experiment with these steps and watch your open rates soar. Your inbox is about to get a whole lot more exciting.

If you liked this and want to know more about writing powerful hooks, I recommend reading this blog about 4 Easy Ways To Get More Clicks More Often With Your Hook.