Let the Subject Line Work for You

Do you get tired of people ignoring your emails? Did you know that your subject line may be why? People are more likely to open emails that have effective and specific subject lines than those with a boring or confusing line. Essential components of your subject line include an action verb, an adjective and noun with a prepositional phrase (a qualifier or condition). Optional components include a code and multiple prepositional phrases. An example of a common subject line follows: "Budget Mtg." A revised line reads: "CPA: Attend 3rd Qtr Budget Mtg on 3/4 at 2:15 p.m. in rm 12 #." All CPAs are to attend the meeting at the date, time, and location given to discuss the third-quarter budget items and balances. If the full message is in the subject line, add "#" to indicate end of message. The quality of your subject lines can determine the quality and quantity of the reader responses you get.