Well how do you like them cinnamon-sprinkled apples.
I’ve been sending out my Weekly Tip email (almost) without fail for TWO WHOLE YEARS now.
Apparently, I have a lot to say about travel agent marketing!
So, since another year has gone by, I think it’s time for my annual round up of my top performing subject lines.
The ones you guys couldn’t stop clicking on.
I’ve rounded up the top 5, according to open rates — i.e. the percentage of my email list that opened the email — and we’re counting down to the #1 most opened email of the past year. (Plus, I link to the corresponding email in case you missed it the first time around).
Beneath each subject line, I share my thoughts on why this line worked so well — and I hope you can take away a lesson or two to apply to your own subject lines!
Ready?
*drumroll pleasseeeeee*
My Top 5 Weekly Tip Subject Lines of the Past Year
5. [Weekly tip] She wanted desperately to work with a travel agent, but couldn’t, because …
Open Rate: 43.5%
The email: This was the story about how my millennial friend went searching for a travel agent to work with on the internet … and was shocked at all the realllly, realllyy bad websites she found.
Why the subject line works:
- It’s the start to a gripping story. I bet it stands out in the inbox because it doesn’t read like a typical marketing subject line.
- It’s formatted as a cliffhanger. Those ellipses are important! Subscribers are driven to click to find out what happens next.
4. [Weekly tip] Here’s how to make the next 3 months the best ever for your travel biz
Open Rate: 44.2%
The email: This one was all about how to create a quarterly business plan — that fits on one single page.
Why the subject line works:
- It’s a “how to” subject line. It promises to teach the subscriber something new. “How to” subject lines are generally pretty popular.
- It’s concrete — I tell you exactly how long it’ll take to improve your travel biz (3 months).
- Finally, I think this is just a really juicy topic for travel pros. It speaks straight to what my subscribers are yearning for (a successful travel business).
3. [Weekly tip] How to sell your travel services to people who don’t like being sold to
Open Rate: 45.5%
The email: This one breaks down how travel pros should create copy that appeals to both the emotional and rational sides of their prospects — because that’s how you can sell to practically anybody.
Why the subject line works:
- It’s another “How to” construction.
- I make a big, seemingly impossible promise — challenging the idea that there are people out there who just can’t be sold to.
2. [Weekly tip] My 7 favorite marketing tools for travel pros (5 are free!)
Open Rate: 48.1%
The email: The subject line says it all — it’s a list of my favorite marketing tools.
Why the subject line works:
- It’s a list. People love lists!
- I use the word”free.” People love free things!
- I also use two numbers in this subject line. Generally, numbers do a good job of attracting the attention of your subscribers (notice how I used numerals instead of writing the numbers out).
1. [Weekly tip] Oh hello, Vacation Brain …
Open Rate: 48.5%
The email: I find it HILARIOUS that this was my most opened email — it was just a quick announcement that I was going on vacation and would be pausing my weekly tips 🙂
Why the subject line works:
- It’s super short. Studies have shown that subject lines that are either really long OR really short get opened the most. Try to stay away from the middle (because then your subject line looks just like everyone else’s).
- It’s super silly! I had some fun with this subject line. Looks like you guys like fun.
So that’s the Dream Team. Now onto the Duds …
My Top 3 *Worst* Performing Subject Lines
I’m baring my soul email system to show you … my 3 WORST performing subject lines.
Eeeeeek.
These bad boys got significantly fewer opens than my top performers.
Ready?
Here are the biggest losers:
3. [Weekly tip] The “free” marketing tool you may be using that’s costing you *tons* of travel clients …
Open Rate: 34%
2. [Weekly tip] Have you heard this *super scary* stat about your website? {Video Inside}
Open Rate: 32.7%
1. [Weekly tip] The one question I always ask my clients (and you should ask yourself)
Open Rate: 32%
Why they didn’t work:
I can’t be sure of an answer here, but I do see a couple patterns shared by these three subject lines. Patterns that are probably working against them.
- Subject line length. Last week, I told you that the subject lines that typically work the best are either short or long. All three of these are somewhere in the middle. So they don’t stand out in the inbox.
- The last two subject lines don’t mention travel agents specifically, so they just look like general marketing emails. If a travel agent just joined my list and then received one of these emails from me, they would probably be less likely to click because it doesn’t feel immediately applicable to them. Specificity rules, and I just wasn’t specific enough about my target audience in these subject lines.
So these were my three worst performing subject lines of the past year — but I wouldn’t say a 32% open rate is necessarily *bad.*
A lot of folks on my list still opened up my emails, not because of the subject lines, but in spite of them. Because I’ve been consistently focused on sending out a helpful tip every single week for the past year, a good chunk of my list will open my emails no matter what.
I’m not trying to brag, I promise! I’m trying to say: Consistency matters. When you show up when you say you will, delivering value every time, your people will WANT to hear from you.
You won’t have to work as hard to convince them to open up your email, watch your FB Live, etc.
They’ll be expecting you. And they’ll click “watch,” “read,” or “open” no matter what!
There’s no subject line trick in the book that performs better than consistency.
So if there’s one lesson you take away today, let it be this: Pick one marketing tactic and get SUPER CONSISTENT about it. Show up every. Single. Week.
It’s the best (and easiest!) way to build your tribe of travel-loving prospects.
Psst … looking for ezine inspiration? Join the challenge!
If you’re ready to get consistent with your own e-newsletter, join the FREE Blog Brainstorming Challenge to steal my best travel content ideas for your blog and ezine!
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