How to write an Email subject lines is essential skill for every trading business. By improving the effectiveness of your B2B cold emails, you can find numerous new overseas customers and orders every year, even without participating in exhibitions, B2B platforms, or Google advertising.
Since business development emails are crucial, how long do you think a purchaser takes, on average, to decide whether to open an email upon receiving it?
According to statistics: purchasers may receive over 20 business development emails per day, but on average, they only spend about three seconds deciding whether to open and continue reading the contents of these emails. I know, this open rate might sound lower than the chances of a newcomer getting an interview, but don’t worry. As long as the subject line addresses the purchaser’s pain points or current problems to be solved, they might not resist the temptation to open the email and find out more.
(Read More: Top 10 b2b wholesale marketplaces – Highly Recommended by importers and exporters)
How to write good subject lines
1. Keep it brief (within 60 characters for Outlook):
The subject line must be short enough for recipients to read without needing to open the email for details.
2. Avoid overly boastful words, exclamation marks, or excessive gimmicks:
We’ve all experienced situations where customers requested a quote for 10,000 tons but ended up purchasing only 100 tons. So, avoid using phrases like “Last Chance” or “Enough Stock” in the subject line, when in reality, there might be a three-week wait for shipment after ordering.
3. Not necessarily emphasize your company name:
Since it’s a cold email, the recipient likely doesn’t know your company. You can emphasize well-known brands you’ve collaborated with instead, as it’s easier to resonate with customers. For example: Air Purifier Supplier for Costco.
4. Use the customary language for product names in the recipient’s country:
It’s essential to understand the customary language in different countries rather than using Taiwanese terms. You can refer to the recipient’s website to find the terms they commonly use.
5. For countries with minority languages, use Google’s minority language translation or Chatgpt:
For countries with minority languages like Korea, Japan, or South American countries, using Google or Chatgpt for regional language translation can make customers feel more connected.
Effective layout for email subject lines
A good layout for email subject lines consists of two parts, as follows:
Part 1: Personalization
A. If you know recipient’s name:
Be sure to address the recipient directly by name. Imagine seeing your own name or content related to you in your inbox. Most people would be curious enough to click and view. So, including the recipient’s name can effectively increase the desire to click.
| To Mr. Andrew Brow |
B. If you doesn’t know recipient’s name:
Include the product they sell + job title. Imagine some companies might have specific divisions for purchasing. If other colleagues receive the email, they should know who to forward it to.
| To Heat Sink Purchasing Manager |
Part 2: Captivating Description
1. Highlight product advantages
Product advantages can be divided into two main categories:
A. General topics that most purchasers care about
| • Low MOQ XX pcs/lot • Quick Quotation in 1 day • Free Shipping • Free Sample • Delivery on time |
B. Unique advantages discovered when talking to different industries and customers
- Liquid-solid products are lighter and smaller due to special packaging, saving space and shipping costs.
- Machinery operates three times more efficiently than competitors but consumes less electricity.
- LCD Display withstand -40°C temperatures, suitable for XX country.
- Biotech products have CE and FDA certifications, saving local agents the cost of additional certifications.
- Air Compressor Supplier, High Temperature Resistance, Suitable for Thailand market
2. Addressing customer pain points, using solving overheating issues
| To Ms. Claudia Fischer, Cooler Solutions for the Overheat Issue |
3. Use the “Questioning Method” to arouse the recipient’s curiosity
| To Mr. Andre Jansen , looking for price-performance balanced thermal products? |
4. Include industry-leading customers
| To Mr. Andre Jackson, We are TSMC’s supplier / LCM manufacturer We are XXX company’s supplier + product name |
5. Include content that prompts customers to take the next step
For example, meeting invitations. Don’t forget to invite customers to join online meetings for a deeper understanding of your company.
| To Mr. Andre Jansen, Meeting Confirm Request on 7th June 10:30am Meeting confirmation: date + time. |
(Read More: Best online meeting platforms (with Comparsion Charts) – Essential for Business Meetings and Online Teaching)
6. Keep up with the news
Understand the hottest topics in other countries and link your products to them.
| 1. Disinfectant, Gloves to Against Covid-19 – Reliable Taiwanese Supplier 2. Take Away Food Containers to Reduce Infection Risk, Reliable Taiwanese Supplier |
Start EDM Marketing to increase your sales
Don’t worry about low email open rates! Take action now. We recommend using an “Email Tracker” to track customer open rates. Conduct A/B testing on various subject lines and find the most suitable content for your industry.
We provide an “EDM Marketing“ system that can send emails to thousands of customers at once and automatically personalize them with the recipient’s name in the content, achieving a personalized effect.
We’ve guided many manufacturers with “Email Marketing Strategies such as “Business development email subject lines” and “Business development email content”. To improve your email response rates, feel free to Whatsapp or Email us!
(Read More: 5 Steps to Write a High Response Rate of B2b cold email templates)
