Cutline Speaks

5 Tips for Writing Better Subject Lines

posted by Morgan on February 17, 2009

Writing relevant subject lines for email pitches can be pretty hard, but it is so important because a good subject line is what attracts a reporter to open your email pitch. In fact, Saul Hansell points out that using key words in your subject line and throughout your pitch can help him remember your company, expert, product or story idea. So, you heard it straight from the source, one ingredient for a successful pitch must include an effective subject line. 

I recently learned the importance of writing good headlines in a new class I'm taking. I wanted to share a few tips that can apply to writing better subject lines for your email pitches:

1. Spend time on the subject line - You've already spent a lot of time on the pitch. Don't forget the subject line. You should allocate enough time to create a subject line that gets a pitch read. What are the key words of the story? Make sure those key words are included in the subject line. The most important point of your pitch should be easily understood just by reading the subject line. 
2. Practice your pitch on a co-worker - If you can't describe your story to someone else in one minute or less, either your pitch is unclear or you don't understand it. Make sure you understand everything before you hit the send button. 
3. Use active verbs – You should use active verbs in a short subject line to be more effective. 
4. Be specific - Avoid jargon. Specific words can help you if a reporter goes searching for information in his or her email at a later date. If Saul does it, other reporters do this too.
5. Proofread one more time - You don't want to lose credibility with a typo in the subject line. Make sure you have a co-worker proofread the title (and the entire pitch) before you hit send. 

Hope these tips help you on your way to successful pitching. Let us know how things go in the comments section below.

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