5 ways to write the best newsletter subject line for your wellness emails

Yes, one whole blog dedicated to creating the best newsletter subject line. And also, how I met my husband.

This will all make sense in a few minutes.

Between patients, protocols, making sure you’re on top of estimated taxes, and maybe (maybe? someday?) getting enough sleep, most clinicians do well to get a newsletter written and sent.

But I’m going to clue you into the most essential part of said newsletter: The freakin’ subject line.

You know, just the tiny snippet of words that lets people know what your email is about.

Yeah, that little thing is the dealbreaker of all the time you spent writing the email, slogging through your CRM, and sweating through spellcheck.

Why?

Well, how many emails are patiently waiting to be opened in your inbox?

How many subject lines actually make you want to open the email and get to reading?

(This isn’t rhetorical; navigate to your inbox and take a look.)

See? Boring, rote, run-of-the-mill subject lines are common. They’re also completely useless if you want to accomplish your goal of more opens, clicks, and, eventually, new clients.

So, how do you create the best newsletter subject line for your next email?

First, you get the fabulous story of how I met Andrew.

How meeting my hubby is like the best newsletter subject line you’ve ever written

Andrew and I met on Tinder. And I almost didn’t swipe right.

But there was…something. He looked like a serious jock (it turned out his thighs were the same circumference as my waist—yes, we measured), but he had dreadlocks and tattoos.

His photos were a mix of fitness and him in front of a trippy alien mural.

I was intrigued.

I had to swipe right just to learn more.

For our first date, he traveled over an hour to meet me in the small Northern California town where I was living at the time. He drove a tiny, bright blue Ford Ranger. And out of that small truck emerged an enormous man, bedecked in red Oakleys with two different colored lenses.

His name? Andrew Jackson.

His birthday? April Fool’s Day.

Even though we had barely talked, I already had 50 questions. (It didn’t hurt that he was very handsome.)

That is the exact energy you’re after in your newsletter subject lines.

You want your potential reader to think, “Whoa! What’s this? I have to learn more!” and click into the email.

But here’s the crux: Just like with Andrew, who turned out not only to be a hot, hippie, fit first date but also an empathetic, considerate, and brilliant husband, you have to deliver in the long run.

Meaning you can’t put all your juju into creating the best newsletter subject line and not create a super valuable newsletter.

So, how do you deliver on all that?

Step #1 for writing the best newsletter subject line: Have something helpful to say

So, let’s start with the newsletter.

Your newsletters need to give your potential patients a serious value boost.

And I mean valuable to them…not science-y lingo that’s interesting to you and your clinician buddies.

If you know your patients are struggling with autoimmune thyroid and associated skin issues, give them the best evidence-based-made-practical tips for better skin.

If you know they’re female athletes who want to up their game and win their next competition, write about the top 10 ways to dial performance nutrition before an early morning race.

And here’s a tip: Publish that information on your website as a blog.

Then, use your newsletter to send readers to your site to get the goods.

Ultimately, just like turning a cute date into a lifelong relationship, you can’t create an eye-catching subject line without the backing of stellar content.

Step #2: Keep it brief

Subject line real estate is SMALL. You only have a few words to get your point across and the email opened.

The best newsletter subject line is short—most authorities recommend under 50 characters at most, and some experts say to keep it under 40.

Word count follows suit. Keep your subject lines under 8 words.

More words than that, and the subject gets cut off, and your idea gets lost.

Something like: Try these 10 skin solutions for fall 

Will perform better than: Tired of dry skin? Try these amazing fall skin solutions!

Step #3: Make it personal

There are a few tricks for creating more personalized subject lines and emails, but it all goes back to the question…who are you speaking to?

You have to (have to have to have to) know your client avatar to write personalized messages that bring in the patients you want to work with.

Once you have that step settled, put yourself in your potential patient’s shoes: What is the best newsletter subject line for them? What will make them excited to open your email?

Use words, references, ideas, and topics they’re excited to read about. And use their name.

Most newsletter-sending services (usually referred to as a CRM or customer relationship management software) allow you to include a customized field that automatically inserts each of your contacts’ names into the subject line.

So, instead of: Try these 10 skin solutions for fall…

your subject line transforms into: 10 thyroid skin solutions for fall, |firstname|

Step #4: For the love of dog, make it interesting

Most people feel afraid to let their creativity shine in marketing.

Please don’t be one of those people.

Interesting subject lines are exciting and effective—they pique curiosity and lead to more opens and clicks from your newsletter to your website.

You can also use emojis to add pizzazz to subject lines. But go easy…emojis should usually be used sparingly versus relying on them for every email.

This step might seem scary at first. Playing it safe feels…safe.

But the reality is that readers are desperate for funny, joyful, clever content. So give it to them!

With a bit of creativity, our subject line can become: 10 spooky season thyroid-friendly skin tips, |firstname|

Or, even better: Was Michael Myers just really into skincare, |firstname|?

Step #5: Pair it with a detailed preview line

Some CRMs give you the option of a preview line, the sneaky second line appearing after your primary subject.

This is the place to expand on your email topic. Usually, we use this area for a more detailed explanation of what readers will get while using the main subject line as an attention-grabbing hook.

Pairing your subject and preview lines is akin to writing a short poem—think of them as a modern-day haiku. What I mean is, let it be fun.

So much of your life as an entrepreneur, especially a wellness entrepreneur, is spent on serious subjects like research, protocols, taxes, and payroll.

Give yourself a break and let your mind relax into subject and preview line creation. It gives you a few moments of right-brained creativity and makes for really good writing.

Returning to our example, the subject line will be: Was Michael Myers just really into skincare, |firstname|?

The preview line: 10 spooky season thyroid-friendly skin tips

Bonus tip: Test it out

There are some fantastic subject line checkers out there you can use to audit length, spaminess, how your line appears on mobile, copy effectiveness, and more.

Hubspot offers a list of 15 mostly free checkers, and we’re also fans of Omnisend’s easy-to-use tool.

But don’t stress out if you’re not hitting every single benchmark. Ultimately, length and catchiness should be your top two priorities.

Want help writing the best newsletter subject line?

Sign up for a free trial of the Market Your Wellness Biz monthly membership to get more easy-to-implement marketing tips, tricks, and a stellar community of supportive clinicians.