Effective networking is a key element of success. Keep that in mind and take each and every opportunity to improve your networking skills. Today, we invite you to read this article and learn how to write a killer subject line for networking email.
To achieve success in a particular field, you should make contacts with people who work in this and related fields and who are known as thought leaders. For instance, if you want to start a cosmetic company, you should get acquainted with chemical engineers, PR professionals, beauty bloggers, and social media influencers.
So, when you’re ready to spread the news about your brand new product, or get an expert opinion on something, the good news is that you can reach out to all these people via email. The bad news is that you may feel awkward about sending your first email.
Well, it’s pretty tricky to find the right words to start the conversation with a person who barely knows your name. And it’s even more challenging to come up with the proper subject line for networking email that will ensure high open rates while also making a good first impression on the recipient.
Remember how easy it was to make friends when you were a child? You’d share your toys with a random kid on the playground, and before you knew it, you were buddies.
Now you are an adult, and it’s not that easy for you to network and make new acquaintances – you are too worried about being rejected.
Today, we will try to help you to overcome this problem. We will provide you with the best examples of the subject line for networking emails and give you some ideas on how to write a good subject line from scratch.
Let’s get started!
What to include in your subject line for networking email
There is no one perfect subject line for networking email that will work for everyone. Depending on the niche you work in and the rank of the person you want to reach out to, you should choose different subject line writing strategies.
Here are a few basic principles you should be aware of.
Know the recipient’s name
The best way to start an email subject line is to use the recipient’s name. Firstly, it will help you to personalize your message and start your conversation on an upbeat note. Secondly, it will help you to assure the recipient that your email is not spam.
Take a look at the following subject line examples:
- Hey Melanie, let’s talk about your work on the X project.
- Hi Steve, do you need help with your X research?
How would these phrases sound if you exclude the names? They would sound a little bit sassy and impersonal, wouldn’t they?
As Dale Carnegie once said, “A person’s name is to that person, the sweetest, most important sound in any language.” So it will be wise to use the recipients’ name in every subject line for networking email.
Make the recipient feel valued
How many emails do you receive daily? Do you read them all? The chances are you open only those emails that have engaging subject lines and seem to include valuable content.
The people you want to network with behave in the same way as you do. They don’t waste their precious time on reading long emails that add no value to them.
So what can you do to get your networking email noticed? You should write something related to the recipients’ work or professional achievements. It will grab attention and entice the person to open and read your email.
Take a glance at the following examples:
- Hi Melanie, the reels you post on Instagram are mind-blowing
- Hi John, your publication in The Guardian has changed my opinion of the X medication
Egoism is one of the fundamental features of human nature. People like to feel valued and important. They want to experience the feeling of significance. Therefore, if you write that you highly appreciate the recipients’ work, the recipients will be eager to open your email.
Introduce yourself
Some people have a rule to never open the emails sent by strangers – they delete all incoming emails from unknown senders. Unfortunately, such behavior kills networking opportunities.
If you want to maximize your efforts, you should consider including your name or the name of the person who referred you in the subject line. This simple trick will help you to build trust with recipients and increase open rates. Once you introduce yourself, you will not be treated as a stranger.
Here are a few good examples of such subject lines:
- Hi, Michael. Elisabeth Smith introduced us at a tattoo convention.
- Hi, Anthony. I’m Johan from ABC Company. I want to know your opinion on X topic.
Articulate your offer
If you want a person to give you something, you should offer something valuable in return. For instance, if you want a college professor to share additional resources with you, you should provide them with actionable insights from your study.
Before you start writing your networking email, ask yourself the following questions:
- What valuable information can I provide to the experts in the field?
- How can people benefit from collaborating with me?
You should understand that the people you want to collaborate with receive dozens of networking emails daily. And you should write something that will make your email stand out from the pack to get the desired reply.
For instance, you can describe your offer this way:
- Hi, Jaime, I’ve polled 1,505 students regarding their attitudes towards distance learning. I’ve some insights to share with you.
- Hi, Brook. I’ve some marketing ideas on how to take your eco-project to the next level.
Use active voice
When it comes to online written communication, readability plays an important role. Modern users tend to scroll through their inboxes really quick: they pay attention only to the clear, easy-to-read subject lines and skip the rest. So if you want to boost your networking efforts, you should ensure that your email subject lines are easy-to-read and easy-to-understand.
Here are a few basic rules you should follow:
- Don’t use rare technical terms
- Don’t use internet acronyms
- Don’t use sophisticated words
- And most importantly, avoid using passive voice.
Let’s compare two similar subject lines for networking email:
- Passive voice – Hi, Megan. I was introduced to you by Chris Reynolds at the X hackathon
- Active voice – Hi, Megan. Chris Reynolds introduced us at the X hackathon
Basically, both subject lines represent the same message. But the second subject line is shorter, and it takes a recipient less time to read it, so you can expect that it will work better.
Add an emoji
If you don’t want your email subject line to sound too formal, add a relevant emoji. It can be a smiling face, waving hand, or any other relevant emoji.
Just keep in mind that you can use only ONE emoji at a time. It will make your subject line look visually appealing yet professional.
Hi, Helen,
I have some news regarding X conference
What to avoid in your subject line for networking email
If you have just started your “networking” journey, it might be challenging for you to understand what you do right and what you do wrong. For this reason, we want to discuss the don’ts of crafting a subject line for networking email.
Here is a list of common mistakes you should avoid.
Don’t provide too many details
The optimal length of the email subject line is 78 characters. And your task is to articulate your idea as briefly as possible to fit this character limit. So please, don’t include any unnecessary details in the subject line – it will do you more harm than good.
Here is an example of an ineffective subject line for networking email:
- Referred by Jessica Wilson (the girl you worked with for ABC Company three years ago)
What’s the point in providing such detailed information about the person who referred you? If the recipient of the email remembers the name Jessica Wilson, they will open the email anyway.
You will achieve better results if you tweak this subject line this way:
- Referred by Jessica Wilson to discuss the use of recycled plastic furniture
If you specify who has referred you and what concrete topic you want to discuss, you will be more likely to get a reply.
Don’t use laid-back, colloquial expressions
Whatever niche you work in, you should be aware of the basic rules of email etiquette. In your subject lines, you should use professional salutations and avoid using laid-back expressions like “Hey bro,” “Yo,” or “Hi sis”.
Also, you shouldn’t use the recipients’ nicknames instead of a name. Don’t call Elizabeth – Liz or Charlotte – Lottie. It may offend the person you are trying to make contact with.
Don’t include any irrelevant information
The worst subject line for networking email is a subject line that includes irrelevant information.
Here is an example of a terrible subject line idea:
- “Congratulations! You’ve won a prize!”
Some “newbie networkers” use “black marketing tactics” to increase open rates. And guess what? They never achieve networking success. The recipients do not want to continue the conversation with the person who used a cheap trick to manipulate them (to entice them to open an email).
Besides, such subject lines look spammy and can be caught by spam filters. They are 100% ineffective and are not worth using.
Don’t skip the proofreading part
Do you want to make a good first impression on the thought leaders? Don’t forget to proofread and edit your networking email and subject line in particular. It may sound like an obvious piece of advice, but it’s crucial to give it the proper attention.
As a rule, recipients do not open a networking email if they spot a typo or spelling error in its subject line. Therefore, you should understand one tiny mistake can doom all your networking campaigns to failure.
We highly suggest you double-check the correctness of each word before you click the “send” button. It’s the only way to prevent your failure.
The best examples of the subject line for networking email
If you want to reach out to a person you have never talked to before, you can choose one of the following examples and modify it.
- [Recipient’s name], your X publication in Z magazine is just brilliant
- [Recipient’s name], let’s collaborate to achieve X goal
- Hi, [recipient’s name]: I have a quick question about X topic
- I have something to share with you regarding X event
- Hi, [recipient’s name], I suppose you’ll find this info interesting
- Hi [recipient’s name], could you help me with the X project?
- Hi [recipient’s name], share your expert opinion with me
- [Your mutual friend’s name] told me you could share an expert opinion on X topic
- I’m [your name]. Here is the result of the X survey. You can use it for your research.
- Looking for advice from an expert in X niche
- Let’s discuss X topic. Your opinion means the world to me.
- Hi, [recipient’s name]. My colleague [your colleague’s name] recommended you as an expert in the X field
- Hi [recipient’s name], [your friend’s name] friend here. We met at the conference hall last week
- Referred by [your mutual friend’s name] to talk about X problem
- I’m [your name] from ABC company. I want to know your opinion on X topic.
- Hi [recipient’s name]. We need your help to solve X problem.
- Hey [recipient’s name]. I know you’re the only one who can solve X issue.
- Hi [recipient’s name]. You’re the only one who knows the answer to this question.
- I’ve just read your recent post on Facebook. I support every statement you made.
- Your recent publication in X magazine opened my eyes to X problem.
- Interested in learning more about your recent marketing research
- Just read your opinion on X topic on Y blog. I can’t agree more
- The findings you present in X article are impressive. Let’s discuss some aspects of your study in detail.
- Just shared your X article on Facebook and Twitter. It’s a must-read for every marketer.
- Your new blog post is a real masterpiece. Can I ask you a few questions about the study you conducted?
- Hey [recipient’s name]. You can add these poll results to your article.
- Hey [recipient’s name], I’m also researching X topic. I have some insights to share with you.
- Hey [recipient’s name]. Take a look at the results of this customer survey.
- Hi, [recipient’s name], I’m looking for an influencer in the X field to share my findings with.
- My friend [your mutual friend’s name] believes you could be interested in getting the latest industry insights.
- My friend [your mutual friend’s name] thinks you would be interested in collaborating with me on X task.
- Your speech at X event impressed me a lot. Could we discuss some of the statements you made?
In case if you have already met the email recipient in person or talked to them on the phone, you can use one of the following subject line examples as a template:
- It was an honor talking to you at [your mutual friend’s name] party
- I can’t stop thinking about the issues we discussed at X party. Can I ask you a few more questions?
- Your ideas on how we can resolve the X issue impressed me a lot. Could we discuss it further?
- Hey, [recipient’s name], I enjoyed our conversation. Can we keep the conversation going?
- Hey, [recipient’s name], you’ve told me you have an interest in X topic. I have to share some outstanding facts with you
- Hi, [recipient’s name], it was a pleasure for me to chat with you at X event
- Hi, [recipient’s name], I’m impressed with your speech and the way you answered my questions.
- Hi, [recipient’s name], we haven’t had enough time to discuss the X issue in detail. Can we chat when you have free time?
Don’t be afraid to be the one who starts the conversation
Your networking efforts will define your success. The more networking emails you will send and the more compelling subject lines you will write, the higher the results you will achieve.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who work in your niche and related niches. Forget about the fear of being rejected. If you articulate your ideas right, the recipient will open your email and write you back.
Be creative and come up with a subject line for networking email that will impress the recipients. Do it today to excel in your career and accomplish your dream.
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