by Meg Prater Your prospects’ email inboxes are inundated with ordinary subject lines all day, every day. “ Hope you’re doing w...
by Meg Prater
Your prospects’ email inboxes are inundated with ordinary subject lines all day, every day.
“Hope you’re doing well,” “Just checking in,” and “Wanted to follow up” fill their screens faster than Gary Vee drops the F-bomb.
Thirty-five percent of email recipients report opening emails based on the subject line alone. And headline experts at CoSchedule recommend hitting on people’s curiosity to get that magic click.
So how do you pique a prospect’s interest? Humor. When using funny email subject lines, it’s important to know your audience. If you’re following up with a CEO after a conference, you probably don’t want to lead with a humorous subject line.
However, if a prospect you’ve been speaking with for a few weeks suddenly goes dark, these witty subject lines can restart the conversation.
15 Funny Email Subject Lines to Try
- “Need a day at the beach?”
- “Since we can’t all win the lottery …”
- “3 bizarre steps to being better at your job”
- “Pairs nicely with spreadsheets”
- “Revised policy regarding jean shorts at work”
- “HBO GO Password?”
- “Don’t invite Steve to that meeting. He’ll dress like a ghost.”
- “Dad jokes. I’ve got ‘em.”
- “You can’t buy this on Amazon …”
- “You have this in common with Steve Jobs”
- “Swipe right on us.”
- “I like you better than my nephew right now.”
- “What’s your Uber rating?”
- “How to organize your VHS collection”
- “Mom’s gonna love this”
1) “Need a day at the beach?”
If your prospect says they’re going to be busy planning for this quarter’s board meeting over the next few weeks, you want to give them space.
When it’s time to reconnect, however, it might be necessary to get back on their radar with something special.
Use this Travelocity-inspired “Need a day at the beach?” subject line, and open with, “I know you’ve had a lot on your plate recently. I wish I could send you somewhere with umbrella drinks and beach chairs, but all I can do is offer you this [product/service] …”
Close by telling them how your company can free up the time they need to take a real vacation -- or at least an afternoon off.
2) “Since we can’t all win the lottery …”
Want an attention-grabbing subject line? This Uber original is it. Follow up with a sentence or two saying, “You may not strike it rich overnight, but you can become more efficient at your job with our [product/service] -- which is kind of like winning $5 from a scratcher!”
It’s quick, funny, and shows you don’t take yourself too seriously.
3) “3 bizarre steps to being better at your job”
Have fun with the steps inside your email. For example: “Step 1: Buy two venti double-shot espressos over ice, give one to a coworker, and watch the synergy unfold. 2: Bring donuts to the office on a Monday and become everyone’s employee of the month. 3: Ask me for a demo of [product/service] and save your company so much time they’ll be begging to give you a promotion.”
Customize step three for any call to action that fits your email’s goal. Swap out “Ask me for a demo” for “Ask me to send over the contract” or “Let’s schedule that follow-up call.” It’s a versatile and friendly way to give your prospect a nudge to the next step.
4) “Pairs nicely with spreadsheets”
This might not be relevant to every industry, but if you’re dealing with B2B prospects, this Warby Parker subject line is a home run.
Follow it with how your product/service will increase company efficiency, team morale, or revenue, making it a breeze to present spreadsheets full of positive numbers at their next big meeting.
5) “Revised policy regarding jean shorts at work”
You’re either really a fan of this clothing policy or you’re really not. Either way, this Funny or Die subject line should elicit a second look and a laugh.
Include a sentence in the body of your email saying, “OK, maybe this is a bad idea, but doesn’t it make a 15-minute demo with me suddenly sound more appealing?”
6) “HBO GO Password?”
Whether you’ve sent this email to a dozen friends five minutes before a new Game of Thrones episode or are the unfortunate friend who hasHBO GO -- you know this email.
When a prospect sees this coming from you (another Funny or Die-inspired gem), they’ll be curious. Make sure to elicit a laugh by including, “Just kidding, I use my college roommate's distant acquaintance's second nephew twice removed’s HBO GO account. But while I’ve got you here, I’d love to follow up on where we stand with the contract.”
7) “Don’t invite Steve to that meeting. He’ll dress like a ghost.”
How do you not open this email -- our last from Funny or Die? Follow up with, “On second thought, you should definitely invite Steve to that meeting. Speaking of meetings, I’d love to get that demo we’ve been talking about scheduled. I promise not to dress like a ghost.”
8) “Dad jokes. I’ve got ‘em.”
Everyone loves a good dad joke, so you’d better deliver. Give the people what they want with, “Why do chicken coops only have two doors? Because if they had four, they would be chicken sedans!”
Include your call to action at the end, and promise not to tell any more jokes if they sign the contract by end of week.
9) “You can’t buy this on Amazon …”
They probably can’t buy your product/service on Amazon. Isn’t that amazing? You can promise them they’ll enjoy free same-day shipping on the contract if they’re ready to sign.
10) “You have this in common with Steve Jobs”
This is another subject line that’s great at sparking reader curiosity. Open your email with something like, “You’re both great at spotting the next big thing. Ready to make it a reality? I’d love to give you a presentation this week.”
11) “Swipe right on us.”
Waiting on your prospect to make the final decision between you and your competitor? Send them this email. If you really want to go the extra mile. Put together a faux dating profile for your product/service listing all of its attributes for them one more time.
12) “I like you better than my nephew right now.”
Prospect go dark? I bet they’ll still open this email. Grab their attention by saying, “It’s been awhile since we spoke, but I still like you better than my nephew, Theo. Want to reconnect this week?”
13) “What’s your Uber rating?”
Have you checked yours lately? Chances are, your prospect hasn’t. Attract their interest with this click-worthy subject line and make your first sentence something like, “If we were your driver, you’d be a 5! Unfortunately, we can’t do anything about that one friend you ordered an Uber for who threw up in the back seat. But we can do something about your data storage problem …”
14) “How to organize your VHS collection”
Trust me, you’re not the only person who waxes nostalgic for Blockbuster on Friday nights.
Once your prospect has eagerly opened this Blu Dot-inspired email, drop a line that says, “Before you start alphabetizing your box sets, set up a 10-minute call with me so I can tell you how organized our [product/service] can make you.” Bonus points for linking to this lifesaving product.
15) “Mom’s gonna love this”
Everyone wants to make their mom happy. This subject line, originally from Brit + Co, taps into that habit. Include a sentence telling them, “Your mom will love how much easier [product/service] will make your life. And my mom will appreciate me paying her back with the commission I get from this deal.”
As with all things in sales, use good judgement when sending these funny email subject lines. Once you’ve made sure they’re in line with your company values and branding, you can really let your creativity loose.
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