You probably know that email marketing is the most powerful form of marketing online today.

All the best marketers use email to deliver their message for a very good reason.

It is simply the most profitable marketing method available on the Internet.

I know you know that email marketing works and it’s stronger than ever.

What you may not realize is how much of an impact your email subject line has on the effectiveness of your message.

After all, you can go to great lengths to write a compelling message, paying close attention to all the nuances of paragraph length, just the right word here or there, and more.

But if your message never opens, all that work is wasted!

So let’s see how you can open and read more email messages.

The key element here is the subject line.

Almost everyone receives too many emails or uses filters to reduce the amount they receive.

And almost everyone is busy, with very little time to do what they want to do online.

This has created a generation of scanners. We scan 100-200 emails, looking for the ones worth our time, in about 10 minutes.

And that’s why YOUR subject line MUST shine if you want to compete and win.

If you think of your email as an advertisement, the subject line is the title of that advertisement.

We often hear copywriters say that the right headline can “increase sales by up to 800%.” While it’s probably a bit over the top, getting the right headline can have a huge impact on sales.

And just like that, the right subject line can have a huge impact on your email open rate.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, we can create a subject line exchange file to use anytime we need it.

Here’s how to do it in a few easy steps.

NOTE: A “swap file” is just a way of saying a document that contains pieces of copy that you will use later. Many writers use swap files for headlines, the closing section of a web page, and more.

Of course, we should never copy anything someone else writes verbatim, but DO use subject lines you like for inspiration.

Choose what to put in your swap file

Look for headlines that appeal to you.

If something appeals to you, chances are it will appeal to others as well. These are the messages to save.

Look for the email that leaks in your “junk” folder.

You should avoid them like the plague! These emails are the ones that don’t open now.

Don’t let yours fall victim to filters too.

Separate these emails in a special folder

There’s no need to clutter your inbox with these messages, so copy them and put them in a text document or create a special folder just for them.

Creating a special folder is better since you will be able to sort them by sender or subject, which is the next step.

TOP TIP: I suggest that my clients use a separate email address for marketing messages only. I suggest that you receive personal email at one address and use a different address to join the lists.

This saves you time and also makes sorting easier.

Group Them By Product Type Or Shipper

The key here is to first find out who sent the message.

If this is someone you know who is successful online, pay close attention to the subject line.

I can promise you they did.

These are often the best subject lines to draw inspiration from.

It is often worth joining the list of best online sellers for this reason alone. Reading your emails is like a short course in email marketing!

Next, you want to read each message to see what it is about.

Then group the messages by the type of product being promoted.

Information products are promoted differently than Network Marketing, which is different from real estate.

By grouping the messages you have a mini-file of exchange for the type of product you are promoting.

Pay special attention to repeated subject lines

These are often the messages that have stood the test of time.

I have about five subject lines in my exchange file from 2001. I still see them used today and I can assure you they wouldn’t send if they didn’t work.

Now that you’ve created your swap file, it’s time to do some marketing.

Choose your best selling product (or the one you want to sell) and look for a subject line where the message is for a similar product.

Then rework that subject line until it retains the same meaning but is yours.

Of course, never use a subject line as you find it. The point here is not to take someone else’s work, but to use that work as inspiration for your own work.

Now send a sales message using your new subject line and see how it goes. If successful, copy it to a permanent file to use again. If not, continue with the next one or refine it and try again.

By consistently staying truthful in your subject lines, using proven concepts found in your subject line exchange file, and being consistent in your efforts, you will see your email marketing profitability increase.

And that’s a really beautiful thing.