Your email's subject line is a one-second opportunity to spark an emotional or intellectual curiosity response that will get your message opened. You have little time to convince a reader to open your message, so your subject line had better be good. Here are the whats, whys and hows of composing effective subject lines.

Make it a Discomforting Question

People are curious. Using a strategically composed question will compel your readers to want to know the answer. And the way they will get that answer is by opening your message. But sometimes a question is not enough, so it should have an emotional impact on readers. Itches are uncomfortable and the result is that they get scratched. Your subject line should also try to hit a nerve. Here are some examples:

• Are you making these mistakes resulting in too many bounce backs?
• Are you losing prospects because of your website?
• Is your competition stealing your ideas?
• Did you remember to turn off the stove?

Make it Descriptive and Decisive

If the discomforting question method is a little too "Fox News" for your taste, you can always stick to good old decisive and descriptive subject lines. Compose a truthful subject line based on the message content so the reader knows what to expect. Here are some examples:

• Aiden Michael Stoll - Born Jan 20, 2005
• Create a Flood of Referrals
• Association Convention 2005 Details

Should it be Designed for Archives?

Many people save messages for future reference. It is easy to find a newsletter that has the name of the company or newsletter title followed by a brief description. People can see the sender address, but it is easier if they see "newsletter" in the subject line. This should only be used if the message is in a newsletter format where a reputation has been built. Here are some examples:

• motion4.com Quick Tip - Some Silence is Golden
• Influence with Ease...Fair isn't equal
• Taking Up Space - Widows and Orphans

The 45 Character Limit Rule

Most email browsers (Outlook, Yahoo.com, AOL, Thunderbird, etc.) have a limit on the number of viewable characters in a subject line (45 to 80+). Because of this, it is a good idea to keep your subject line below 45 characters so it can be fully read by most applications.

Final Thoughts on Subject Lines

The subject line is an important part of your message and demands careful crafting for good effect. If your messages are consistently valuable, informative and entertaining, they will still be read regardless of the subject line. But always remember that you are constantly building a reputation with new readers, so you must be on the ball. Use no trickery, respect your reader and be valuable. This will win you better relationships with the help of email.