Many moons ago I made my living mixing live sound at venues all over NYC and Brooklyn.

Five nights a week you could find me in the back of a dark room, dressed in all black, hunched over a soundboard.

One night, one of the older sound guys came in the room and stopped.

He looked at me and said, "Damn, how did you get that kick drum to sound so good?"

I'm not gonna lie, that was one of my proudest moments. 

For a sound engineer, a compliment on the drums from another sound engineer is a coveted compliment.

But here's what's interesting about kick drums (the big drum that sits on the floor). 

Making one sound good is completely counterintuitive.

You would think you crank the bass frequencies.

But if you want a kick drum to hit you in the face like a Mike Tyson hook you actually need to crank the high frequencies.

This works because of a principle called the Fletcher-Munson curve.

I won't get into the nerdy details, but basically our ears are more sensitive to a specific range of high.

So if you emphasize those frequencies, the sound cuts through and you perceive it as louder.

It's also why your phone has booming bass, even though that speaker physically can't produce those notes.

Believe it or not we actually have a very similar principle in marketing.

If you can directly call out a problem or desire that your customer or prospects are currently thinking about what you wrote is louder than the sea of information they scroll past every day.

And nowhere is that more true than a subject line.

You aren’t going to cut through a crowded inbox with a boring subject line.

You gotta know how to crank that up to 11.

Here’s how.

I wanted to break down four subject line frameworks that are guaranteed to stand out in a crowded inbox.

To make this I went through 1,500 email subject lines.

What was interesting to note was about 70% of them were using a discount or a deadline.

Which of course is usually the best subject line you could write.

But what about those email campaigns that aren’t for a sale that’s about to end?

Check this 40 subject lines out for some inspiration.

With this subject line, you want to directly call out a very specific problem your customers are dealing with right now when someone has that problem. This subject line will instantly stand out in their inbox, and they'll practically be forced to click.

The best place to find inspiration for these is your customer reviews.

Is your hair changing with your hormones? (haircare)

GONE: The BRAIN FOG you've struggled with for years (senior supplements)

Can't lose weight? Here's why. (meal replacement)

On a GLP-1? (gut health)

Dry, Heat-Styled, or Color-Treated Hair? (skincare and hair)

Ever Have to Poop Right After Showering? (personal care)

Still not seeing the muscle you want? (sports nutrition)

Stage 4 of Hair Loss: Balding (hair loss treatment)

Easy Way To End Gas And Bloating (digestive supplements)

Your routine should not fall apart the second you travel. (men's grooming)

This is the opposite of the pain pusher. Instead of focusing on the problem, you clearly create a picture in their mind of the desired outcome that they want. 

Never freeze at the count-off again (online music lessons)

Dinner ready when you walk in the door (smart kitchen appliance)

Navigate IEP Meetings Like a Pro! (special needs parenting)

One way to cure the Sunday Scaries (superfoods)

Here's how to keep your gut happy (low carb food)

Cook Like A Michelin Star Chef (cooking oil)

Say goodbye to digestive discomfort (digestive supplements)

Cooler Nights? Better Sleep? (sleep tech)

Better grades start here (kids vitamins)

Ditch the Itch! (athletic soap)

 With these subject lines, you want to directly challenge a commonly held belief your customer has and force them to question it. They also have the benefit of having a little curiosity baked in, which gets people to open.

What if motivation was never the problem? (energy supplement)

Poop is data. (probiotics)

You Don't Need Another Supplement (greens powder)

The expensive toy that's actually the cheapest (kids play furniture)

Forget genetics, you're aging because of this (longevity supplements)

Strength doesn't need a new routine (fitness gear)

Pretty flames don't mean warm legs (fire pits)

Systems > Willpower (nicotine free pouches)

The secret isn't more caffeine (energy drink)

Not All Collagen is Created Equal (Here's Why) (collagen)

The goal of a pattern interrupt is to be as off-the-wall and completely unexpected as possible. This is about shock and awe.

The trick with this is that you have to immediately pay off the curiosity right away in the email. You can't spam these, or else people will just realize you're tricking them.

Howdy procrastinators. We're sold out. (fire pits)

who the hell invented cyber monday? (denim)

Still want coffee from us? (coffee)

ok, one more thing about the steers (grass fed beef)

"You guys are idiots" - Erik G (underwear)

Don't tell Jeff I sent this... (fitness program)

i'm a wellness founder. am i a fraud? (matcha)

I looked up the choking numbers. I wish I hadn't. (home safety)

Your boss thinks you're working. You're buying golf hats. (golf apparel)

12 Brie Heart Cheeses Need A Home (artisan cheese)

And there you have it. Four frameworks and 40 subject lines you can swipe and adjust to fit your brand to your heart's content.

Mix them into some of your upcoming campaigns and let me know how it goes.

Speaking of campaigns….

if you're struggling to put together a cohesive campaign calendar or execute on it, let's talk. I have a few slots open to take on some new clients before the Black Friday/Q4 madness begins.

Catch ya next week,

Ben

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