Relying on professional email subject line examples & tips can make a huge difference to the success of your outreach.
Whether you’re looking for a new job, following up on a recent meeting, or looking to grow your network, writing the perfect subject line will encourage the recipient to open your email.
But what should you include in a professional email subject line? How long should the subject line be? And is there anything you should avoid writing as you introduce yourself professionally?
In this article, we cover tips and things to avoid in email subject lines. We also provide 25 real-world professional email subject line examples that you can use for various purposes.
What is a professional email subject line?
A subject line is the first part of your outreach that your customer will see. Therefore, it should be clear, polite, and relevant to the outreach. While it should include a reference to the topic of the email, it doesn’t need to provide in-depth information, as you want the recipient to open the email.
Ideally, the perfect professional email subject line should be no more than 30 to 50 characters, with a maximum of ten words. Read on for the best professional email subject line examples and some tips that will help you write the perfect introduction.
How to craft the perfect professional email subject line
Research from HubSpot shows that about 22.5% of emails are opened. This means that roughly three out of every four emails sent aren’t opened by the recipient.
This tells us that you need to work hard and craft a high-quality subject line if you want the recipient to open your email. With that in mind, what should you include in the subject line? And are there specific things you should avoid?
Before we reveal professional email subject line examples that you can use in your outreach, here are some tips that will help you write a killer subject line to get your email opened:
Be personal
The best professional email subject line examples are personal. People are more likely to open an email when their name is in the subject line.
Though it requires more research on your part, it can pay dividends. So, begin by researching the person you’re reaching out to and make sure you spell their name correctly. For professional inquiries, using their LinkedIn profile as a starting point is a smart move.
Use an appropriate tone
We’ve seen numerous professional email subject line examples that miss the mark because they employ the wrong tone. When you’re contacting someone for a professional reason, the tone should be polite, courteous, and formal.
Avoid words and phrases that breed overfamiliarity and keep things formal to avoid offending people. For instance, decide if your subject line should use the person’s first name or their full name [e.g., should it be Darren Smith or Mr Smith?].
There’s not always a right or wrong answer here, so you should research how other people refer to the recipient and consider what’s most appropriate.
Avoid spam trigger words
Did you know that in 2023, around 45% of emails were identified as spam? This is because senders often don’t think about words that email providers identify as the signature of junk emails. Therefore, when you write your subject line, it’s crucial to avoid spam trigger words.
Spam trigger words are keywords and phrases that will likely cause your email to end up in the junk folder.
Inbox Service Providers (ISPs) have numerous ways of detecting spam trigger words. Though the precise algorithm isn’t clear, we know that you need to avoid specific words in your professional email subject line to steer clear of the junk folder.
Here are some spam trigger words that you must not include in your professional email subject line:
Finance-related
Cash, credit, money, income, Bitcoin, crypto, earnings, bankruptcy, debt, full refund, bargain, claims, compare rates, discount.
Commercial words
Buy now, as seen on, buy direct, clearance, order status, fire sale, shipped orders.
Employment-related
Additional income, being your own boss, double your money, extra income, working from home.
Encouraging urgency
Act now, apply now, don’t delay, urgent, limited-time only, instant action required.
Lacking personalization
Dear friend, my friend, sir/madam, customer, winner, recipient.
If your email ends up in the recipient’s junk folder, you can wave goodbye to any potential sales or leads. While there are numerous spam trigger words out there, the best way to avoid being flagged is to add a personal touch.
You should also make the subject line relevant to the body of the email. This will give you the best chance of the recipient opening it.
Use appropriate punctuation
While caps might get your email noticed, it will probably be noticed for the wrong reasons. People don’t like being shouted at, and writing in caps and using exclamation marks is the online version of shouting at a contact.
Frankly, the most appropriate professional email subject line examples don’t use exclamation marks. They also use caps appropriately for names and at the start of sentences. Keep the punctuation appropriate and correct, and you shouldn’t go wrong.
Make it relevant
In the professional context, your email subject line must be relevant to the reason you’re reaching out. Are you looking for a job? Do you want to increase your network? Or are you keen to partner with a senior manager at another company?
The reason for your outreach is important, and you need to explain to the recipient why you’re getting in touch. The reason for your approach should be the main part of your professional email subject line and will ultimately determine whether the person responds to your outreach.
Don’t use emojis
While you can use emojis successfully in some email subject lines, they aren’t usually present in the best professional email subject line examples. After all, emojis are informal, and they don’t contribute to the formal tone required for successful professional emails.
Consider how AI can help you
Arvin’s AI Email Assistant can help you write faster and more impactful emails. Our tool helps you to find the most appropriate tone of voice for your email and it can help you with a subject line and body to match.
You can also use our AI Grammar Checker to polish your subject line after writing. Depending on the purpose of your professional outreach, the recipient will probably ignore it if it’s riddled with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. So, after writing your subject line, run it through our Grammar Checker to ensure it’s correct and appropriate.
25 Professional email subject line examples
Now that we’ve covered some tips, it’s time to look at specific professional email subject line examples that you can apply in the real world.
We’ve broken these examples down into relevant sections to help you find what you’re looking for. Let’s begin with relevant subject lines for employment seekers:
Professional subject line examples for job seekers
Are you looking for a job, or perhaps you’re keen to work for a specific company? Check out these professional subject line examples specifically crafted for job hunters:
- Application for open [position] at [company].
- [Name of recipient]: Are there any openings at [company]?
- Experienced [job title] looking for an opportunity at [company]
- [Your name] CV attached for potential role with [company]
- [Name of recipient]: Can we chat about the [job title] at [company]?
Professional subject line examples for expanding your network
Sometimes, you might want to email someone to add them to your professional network. Here are some professional subject line examples that can work for this purpose:
- [Name]: I’d love to connect.
- Networking request: [Name], can we chat?
- Hello [Name], connecting to discuss [product/service/company]
- [Name]: Collaboration request for [topic/project]
- [Name]: I’m [your name]. Can we chat about [product/service/company]
Professional subject line examples for follow-ups
If you’ve recently been in a meeting and want to follow up, sending an email is a good way to do it. Here are some things to add to the subject line if you want to make a good impression:
- Follow-up: Confirming actions from our meeting/call/chat.
- [Name]: Great to meet; let’s take the next steps.
- Progress update requested: [Name] – ready to decide?
- [Name] – following up on our LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram chat.
- [Name], thanks for your time.
Professional subject line examples for invitations
You might need to invite someone to a meeting or to discuss an opportunity in more detail. In this case, you can try these professional subject line examples for invitations:
- [Name]: Inviting you to [meeting] on [date].
- One for the diary, [Name].
- [Name]: Are you free to chat on [date]?
- [Event/workshop] is perfect for you, [Name]. Would you like to attend?
- Meeting scheduled for [Date]. [Name], can you join us?
Professional subject line examples for requests
Requests are slightly different from invitations, but they also require engagement. So, here are some subject line examples to get the attention of the recipient:
- [Name], I need your help with [topic/issue/person].
- Next steps for [client]: Can we chat, [name]?
- [Client] meeting: Can you please send me the minutes?
- Deadline approaching: Can we prioritize [task/project]?
- Tomorrow’s meeting: We need to create an agenda.
Recap: Choosing appropriate professional email subject line examples
You can use any of the 25 subject line examples above to reach out to people within your professional network for various reasons. However, the key thing is not to use the same subject line for every outreach.
As we explained at the start, personalizing the subject line is crucial. Therefore, always do your research and find out the person’s name before sending an email. Make sure you spell it correctly and try to include it in the subject line where possible.
Also, trial and error is a big part of email outreach, whether for professional or personal reasons. If you find an approach that works, don’t be afraid to stick to it. Equally, change things up if your emails don’t convert.
For more inspiration and for support when writing subject lines and emails, discover how our Writing Improver Tool works and how you can use AI for better email success.
Professional email subject line examples FAQ
What is the best subject line for a professional email?
This depends on the reason for your outreach and what you hope to achieve. That said, the best professional email subject lines are personal and relevant to the email itself. Also, avoid being overly familiar with the recipient and keep the tone formal, professional, and polite for your best chances of success.
What should I say in the subject line of an email?
You can regard the subject line of the email as an overview of what’s included. You don’t need to reveal too much, but you should express your reasons for getting in touch. It’s also helpful to personalize the subject line so the recipient knows it’s specifically for them, rather than yet another generic email arriving in their account.
How do I guarantee that someone opens my professional email?
Unfortunately, you cannot guarantee that someone will open your professional email. As mentioned earlier, roughly one in four emails aren’t opened, regardless of the topic and purpose. To give yourself the best chance of success, personalize the subject line and avoid spam trigger words that will likely get your email flagged.
