If you’re like me, the subject line of an email is usually an afterthought. Like, whew, I’m almost done with this message…I’ll just type some words in there real quick…SEND!
But an effective subject line makes it more likely that your email will be opened, read, and acted on. It can make you look sharper and more professional.
So, let’s take a moment to consider the humble subject line.
I bet you still see subject lines like this in your inbox:
“Following up on the info I sent over about the project timeline questions”
Why doesn’t this work? It’s vague, wordy, and has no action. It’s hard to skim, which makes it easy to ignore.
An effective subject line is clear, specific, and action-oriented, so the recipient instantly knows what the email is about and what they need to do.
Here’s a quick fix using ChatGPT.
PROMPT:
Write 3 short, specific, and action-oriented email subject lines based on this information:
About: revised project timeline
Action: review and approve
Deadline: Friday
(Swap in your own details.)
CHAT GPT RESPONSE:
Please review and approve revised timeline by Friday
Revised project timeline – need your approval by Friday
Action needed: approve updated timeline by Friday
Any of these is better than the original, so pick your favorite, and you’ll see that approval in your inbox in no time.
Happy prompting!