| Sometimes there's a desperate feeling when you're trying to compose a winning subject line, and some marketers have had success with giving something away for free. One of the reason there is a hesitation with using the (free) word in a subject line is that some feel they may viewed upon with some negativity. Sure, that word has been used to death in IM, but the thrill of getting a free gift is still present in people, and you should still use it in a subject line - but not all the time. But if you still have reservations about it, then just say it in a different way. Ok, how about saying "no cost," or how about "zero price"? Those are valid alternatives, so there is nothing wrong with expressing the idea in those terms. But be careful because this strategy can backfire if you give them something they think is junk. The only way to find out is to test it, but you don't have to mail it out to your entire list, right? Perhaps one of the most effective approaches with subject lines is to continue the conversation with your audience. Ok, the thing to do is write your subject line in such a way that it flows smoothly to the main copy of your email. You can write half of the thought in the subject line, and then continue into the body. There are no specific applications or instances to do this, but do not get in the habit of doing any one approach too much. What you'll be doing is playing on the readers sense of curiosity, but don't make the subject line too bland. This is a tried and true subject line approach, but just using it alone will not guarantee success because the copy has to be compelling as well. It's important to write it in a way that builds a genuine feeling and desire that the person must find out the rest of the sentence. The best thing to do after writing any copy, including your subject line(s), is to walk away from it and then return to get a feel for it. One thing you can do is look at your subject lines from the view of how your readers may react to it. Does it have the must open - must read feel to it? Be honest with yourself, and if you don't get any of those feelings, then pay attention. Don't forget that you can always test it by mailing it out to a smaller number of people. Testing and tracking is a bit of an artform, but it is invaluable for optimizing any marketing message. Just keep doing this and you can develop a sort of instinct for knowing what has a high likelihood of working. Always keep learning about email marketing, but the most important thing is to move forward and take action. | 
