Email headlines determine whether your messages get opened or deleted forever. Most people write subject lines the way they think they should sound, not the way real people actually talk. This guide gives you 180+ proven email headline examples across 18+ categories that sound like something you'd actually say to get someone's attention.
What actually works:
- Personalization gets people to open emails because it feels like you know them
- Keep it short, people scan subject lines in half a second
- Make people curious or worried they'll miss something good
- Test different approaches because what works changes
- Time your emails right, it matters more than you think
Want to write subject lines that actually get opened? Superhuman AI helps you craft compelling headlines from simple ideas while keeping your natural voice.
Try SuperhumanFOMO-packed email subject lines
Here's the thing about scarcity: people hate missing out on stuff. When someone thinks an opportunity might disappear, they act faster than usual. These FOMO-driven subject lines work because they tap into that fear.
- Last chance: 50% off ends tonight
- Only 3 spots left for tomorrow
- Final hours: Your cart expires soon
- Exclusive access ends at midnight
- Limited time: Double rewards today
- Almost gone: Reserve your seat
- Ending soon: Free shipping weekend
- Quick: Sale ends in 2 hours
- Final call: Registration closes tomorrow
- Hurry: Only 5 left in stock
You can make these even better by using Superhuman's Send Later feature to time them perfectly when people are most likely to check email.
Curiosity-sparking subject lines
Your brain hates incomplete information. When you see a subject line that starts something but doesn't finish it, you literally can't help wanting to know what comes next. These attention-grabbing subject lines create that irresistible curiosity gap.
- What happened next will surprise you...
- The secret your competitor doesn't want out
- Why everyone's talking about this?
- You won't believe what we found
- The mistake 90% of teams make
- Something unusual happened yesterday...
- Can you guess what this is?
- The results are in and...
- This changes everything we thought
- Wait until you see this
Pro tip: add preview text that gives just enough detail to make people even more curious, but don't give away the whole story.
Benefit-focused subject lines
People open emails when they know exactly what they'll get out of it. Skip the clever wordplay and tell them the benefit upfront. These headlines work because they promise something specific and valuable.
- Grow revenue 30% in 90 days
- Cut costs without sacrificing quality
- Double your leads this quarter
- Save 10 hours every week
- Boost productivity by 40% today
- Increase conversions in 5 minutes
- Transform your workflow instantly
- Reduce churn with this strategy
- Scale your team effortlessly
- Streamline operations starting now
Notice how these use action words like boost, save, cut, double. They create momentum and make people want to click immediately.
Personalization and name-drop lines
Personalized subject lines work better because they feel like real conversations instead of mass emails. Use what you know about the person you're emailing to create targeted messaging.
- Sarah, your demo is ready
- Quick question about Austin market trends
- Following up on our Slack conversation
- TechCorp integration update inside
- Your Q3 results look promising
- Mike recommended I reach out
- About your LinkedIn post yesterday
- Congrats on the funding round
- Your Chicago office expansion
- Saw your article on growth
The key here is using specific details that show you actually pay attention to what they're doing, not just inserting their first name.
Urgency and scarcity lines
Real deadlines create different urgency than general FOMO. These work because they give people a specific reason to act right now instead of later.
- 24 hours left: Conference early bird
- Deadline: Submit proposal by Friday
- Tomorrow only: Flash sale event
- 3 days remaining: Beta access
- Expires at noon: Special pricing
- This week only: Free consultation
- 72 hours left: Early registration
- Monday deadline: Partnership application
- Weekend only: Bonus content
- Today's the day: Launch event
Combine specific times with action words to create compelling reasons people should open your email immediately.
Sales and promotion lines
Revenue-focused subject lines work because they tell prospects and customers exactly what they'll gain. These headlines work great for sales teams who need clear justification that decision-makers can understand quickly.
- Free trial: See 40% productivity boost
- Demo: How we saved ClientX $50K
- ROI calculator: Your potential savings
- Case study: 3x growth in 6 months
- Special offer: 50% off implementation
- Proof: Why 500+ companies switched
- Free assessment: Audit your workflow
- Results: Before and after comparison
- Exclusive: Partner pricing inside
- Testimonial: Customer success story
Busy executives want to know the bottom line immediately. These subject lines deliver that.
Newsletter subject lines
Regular emails need to grab attention without being gimmicky. These newsletter-focused examples keep subscribers interested while setting clear expectations about what's inside.
- 📧 Weekly digest: Top 5 industry trends
- This week's must-read insights
- Monthly roundup: Best practices
- Industry update: What you missed
- Quick reads for busy leaders
- Your weekly growth report
- Trending now: Market analysis
- Essential updates from our team
- Friday wrap-up: Key takeaways
- Latest news and actionable tips
Emoji usage in newsletter subject lines helps your emails stand out in crowded inboxes while still looking professional.
Cold outreach lines
When you're reaching out to someone new, your subject line needs to build trust immediately. These professional hooks work because they show genuine interest instead of sounding like spam.
- Quick intro from mutual connection
- Loved your recent article on growth
- Brief question about your strategy
- Congrats on the product launch
- Mutual connection suggested I reach out
- Your conference presentation was excellent
- Following your company's progress
- Impressed by your recent hire
- Quick compliment on your approach
- Noticed your expansion plans
The secret here is doing your homework. Reference something specific they've done or said to prove you're not just blasting everyone.
Follow-up lines
Following up feels awkward, but these subject lines make it natural. They give you a reason to reconnect without sounding pushy or desperate.
- Following up on our Tuesday chat
- Did you get a chance to review?
- Quick check-in on next steps
- Circling back on our discussion
- Any thoughts on the proposal?
- Ready for the next phase?
- Wanted to touch base briefly
- Following up per your request
- Checking in on timeline
- Brief update on your question
Reference specific conversations or requests to help people remember exactly what you're talking about.
Re-engagement and win-back lines
People who've gone quiet need different messaging than active contacts. These re-engagement approaches mix curiosity with clear benefits to get their attention back.
- We miss you, here's what's new
- Your account: Major updates inside
- Come back: Exclusive offer waiting
- Long time no see, special gift
- Updates you might have missed
- Your return: 30% welcome back
- Something exciting happened while you were away
- Quick hello and new features
- Thinking of you, here's what's changed
- Welcome back: Here's your catch-up
Use Superhuman's read receipt data to time these messages when people are most likely to engage with dormant accounts.
Welcome and onboarding lines
First impressions matter enormously in new customer relationships. These friendly subject lines set a positive tone for everything that comes after.
- 🎉 Welcome aboard, Sarah!
- Your journey starts here
- Ready to get started?
- Welcome to the team!
- Let's make magic happen
- Your account is ready
- 🚀 Time to blast off
- Welcome! Here's what's next
- Great to have you here
- Your adventure begins now
Using emojis and personal names in welcome messages creates excitement and makes people feel like they've joined something special.
Event invitation lines
Event promotion requires balancing urgency with clear value. These subject lines tell people exactly why they should attend while creating appropriate time pressure.
- 📅 Reserve your seat: Live demo tomorrow
- Exclusive invite: Industry roundtable
- Join us: Virtual networking event
- Save the date: Product launch
- You're invited: Executive breakfast
- Register now: Free masterclass
- Limited seats: Workshop next week
- Special invitation: Partner summit
- Don't miss: Quarterly review
- RSVP: Team celebration event
Calendar emojis and specific event types help people quickly understand what kind of commitment you're asking for.
Reminder and confirmation lines
Transactional emails need to be crystal clear so people can find them later. These subject lines avoid spam filters while providing the essential information people expect.
- Tomorrow 2pm: Your demo call
- Cart reminder: Items reserved until noon
- Appointment confirmed: Thursday 10am
- Payment due: Invoice #1234
- Reminder: Meeting in 1 hour
- Confirmed: Your registration processed
- Don't forget: Webinar tonight
- Scheduled: Follow-up call tomorrow
- Reminder: Document review deadline
- Upcoming: Your consultation appointment
Put the most important information first. Times, dates, and reference numbers help people process these emails quickly.
Product launch and feature update lines
New feature announcements need excitement balanced with clear communication about what's actually changing or improving.
- First look: Game-changing feature inside
- You're invited: Exclusive beta access
- New release: What you requested
- Sneak peek: Tomorrow's announcement
- Exclusive: Early access available
- Just launched: Your requested feature
- New capability: See what's possible
- Beta invitation: Test drive new tools
- Fresh release: Enhanced experience
- Coming soon: Major upgrade preview
Use exclusivity language to make existing customers feel valued while attracting new prospects who want cutting-edge solutions.
Customer appreciation and thank-you lines
Gratitude strengthens relationships while creating opportunities for more engagement, referrals, or expanded business.
- Thank you, small gift inside
- Celebrating one year together!
- Grateful for your partnership
- Thanks! Here's something special
- Appreciation gift: Just for you
- Thank you, exclusive offer attached
- Grateful customer, special bonus
- Anniversary celebration: Thank you!
- Your loyalty means everything
- Thank you, surprise inside
Combine genuine gratitude with something tangible to create positive associations and encourage continued engagement.
Survey and feedback request lines
Getting people to fill out surveys requires acknowledging that you're asking for their time while showing clear value exchange.
- 2-minute survey: Help us improve
- Quick feedback on your experience?
- Your opinion matters: Brief survey
- 30 seconds: Rate your experience
- Help shape our roadmap
- Quick question: How are we doing?
- Your input requested: Short survey
- Feedback needed: 1-minute form
- Help us serve you better
- Quick poll: Your preferences
Always include time estimates and explain what they'll get out of participating. People are more likely to help when they know it won't take forever.
Transactional lines
Order confirmations, shipping notifications, and account updates need functional subject lines that people can easily identify and file.
- Order confirmed: Tracking info inside
- Password reset: Click to update
- Shipping update: Package en route
- Receipt: Your recent purchase
- Account update: Security notification
- Invoice ready: Payment due
- Delivery confirmed: Order complete
- Security alert: Login detected
- Subscription renewed: Thank you
- Update required: Account verification
Put the most important keywords at the beginning so people can quickly identify what type of message this is and how urgent it might be.
Emoji and one-word power lines
Mobile-friendly subject lines get better visibility in crowded inboxes while maintaining professional appearance across different email clients.
Single-word power lines:
- Launch
- Exclusive
- Urgent
- Breakthrough
- Revealed
Emoji-led lines:
- 🚀 Blast off tomorrow
- ⚡ Lightning deal inside
- 💡 Brilliant idea shared
- 🎯 Target achieved
- ✨ Magic happens here
Keep these under 30 characters to ensure complete visibility on mobile devices while creating immediate visual impact.
Using Superhuman AI to craft irresistible lines
Superhuman transforms email communication by analyzing messages you've sent to specific people before and matching the tone and voice that develops over time through your actual writing.
AI-generated subject lines from simple prompts help you transform bullet points into compelling headlines while keeping your authentic voice and professional tone.
Snippets for team-wide reuse let you share effective subject line templates across your organization to scale what works and ensure brand consistency.
Real-time read statuses enable quick optimization so you can see exactly when and on what device emails get opened to refine timing and follow-up strategies.
Send Later for optimal timing lets you schedule messages for delivery when recipients are most likely to engage based on historical patterns.
These AI tools help teams save 4 hours per person every single week while responding 12 hours faster to important communications. Teams reply 1-2 days sooner, reply to twice as many emails in the same amount of time, and maintain consistent quality across all outreach efforts.
Ready to make email feel good again? Superhuman represents what email should have been all along, an AI productivity experience that flies through inboxes while maintaining authentic relationships and driving real business results.
