A 2-word subject line to get your email noticed

Cari Nazeer
Forge
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2 min readJul 20, 2020
Photo: Stefania D’Alessandro/Contributor/Getty Images

👀 Today’s tip: For a successful cold email, put “Thank you” in the subject line.

While the tried-and-true method of name-dropping mutual connections can be a good way to get someone to open your message, it isn’t always an option. A great workaround, according to Michael Thompson, is the classic and simple “Thank you.”

We don’t call them “magic words” for nothing. Thompson has sent over 200 cold emails throughout his career, and only three have yielded rejections. In the case of the “Thank you” subject line, he advises following this formula for the body text: “Thanks to your work doing X, I’ve been able to accomplish Y.”

Your recipient may or may not be too busy to oblige your full request, but they’ll likely appreciate your note, remain open to follow-ups, and — drumroll — respond kindly.

📚 More from Forge on better emailing:

The Correct Way to Email
Read more >>

It’s Never Too Late to Answer an Email
Read more >>

The Most Effective Way to Manage Your Inbox is Also the Easiest
Read more >>

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