Crickets to Clicks

How to Get People Excited to Open Your Emails

From Crickets to Clicks: How to Get People Excited to Open Your Emails

Do you know that feeling when you send an email and expect a flood of responses? Instead, is it total crickets? Yeah, I’ve been there too. It can feel like all that effort was wasted. But before you start questioning your entire marketing strategy, let’s set the record straight.

First, let’s talk numbers.

📊 The average email open rate in 2025 is around 28.6%. That means if you’re getting 20-30% of your subscribers to open your emails, you’re doing just fine. Seriously! No one gets 100%, so let’s take that pressure off right now.

Now, let’s talk about how to make your emails the ones people actually want to open.

1. It Starts with Your Subject Line

Your subject line is like the headline of your favorite book—it either pulls you in or makes you move on. In fact, 47% of people open emails just based on the subject line. So if your open rates are low, this is the first place to look.

Try these approaches:

✅ Curiosity-driven:

“You won’t believe what just happened to me…”
“I never thought I’d say this about [product name]”
“Wait—did you mean to ignore this?”

✅ Personalized (makes it feel like a real conversation):

“Sarah, I made this for you!”
“I was thinking about you, [First Name]”
“This reminded me of you…”

✅ Short & punchy:

“Quick favor?”
“2-minute tip to save you time today”
“Secret sale (ends tonight!)”

✅ Problem-solving:

“Struggling with [pain point]? Read this”
“The one thing that made my life SO much easier”
“You asked, I answered: [common question]”

📌 Tip: Would YOU open your own email? If not, tweak the subject line!

2. Timing Is Everything

We’ve all sent emails at random times, hoping for the best. But did you know emails sent at 8 p.m. tend to have the highest open rates (followed by 2 p.m. and 11 a.m.)? If your audience consists mostly of busy moms or side hustlers, evening emails might work better since they’re finally unwinding after a long day.

📌 Tip: Test different times and see when YOUR audience responds best!

3. Segment Your Audience (Because Not Everyone Needs the Same Email!)

Not all subscribers are the same, so sending everyone the exact same email can feel impersonal. Segmenting your list (organizing subscribers based on interests or activity) makes your emails feel more tailored and relevant.

Here’s how you can break it down:

✅ By customer type:

First-time customers: “Welcome! Here’s how to get the most out of your new [product]”
Repeat customers: “You love [product]—here’s something to pair with it!”
Party hosts: “Your exclusive host perks are waiting—here’s how to claim them”

✅ By engagement level:

Active readers: “Since you always open my emails, here’s a VIP deal just for you!”
Inactive subscribers: “Haven’t heard from me in a while? Let’s fix that (and here’s a freebie!)”

✅ By product interest:

If they clicked a link for skincare: “Want glowing skin? Here’s a 3-step routine!”
If they browsed kitchen tools: “5 gadgets that will save you time in the kitchen”

📌 Tip: The more specific your emails feel, the more likely they are to get opened!

4. Make It Easy to Read

We’re all guilty of opening an email, seeing a giant wall of text, and immediately closing it. 😬 Your subscribers are no different!

✔️ Use short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max)
✔️ Bullet points & bold text make it easy to skim
✔️ Use images or GIFs sparingly to add personality

📌 Tip: Read your email out loud before sending. If you’re bored, they will be too!

5. Give Them a Reason to Open (It’s Not Just About Selling!)

Let’s be real—if every email you send is “Buy this now!” your audience will start tuning you out. Emails should feel valuable, even if they don’t buy something that day.

Here are some ways to make your emails worth opening:

✅ Share helpful tips (quick wins that make life easier):

“3 ways to style your fall wardrobe with what you already own”
“The one kitchen tool that will save you 10 minutes a day”
“How to make your home smell amazing—without chemicals”

✅ Offer exclusivity (make them feel like VIPs):

“Shh… You’re getting early access before I post this on social!”
“Because you’re on my list, you get this special bonus”
“VIPs only! First dibs on my newest product”

✅ Make it interactive:

Ask them a question they can reply to (“What’s your go-to self-care routine?”)
Run a poll (“Would you rather have a freebie or a discount? Reply & let me know!”)
Invite them into a conversation (“I’d love your opinion on something—hit reply!”)

📌 Tip: The goal is to make them excited to see your name in their inbox!

Make Them Look Forward to Your Emails!

The more useful, fun, and personal your emails feel, the more people will actually want to open them. When you show up consistently with valuable content that makes their life easier, you become the email they look forward to.

And that’s when the magic happens. 💌

🚀 Which of these tips are you going to try first? I'd love to know!

Happy creating - Deb

Categories: : Email List