Why are your headlines being ignored?
You know how it is.
That feeling when you've spent 45 minutes writing a newsletter, crafting every sentence to perfection, checking the spelling three times...
...and then only 20% of your recipients open it.
Twenty percent.
The problem isn't your content. The problem is that people never get that far.
They stop at the headline.
I've been teaching people to write better for over 20 years. And I see the same pattern over and over again:
Really talented people write headlines that are... boring.
Not because they can't write. But because they forget one crucial thing:
A headline is not information. It's an invitation.
What you're doing wrong (without knowing it)
Take a look at these two headlines:
Before: ‘Newsletter from us - October 2025’
After:‘Got 2 minutes? Then you'll avoid the most expensive mistake in October’
Can you see the difference?
The first one informs. The second one entices.
The first is passive. The second demands action.
The first is ignored. The second is opened.
And that is exactly what most people do wrong. They write headlines that just... sit there. Without energy. Without curiosity. Without a reason to click.
The 4 principles that change everything
Okay, so what do you do instead?
Here are four simple techniques that work. Every time.
1. Ask questions
People are programmed to seek answers. When you ask a question in your headline, you automatically spark curiosity in the reader's brain.
But be careful: the question must be about something they actually care about.
Bad: ‘Are you familiar with our new service?’
Good: ‘Do you still spend 5 hours a week creating content?’
See the difference? The first question is about you. The second is about their pain.
2. Keep it short
You don't have to be Shakespeare. In fact, you shouldn't be.
The shorter, the better.
Think about it: people scan their inbox at a rate of 0.3 seconds per email. They don't have time for a whole novel in the subject line.
Bad: ‘Here are some great tips on how to improve your social media communication in 2025’
Good: ‘5 tricks for better social media (that you can use today)’
Short. Precise. Clear message.
3. Be bold
Sometimes you have to take a chance and say something that makes people stop and think.
Something a little controversial. Something that challenges.
Bad: ‘How to get more customers’
Good: ‘Why you're losing customers (without knowing it)’
The first is generic. The second makes you think: ‘Am I doing that?!’
And boom – there's your open rate.
4. Create FOMO (fear of missing out)
It's not manipulation. It's psychology.
If people think they're missing out on something valuable, they'll act. It's that simple.
Bad: ‘Read our guide’
Good: ‘This mistake is costing you 30% of your leads (fix it today)’
Add urgency. Add consequences. Add value they won't want to miss.
So what do you do now?
You can see it, right? That there's a difference between boring headlines and ones that grab you.
The question is: How do you get better at it?
Here are two specific things you can do right now:
1. Test your headlines
Go to subjectline.com and enter your headlines. The tool gives you a score and tells you what works (and what doesn't).
It takes 30 seconds. And it can double your open rate.
2. Use this ChatGPT prompt
Copy this prompt and insert your own headline:
"I have written this headline for [my newsletter/blog post/LinkedIn post]:
[INSERT YOUR HEADLINE HERE]
Analyse the headline and give me: 1. What works well 2. What could be improved 3. 5 alternative headlines based on these principles: - Ask questions that pique curiosity - Keep it short and precise - Be bold or controversial - Create FOMO (fear of missing out)
Write in English and in a natural, everyday tone.
Try it. Right now. Take your latest headline and run it through the prompt.
You'll be surprised at how much better it can be.
Because your readers deserve more than boring headlines.
They deserve invitations that make them stop and take notice.
