In this video Ryan Dohrn shares his proven formula for writing email subject lines that achieve unusually high open (35‑40%) and reply (25‑30%) rates. He introduces his "Rule of 3 and 3" – roughly three words in the subject line and three sentences in the body – and explains that a good subject line must withhold enough information to stop the recipient from deleting the email outright. The core psychological trigger is to make the reader’s brain ask, "what now?" He recommends using open‑ended questions (e.g., "Have you considered this?"), ambiguous prompts, or a simple date (e.g., "January 1st?") to create curiosity. Dohrn warns against overly specific or sales‑y phrasing that lets the recipient decide to delete, and stresses the need to vary subject lines for repeat contacts and keep content highly relevant. He ties the tactic to broader sales coaching, urging viewers to work both smarter and harder, and invites them to reach out for coaching or subscribe for more tips.
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What's going on, friends and fans? This week we're focusing on the psychology of subject lines. I'm going to bet you, friends, this is probably going to end up being one of my most popular videos that I've ever produced because I'm getting 35 to 40% open rates, 25 to 30% reply rates, and from my perspective, that's just absolutely unheard of. All right, so let's dig in. As a general rule, you've heard me talk about on Uncle Ryan's rule of 3 and 3. See, when you get this much gray hair, you get to call yourself Uncle Ryan, I think. The rule of 3 and 3. So in general, I always wanna have 3 words in my subject line. Of course, some of them might run just a smidge longer than that. 3 sentences in my email. But let's talk about why I'm getting the results I'm getting, because I believe that they're phenomenal and I want you to steal this idea from me. A great subject line should not give the person, the reader, Enough information that they can delete the email without opening it. Okay, let me reiterate that again to see if you can follow me in this. My goal with my subject line is to not be deleted. See, the goal with your subject line is to be read. The goal of my subject line is I don't want to be deleted. I do want someone to read it, but I want them to not delete it first. So a subject line like this, as an example, in my media sales business: A subject line like, holiday gift guide coming up, are you in? Okay, first of all, it's way too long. Secondly though, it's asking a question that somebody can answer, and if they don't want to be in the holiday gift guide, they don't even open the email, they just delete it. So how would we get someone to open an email? All right, a great subject line causes someone's brain to say, what now? What's that? I need more information. A great subject line does not give someone enough information that would allow them the opportunity to delete the email. We want them to go, now what? Now what is that? I guess I need to open this. Now, just to be clear, I'm not talking about fooling people. I'm not talking about subject lines like free lunch or about those pictures. That's not the subject lines I'm talking about. I'm talking about subject lines like Have you considered this? Would you consider this? Question mark. Your advice on this? Question mark. Your thoughts on this? Question mark. Your thoughts? Question mark. Your advice? Question mark. It causes somebody's brain to go, what now? What do you need my advice on? What are these thoughts? You need my thoughts on what? Have I considered what? So if the subject line says, would you consider this? Or have you considered this? It forces someone's brain to say, Consider what? It forces them— they have to open the email. Now, a lot of times I'll get comments, and you're welcome to give some comments down below. I read them and reply to them all. You know I do. For all you haters out there, friends, these subject lines have to make somebody's brain go, what now? Because if they don't, you're giving them enough information to delete the email without having to actually look at the email. One of my favorite subject lines— I've been teaching it for 7 years— is a date. So if I wanted to meet with somebody on New Year's Day, the subject line— which I wouldn't do— with the subject line would be January 1st question mark. It forces someone to brain— someone's brain to say, what are you talking about? I'm not following you. What is it that you want me to look at? So friends, just never forget the psychology of email subject lines should be for somebody's brain to say, what now? What's that? I guess I need to open the email. But don't say to yourself, oh Ryan, this idea is salesy, is Salesy. Well, of course it's salesy sounding to you because you're in sales, silly. Recognize that the vast majority of people have never had formalized sales training. Now you've gotta also remember you can't use the same subject line on the same person over and over again. You gotta vary that subject line. Don't just be resending the same email. New subject lines, new content in the emails, and try to be exceedingly relevant in all that you do. But I'm gonna tell you right now, if you'll follow my advice on these subject lines You'll use questions to trigger somebody's brain to open that email. You'll almost always get further faster. Now, you've heard me say 1,000 times, hey, if you're trying to work smarter and not harder, you're gonna have tough luck. You've gotta be really smart and work really hard. Friends, this is one of the tips that will actually save you time. It does help you work smarter, but you probably should work harder as well. Love to train you, love to coach you, coach your sales teams, motivate you at your national sales conference. Reach out to me. over at ryandohrn.com. And don't forget, however you watch or listen, subscribe down below to make sure you don't miss any of those valuable updates. All right, friends, never forget, if the job was easy, everybody'd be doing it, and they're not. We're not crazy. It's a great career. It'll feed your family for a lifetime. Get out there and work on that psychology of your subject lines. We'll see you next week.
