How subject lines & preview text drive opens (and click-thrus)
Open Enrollment season: every year, you get one shot to move the needle.
But before anyone enrolls, clicks, or even cares, your email needs to do just one thing — get opened.

Too often, OE emails drown in inboxes because they miss one critical principle: motivation starts before the body copy.

Remember; we're operating under the A.I.D.A. framework: Attention -> Interest -> Desire -> Action.

Attention - the unseen background
Let’s get real: Most of your audience will only ever see your subject line and the first line of preview text. That’s it.

That’s your “billboard on the freeway” moment.

If you blow it, they’re gone — distracted, annoyed, or simply moving on to the next crisis.

Why does this matter for YOU?

• Consultants: Your strategy means nothing if your client's messages to their employees aren’t opened.

• Vendors & Enrollment Firms: Your KPIs start with opens, not just click-throughs.

• Employers & Ben-Admin: OE costs money; unread messages = wasted budget and lower engagement.

Interest - why subject lines & preview text are the hidden power couple
Here’s what the best know:

• Subject Line (40–50 characters): It’s the hook, the bold promise, the spark.

• Preview Text (40–100 characters): It’s the whisper in the reader’s ear, the “here’s what you’ll miss if you ignore this.”

On mobile, your audience often sees only 25–35 subject characters and ~50–80 preview text characters. So every word must earn its place.

This means using motivational language to move them to OPEN your emails.
Bland doesn’t win. Motivational, urgent, and action-oriented language does:

Instead of:
“Open Enrollment starts soon. See your benefits.”
Try:
“Choose your 2026 benefits now—secure your best options today.”
Or:
“New benefits. Better coverage. But enrollment ends on Friday!”

Preview Text examples:

• “Exclusive rates for you and your family—see what’s new.”

• “Don’t wait—enrollment ends soon and you've got decisions to make.”

• “Get more, pay less. Discover your benefit upgrades now.”

Desire - build anticipation with every word
People act when they feel something is at stake, or something good is just out of reach.

• Appeal to FOMO: “Don’t miss this window—or your next chance? Next year.”*

• Highlight what’s new or improved: “More choices, new perks, instant savings.”

• Use direct calls to curiosity: “Find out which benefits top employees are choosing.”

Action - close the loop (in the email body, and with a strong call-to-action (CTA)
Getting opened is Step One. In the body, double down on clarity — and always, always close with a specific, easy CTA:

• “Review your options and enroll today.”

• “Click here to secure your 2025 benefits.”

• “Have questions? Schedule a call before enrollment closes.”

Checklist - Nail your next O/E email

• Subject: 40–50 characters, punchy and motivating

• Preview: 40–100 characters, adds value—doesn't just repeat the subject line

• Motivational Language: Urgency, exclusivity, or curiosity

• Body: Short, clear, action-focused (AIDA)

• CTA: One click, one ask, easy to do

The last word
In OE season, your subject and preview text are your “front door.” Motivational language turns curiosity into clicks, and clicks into action. Miss the moment, and all your OE planning is just noise in the void.

* Yes, you can get too "hokey," but - hey - we're just chatting over coffee here, right?

~ Mark Head
© 2025. All Rights Reserved.

P.S. - Want to see before/after subject lines or segment-specific hooks? Call me.
Let’s shift your next OE email from ignored to irresistible.

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