How to write attention-grabbing subject lines for introduction emails

It takes less than a minute, on average, to form the first impression and catch the email recipient’s attention. Do you make each second count when you create your introduction email? 

New beginnings are often a chance to establish meaningful connections, create a business opportunity, and grow your network. However, it starts before an intro email — with a well-crafted subject line.

About introduction emails

An introduction email is a calling card to formally introduce yourself and explain your purpose to a new contact. Welcoming a new manager or team member or highlighting a common interest is another great introduction base.

However, before the person becomes genuinely interested, they need to decide whether to open the email. That’s where a compelling subject line comes into play.

Why are email subject lines important?

Introduction email subject lines are the first step to setting the right tone for future relationships. The tone of voice, length, and structure determine whether your message captures the recipients’ interest.

Let’s have a look at recent findings to see the subject line’s impact:

• 47% of email recipients open the initial email based on the subject line;
• 69% of email recipients mark an email as spam based on the subject line text;
• personalized email subject lines are opened 22% more often than non-personalized ones.

Catchy subject lines add a personal touch to any professional email and can stay on top of the mind, even while on the second page of the inbox.

What are the types of introduction email subject lines?

The components of a good subject line depend on what you’d like to introduce: yourself, your company, or both. 

I suggest that we categorize email subject lines based on the goal and review some peculiarities:

• self-introduction: It helps you formally introduce yourself to establish a personal connection with a new team, recruiter, colleague, or client;

• company introduction: It is a business email introducing your organization and showcasing the value proposition;

• networking introduction: This type is used to grow a network and often combines personal and company introductions through a mutual connection;

• cold outreach introduction: Cold email subject lines are a great way to generate leads and find potential customers.

Tips for the best introduction email subject lines

Good email subject lines for introductions come in different shapes and do not necessarily need to be dull.

Here are a few suggestions and tips on how to improve your subject lines:

• highlight a value proposition: Use the subject line to show the benefit; share a fresh perspective or valuable tips, especially for cold outreach emails;
• be precise: 61-70 symbols in the subject line are most effective. This length ensures it is visible on all devices and the goal is clear;
• personalize: Go beyond a name and include a job title, mutual contact, or niche interest where appropriate;
• create social proof: Effective subject lines reference your prior work, mutual projects, or collaborations to build trust where relevant;
• use action language: Verbs such as “learn,” “discover,” “join,” or “start” increase the chances of getting a positive response;
• avoid spam words: Such phrases as “urgent deal,” “free,” or “exclusive offer” and capitalized words increase the chances of getting into the recipient’s spam folder;
• create intrigue: A good subject line makes the person interested in opening the email. Adding bold statements or questions encourages engagement.

The end elements of the subject line depend on the recipient and your goal. If it is for a personal introduction email, insert details on your experience and the value you can bring to the team. Use casual language only if it matches the company’s style. 

If you’re targeting the recipient’s company, include your company name, elements of social proof, and a clear value proposition. Subject lines for cold outreach need to be catchy and precise. You may add intrigue, questions, and strong calls to action, but keep spam filters in mind.

How to create introduction email subject lines with Stripo

Now that you have the tips for professional introduction email subjects, we can move to the creation steps.

Stripo’s editor has embedded GenAI to help you improve your email copy and stand out in the recipient’s inbox. Here is how you can use the feature to its fullest:

1. Click on the Settings icon.

   

   (Source: Stripo template)

2. Enter the base of your subject line.
3. Choose the Improve with AI option.

   

4. Choose the best-fitting option, and it’s done.

   

You may choose the best-fitting variant or use multiple subject line options for A/B testing. If you need more inspiration, you can always start over. 

Common challenges and how to overcome them

Even good email subject lines get caught up by challenges, or worse — spam filters. So, how does one avoid the trash folder and catch the recipient’s attention? 

Consider cultural sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity does not mean avoiding the misuse of “fall” and “autumn”. It is about tone of voice, acceptable sentence formulation, and overall communication rules. 

While casual language is gaining more popularity in the US, countries such as Germany and Japan stick to formality, so adding conversational elements may be inappropriate. The same goes for idioms or phrases that may be read literally and misinterpreted.

Carefully use special characters

A recent report shows that subject lines without emojis have a 42.23% open rate, while those with emojis have a 37.5% open rate. This may not be a significant difference, but the target audience and the industry dictate the details.

Let’s compare two introduction subject lines:

• variant A: This subject line feels slightly overloaded with emojis, and while it is a self-introduction email, it may be perceived as overboard;

• variant B: In this variant, an emoji strengthens the main message, without overwhelming or distracting the reader from the subject line.

Emojis do not always make the subject line stand out, so consider the nuances of your audience and test different variations to find what fits.

40 effective subject line examples to make an impression

In addition to valuable tips and tools, we have compiled catchy subject line examples for introductory emails to give you the right idea.

10 self-introduction subject lines

The subject lines of the self-introduction email can be more interesting than the message itself. Below, you may find both formal and informal variations.

Introduction to a new job

A good subject line is one step closer to the offer at a dream company, especially if you are trying to land a first job. The key here is to mention a job title and your hard skills — these may be used as keywords during the search.

1. “Looking for a [job title]? Proficient in [hard skills].”
2. “[Job title] skilled at [hard skills] and eager to start.”
3. “Meet your next team member: Introducing [first name] for [job title].”
4. “Ready to make an impact: Meet [first name], your next [job title].”
5. “Get to know first [first name], your potential [job title].”

Introduction to colleagues

A self-introduction email on the first day of work lets you quickly introduce yourself and demonstrate how well you fit into this incredible team. 

1. “New to [team name]. Looking forward to being a part of [company name]!”
2. “First-day survival mode at [department name]: activated. Let’s get to know each other.”
3. “Thrilled to be on board! A short intro from [first name].”
4. “First day at [company name]. Here’s a bit about me!”
5. “New face, same mission. Excited to bring my experience to the [team name].”

10 company introduction subject lines

The subject line of a business introduction should maintain professionalism without sacrificing engagement. Below, you can check subject line examples for business or product introductions and sales pitches.

1. “[First Name], a quick intro on how [your company name] can help [recipient’s company].”
2. “Meet [your company name]: Transforming businesses like [recipient’s company].”
3. “[Your company name] + [recipient’s company]: A perfect fit for [solution].”
4. “Discover the [your company name] team: professionals skilled at [company’s niche].”
5. “We have solved [pain point] for [industry]. Meet [your company name].”
6. “[Your company name] is a smarter way to address [pain point].”
7. “Struggling with [pain point]? [Your company name] has the solution.”
8. “Discover [your company name]: Revolutionizing [industry/service] today.”
9. “Let’s talk about [key benefit] with [your company name].”
10.  “How we reached [result] and helped [company name] grow.”

10 networking introduction subject lines

Networking is a way to share experiences, discuss ideas, and find potential collaboration partners. The key here is to mention the intent and personalize the subject line to avoid sounding generic.

Here are a few examples for your inspiration:

1. “[Event name]: A gathering of industry leaders awaits.”
2. “New beginnings — let’s connect at [event name].”
3. “Excited to meet you at [event name] and collaborate with [recipient’s company].”
4. “[Mutual contact] suggested we connect. Looking forward!”
5. “We crossed paths in [event name]. Let’s get acquainted.”
6. “Saw your [project name] on [event name/platform]. Let’s connect and share ideas.”
7. “Networking with industry leaders like you, [first name].”
8. “Great meeting you at [event name]. Let’s connect and collaborate.”
9. “[First name], let’s exchange ideas on [industry topic].”
10.  “Inspired by your [project name] and would love to connect!”

10 cold outreach introduction subject lines

Competition in cold outreach is as high as ever, so personalization and prior research can help your sales email subject lines stand out better. Show you have done your preparation and showcase the value you can bring to the recipient’s company.

1. “A new approach to [pain point] for [recipient’s company].”
2. “[First Name], have you considered [solution] for [business challenge]?”
3. “Struggling with [pain point]? We’ve helped others like [similar businesses] fix it.”
4. “Let’s explore a smarter way to achieve [particular goal].”
5. “A fresh take on [industry challenge] from [your company name].”
6. “Is [pain point] slowing [recipient’s company] down? We know how to address this.”
7. “What [recipient’s competitor] is doing differently and how you can do better.”
8. “No sales pitch. Got a solution for [pain point].”
9. “[First name], imagine [key benefit] without the usual hassle.”
10.  “How we helped [similar company] boost [key metric] by [X]%.”

Wrapping up

A well-crafted subject line can skyrocket your email open rates and pave the way for meaningful connections. Personalization, clear value propositions, and strategic wording make the difference between being opened or ignored. To maximize impact, focus on who your recipient is and what they gain from this partnership or collaboration.

Every introduction could begin a long-term business relationship, and we hope this guide has inspired you to try it. Good luck!