Subject Lines for Reaching Out to Colleagues

It’s easy to get buried in the mountain of emails we receive every day. And it can be hard to remember the names of the colleagues we used to keep in touch with. So how can you reach out to your network again? There are countless ways to get back into contact with them. The best way is through emails. And using a subject line for reconnecting email can break help the ice.

You can get more people to read your mail with the right subject line. This will help you re-establish a personal connection with an old workmate or friend more easily.

Find out how you can make a great subject line for your email with the tips in this article. They are sure to help you rekindle your connection with your network of friends with ease. 

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Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Why Your Subject Line Matters

The email’s subject line communicates the email’s tone and objective to the recipient. Think of it as the first impression you make on someone. And first impressions matter a lot.

Your recipient probably won’t even bother to look at your email if it has a bad subject line. They’ll just leave it to be forever buried in their inboxes. We don’t want that!

This is why you must give a lot of thought to your email subject. Make it sound specific, friendly, and simple. It’s the deciding factor on how well your email will be received.

What Makes a Good Subject Line?

Many factors add up to a good email subject. Here are the five main ones.

It Is Short and Simple

Subject lines should be short. And by short, we mean under nine words long. This optimal length makes it much easier to understand and read email notifications. Your subject should also be simple. Steer clear of complicated words that may lower the readability of your subject.

Catchy and Interesting

You want your recipient to be interested in what you have to say in your email. One great way to do this is by using a clever subject line that entices them to open the email. You can try phrasing your subject as a question. This way, they can only know the answer by reading the email.

It Has a Friendly and Positive Tone.

The tone of your email subject depends on who you’re writing to. You can keep it friendly and casual if it’s for an old friend or colleague. Whatever tone your use for your subject should also be reflected in the rest of your email.

It Has a Personal Touch

Personalized subjects get rid of the apprehension that the email is from a stranger. It helps build trust with your contact. To make a subject more personal, you can mention something the contact likes. You can also include their name in the subject.

Offers Value

State what value your email has to offer. How can your email help the recipient? What can they gain from the email? For example, you have a job position available in your company and want to share it with your friend. State that in your subject. You can say something like “I’ve got an interesting job opportunity for you” or “Want to work with me again?”

15 Examples of Subject Line for Reconnecting Email

  • Can I buy you a coffee?
  • Can we meet up before the big seminar?
  • I would love to know your thoughts on [Topic]
  • Saying hello + a quick question about [Topic]
  • Congrats on the promotion!
  • Checking in since we last spoke
  • Was Looking For Some Expert Advice on [Topic]
  • Have you read [this book] yet?
  • I loved your contribution to the [Project]
  • Saw you on Twitter
  • Remember me?
  • Any Movie Recommendations?
  • It was really nice to see you at [Event].
  • Congratulations on [most recent achievement]
  • Do you know [possible connection]?

Final Thoughts

Striking up a conversation after a long break with friends or colleagues can sometimes feel weird. But if you know the proper topics to mention, it can be much easier to reconnect. 

Send them an email and bring up some great topics you can discuss or things you have in common. Use a subject line for reconnecting email to help you build an instant connection with them.

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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