Sales Psychology Secrets Used By Copywriters

The following are 30 proven ways to get it more right than wrong. You cannot use all of them at the same time. So skim through them and pick out a few that make sense to your audience, then brainstorm a few titles.

This is borrowed from some of the greatest copywriters and marketers of our time such as: Frank Kern, Dan Kennedy, Eugene Schwartz, Ryan Deiss, Joanna Weibe and Behavioral Sales Psychology.

Do not be overwhelmed by this, it's a guide to help you with ideas. You can also have this implemented for you by contacting me for assistance.

Book an appointment if you want help

Now, let's get those subject lines written, so your emails get opened:

30 Psychological Sales Triggers Based on Proven Testing

1. Implied Benefit + Speed  

Promise a transformation that’s both meaningful and fast. These titles work because they feel like an immediate win without effort.  Everyone wants something for nothing right? Snap your fingers and it works is what you want to imply.

• Double Your Bookings in 7 Minutes a Day  

• Fix Your Posture in 30 Seconds With This Trick  

• This 2-Minute Exercise Unlocks Clarity  

2. Curiosity Gap  

Create an open loop that sparks tension and begs for closure. These subject lines make the brain itch for resolution.  When I read titles like these I want to know more. I MUST know more... click!

• What Most Diets Get Wrong — And What Actually Works  

• Still Dealing With That Leak? One Fix You Haven’t Tried Yet  

• What’s Lurking Under Your Rug Might Shock You  

3. Specific Numbers  

Precision breeds trust and perceived authority. Numbers anchor results and increase believability.  Just make sure you don't make up the numbers. After all 82.5% of all statistics are made up on the spot! These work well with actual case studies of how you've helped people so you can reference the facts.

• 3.7x More Replies With This Subject Line  

• Cut Churn by 19% With One Sentence  

• 12 Clients in 9 Days Using This Offer  

4. Negative Framing  

Leverage loss aversion by highlighting what they'll miss or mess up. Humans are wired to avoid pain faster than they pursue gain.  There is safety in being mediocre (for some), but it's absolute terror to fall behind.

• Avoid These 5 Mistakes That Kill Open Rates  

• Why Most Policies Don’t Work When You Actually Need Them  

• Before You Repaint That Room, Read This  

5. Authority Signal  

Mention elite results, well-known figures, or insider methods to boost trust. People follow the lead of perceived experts.  Ideally you want experts that your audience wants to listen to, and that could be you, or could be someone that they perceive is an expert.

• What Google’s Top Marketers Do Differently  

• How Harvard MBAs Negotiate Every Deal  

• What Elite Closers Never Say on a Sales Call  

6. Time Scarcity  

Inject urgency or limited availability. This activates fear of missing out and drives quick action.  Don't fake it though. Provide a valid reason why there is scarcity, do not lie.

• Open Within 24 Hours or Miss Out  

• Only 100 Spots Left — Are You In?  

• This Link Expires Tonight at Midnight  

7. Relevance to Identity  

Call out their role, niche, or tribe. When someone feels seen, they lean in.  They will also feel that you understand them deeper, and thus likely have better insight to their needs.

• For Local Roofers Doing $1M+/Year  

• For Coaches Who Hate Sales Calls  

• For Real Estate Agents Tired of Zillow  

8. Anticipated Relief  

Promise to relieve a common frustration or pain point. These titles work because they offer emotional payoff.  These types of pain points are easy to find and amplify. What is it that your customers need help with the most?

• Tired of No-Shows? This Fix Took 3 Minutes  

• Finally Get Your Evenings Back From Client Chaos  

• No More Tech Headaches — Here’s What We Did  

9. Micro-Commitment  

Invite a tiny action that feels easy to say yes to. Small steps build momentum.  I want to say it's because most people are inherently lazy, but maybe they are just busy doing other stuff that is more important and if they think this will take too long they just tune out? What is one small win you can get for your client?

• One Line That Gets Past Gatekeepers  

• Say This in Your Next DM  

• Try This 7-Word Script on Your Next Call  

10. Ethical Provocation  

Challenge assumptions in a respectful but punchy way. These titles provoke thought and curiosity.  Some people don't do it respectful and it still works, but being respectful is the safe bet. Our egos sometimes stop us from helping ourselves, and ... nobody wants to be wrong!

• Everything You Know About Email Marketing Is Wrong  

• Are You Making This Dumb But Common Copy writing Mistake?  

• You’ve Been Pricing Yourself Wrong This Whole Time  

11. Pattern Disruption  

Use formatting or unexpected phrasing to snap people out of inbox autopilot.  Self explanatory!

• STOP Writing Subject Lines Like This  

• Shhh... Don't Read This Email  

• Seriously. Don't Click This  

12. Conversational Tone  

Speak like a friend, not a marketer. These subject lines feel natural and real.  People want to know you care about them, not making a quick buck. What would you say to someone you cared about?

• Quick tip for Tuesday morning  

• Just sent this — thought of you  

• This might be weird, but...  

13. Contrarian Take  

Go against common advice to trigger curiosity and trust. People respect confident rebels.  It's funny, but you don't even need to be right. People just like to see opposing views sometimes so they can confirm their own opinions.

• Why You Should Email at 2AM  

• Don’t Post Daily — Do This Instead  

• Stop Warming Up Cold Leads  

14. Tension or Controversy  

Create friction that stirs emotion and demands resolution. Works best with confident positioning.  These should leave the reader thinking... oh? what happened??!?!

• Delete This If You Hate Money  

• Clients Ghosted You? It’s Your Fault  

• Why I Fired My Best Paying Client  

15. Visual Pattern Interrupt  

Use brackets, symbols, or odd formatting to stand out visually in the inbox.  Just like in the body, using white space and visual breaks makes things easier to read.

• [Insider] The 60-Second Email Hack  

• (Do Not Open Unless You're Ready)  

• *** This Changed My Business ***  

16. Audience Segmentation  

Use industry jargon, roles, or internal references to build rapport fast.  If you address the exact problem, you will get more opens, guaranteed.

• For HVAC Techs Who Hate Quoting Jobs  

• For Gym Owners Bleeding Leads Every Month  

• For SaaS Founders with 500+ Users  

17. Reward Prediction Error  

Make a promise then subvert the expected path. The brain loves surprises with payoff.  The reason is because these imply easy, foolproof success.

• It’s Not What You Think — It’s Simpler  

• I Did Everything Wrong — And It Worked  

• My Worst Performing Ad Made Me Rich  

18. Vivid Imagery  

Paint mental pictures that make the reader see success. Visualization boosts motivation and clicks.  This is especially true if the visualization is something the client actually does or wants. You don't want flowery words, but you do want to imply scenes and settings.

• Land 3 Clients While Drinking Coffee  

• Turn Cold Leads Into Warm Conversations by Lunch  

• Sell Out Your Event While Watching Netflix  

19. Prestige Framing  

Help the reader feel elite or ahead of the pack. This taps into ego and aspiration. Being unique, special, or above the rest is a real motivation for many, but not you because you are of a higher class of person and desire better things (see?)

• What Top 1% Freelancers Never Do  

• This Strategy Separates Pros From Amateurs  

• How A-Players Handle Follow-Ups  

20. Social Proof  

Show that others like them already got results. Bandwagon effect makes it safer to act.  This is even more compelling when they see themselves as the person matching the social group mentioned.

• Over 1,400 SMBs Use This 3-Line Script  

• Join 362 Local Pros Who Already Upgraded  

• What Our Clients Did to 3x Appointments  

21. Mystery or Open Loop  

Create tension by hiding just enough to force a click. Humans seek closure.   Each of these should trigger questions like how? why? what? etc

• This Changed How I Sell Forever  

• You’ll Either Love This — Or Quit  

• Something Wild Happened Yesterday...  

22. Mirror Language  

Repeat the exact words your audience uses. It feels custom, relevant, and personal.   You can find these same words by looking at forums where people complain, or just listening to your customers.

• Still Struggling to Get Replies?  

• Getting Ghosted After the First Call?  

• Sick of Being Ignored by Warm Leads?  

23. Self-Identification  

Use “you” heavily to focus attention and increase emotional relevance.  If YOU do this, it will help YOUR marketing.

• You Deserve Better Leads — Here’s How  

• You’re Closer to the Sale Than You Think  

• You Might Be One Email Away  

24. Mental Contrast Framing  

Show a before and after transformation to trigger hope and clarity.  This can be a real case study or an (admittedly) fake one. Show the transformation.

• From $0 to $20K with 3 Emails  

• From Burned Out to Booked Solid in 30 Days  

• From Clueless to Client Magnet in One Week  

25. Serial Hooking  

Create anticipation for what's coming next. Works best in sequences.  You actually need all of the training in this series to be successful, even though each tip is powerful, wait until you learn the next one.

• Tomorrow: The 5-Word Subject Line That Converts  

• In the Next Email: The Offer Stack Breakdown  

• Next Week’s Drop Will Be Even Wilder  

26. Implied Secrets  

Frame the message as insider info. Secrets imply status and exclusivity.  I've never revealed all of this before, at least not for free. Usually I use these triggers for work requested by my elite level clients.... etc.

• What Your Competitors Hope You Never Learn  

• The Script We Don’t Publicly Share  

• The Hidden Setting That Changes Everything  

27. Status Boost  

Show how the reader can level up in reputation or skill.  So many people are not proud of their current level, whatever that is. They think it takes a lifetime to improve, so relieving some of that pressure makes them more comfortable. In truth, you only need a handful of these tactics to outperform most businesses.

• This Script Makes You Sound 10x More Professional  

• How to Look Like a Pro Even If You’re New  

• Position Yourself Like the Expert You Are  

28. Micro-Drama or Conflict  

Inject a quick story or moment of friction to hook with emotional realism.  People LOVE stories. One time, at band camp....

• Client Told Me "Your Email Sucks" — Here’s What I Did  

• We Almost Lost the Deal — Until This Line  

• She Laughed at My Pitch — Then Said Yes  

29. Conditional Statements  

Use “if... then...” logic to prequalify the reader. Feels personal and relevant.   Tried and true. If you use this technique, you will have tremendous results.

• If You Hate Sales Calls, Read This  

• If You’ve Tried Everything Else, Try This  

• If You’re Tired of Being Ignored, Start Here  

30. Completion Bias  

Frame the subject as finishing something they’ve already started. People crave resolution.  This was the last part of the information you needed to master email subject lines. Now, nothing can stop you.

• Fix Your Follow-Up in 60 Seconds  

• Finish What You Started With This  

• Complete Your Offer Sequence in One Move  

Have Ideas? Challenges?

Book an appointment if you want help. If not, start writing titles as you plan out your follow up campaign. Solve specific problems for your clients and they will be hungry to learn more.