Scan time: 2-3 min / Read time: 5-7 min
Hey rebel solopreneurs 🦸♀️🦸♂️
Most creators waste 30 minutes per email guessing which subject line might work.
Smart ones use proven hooks and automate the whole thing in 90 seconds.
⚡️ Why this works
Your email lands in someone's inbox next to 47 other emails.
They scan for 0.3 seconds. Subject line catches their eye or it's gone forever.
No second chances. No "come back later." Just open or delete.
Here's the thing:
Your subject line is like a movie trailer.
Most creators make it a documentary. Boring title. Accurate description. Clear summary of what's inside.
Sounds professional. Nobody watches.
Because people don't want accuracy in a trailer. They want intrigue. They want a hook that makes them think "I NEED to see what happens next."
The 4 Proven Hooks work the same way. They tap into desires hardwired into humans for 10,000 years:
"Get massive value for almost no time." "Get massive value for almost no cost." "Solve your pain without much effort." "Unlock what you want right now."
When you write to these? Readers don't just skim your subject line. They click. They open. They read.
Turns out, psychology beats clever wordplay every time. Bingo.
Let's see how Taylor figured this out:
🚀 Get better results with context setup. Setup in 5 minutes | Download sample
Taylor is a business coach. Sends weekly newsletter to 2,400 subscribers.
But here's the problem.
After 9 months and 38 emails sent, Taylor's open rates stayed stuck. 5% one week. 8% the next. Back to 6%.
Every Sunday night? Same ritual. Stare at "Subject:" field for 20 minutes.
Type: "This week's coaching tips." Delete.
Type: "How to get more clients." Delete.
Type: "3 strategies for business growth." Delete.
Should it be mysterious? Direct? Question-based? How many words? Which words actually matter?
30 minutes wasted. Subject line picked. Still felt random.
Open rate the next day? 7%. Same as always.
Taylor was tired of guessing and getting mediocre results.
Then Taylor found something. A principle from multi-million dollar copywriters who'd tested 10,000+ subject lines.
A framework called "The 4 Proven Hooks + 5 Golden Rules."
It explained exactly why random subject lines get ignored. And how to write lines that tap into primal human desires in 90 seconds instead of 30 minutes of guessing.
Taylor decided to follow these steps:
Step 1: Generate 12 subject lines across all 4 proven hook types Step 2: Name and claim each subject line to feel like a "thing" Step 3: Create matching subtext lines that whisper "here's what's inside"
📧 Step 1: Taylor generates 12 proven subject lines
Taylor needed 12 subject lines across all 4 proven hook types.
Here's what Taylor tried:
The Email Subject Line Generator prompt:
I want to write email subject lines that capture my target audience's attention.
Here's what we'll do:
I'll give you a topic, target audience (FOR WHO), and desired outcome (SO THAT).
You'll create 3 email subject lines for EACH of the 4 proven hooks (12 total).
The 4 proven hooks:
1. Massive value for minimal time
2. Massive value for minimal cost
3. Solve the problem without much effort
4. Unlock desirable outcome instantly
Examples to follow:
- "Your entire Life Coach career path blueprint… in 1 email!"
- "Here's our entire $1M marketing plan. Steal it!"
- "Losing money in the stock market? Just buy these 3 companies."
- "3 keys to land $10,000 consulting clients, from home, in your pajamas, right now."
Rules:
- Max 15 words per subject line
- Write like you're talking to a friend (sentence case, not Title Case)
- Use visceral, tangible language
- Intrigue the reader
- Use numbers when possible
- Be super specific
Return format:
**Hook Type 1: Massive value for minimal time**
1. [subject line]
2. [subject line]
3. [subject line]
[Continue for all 4 hook types]
Here's my input:
---
INPUT:
Topic: {INSERT Topic e.g., landing consulting clients}
Target audience: {INSERT Audience e.g., business coaches}
Desired outcome: {INSERT Outcome e.g., book 3-5 discovery calls per week}
The AI sidekick returned 12 subject lines organized by hook type.
Taylor scanned the list. Hook Type 3 (solve problem without effort) had the strongest options:
"Struggling to book consulting calls? Just use these 3 email templates."
"Can't land consulting clients? Steal these 3 proven scripts (they work)."
"Want consulting clients without cold calling? Try this 3-step system."
The second one felt strongest. "Steal these 3 proven scripts" had visceral language ("steal"), specificity ("3 proven scripts"), and a clear promise.
Completion moment: Taylor had 12 subject lines to choose from instead of 3 mediocre guesses.
🎯 Step 2: Taylor names and claims the subject line
Taylor picked: "Can't land consulting clients? Steal these 3 proven scripts (they work)."
Felt solid. But still felt like just a list of scripts. Taylor wanted it to feel like receiving an actual product - a kit, manual, playbook.
Taylor used this prompt:
The Name and Claim Subject Line prompt:
I want to "name and claim" my email subject line.
Goal: Make the reader feel like they're receiving a complete "thing" - a kit, manual, playbook, blueprint, system, etc.
The email should feel exponentially more valuable.
Examples:
- "Life Coach Money Manual: 3 easy ways to 10x your monthly earnings (nobody tells you this)"
- "Substack Starter Pack: 5-day crash course to launch your newsletter and quickly get your first 100 subscribers"
- "Client Conversion Kit: Steal these 3 proven scripts that book discovery calls automatically"
Rules:
- Create 5-6 named versions of the same subject line
- Each name should feel like a complete product/resource
- Keep max 15 words total
- Maintain the core promise
- Use sentence case (not Title Case)
Return format:
1. [Named subject line option]
2. [Named subject line option]
[Continue for all options]
Here's the subject line to name and claim:
---
INPUT:
[Use the selected subject line from Prompt 1]
The AI sidekick returned 6 named versions:
"Client Conversion Scripts: Steal these 3 proven templates (they actually work)"
"Consulting Playbook: 3 ready-to-use scripts that book discovery calls on autopilot"
"Discovery Call Kit: Copy these 3 scripts and start booking clients today"
"The Consulting Script Vault: 3 proven templates that turn cold leads into booked calls"
"Client Magnet System: 3 plug-and-play scripts (no cold calling required)"
"Instant Client Scripts: 3 copy-paste templates that book calls while you sleep"
Taylor read through the options. Number 2 felt strongest.
"Consulting Playbook: 3 ready-to-use scripts that book discovery calls on autopilot"
"Playbook" made it feel official. "Ready-to-use" promised immediate value. "On autopilot" hit the effortless outcome.
Completion moment: Taylor had a subject line that felt like receiving a complete resource, not just reading another email.
💬 Step 3: Taylor creates the subtext line
Taylor had the subject line: "Consulting Playbook: 3 ready-to-use scripts that book discovery calls on autopilot"
Looked great in isolation. But subject lines don't show up alone - they need matching subtext lines.
Taylor used this prompt:
The Email Subtext Line Generator prompt:
I want to write the perfect subtext line for my email subject line.
The subtext appears in grey below the subject line in inboxes. It should:
- Amplify curiosity without giving everything away
- Whisper "here's what's inside"
- Create forward pull to open the email
- Complement the subject line (not repeat it)
Examples:
Subject: "Life Coach Money Manual: 3 easy ways to 10x your monthly earnings"
Subtext: "Most coaches miss #2. It's the fastest path to $10k months."
Subject: "Client Conversion Kit: 3 scripts that book discovery calls automatically"
Subtext: "Script #3 books 40% more calls than traditional outreach. Steal it."
Rules:
- Max 15 words
- Don't repeat the subject line
- Create curiosity gap
- Use sentence case
- Be specific (numbers, concrete details)
Generate 5 subtext options for the subject line below.
Return format:
1. [subtext option]
2. [subtext option]
[Continue for all 5 options]
Here's the subject line:
---
INPUT:
[Use the named and claimed subject line from Prompt 2]
The AI sidekick returned 5 subtext options:
"Script #2 books 3x more calls than cold outreach. Use it today."
"Most consultants skip the follow-up script. It's the highest converter."
"These 3 templates turned lukewarm leads into 12 booked calls last month."
"Copy-paste ready. No editing needed. Start using in 5 minutes."
"One consultant used all 3 and booked 8 calls in 48 hours."
Taylor read through them. Number 3 created the strongest pull.
"These 3 templates turned lukewarm leads into 12 booked calls last month."
Specific number (12 calls). Specific timeframe (last month). Addresses exact pain (lukewarm leads). Creates curiosity (how did templates do that?).
The combination looked like this:
Subject: Consulting Playbook: 3 ready-to-use scripts that book discovery calls on autopilot Subtext: These 3 templates turned lukewarm leads into 12 booked calls last month.
Completion moment: Taylor had both lines working together to create maximum click-through.
📊 Taylor's results after 6 weeks
Before:
Time per subject line: 25-30 minutes
Process: Random guessing, typing and deleting
Open rates: 5-8% average
Subtext lines: Generic or auto-generated previews
After:
Time per subject line: 90 seconds
Process: Run 3 prompts sequentially
Open rates: 38-45% average
Subtext lines: Strategically crafted to amplify subject
Taylor's new process:
Run Prompt 1 with topic/audience/outcome (60 seconds)
Pick best subject line, run Prompt 2 to name and claim it (20 seconds)
Run Prompt 3 to generate matching subtext (10 seconds)
Copy-paste into email platform and send
Total time: 90 seconds. Not 30 minutes of guessing.
Taylor's AI sidekick handles all the hook psychology, naming frameworks, and subtext creation automatically. BAM.
🧩 Your turn
Copy all 3 prompts into your AI sidekick. Run them in the same chat.
For Prompt 1: Paste your topic, target audience, and desired outcome. Your AI sidekick generates 12 subject lines across all 4 proven hooks.
Pick your favorite. Run Prompt 2 automatically using that subject line. Your AI sidekick names and claims it to feel like a complete resource.
Then Prompt 3 runs with your named subject line. Your AI sidekick creates 5 subtext options.
Generation time: 90 seconds total. Time to send your email: 2 minutes.
That's it, my fellow outliers!
Yours 'helping you work less and earn more with AI' Vijay peduru 🦸♂️