I used to treat email outreach like throwing confetti: scatter a bunch of generic subject lines into the void and hope something sparkled back. After years of pitching editors and influencers for stories, listicles, and collabs for Mycomps Co, I got tired of hearing crickets. So I ran a tiny experiment: what one subject line consistently gets replies? I A/B tested dozens of subject lines across pitches to editors, influencers, and creators. The winner surprised me — and it’s simple enough that you can use it tomorrow.

What I tested and why

I sent pitches to about 120 people over six weeks: magazine editors, newsletter writers, podcast hosts, and mid-tier influencers (20k–200k followers). The pitches themselves varied: story ideas, product gifts, collaboration invites, and quick interview requests. I kept the body of the emails short and tailored, but the subject line was the variable.

I tracked open rates, reply rates, and the quality of replies (meaning whether the reply led to a real opportunity or just “no thanks”). I excluded automatic replies and people who never opened the email. The goal wasn’t just vanity opens — it was getting a human to write back.

The subject line that outperformed everything

The clear winner was:

"Quick question about [specific thing they published or posted]"

That exact structure — starting with "Quick question" then naming something specific they did — got the highest reply rate by a comfortable margin. It’s not flashy. It’s not clickbaity. But it works. Here’s why.

Why “Quick question about [specific thing]” works

  • It signals low effort: "Quick question" tells the recipient this won’t be a time sink. People are more likely to open something that promises a short ask, especially busy editors.
  • It’s personalized: Including something specific they published or posted proves you did your homework. A generic "Hi" or "Collab?" reads like spam; referencing a recent article or post shows relevance.
  • Curiosity without alarm: The subject implies a question rather than a sales pitch. It’s conversational and non-threatening, which lowers the barrier to reply.
  • Works across platforms: Editors, podcasters, and influencers all respond to it because it aligns with how they manage inbox triage: quick, specific requests get prioritized.

    • Examples that I used (real templates you can copy)

    Swap in specifics and keep the body short. Here are some subject line templates based on the winning formula:

  • Quick question about your piece on micro-trends
  • Quick question about your TikTok on silent discos
  • Quick question about the newsletter you sent on Friday
  • Quick question about your recent round-up of streaming dramas

    • And here’s a full email example that got a reply from an entertainment editor at a mid-size outlet:

    SubjectQuick question about your round-up of summer comedies
    BodyHi [Name],

    I loved your round-up of summer comedies — the callout to [Film] was spot-on. Quick question: would you be open to a short piece on underrated rom-coms that are scoring on streaming? I can send three brief blurbs with streaming links if that helps.

    — Éloïse

    How I crafted the "specific thing"

    The specificity matters, but it doesn’t have to be exotic. Use one clear detail:

  • Title of an article or podcast episode
  • Date or phrase used in their post ("that list about commuting hacks")
  • A recent platform-specific format (TikTok video, Instagram Reel, Substack essay)

    • It’s tempting to go deep and reference multiple paragraphs, but simpler is better. Naming one thing keeps the subject tidy and scannable.

    When the subject line fails

    This formula isn’t magic. It fails when:

  • You’re vague: "Quick question about your post" is too generic.
  • You make the “specific thing” wrong: misnaming a post or getting the outlet wrong kills credibility.
  • The body is long or pushy: promising a "100-page press kit" after "quick question" is a mismatch.

    • Also, some gatekeepers use team inboxes that filter subject lines. If the person you’re targeting works for a large outlet, a personal approach on Twitter/LinkedIn sometimes works better after the initial email attempt.

    Timing and frequency tips

    Timing matters almost as much as wording. From my testing:

  • Best days: Tuesday–Thursday mornings (9–11am local time) got the highest open/reply combo.
  • Follow up: If you don’t hear back, wait 4–5 days and send one follow-up with a subject like "Quick follow-up about [specific thing]." Keep it shorter — a one-liner. Don’t send more than two follow-ups unless they engage.
  • Respect office hours: Avoid weekends unless you know the recipient works then.

    • How to match the body to the subject

    The subject promises "quick." Deliver on that promise. My go-to body structure:

  • One line that references the specific thing again (proof of relevance).
  • One sentence with the ask (what do I want from them?).
  • One sentence offering to make life easy for them (send copy, lines, assets, a time slot).
  • Sign-off with a friendly and short name.

    • Example:

    Hi [Name],

    I loved your piece on retro sitcoms — your take on Episode 3 made me snort-laugh. Quick question: would you be interested in a 300-word list of underrated sitcom pilots streaming now? I can send it ready to paste.

    — Éloïse

    Variants that also worked

    If "Quick question about..." feels overused, I had success with a few close cousins:

  • "Quick thought on [specific thing]" — slightly more contribution-focused, good when you have an idea to add rather than a question.
  • "Two-sentence idea for [outlet/name]" — promises brevity and a clear offering.
  • "Short idea for your [series/column/podcast]" — positions you as solving a specific need.

    • What to avoid in the subject line

  • Aggressive words like "Collab?" or "Partnership" — those feel salesy.
  • All caps, spammy punctuation, or emojis — they reduce credibility for editors.
  • Too many personal flattery lines in the subject — keep compliments to the email body.

    • Since I started using this formula consistently, my reply rate doubled compared with my old generic subjects. More importantly, the replies were useful: many led to published pieces, podcast slots, and influencer collabs that actually moved the needle for Mycomps Co.

    If you want, I can share a swipe file of subject lines and short email bodies tailored to editors, podcasters, and influencers. Drop a tip or a link to a target outlet and I’ll mock up 3 ready-to-send emails.